To record any apologies for absence received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T Anderson, P Brightmore, A Leech, M Sullivan and J Williamson.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any disclosable pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest which they have in any item of business on the agenda no later than when the item is reached.

Members are reminded that they should also declare whether they are subject to a party whip in connection with any item(s) to be considered at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of the whipping arrangement.

No declarations of interest were received.

It was noted that Members of this Committee, who were also signatories to the call-in notice, were able to take an active part in the scrutiny of the key decision.  There was no restriction within the Council’s Constitution.

A report by the Director of Children’s Services is attached.

The Chair reported that as there was no space in the Council’s Committee timetable to fit in this call-in meeting within the 15 working days of the decision to call-in as set out in the Council’s Procedure Rules (Standing Order 35) and have enough time to scrutinise the key decision, she was be proposing that the meeting be adjourned to 12 November 2014.

Members were in favour of the Chair’s proposal but also wanted to ensure that the procedure agreed by the Committee on 24 June 2013 was revised and improved so that witnesses, who were in attendance at call-in meetings could have the opportunity to read out their own written statement to the Committee if they so wished.  Members also agreed that the reading out of these statements should be time limited to a maximum of five minutes each.

Members also considered it appropriate for the Cabinet Member concerned and the Lead Member to the call-in to be questioned once they had made their statements to the Committee.  Currently, the Call-in Procedure did not allow for this.

RESOLVED: (unanimously) That

(1)  the meeting stand adjourned until 6pm on Wednesday, 12 November 2014 in Committee Room 1 of Wallasey Town Hall;

(2)  the Call-in Procedure be revised to enable:

(a)  a witness to a called in decision, who attends the meeting, to have the option of reading out any prepared written statements to the Committee (within a timescale not to exceed five minutes); and

(b)  the relevant Cabinet Member and the Lead Member to the call-in to be questioned by the Committee, once they have made their opening statements;

(3)  the revised Call-in Procedure note be presented to the Committee at its reconvened meeting on 12 November 2014 for adoption.