Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received on behalf of Councillors Moran and O'Toole.

There were no substitutions.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the notes of the meeting held on 14 March 2019.

AGREED:      That the notes of the previous meeting held on 14 March 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

To note the revised Terms of Reference and reporting arrangements of the Member Development Commission.

AGREED:      That the revised Terms of Reference and reporting arrangements of the Member Development Commission be noted:-

                     Functions        

(1)

(a)   To update the “Member Training and Development Strategy” and act as ‘Champions’ for Member Development.

(b)   To continue to develop and support processes to identify member training needs and to prepare a Training Plan for each Member.

(c)   To ensure that all Members are given equal opportunities to attend Training courses/seminars, including IT training, in line with their responsibility as Councillor and that appropriate training records are kept.

(d)   To monitor the expenditure of appropriate budgets.

(e)   To evaluate and monitor Elected Member training and development undertaken.

(f)    To ensure that each Councillor takes ownership of his/her training and development and ‘Member Development’ appears as a regular item at Group meetings.

(g)   To consider future development of the Member Development website.

(2)

(a)      In order to give effect to the augmented Member role proposed within the Sustainable Organisation Review, to examine how cross-party scrutiny and development of strategy could be strengthened via either existing or new committee arrangements, reporting to Executive Overview and Scrutiny and (then) to Council by April 2020. Such activity to include the option of engaging external specialist advice with relevant expenditure being contained within the budget provided.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

Members considered the report of the Borough Solicitor as contained on pages 9 to 10 of the Book of Reports which provided feedback on the induction process provided to newly elected Members undertaken in May 2019.

The Member Services Officer explained that the induction process had gone well and that four newly elected Members took the opportunity to attend ‘Hitting the Ground Running’ event ran by the Local Government Association (LGA).  Members also commented that the extra 'briefing' sessions had been helpful in order to assist in their new role.

AGREED:                  That the induction process for newly elected Members be noted.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

Members considered the report of the Borough Solicitor as contained on pages 11 to 13 of the Book of Reports which provided an update on Member Training undertaken since March 2019.

In discussion comments were raised in respect of:-

·         Promotion of Health and Wellbeing Strategy

·         Provision of dual training where appropriate for Members/Staff

·         Digitalisation of training records for Members/Staff

·         Good attendance record of training events held

AGREED:      That the update be noted.

To receive feedback from Member Development Group Representatives.

In discussion, it was noted that the new Members had found the induction process helpful and useful to support them in their new roles.  The Groups also agreed to place a 'Training' item on the agenda at their respective Group meetings in future.

AGREED:      That the feedback and comments from the Commission be noted.

To note the following future training dates:-

Audit & Governance Committee – (Terms of Reference) 29 October 2019 – 6.00pm (Open to All Members)

Risk Management Training – 20 November 2019 – 6.30pm (Open to All Members)

Lancashire Mind - Suicide Awareness Raising Session – (Date to be confirmed)

Workshop Session to review the role of Overview & Scrutiny in 'West Lancashire' – November 2019 (Date to be confirmed).

The Member Services/Civic Officer outlined the future training dates for Members, including:-

·         Terms of Reference – (Prior to Audit &Governance Committee) 29.10.19 – 6.00pm

·         Risk Management – 20.11.19 – 6.30pm

·         Lancashire Mind – Suicide Awareness Raising Session – 14.11.19 – 6.00pm

·         Workshop Session to review the role of Overview & Scrutiny in 'West Lancashire' – November 2019 (TBC)

In discussion, it was further noted, that a briefing in respect of Social Value (in the procurement process) will be held prior to Audit & Governance Committee on 28 January 2020.

AGREED:      That the above future training arrangements be noted.

To consider the Work Programme of the Commission and to note the following future meeting dates:-

Thursday 7 November 2019– 6.00pm

Tuesday 19 December 2019 – 6.00pm

Tuesday 4 February 2019 – 6.00pm

Thursday 12 March 2020 – 6.00pm

Members considered the Work Programme for 2019/20 and the dates of future meetings of the Commission.

AGREED:      That the Work Programme for 2019/20 and future meeting dates of the Commission be confirmed:-

                        Thursday 7 November 2019– 6.00pm

Tuesday 19 December 2019 – 6.00pm

Tuesday 4 February 2019 – 6.00pm

Thursday 12 March 2020 – 6.00pm

It is recommended that members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED:    That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of that Act and as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption under Schedule 12A outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

To consider the report of the Borough Solicitor.

(To follow)

Consideration was given to the report of the Borough Solicitor as contained on pages 17 to 50 of the Book of Reports, which set out the decision of Council on 10 July 2019, in relation to the Sustainable Organisation Review Project (SORP) and the extended terms of reference of the Commission, tasked with identifying a way forward in order to give effect to the greater role that was envisaged for Councillors in setting the strategy and direction of the organisation.

The Commission raised comments and questions in respect of:-

·         Chief Officer / structure

·         Culture change

·         Budget / expenditure

·         Cross–Party Scrutiny / Scrutiny Training

·         Role of Members

·         Member / Officer engagement

AGREED:   A.           That, the decision of Council on 10 July 2019, to expand the terms of reference of the Commission in order to give effect to the greater role that is envisaged for Councillors, be noted.

B.           That, feedback from the organisations contacted initially to provide external advice on the project set out at Appendix 1-6 and as referred to in the report be noted.

C.           That in consultation with the Chairman, a representative from Red Quadrant be invited to a future meeting, in order to provide Members with some guidance in relation to what was envisaged in respect of the Commission's role in the process.