Agenda item

Change in Governance Arrangements: Update on Implementation

Minutes:

Steve Fox, Head of Democratic and Member Services introduced the report of the Director of Law and Governance which gave an update in respect to the implementation of the change in governance arrangements following the adoption of a new Constitution by the Council at the Annual Meeting held on the 28th September 2020. The report included updates on the implementation of the committee programme, training and constitution review and work programming.

 

The Committee was reminded that committee meetings had now transitioned from virtual to in-person, held at the Floral Pavilion in line with the venue’s own risk assessment as well as a bespoke committee meeting risk assessment which had been shared with members and officers attending. It was reported that meetings so far had been successful and the staff at the Floral Pavilion were thanked for their support.

 

An update was provided on the training programme for members and officers, with resources within Democratic Member Services having been restructured to offer more support to members. The member induction programme had mainly been delivered virtually which allowed for the training to be more easily captured and as a result a library of training resources had been made available to members. A further update was provided in relation to issues yet to be considered by the Committee, including a review of the Petition Scheme and a discussion on Media Guidelines, alongside a recommendation from Council for the Independent Remuneration Panel to consider a range of issues as detailed in the report, the outcomes of which would be reported back to the Committee in Autumn 2021.

 

Members considered the size of the Governance Working Group as well as the role of the Member Support Steering Group moving forward where members were advised that the Steering Group would consider a range of issues including:

 

·  Ongoing programme of member training and best use of the member learning and development budget.

·  Review of the new member induction.

·  Overview of the member Portal.

·  Review of the ICT offer to members

 

It was proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Tony Cox that the Governance Working Group continue to be one member from each group.

 

The motion was put and agreed by assent.

 

A further discussion ensued on the wellbeing of elected members and the stresses and strains imposed on Councillors as part of their role. Members highlighted the difficulty in managing a work life balance and felt that there were fewer structures in place to support Councillors as they were not employees, and that member welfare needed to be included in the Council’s governance structure.

 

It was moved by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Steve Foulkes, that –

 

“the Committee places on record its thanks to officers and staff for the arrangements made to continue the democratic process.”

 

The motion was put and agreed by assent. It was therefore –

 

Resolved – That

 

1)  membership of the Governance Working Group be 1 member from each political group.

2)   the Monitoring Officer as proper officer be authorised to carry out the wishes of the Group Leaders in allocating Members to the Governance Working Group and to appoint those Members with effect from the date at which the proper officer is advised of the names of such Members.

3)  the Director of Law and Governance be requested to convene meetings of the Independent Remuneration Panel to consider the issues raised in section 3.3 of the report with a view to submitting an outcomes report to this Committee in Autumn 2021.

4)  the Committee places on record its thanks to officers and staff for the arrangements made to continue the democratic process.

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