Issue - meetings

The Chair of the Member Constitution Review Committee presented the group’s recommendations. He said that the group had been asked to explore the different governance systems to meet the aims of the Joint Administration’s Corporate Plan. The group met five times and looked at four different governance systems: Leader/Cabinet, committee, elected Mayor and a hybrid system.

Councillor Horner said the objectives from investigating a new model of governance was to increase transparency and member participation. He said that during the group’s work, the government released their plans for local government reform and so it was felt that this alongside costs of changing the system meant that the group were suggesting no change to the system. The group had however, suggested some improvements to the current system to help Members feel more involved and make decision making more transparent.

Councillor Horner proposed that the recommendations in the report be supported. Councillor V Smith seconded the proposal.

Councillor Crystall thanked the group for their work and said it had been a useful exercise. He said the Executive would take away the group’s suggestions and discuss with the Chair of the group to understand the ideas and how they saw them working.

Councillor Goldspink also thanked the group for their work. She said that the aim of the exercise was to see if there were ways of making councillors feel involved in the decision-making process. She said that some of the group’s ideas were useful, and the Executive would work through them to see what could be implemented.

Councillor Wilson said that the invite to all councillors was always there for them to discuss ideas with the Executive. He said that the whole Executive were open to those discussions to assist in policy development and decision making.

The motion to support the recommendations having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED - (A) that no formal change in the council’s governance system be recommended.

(B)   that the following amendments within the Leader/Executive system be agreed:

·            Consideration to setting up topic groups

·            Extending public participation at committee meetings

·            Greater use of task and finish groups

·            Early consultation with ward members about future decisions that would be taken and that affect their ward.

·            Member education programme in scrutiny and decision making

·            Monthly updates from Executive Members via MIB to inform Members as to what policies are being developed and what the Executive are working on.

(C)   that the Member Constitution Review Group continue to work on developing the proposals and propose any constitution amendments required to the Council meeting on 23 July 2025.