To receive the recommendations of the Audit and Governance Committee, that met on 21 September 2012.  (To follow).

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee presented the report of the Monitoring Officer on the Review of the Overview and Scrutiny Structure and made the following comments:

·         Emphasised that the Lamb report proposed the way forward for the Council.

·         At a recent meeting Members had expressed the view that a three Committee structure should be adopted, the Chairman stated he believed a two Committee structure should be adopted comprising of one Overview and Scrutiny and one Health Committee.

·         Essential to ensure Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny worked well together and the Lamb report proposed a working group build upon this.

·         It was suggested that the Chairmen of the Task and Finish Groups hold more public meetings.

·         It was proposed that the structure of a two Committee system be reviewed in 12 months.

Councillor Robertson proposed an amendment to the recommendations for a three Committee structure to include an Environment Committee based on the away day discussions held by Committee Members in April this year.  The amendment was seconded by Councillor Bowen, who stated it would provide strength and depth to the scrutiny process.

In debate the following comments were made:

·         The IOC Group Leader reiterated that the role of the Committees was to scrutinise and not to Monitor and felt that a two Committee structure was enough for Members and their workload capacity, particularly for those Members working full time. 

·         The Independent Group Leader urged Members to support a three Committee structure to include an Environment Committee to deal with issues such as transportation and highways.

·         The Liberal Democrat Group Leader supported a two Committee Structure.

·         The Cabinet Member Education and Infrastructure reminded Members that they had been consulted regarding changes and Group Leaders had recommended that Members support the recommendations.

The amendment to the recommendations was lost.

In response to questions to Chairmanship the Leader announced that:

Councillor Seldon would be the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Harvey would serve as Vice-Chairman.

Councillor Millar would be the Chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Robertson would serve as Vice-Chairman.

RESOVED

          THAT:

a)    the recommendations of the report on the Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Function as set out at pages 3-4 of Appendix 1 to this report be adopted;

b)    the authority to exercise the Authority’s statutory health scrutiny functions be delegated to the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

c)    the Terms of Reference of the General Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee be as set out at paragraph 23 of the report;

d)    each Overview and Scrutiny Committee consist of 13 Councillors and seats on each Committee be allocated by political proportionality as set out at paragraph 13 of the report appointments to those seats to be confirmed by Group Leaders;

e)    the change to two Overview and Scrutiny Committees take effect from Monday 15 October 2012.

f)     Council approve the appointment to the office of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the General Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee;

g)    statutory co-optees serve on the General Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

h)    the operating principles set out at paragraoh 18 of the report form the basis of the new scrutiny model;

i)     the rules of proportionality be not applied to Task and Finish Groups appointed by either of the two Overview and Scrutiny Committees;

j)     the Head of Governance be designated as the Authority’s statutory Scrutiny Officer; and

k)    the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution.