Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk concerning those aspects of the Governance Review relating to Constitutional Issues and the question of the principle of retaining Ward Committees. The report presented the recommendations of the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee, following an informal engagement process intended to gather the views of all Members.

Introducing the report, the Chair reflected on the structured and piecemeal consideration of Lord Lisvane’s recommendations to date. Whilst this had been productive so far, now that consideration turned to the overall committee structure itself she was minded that a more holistic approach would be beneficial. With that in mind, she sought and obtained the Committee’s endorsement for the proposal that, rather than continuing to press ahead on a piecemeal basis, a revised approach seeking to draw together the totality of Members’ emerging views into an overall proposition for consideration, be adopted. She also reminded Members of the general desire expressed at the outset of the review process in terms of streamlining the committee structure and rationalising where it made sense to, with a view to reducing the overall number of formal bodies and expediting decision-making, including looking at changing meeting cycles.

RESOLVED: That Members: -

1.         Note the proposals in relation to Constitutional Issues made by Lord Lisvane in Sections 2-5 of his Review (Appendix 1).

2.         Note the proposals in relation to Ward Committees made by Lord Lisvane in Section 7, paragraphs 270-272 (Appendix 1).

3.         Note the feedback provided by Members through the informal engagement process (Appendix 2).

4.         Endorse the recommendations made by the Resource Allocation Sub-Committee in respect of the aforementioned various proposals, as set out in paragraph 34 of the report.