Agenda item

CM 7                                                                  

A report was considered that presented the recommendations of the Political Structures Working Group with regard to:

-        the size of the Hub Committee;

-        whether or not exploratory work should be undertaken into a potential change of governance structure to a Cabinet/Executive model;

-        the individual roles and responsibilities of the Members of the Hub Committee; and

-        the start time for future meetings of full Council.

In the ensuing discussion, reference was made to:-

(a)   the work of the lead officers who had supported the review.  When questioned, the Working Group Chairman confirmed that detailed consideration had been given to each of the issues that had been raised prior to these recommendations being generated.  In emphasising the time taken, the Chairman also thanked those officers who had supported the Group throughout this review;

(b)   the views of the membership on whether to progress a change of governance structure to a Cabinet/Executive model.  In the debate, the view of the overwhelming majority of Members was that there was no appetite to explore any such change in governance arrangements at this time.  In particular, a number of Members highlighted that the cross party political working on the Hub Committee was of great benefit to the Council and its residents;

(c)    the size of the Hub Committee.  Whilst a Member informed that he had presented an alternative proposal to the Working Group that would see a reduction in the Hub Committee membership to 7, he accepted that the rest of the Group had supported a retention of the status quo.  That being said, he did wish to make the point that, in recent years, the Council had undergone extensive change, however the membership had been almost untouched during this period;

(d)   performance appraisals.  Several Members endorsed the comments of the Working Group in the presented agenda report whereby Lead Members and Committee Chairs should be in receipt of a performance appraisal.  It was agreed that this point would be followed up with the Devon and Somerset Shared Member Development Service;

(e)   feedback from Hub Committee Members.  Whilst it was acknowledged that some Members did provide regular feedback to the wider membership, the view was expressed that this was not the case for all Hub Committee Members. 

In emphasising the importance of communication, it was felt that means of providing regular feedback (suggestions included at Informal Council sessions; prior to a formal Council meeting starting; at Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings; and via the Members’ Bulletin) should be further explored;

(f)     attracting prospective candidates for the upcoming Borough Council elections.  A Member stated her hope that innovative ideas would come forward as part of the pre-election process to ensure that those candidates who stood for election in May 2019 were more reflective of the demographics of the West Devon area.

It was then moved by Cllr J R McInnes, seconded by Cllr R F D Sampson and upon being submitted to the Meeting was declared to be CARRIED and “RESOLVED that:

1.    the existing number of Members on the Hub Committee (9) should be retained;

2.    having sought the views of the membership, the Council is not minded to explore a change of governance structure to a Cabinet/Executive model at this time;

3.    the individual roles and responsibilities of Hub Committee Members be amended as set out in Appendix A of the presented agenda report; and

4.    the start time of full Council meetings be changed to 4.00pm (from 4.30pm) to take effect after the Annual Meeting in May 2018.