Highlights from Agenda papers:

Key decisions were felt, despite the legislation permitting Cabinet to take the decision, to be better placed at full Council for final decision to allow full debate on the topic before the final decision was made.

Many comments were made about the changes to council structure following the LGA 2000 and felt that these changes had been to the detriment of the council.

Overview and Scrutiny functions

Many members felt that the overview function of the council was not as strong as under the previous committee setup, when there were separate committees for each function.

Many views were expressed on the need for the next elected council to operate a separate overview committee to work on formulating policy, perhaps encompassing another element – planning policy. A clear focus on overview would also permit the council to put more effort into forward planning, and to give officers a clear steer of the work required of them.

Separating the planning applications from planning policy was another common theme, with a view that the two elements should be separated out to be covered by two committees. The practicalities of a new overview committee covering such a wide area of work (in also covering planning policy) would need careful consideration and officer resource before implementing.

There was general agreement that planning applications were dealt with well and could continue to be so under the structure of a separate committee to that of planning policy.

Scrutiny could still maintain the ability to review decisions before taken, in order to prevent poor decisions being made, and was preferable over a call-in option.

Amendments to Task and Finish Forums

Recommendations were made to Overview and Scrutiny on 22 January on amendments to where the scope is agreed for a TaFF, and the number of councillors who should be on a TaFF.

Discussion reached an agreement on “normally seven” for the number on a Forum, with key aspects being to secure councillors with appropriate skills and/or enthusiasm for the task.

Agreeing a drafted scope at committee level was also felt helpful in order to set the task clear parameters for immediate start by the Forum, as well as help achieve a greater ownership by the committee on what they wanted the Forum to achieve.

Other issues

“To note” recommendations were not appreciated by members and took up valuable meeting time. Reports for information could be circulated separately. Efforts were made at draft agenda stage to seek clear recommendations; and members were reminded that a recommendation was just that – they had the option to change the wording based on the consensus reached. An alternative suggestion was “for the committee to debate and comment on”.

Possible recommendations from this meeting:

 Glossary of terms to be adopted for use as part of the member development programme.

 Clear distinction of decision powers between Portfolio Holders/Cabinet and the full Councilcommunicated to councillors, including through the member development programme.

 Debate amending the constitution to permit the following:

o ReplacetheOverviewandScrutinyCommitteewithtwoseparatecommitteesofasmaller membership, overall involving more councillors

o SplitthecurrentresponsibilitiesoftheDevelopmentManagementCommittee,amendingto retain (as Development Control ) determination of planning applications, remain at 16 councillors, and retain a Planning Inspections Committee; the remaining responsibilities of developing planning policy to be undertaken either as a dedicated Development Policy Committee OR taken into the responsibilities of the Overview Committee.

 The separate Overview committee to be chaired by a member of the majority party, with an invitation to the opposition to nominate the chairman of the Scrutiny committee. The Leader retains the right to fill the role of Scrutiny Chairman from the majority party if no suitable nomination is
made. The Housing Review Board to remain as chaired by a member of the majority party.

 Scoping for Task and Finish Forums be undertaken by the committee prior to the start of the Forum;

 A Task and Finish Forum to normally consist of seven councillors

 Strategic Management Team work to change the culture of “to note” recommendations and

encourage officers to make clear what decision is being recommended. Still to debate:

 Frequency of meetings for new committee structure suggested. Currently OS meets 10 times a year; DMC 13 times a year

 Chairman’s casting vote

 Chairman of Development Management Committee voting rights when = ward member of application

 Noting member absence when vote taken

 Electronic voting

 Quorum arrangements

 Planning delegation scheme – raising awareness

Click to access 260215-os-agenda-combined-public-version.pdf