FULL COUNCIL WAS HELD TODAY AT THE ICONIC JODRELL BANK OBSERVATORY SITE, WHERE THREE CROSS-PARTY AMENDMENTS WERE BROUGHT FORWARD, EACH ONE EITHER PROPOSED OR SECONDED BY A MEMBER OF THE CONSERVATIVE GROUP.
This does not happen often but reflects the shared concerns of elected members regarding the budget pressures that the Labour-Independent administration are seeking to address.
The first amendment, proposed by Cllr Fiona Wilson and seconded by Cllr Stewart Gardiner (Con), rejected the suggestion that the three planning committees should be reduced to two and that the Strategic Planning Board be scrapped.
Rather than undermine the quasi-judicial planning function of the Council, especially the specialist planning board that deals with the larger strategic applications, it was proposed that all three committees be retained but agendas rationalised so that allocated time is used more efficiently. This would enable meetings to be reduced from 34 to 22 each year and cost-savings made.
The second amendment, proposed by Cllr Mike Beanland (Con) and Cllr Ken Edwards (Lab) rejected the suggestion that the Audit & Governance Committee be amalgamated with the Scrutiny Committee. They highlighted;
“The Audit and Governance Committee request that Full Council note our concerns and defer the decision relating to the proposals recommended by the Corporate Policy Committee to merge the functions of the Audit and Governance and Scrutiny Committees, which is contrary to advice from CIPFA and the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny.”
“The Audit and Governance Committee request that the decision of Full Council relating to the merger of the functions of the Scrutiny Committee into the Audit and Governance Committee be deferred to allow further consideration to be given as to the impact, risks, efficacy and value for money of merging the functions of the Committees, with a report back to the Audit and Governance Committee to consider the proposal further”
Finally, the third amendment was proposed by Cllr Janet Clowes (Conservative Group Leader) and seconded by Cllr Craig Brown (Independent Group Leader & Deputy Leader of CEC).
It was proposed that minor committees should also be rationalised and their functions amalgamated with their service committees as follows:
1.) Cared for Children and Care Leavers Committee: to be amalgamated into the Children and Families Committee.
2.) Governor Nomination Panel: to be amalgamated into the Children’s and Families Committee
3.) General Appeals Sub-Committee: The roles and responsibilities of this Sub Committee (as identified below), will be disaggregated and allocated to be heard by therelevant service committees as and when required: 4.) General Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Act Sub-Committee:
These will be amalgamated into a single Committee reflecting the intermittent nature of their requirements.
In addition, the new “General Licensing and Licensing Act Sub-Committee” will be scheduled either before or after the Licensing Committee wherever possible.
This will maximise best use of officer and member time and reduce the chronic difficulties currently experienced in terms of member availability from the recruitment ’pool’. 5.) Where appropriate, only the regulatory or statutory Officers (as required by good practice) need attend committee meetings. Other officer attendance is to be rationalised and mitigated by their virtual attendance at meetings if needed.
These changes will save money through better use of financial and officer resource and reducing duplication.
Of course, these proposals will not solve the financial problems of the Council and work continues to develop a balanced budget (Mid Term Financial Strategy) for 2024-2025.
The Conservative Group have drawn up additional budget proposals that will be submitted to the Interim Chief Executive and S151 (Finance) Officer early next week. All viable proposals will be evaluated and business cases will be drawn up where appropriate.
We will present these to Corporate Policy Committee in January as amendments to be included at Budget Council in February.
Cllr Janet Clowes: Conservative Group Leader (Opposition)
