A.  To consider the reports of the Head of Legal and Member Services on the following matters:

(i).  Appointment and Constitution of Council Committees for 2014/15.

(Pages 25 - 43)

(ii).  Appointments to Statutory and Advisory Committees, Working Parties and Panels 2014/15.

(Pages 45 - 57)

(iii).  Appointment of Members (and/or other individuals) to Outside Bodies and organisations 2014/15.

(Pages 59 - 73)

B.  To consider recommendations from the Policy and Performance Coordinating Committee of 1 April, 2014, in respect of proposed Joint Health scrutiny arrangements covering the Merseyside and Cheshire area.

(Pages 75 - 90)

C.  To consider recommendations from the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee of 28 April, 2014, in respect of the Council’s Ethical Framework relating to Member conduct and related issues.

(Pages 91- 128)

The Council was requested to consider the reports of the Head of Legal and Member Services and Committee referrals on the following matters –

(i).  Appointments and Constitution of Council Committees and the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs to such Committees.

(ii).  Appointments to Statutory and Advisory Committees, Working Parties and Panels.

(iii).  Appointment of Members (and/or other individuals) to Outside Bodies and Organisations.

(iv).  Recommendations of the Policy and Performance Coordinating Committee held on 1 April, 2014, in respect of proposed Joint Health scrutiny arrangements covering the Merseyside and Cheshire area.

(v).  Recommendations of the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee held on 28 April 2014 in respect of the Council’s Ethical Framework relating to Member conduct and related issues.

In respect of the first matter requiring approval, it was moved by Councillor Phil Davies and seconded by Councillor Ann McLachlan –

‘That the recommendations in the report be approved.’

An amendment was then submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12 (1).

Proposed by Councillor Gilchrist

Seconded by Councillor Mrs Pat Williams

‘Council believes that taking away the opportunity for members of opposition parties to chair the Scrutiny process is a backward step.

Council is concerned that this was done by the Leader without consultation or discussion with the opposition parties.

In particular, Council respects and notes the role of the Policy and Performance Committees as described in the Constitution where they are expected to…

“foster and encourage an inclusive, structured, non-partisan and non-adversarial approach to overview and scrutiny”.

In addition, the Constitution states that Chairs and Members are expected to “….undertake Overview and Scrutiny functions in a constructive and non-partisan way”.

Council therefore does not accept that the Chairs should be drawn in their entirety from the controlling party and calls upon the Leader to enter into a meaningful dialogue on this issue.

 Council therefore resolves that:

1. With regard to the appointment of Chairpersons to the Policy and Performance Committees, the three Group Leaders shall within the next seven days enter into dialogue with a view to agreeing the Chairperson of each Policy and Performance Committee. Those appointments shall take effect once the names of the Chairpersons have been confirmed in writing to the Head of Legal and Member Services.

2. In the event that the three Group Leaders are unable to reach agreement as to the Chairpersons of the Policy and Performance Committees (pursuant to 1 above), the matter will be referred back to Council for determination at its meeting on 14 July 2014. In the interim, the Chairperson of each Policy and Performance Committee shall be appointed by each Committee from amongst its membership.’

Two further amendments were then submitted in accordance with Standing Order 12 (1).

First amendment -

Proposed by Councillor Jeff Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

‘Council notes that opposition Members of the Council have previously raised concerns regarding the size and scope of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee and its ability to adequately scrutinise the performance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13

Report of the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance.

A report by the Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance outlined the process currently being undertaken to develop a Joint Health Scrutiny Protocol/Arrangements covering the Cheshire and Merseyside area pursuant to The Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013 (”Regulations”). 

A copy of the draft protocol was attached to the report at Appendix 1 for Members’ information.  The Protocol responded to a requirement set out in Regulations and provided a vehicle for establishing Joint Health Scrutiny Committees with the other authorities in the Cheshire and Merseyside area as the need arose.

The requisite changes required to the Council’s Constitution were attached to the report at Appendix 2 for Members’ information.

Additional clarifications in respect of the Protocol for the establishment of joint health scrutiny arrangements for Cheshire and Merseyside were attached to the report at Appendix 3 for Members’ information.

It was reported that since the publication of the committee papers, the protocol had been subject to a final amendment, prior to approval by all nine Cheshire and Merseyside authorities as follows:

A Joint Committee would be composed of Councillors from each of the participating authorities within Cheshire and Merseyside in the following ways:

·  where four or more local authorities deem the proposed change to be substantial, each authority will nominate two elected Members

·  where three or less local authorities deem the proposed change to be substantial, then each participating authority will nominate three elected Members.

(Note: In making their nominations, each participating authority would be asked to ensure that their representatives had the experience and expertise to contribute effectively to a health scrutiny process.)

Councillor P Glasman declared a non pecuniary interest in this item of business by virtue of her being on the Board of the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

The Committee discussed its need to maintain its own independent view and referred to Clatterbridge Hospital as an example as it was in the Council’s administrative area.  The Director of Public Health/Head of Policy and Performance informed that the Council would still have its arrangements in place to review issues at the local level.

The Head of Legal and Member Services informed the Committee that it was not expected that there would be any more changes to the Protocol at this time whilst the nine participating authorities were going through the process of agreeing it.  However, it would be kept under regular review and there could be future amendments to ensure that it was working effectively.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the draft Protocol for the Establishment of Joint Health Scrutiny arrangements for Cheshire and Merseyside set out in Appendix 1 to the report be endorsed;

(2)  the Protocol for the Establishment of Joint Health Scrutiny Arrangements for Cheshire and Merseyside set out Appendix 1 to the report be recommended to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51