PAPER A
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE LIAISON COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 29 MAY 2002 COMMENCING AT 2.30 PM
Present :
Mrs T M Butchers, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr J H Fleming, Mr J F Howe, Mr P D Joyce, Mr G S Kendall, Mr G P Price, Mr I R Stephens
Apologies :
Mrs D Gardiner
Also Present (non voting) :
Mr R A Sutton
1. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN
The names of Mr G S Kendall and Mr P D Joyce were separately moved and seconded. Following a secret ballot it was :
RESOLVED :
THAT Mr G S Kendall be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.
2. MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2002 be confirmed.
3. URGENT BUSINESS - BEST VALUE REVIEW PROGRAMME
The Chairman agreed to an urgent item of business relating to the Best Value Review Programme for Years 4 and 5. This was to be considered by the Executive on 18 June 2002.
The Committee was advised that the Directors Group had identified a number of topics for review. It was necessary to demonstrate during the forthcoming inspection connected with Comprehensive Performance Assessment that the Council had a forward programme for such reviews.
The proposal was for reviews on Transport, Planning, Benefit Payments, Education Inclusion and Homelessness in Year 4 with Procurement, Drug-Related Crime, Fire Service Training and Consumer Protection in Year 5.
The Committee believed that there should be some capacity within the Best Value Team to undertake ad hoc reviews. The programme should also be flexible and be member driven. A rolling programme was preferred by the Committee. It was considered important by members for the Select Committee to individually examine, at their awaydays, the topics proposed for Years 4 and 5 and come back with recommendations. Those could then be discussed by the Liaison Committee and then forwarded on to the Executive.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Best Value Review Programme for Year 4 and 5 be considered by Select Committees at their respective awaydays and views reported back to the next meeting of the Liaison Committee.
4. PROCEDURE RULES
The Liaison Committee received for information the Procedure Rules as approved by Full Council. The revised membership incorporating three other members to ensure political proportionality was highlighted.
It was noted that the Council’s Constitution had not been fully revised to recognise Vice Chairmen of Select Committees.
RESOLVED :
THAT the Procedure Rules be noted.
5. COMMUNITY STRATEGY - CONSULTATION DRAFT
The Committee considered the report of the Head of Paid Service relating to arrangements for Select Committee involvement in the development of the Community Strategy.
The Executive had approved the draft document for consultation. The public consultation period would expire on 21 June 2002. The Island Futures Partnership had been established to ensure the involvement of the public and other interested bodies. It was intended to seek formal adoption of the Strategy by the Council in July 2002.
The mechanism of Select Committee involvement would be dealt with at their respective awaydays.
RESOLVED :
THAT the report be noted.
6. OFFICER SUPPORT TO SELECT COMMITTEE SUPPORT
The Committee discussed the joint report of the Head of Select Committee and Best Value Support and the Democratic Services Manager on proposals to improve the level of support to the Select Committee function. The matter formed part of the Improvement plan arising from the District Auditor’s study into the Select Committee process.
The Best Value Team would be incorporated with Select Committee Support. Additionally two Committee Administrators would be transferred to deal solely with the Select Committee process. There would also be additional support through a shared Administrative Assistant.
The Committee Services member dealing with the Development Control Committee would be relocated at Seaclose to assist in the introduction of public speaking at that Committee.
In discussing the functions of Select Committees several items relating to the Constitution were raised. Firstly was the involvement of Portfolio Holders at Select Committees. There was a need to ensure that Portfolio Holders were not involved in the scrutiny of decisions taken by the Executive, particularly on issues that they were responsible for. The Committee also noted that Portfolio Holders should attend Select Committee meetings when invited to do so. Their participation in debates would be at the invitation of the Select Committee Chairman. There was a need to review the wording contained within the Constitution to ensure that the role of Portfolio Holders at Select Committees was fully understood.
Discussion took place on joint meetings of Select Committees. At present there was no formal mechanism for such an arrangement.
The Chairman referred to a paper that he had circulated prior to the meeting regarding the scrutiny and policy development role of Select Committees. This would be discussed at the next meeting.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the new working arrangements involving Select Committee Support be supported.
(ii) THAT officers consider amendments to the Constitution regarding the role of Portfolio Holders at Select Committees and joint meetings of Select Committees.
CHAIRMAN