To approve a governance model for Herefordshire Council.

Council considered a report by the Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee which recommended the implementation of a hybrid cabinet model at the council from May 2021. The report was introduced by the Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee who proposed the recommendation and expressed his thanks for the work undertaken by the re-thinking governance working group and officers to produce a recommendation in accordance with the timelines. He noted that the working group had met on 10 occasions to discuss matters in depth and had sought to engage all members in its work. There would be further opportunity for member engagement ahead of the final structure that would be determined at the annual council meeting in May 2021.

The following principal points were raised during the debate:

·         Disappointment was expressed that there had not been wider engagement with members in the development of the proposal. It was noted that a third of members had not participated in the survey or attended any workshops.

·         Some members expressed disappointment that a committee system had not been recommended by the working group. It was felt that the hybrid cabinet model could be an interim position and the governance structure at the council could be reviewed again in the future.  

·         The quality of the work undertaken by the working group was commended. 

·         The proposed model was felt to incorporate positive elements from the committee system and the leader/cabinet model. It was noted that the new system would be subject to review 12 months after its implementation.

·         The proposed model would increase the involvement of all members in decision-making processes and democratic accountability.

·         A member claimed that the recommendation represented a ‘U-turn’ from the administration which had stood on an electoral platform of introducing a committee system. This claim was refuted by some members who explained that the recommendation had been resolved by a cross-party working group of the council and was a step towards realising a modern and accountable system of governance.

·         There was concern that those members with full time employment might be restricted from participating fully in the new system.

·         It was noted that a change to the governance structure would need to be accompanied by cultural change at the council in order to prove effective.

The Chairman of the Audit and Governance Committee explained that members had the ability to contribute to the executive decision-making process by exercising the call-in of decisions through the scrutiny committees. The importance of an efficient decision-making system had been proven during the COVID-19 pandemic and the proposed model ensured that streamlined decision-making would continue.

The Vice-Chairwoman of the Audit and Governance Committee seconded the recommendation and explained that the working group had been assisted by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny. The recommendation had been the consensus of the working group and had been agreed unanimously by the Audit and Governance Committee. Workshops would be hosted in the period up to May 2021 to assist in the development of the hybrid cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16

To recommend a governance model for Herefordshire Council.

The solicitor to the council presented the report and highlighted that this represented extensive work undertaken by the cross-party re-thinking governance working group.   The working group felt that after considering the feedback from all members and reviewing the issues, that the existing cabinet system could be improved.   It was felt that there was benefit in improving the current system rather than move to a committee system which had a five year lock in period.   The working group were also recommending that any changes were reviewed in one year’s time to ensure that the changes had achieved their purpose.

It was noted that following a decision at Council in October 2020, there would be detailed work undertaken between October and May 2021 to re-write the Constitution.

It was further noted that it had been useful to have a cross party working group.   It was hoped that the flexibility of recommendations could be taken advantage of.

The work had been and would continue to be undertaken collaboratively and members’ views taken into account. 

The solicitor to the council confirmed that if the May 2021 Council date was missed, then the next time Council would be able to vote on the matter would be at July Council.  

It was anticipated that the work involved could be split into sub-divisions which would enable individual councillors to be involved in their areas of interests.   The timing of these meetings would need to take into account the availability of councillors.  

This was an opportunity to make changes which would ensure the engagement of the public and councillors. 

A member of the committee suggested that as there were a number of newly elected councillors, it may be sensible that councillors observe more than the committee they sat on so that there was a broad understanding of how each committee worked. 

It was noted that the working group represented membership from all political groups and it had unanimously resolved to support the recommendation to the committee.

RESOLVED that

having regard to the work undertaken by the Re thinking Governance working group, a hybrid cabinet model of governance be recommended to full Council with implementation with effect from annual council in May 2021.