Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Corporate Governance Working Group (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Resources seeking permission for the Corporate Governance Working Group to lead the review regarding paperless working and report back to the Council in order the ensure that there was a firm commitment to move to paperless working after the six month transitional period.

Appendix 1 to the report set out the proposed Terms of Reference for the Corporate Governance Working Group (the Working Group).  The report provided an update on a number of other items for consideration by the Working Group and these included:

·                 Paperless working – The Council was asked to consider agreeing a number of ways to engage with Members in order to maximise the take up of the Modern.Gov (Committee Management) system.

·                 South Eastern Area Planning Committee – Working with the South Eastern Area Planning Committee to review current arrangements associated with the current location of meetings of this Committee and report back to the Council.

·                 Live Streaming of Committees – Members were requested to consider a feasibility analysis and business case in respect of live streaming, led by the Working Group with a business case being submitted to the Finance and Corporate Services Committee.

RESOLVED

(i)              that the Terms of Reference for the Corporate Governance Working Group be approved;

(ii)            that in order to maximise the use of the Modern.Gov system, hard copies of the agenda packs for all Committees will only be sent to Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees from this point onwards, and that it will only be available to other Members upon request (by contacting Committee Services).  The Corporate Governance Working Group will receive a regular update on the number of paper copies issued to Members in order to encourage a greater take up of the Modern.Gov system.   

(iii)          that all Members proactively take up the use of the Modern.Gov system and seek one to one training from IT / Committee Services where required;

(iv)          that the Corporate Governance Working Group should report back to the Council after the six month transitional period on the move towards paperless working;

(v)            that the Corporate Governance Working Group will be working with Members of South Eastern Area Planning Committee to review the location of the Committee meetings and that a report will be submitted to a future Council meeting for consideration; and

(vi)          that the Corporate Governance Working Group will explore the feasibility of introducing live streaming of Committee meetings and report back to Council.