Agenda item

For Members to receive a report on the implementation of the Governance Review.

Councillor Clive Fraser introduced and outlined the report which recommended to delay the introduction of three previously agreed recommendations of the Governance Review until May 2021. He explained this was due to financial and resourcing constraints the council currently faced, whilst considering the additional resourcing required to implement the changes. Some elements would be scaled back and Council was being asked to delay amending the Constitution to establish Cabinet Member Advisory Committees (CMACs); the definition of Key Decisions; and the procedure for Council rules. These would be delayed until the 2021/22 municipal year, subject to appropriate resources and capacity being available in the Council budget 2021/22. He updated Council that there would be four meetings of each CMAC per municipal year and it was hoped that they would commence within the first two months following Annual Council 2021. Councillor Clive Fraser moved the recommendations of the report.

Councillor Jason Perry, the Leader of the Opposition, told Council that a huge amount of effort had been given to the working of the Governance Review, and as a follow up, the implementation working group to formulate the new arrangements. He stated that it was disappointing that the Administration’s mismanagement of the finances had led to delays of the proposals. Councillor Jason Perry seconded the recommendations, but stated this was in the spirit of the continuation of cross-party cooperation to be fostered through the later stages of the implementation of the CMACs.

Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, the lead member of scrutiny, expressed his disappointment in the delays of the implementation of the Governance Review recommendations. It was clear from the events of last year that the governance of the council required improvements. The reasons for the delay were laid out in the report and he accepted the assurances given. He further expressed his concern over the wording ‘when resources allow’ and described the phrasing as a weak commitment to deliver and he would like more certainty to be recorded and agreed.  He hoped that the necessary resources to implement the recommendations would be included in the 2021/22 budget and a section be included to cover recommendations in addition to the number listed by Councillor Clive Fraser. He called for an implementation timetable to be published as he felt that many backbenchers would like to see the recommendations implemented, in particular those relating to access to information which had been the crux to a number of problems for councillors.

In response, Councillor Clive Fraser stated that some of the issues faced by council were caused by insufficient scrutiny and challenge to officers from Members, which was highlighted in the report from the auditors. The governance review was part of the improvement journey for the council, as described in recommendation 1.2, and the delays needed to be viewed in the context of the council’s financial situation. Once the council had a clearer understanding of their status going forward, there would be a better idea on the timelines and detail of the Governance Review implementation and the discussion should flow as part of the wider conversation and budget process.

Ahead of the vote on the recommendations contained within the report, Madam Mayor advised Council that there were 40 Labour Members and 29 Conservative Members in attendance.

The recommendations as set out in the report were put to the vote and all were agreed unanimously.