Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.  Members are asked to note the item on Service Based Reviews at item 22 on the Agenda.

The Committee received a report of the Town Clerk informing Members that savings equivalent to the current budget for the Pocketbook of £17,000 (i.e. £9,000 for the Red Book and £8,000 for the Blue Book) had been agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee, and Members’ views were being sought as to the future of the Pocketbook. The Assistant Town Clerk advised that should Members wish to retain the Pocket Book’s production, £17,000 would need to be found from elsewhere in the Town Clerk’s budget.

Members discussed the latest version of the Pocket Book, expressing their dissatisfaction in the size, typesetting and general lack of convenience. With regard to future versions Members debated various options, including a customisable Filofax version, not producing the leather sleeve, not producing a separate Aldermanic Book, and reducing paper thickness.

Members’ opinions were divided as to whether the diary or governance and committee information sections were more widely used by Members, and some Members expressed a desire to phase out the pocket book completely. Members noted that the additional governance information was available as a pdf document upon request from the Town Clerk’s Department, and asked that this option be publicised more widely and the pdf include bookmarks to aid ease of use.

The Chairman advised Members that the production of the Pocket Book was funded from the Town Clerk’s budget, and this Committee were acting in a supervisory role. As such, she proposed that all Members of the Court of Common Council be surveyed as to the future of the Pocket Book.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)  The report be noted;

(b)  The pdf version of the Pocket Book information be revised to include bookmarks and publicised more widely to Members; and

(c)  A survey be circulated to all Members of the Court of Common Council regarding future production of the Pocket Book, with final wording to be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman.