Agenda and minutes

Venue: via Remote Video Link

Contact: Email: committeeservcies@horsham.gov.uk  Direct Line: 01403 215465

Items
No. Item

GO/18

Minutes pdf icon PDF 217 KB

To approve as correct the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2020

(Note: If any Member wishes to propose an amendment to the minutes they should submit this in writing to committeeservices@horsham.gov.uk at least 24 hours before the meeting.  Where applicable, the audio recording of the meeting will be checked to ensure the accuracy of the proposed amendment.)

Minutes:

It was noted that in Minute GO/16 there was a minor grammatical error in the last sentence of the first paragraph. With this amendment, it was agreed that the minutes of the meeting on 13 October be approved and signed by the Chairman at a later date.

GO/19

Declaration of Members' Interests

To receive any declarations of interest from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

GO/20

Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Committee or the Chief Executive

Minutes:

There were no announcements.

GO/21

Review of the Policy Development Advisory Groups

To receive an update from the Director of Corporate Resources

Minutes:

The Director of Corporate Resources introduced Members to the findings of the Policy Development Advisory Group (PDAG) review.

 

The two HDC graduate trainees that helped undertake the review provided the Committee with a detailed breakdown of responses from Members and Officers to the survey and interviews that had been carried out.

 

The key findings had been that those in minority parties felt they had little influence on reports that were taken to PDAGs for discussion and that all policies and reports would benefit from being taken to PDAGs earlier.

 

The Committee decided that the presentation should be taken to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee before any decisions are made.

 

 

GO/22

Representatives on Outside Bodies pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To review the clarity of the Constitution with regard to who appoints representatives on Outside Bodies

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer presented the Committee with a full list of outside bodies to which appointments are made as requested at the previous meeting of the Governance Committee.

 

The Committee agreed to change the wording in the Constitution to reflect the current practice of the Leader, in consultation with Cabinet, the Leader of the Opposition, Leaders of Minority Parties and Independent Members being responsible for these appointments. The Committee also felt that any appointments made should strongly consider which Member would have a keen interest in the work done by the outside body and, where possible, have experience in the particular field of work regardless of their political party.

 

The Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chairman would finalise the wording to be put into the Constitution.

 

 

GO/23

Feasibility Studies - review of Key Decision criteria pdf icon PDF 230 KB

To receive a report from the Monitoring Officer

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer presented her review of the Key Decision criteria as required through a motion of Full Council.

 

The Monitoring Officer concluded that a Constitutional change that would make any proposal for a feasibility study, appraisal, out-line plan or the like, which might lead to a project with a value of over £250,000, even if it of itself does not involve expenditure of £250,000, a Key Decision would not benefit the Council.

 

The Committee noted the findings of the Monitoring Officer and decided to make no changes to the Council’s existing Key Decision Framework.

GO/24

Urgent Business

Items not on the agenda which the Chairman of the meeting is of the opinion should be considered as urgent because of the special circumstances

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.