Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Chief Executive (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Resources seeking Council endorsement for proposed arrangements to enable improved communication on cross-cutting issues and forward planning within the organisation.

The Leader of the Council advised Members that whilst the report only mentioned Committee Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, it was intended to refer to the Chairmen of the Community Services Committee, Finance & Corporate Services Committee and Planning & Licensing Committee or their deputies.  Due to the nature of the proposed meetings, there was no need to have representation from Chairman of the Standards, Overview & Scrutiny and Audit Committees.  This was set out in an Addendum to the report.

Councillor R G Boyce MBE, CC asked how this differed from the now-defunct MOL apart from the increase in membership?  In response, the Leader of the Council advised that this proposal was to enable Members to meet and forward plan.  MOL had very specific functions not necessarily to do with forward planning.  As we are not a cabinet system, Members had felt that they were disenfranchised from the formulating of ideas when MOL was in existence.  This was to make sure that all three directorates “had their ducks in a row”.

It was noted that these meetings would not have any executive or delegated powers and therefore not take any decisions on behalf of the Council.

RESOLVED that periodic meetings between the Leader, Deputy Leader, Chairman (or Vice-Chairman in their absence) of the Community Services Committee, Finance & Corporate Services Committee and Planning & Licensing Committee, as set out in the report of the Director of Resources, be endorsed.