Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

1.      To recommend to Council the adoption of the Terms of Reference and Procedural Rules governing involvement in countywide overview and scrutiny    arrangements.

2.      To recommend that Council nominates Northampton Borough Council’s representatives onto the Board.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet expressing his opinion that it was the responsibility of each separate council to undertake scrutiny relating to its corporate plan.  He did not see the need for a countywide scrutiny board unless it was a statutory requirement.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet and hoped that other councils would not be fearful in taking unscrupulous councils to task. He was disappointed at the Administration’s apparent lack of interest in not putting forward a representative to attend the initial meeting where this was discussed.  He also considered that it was inappropriate to interfere with other organisations’ processes.  He did not take the proposal seriously when there was a requirement for only two members to attend four meetings a year.

Councillor B Hoare, as relevant Portfolio Holder, presented the report to Cabinet. He gave examples of excellent recent joint scrutiny work that had been carried out in the investigation of water contamination and in addressing of homelessness. He pointed out that there were wider issues that required co-operation from the scrutiny members from a number of organisations in order to deliver services to the public. There were currently two representatives on the Board – Councillors Yates and Lane – who had been active across the county.

Councillor B Markham pointed out that the bulk of the work would be undertaken by task and finish groups.

Councillor Church commented on a countywide partnership responsibility to undertake scrutiny on other public bodies and he felt that the proposal would help the accountability of cross-working arrangements.  It was sensible for all district councils to work together to hold bodies and partnerships to some account and could see no reason not to support the proposal.

RESOLVED

1.      To recommend to Council the adoption of the Terms of Reference and Procedural Rules governing involvement in countywide overview and scrutiny    arrangements.

2.      To recommend that Council nominates Northampton Borough Council’s representatives onto the Board.