Agenda item

The Council, at their meeting on 14 June 2012, had referred further consideration of the report by the Short Life Working Group to this meeting. The report made recommendations about future Political Management Arrangements.

 

The Executive Director of Customer Services advised the Council that he had received notification from Councillor Vivien Dance that she was no longer a member of the Independent Councillors and would have no affiliation to any political group.

 

Decision

 

The Council agreed:

 

1          To note the Report by the Short Life Working Group on Political Management Arrangements.

2          That the Executive Committee is discontinued and that all previously delegated powers revert to the Council.

3          That in terms of structure, the Planning Protective Services and Licensing Committee and the Regulatory Cohort are fit for purpose and that no changes to their remit, composition or membership are made and to invite a nomination for the vacant position.

4          That the Audit Committee, Special Committee for Adult Services and the CHORD Programme Management Board are fit for purpose and that no changes to their remit, composition or membership are made.

5          That Area Committees, Community Planning Groups and Business Days be held as detailed in Appendix 1 below.

6          That Policy and Performance Groups and the Roads and Transportation Working Group are discontinued and that the functions of these are carried out by the Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee and Short Life Working Groups as appropriate.

7          To adjust the Constitution to provide for the creation of Short Life Working Groups by the Council on the basis set out in Appendix 2 and to remit the Executive Director of Customer Services to modify the Constitution to regulate the procedures of such groups

8          To establish a Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee on the basis set out in the Appendix 3 and

i)          That there are 11 Members appointed to this Committee consisting 4 from the Opposition, 3 Members of the Administration (none of whom shall be Lead Councillors) and 3 CPP Partner nominees and 1 independent Chair.

ii)         That this Committee shall meet on a quarterly basis and to remit to the Executive Director of Customer Services to propose a suitable programme of meetings.

iii)         That Councillors Blair, McAlpine and MacDonald be appointed and invited the Opposition to appoint 4 members. The opposition Councillors are D MacIntyre, E Morton, Mulvaney and Walsh.

iv)        To remit to the Executive Director of Customer Services to bring forward nominations in respect of CPP appointments and to undertake a process to bring forward a nomination for the appointment of  an independent Chair, who shall when appointed hold office until the next ordinary election unless the Council determines otherwise.

9          To instruct the Director of Customer Services to bring to a future Council meeting a paper to address the remit and powers of Area Committees and Community Planning Groups with a view to enhancing and strengthening local engagement and decision making.

10      To authorise the Executive Director of Customer Services to make any changes required to the Constitution to reflect the decisions made herein in respect of the Political Management Arrangements of the Council and to report to the Council with a revised Scheme of Administration and Delegations as necessary.

11        To instruct the Executive Director of Customer Services to prepare a Programme of meetings for 2012/13 in light of decisions taken at this meeting.

 

Appendix 1 – Area Meetings

 

1.1       Area Committee Meetings will be held in February, April, June, August, October and December. All meetings will be held in the morning; Bute and Cowal will meet on the first Tuesday of the relevant month, MAKI on the first Wednesday, Helensburgh & Lomond on the second Tuesday and OLI on the second Wednesday.

1.2       Area Community Planning Groups shall, subject to the agreement of partners, meet quarterly in March, June, September and December in the afternoon of the same day of that month as stated in 1.1 above.

1.3       Agenda items that are common to all four Areas will be considered within the space of seven working days thereby ensuring efficient progression of matters which are corporate or common to either the Council or any Core Partners.

1.4       Area Business Days will be held January, March, May, September and November. All meetings will be held in the morning; Bute and Cowal will meet on the first Tuesday of the relevant month, MAKI on the first Wednesday, Helensburgh & Lomond on the second Tuesday and OLI on the second Wednesday.

1.5       In addition Members will be involved in one Area Forum in November each year, similar to the previously held Forward Together Events, subject to agreement from community planning partners to support and participate in the events.

 

Appendix 2 – Short Life Working Groups (SLWGs)

 

2.1       SLWGs will be appointed in terms of the Scheme of Administration and Delegations which is referred to in Standing Order 26.

 

2.2       Standing Orders 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1 – 3.5, 7.1 – 7.4 and 17.1 will apply to meetings of any Short Life Working Group.

 

2.3       Meetings of SLWGs

 

2.3.1    Without prejudice to the general right of the Council, to appoint a SLWG at any time, a minimum of any six Members may propose that a SLWG should be established; the following procedure will apply to the establishment of a Group on its proposal by Members.

2.3.1.1 The Members concerned will set out in a notice to be given to the Executive Director of Customer Services the matters on which it is proposed the Group should be asked to provide advice, together with such other relevant material as the members concerned consider the Council might usefully require in order to reach a decision whether or not to establish such a Group.

