Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance).

The report details a proposal for the institution of an appropriate mechanism or trigger point for the inclusion of an independent commentary of scrutiny’s views to be included in reports to Cabinet.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the approach identified in paragraph 5.6 above for the future reporting of scrutiny committee comments and recommendations.

Officer contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email:

damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic Governance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the institution of an appropriate mechanism or trigger point for the inclusion of an independent commentary of scrutiny’s views to be included in reports to Cabinet following concerns expressed at meetings of the Scrutiny Committee on 13 December 2021 and 7 February 2022 in relation to the robustness of the current process.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The recommendations contained in the report were broadly welcomed.

·         It was suggested that recommendation 5.6(2) in relation to the process by which a decision would be made as which items should have comments forwarded to the Cabinet should also include the Vice-Chair of the Scrutiny Committee in addition to the Chair.

·         It was further suggested that the Chair be permitted to nominate a substitute in the eventuality that they were unable to attend the Cabinet meeting to explain a recommendation of the Scrutiny Committee in accordance with recommendation 5.6(4).

·         It was important that the record of the comments of scrutiny committees was recorded independently by democratic services without interference.

RESOLVED – (1) That the cabinet meeting summary sheet template be amended to include a section for ‘Scrutiny committee comments and recommendations’.

(2) That at the conclusion of each scrutiny committee meeting, the chair, vice-chair and the democratic services officer be requested to identify which items on the agenda need have the comments recorded and included on the cabinet meeting summary sheet

(3) That the democratic services officer alone shall be responsible for producing the record of committee comments that will reflect the record of the meeting that would ultimately be produced in the minutes. These will be

forwarded to the report author for inclusion in the cabinet summary sheet.

(4) That where a scrutiny committee resolves to make a specific recommendation, the chair of that scrutiny committee or their nominated substitute shall also be invited to attend the cabinet meeting to address the Cabinet. The Cabinet shall be entitled to ask any questions of the chair following their address.