Issue - meetings

The Chairman invited Councillor C. J. Bloore, as Chairman of the Task Group, to introduce the report. 

The Chairman of the Task Group thanked the Committee Services Officer for her support in completing two task group reports in a very short period of time.  The Board was provided with background information on why the Task Group had been set up and the concerns that had been raised by residents in respect of the forthcoming changes to bus services.  The information provided by Worcestershire County Council (WCC) since completion of the consultation had been limited and this lack of knowledge had added to residents’ worries.  The following issues were discussed in more detail:

• The responses from residents and coverage in the local newspapers.
• The bus services that were of most concern to residents.
• The response from the Parish Councils, Hansons Coaches and First Midland Buses.
• The distinction between County and District Council issues.
• WCC’s Impact Assessment.
• Any official response to the consultation by the Council and the role of the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members.

In respect of Recommendation 1(a) the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services informed the Board that currently the process for responding to consultations was detailed in the Constitution at page 5, Part 3 (Part D) of the Corporate Delegations.  This was a delegation which had been made by full Council to the Chief Executive, the Deputy Chief Executive and Heads of Service in consultation with Members in such manner as the Chief Executive considered to be appropriate for the purpose of responding on behalf of the Council to consultations documents.  There was therefore a formal process already in place for managing such consultations. 

The Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services explained that consultations were dealt with on an individual basis as Members could, on some occasions, have conflicting views on a consultation.  Those Members whom the Chief Executive felt were appropriate for the subject matter of a particular consultation document were consulted and then a collective response was sent on behalf of the Council.  However, on this occasion Members had been asked to respond directly.   The Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services advised the Board that she had asked the Democratic Services Manager to email all Members advising them that Worcestershire County Council were making proposals to change the bus services and had asked specifically for Members to be consulted.  From the wording of the email it was clear that Members were asked to respond individually to the consultation.

It was apparent that, due to a change of Portfolio Holder, the current Portfolio Holder, who had given evidence to the Task Group, had not been briefed on how the Council had responded to this consultation.  After further discussion and in the light of this additional information being provided it was

RESOLVED that a further meeting of the Task Group be arranged and a revised report be received by the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting to be held on 19th September 2011.