Agenda item

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board provided Members with a verbal update in respect of the previous Board meeting.

In doing so, it was highlighted that there had been a presentation provided by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) regarding the Governance Systems Task Group, which had been established as a result of a Motion considered at the Annual Council meeting held on 24^th May 2023. The presentation included information on the options for potential models of future governance and timelines for implementation.

Members were informed that the dates of the first meeting for the Task Group had been agreed and the first meeting was due to take place on 21^st July 2023. The Chairman of the Board explained that the Group would look at the implications of implementing a new governance system within the Council and whether a move to a Committee system or hybrid version would result in a good governance system that would deliver for Members and residents in the future. Costs and capacity within the Council would be considered carefully as part of the review and the final report would be considered at an extraordinary meeting of the Council in September 2023. It was noted that the date for this meeting was still to be determined.

Members asked several questions during consideration of this item. These were as follows:

·       Involvement of the Local Government Association (LGA) in the Governance Systems Task Group – it was confirmed that the LGA had requested that the CfGS provide support for the review and informed Members that Ms C. Buckley, a Senior Governance Consultant from CfGS, had presented at the Board meeting. It was confirmed that this support would be available throughout the investigation, and it was planned that Ms. Buckley would be in attendance for some if not all of the meetings.

·       Culture within the Council – It was noted that a change in governance structures would not necessarily cease any underlying tensions experienced at the Council and that it was important to recognise that work needed to be undertaken in order to improve this area. Members stated that historically there had been issues in this area and this had been one of the catalysts for looking at potential changes. It was noted that any new governance structure would need to work locally and be agreed by all parties.

·       Implementation of a new governance system – Some Members felt that due to the scale of the change, it was important to start the process of implementing a new governance system that ran parallel to the review. This could include looking at resourcing and the impact on the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). Members felt that this would be pre-emptive and could not be initiated until the recommendations had been made by the Task Group undertaking the review. Cabinet was informed that the process of the review once it had been completed would be that the report be considered at the Overview and Scrutiny Board, then at Cabinet, then by Full Council before the recommendations be considered at future meetings of the Constitution Review Working Group (CRWG). It was anticipated that the implementation of any changes would take at least six months and that the CRWG had already looked at some areas of the Council’s Constitution which may require changes in the future.

Members queried whether the six weeks’ timeline for such a large review would be adequate. However, the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board explained that it was important Members kept focussed during the meetings and adhered to the Terms of Reference. Although Cabinet Members recognised that they were not able to be involved in the Task Group, they requested whether it would be possible to review the Terms of Reference of the Group. Councillor McDonald confirmed that this would be possible.

The Leader thanked the Board, Members of the Task Group and Officers for undertaking this investigation.

RESOLVED that the minutes from the Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting held on 6^th June be noted.