Issue - items at meetings - Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference

Report of the Corporate Director, Corporate Services (copy attached).

6.1      The Chair outlined the first item of business, a paper setting out the terms of reference for the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee and welcomed Giles Rossington to speak on the report.

6.2      Cllr Pickett asked a question around the size and political make up of task and finish groups and informal working groups set up by the committee. Mr Rossington responded that this was set out in the Constitution under Part 3C1 Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules point 20.4, which states that task and finish groups do not have to adhere to proportionality rules, but that it was anticipated that they would broadly reflect the composition of Council. He went on to say that members from all opposition groups should be invited, but that the political make up and size of the group would vary depending on the subject matter and those members who wanted to be involved in it.

6.3       Cllr Lyons asked how items can be added to the agenda. The Chair responded that an informal meeting would be arranged to set a work programme for the year ahead.

6.4       Cllr Lyons asked what the time frame for getting items added to the agenda would be. Mr Rossington replied that this was included in the constitution under Part3C1 Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules point 5.5 which states that any voting Member of the relevant Overview & Scrutiny Committee is entitled, by giving at least seven working days notice before the meeting to the Chief Executive, to request that an item relevant to the functions of the Committee be included on the agenda.

6.5      Cllr Lyons further asked about the timeframe for members of the public to bring items to the committee. Mr Rossington responded that there was a slot on the agenda for public questions, deputations and petitions and the timeframe for these is the same as for other Council committees.

6.6      Mark Strong made a point that as a community and voluntary sector representative he is speaking on behalf of between 300 and 400 groups varying in size, so it takes a long time for him to collect feedback from them and would be grateful if this was taken into consideration. He also asked about sharing information from the committee with these groups. Mr Rossington said that officers would be very explicit if any of the information was confidential and not to be shared and otherwise it could be assumed that it could be shared.

6.7       Cllr Winder asked a question regarding the implications section of the report and if these would change. Mr Rossington responded that the implications sections are completed on a report by report basis.