2.3.1.2 The Executive Director of Customer Services will include the proposal, together with the written material provided by the Members, on the agenda for the next following ordinary meeting of the Council.

2.3.1.3 In considering a proposal (whether or not submitted in terms of sub-paragraph (1) above) to establish a SLWG, the Council may (a) determine that, instead of appointing a Group, the matter contained in the proposal may be added to the Terms of Reference of an existing Group or (b) in the circumstances where (a) does not apply the Council shall resolve either to require a report from the appropriate officer on the implications of establishing such a group in respect of the resources required to take forward the work of the group, the current status (if any) of Council policy on the matter and any other matters relevant to their deliberations to a future meeting of the Council or (c) decline to establish such a group without further deliberation

2.3.1.4 When a SLWG is established, the Council will appoint the Members of the Group, appoint two of those Members who are Councillors to be the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Group respectively, specify the matters on which the Group is to provide advice, specify the timescale within which the Group is to submit its report or recommendations and any other ancillary matters regarding the operation of the Group as may be desirable.

2.3.1.5 Whilst normally a SLWG will report and provide advice to the Council, the Council when establishing a Group may direct that the SLWG reports, instead or in addition, to another constituent part of the Council.

2.3.1.6 At the end of the period mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) of this Standing Order the Group will cease to exist unless before the end of that period the appointing body has substituted a revised period.

2.3.1.7 It will be open to the Council at any time in the event that it considers the resources available to support the work of SLWGs are insufficient, to agree that no further Groups should be established or that the number in total should be limited. If such a decision is made no proposal to establish a SLWG Group which would be contrary to the Council resolution shall be considered unless and until the Council has altered or rescinded that resolution.

2.3.2    The arrangements for meetings of a SLWGs will be a matter for the Group concerned, but the chair of a Group may for good cause cancel or alter the place, date or time for a meeting of a Group and may call a meeting of a Group on dates in addition to those already decided by the Group, but not after the summons for the meeting has been issued.

2.3.3    In addition to any report or paper submitted by an Officer of the Council, any Member of a SLWG may, in relation to any research which she/he may have undertaken, submit a report or paper for consideration by the Group, provided that report or paper is made available in time for inclusion with the agenda of business for the meeting, and any other Member of the Council may similarly submit such report or paper and may speak to the SLWG in relation to that report or paper.

2.3.4    In addition to the consideration of any report or paper submitted by a

Member or Officer, a SLWG may seek and/or consider a report, paper or presentation from other persons, whether inside or outside the Council, but such persons shall not participate as Members of the Group.

2.3.5    While the minimum quorum for an effective meeting of a SLWG to take place will be three Members of the Group, the report or reports of the Group which contain the advice and recommendations of the Group will require to be considered at a meeting of the Group at which at least half of the Members of the Group are present.

2.3.6    The content of the advice or recommendations which any Group provides will be reached if possible by consensus amongst the Members of the Group, and in the event of any difference of view which will be determined in accordance with these Standing Orders as they would apply to a meeting of a Committee of the Council, the report or reports of the Group will in addition to the advice and recommendations of the Group include a note setting out the views of those Members who may not concur with that advice or those recommendations. Other decisions by the Group relating to their procedure and operation will be reached in accordance with these Standing Orders as they would apply to a meeting of a Committee of the Council.

 

 

Appendix 3 - Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee

 

The Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee will have delegated powers in terms of the Scheme of Administration and Delegations which is referred to in Standing Order 26, in terms of the terms of reference outlined below and shall be a committee of the Council to which the standing orders of the Council shall apply.

 

The Performance Review and Scrutiny Committee will be responsible for the following:

 

Performance Review

(1) Reviewing performance when viewed against policy objectives arising from:

a) The Planning and Performance Management Framework and the quarterly performance reports to committee.

b) External inspection reports e.g. School Inspections.

c) The Community Planning Partnership and other major partnership projects.

d) Specific performance reports requested by the committee.

e) Ad hoc performance reports presented to the Committee by Chief Officials.

f) Any other reports of a performance-related nature.

(2) Making recommendations to the Council on performance matters in relation to (1) above.

 

Scrutiny

(1) Monitoring the delivery of corporate improvement programmes and ensuring that they are progressing in line with corporate aims and objectives. Reporting the findings and recommendations to the Council.

(2) Commenting on decisions and policies agreed by the Council and other committees and the impact they have on Argyll and Bute as an area, and making recommendations as appropriate to the Council.

(3) Inviting Lead Councillors to attend and elaborate on Council decisions or proposals.

 

(Ref: Report by Short Life Working Group dated May 2012, submitted)