Agenda and minutes

It was proposed, seconded and

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Patricia Warby be elected Chairman of the Working Party for 2015/2016.

It was proposed, seconded and

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Jim Thorndyke be elected Vice-Chairman of the Working Party for 2015/2016.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Burns.

Councillor Tony Brown was substituting for Councillor John Burns.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014 (copy attached).

Councillor David Nettleton had been in attendance at the meeting on 18 November 2014. Subject to this amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 18 November 2014 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Report No: DEM/SE/15/001

Lead Officer: Alex Wilson

The Working Party considered Report No. DEM/SE/15/001 (previously circulated) and Appendix A which listed the agreed or potential matters for inclusion in the terms of reference.

Alex Wilson confirmed that at this stage, members of the Working Party were being asked to agree which items should be included and there should be no debate on the issues themselves. Once the terms of reference had been published in July, a consultation period would follow in the autumn, draft proposals would be considered by the Working Party in November and recommended to Council in December. Following a second consultation period, final proposals would be considered by the Working Party and Council by July 2016.

Members of the Working Party then reviewed each item in turn and agreed to include all matters except one. Item number 12 had already been considered in a Community Governance Review in 1999/2000 when the parish council and residents had been consulted. It was concluded at that time that no change was needed or desired. Members of the Working Party considered that as the circumstances had not changed it would not be appropriate to review this issue again.

RECOMMENDED:

That the Working Party agreed the items for inclusion in the Community Governance Review as given in Appendix A to Report No. DEM/SE/15/001 with the exception of item number 12 so that final terms of reference could be proposed to Council in July.

Report No: DEM/SE/15/002

Cabinet Member:   Ian Houlder           Lead Officer: Fiona Osman

The Working Party considered Report No. DEM/SE/15/002 which outlined the process for reviewing the Members’ Allowance Scheme and appointing a Joint Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).

The current scheme for St Edmundsbury expired on 30 November 2015 and for Forest Heath on 30 March 2017. Members of Forest Heath Council would be asked at their Council meeting on 15 July 2014 to approve their scheme finishing early to allow a Joint IRP to be appointed.

Members discussed the process for appointing a selection panel who would then appoint the Joint IRP. The previous selection panel had interviewed new members alongside existing members of the IRP and all agreed that existing members should be invited to apply again.

RECOMMENDED

(1)     the Council undertake a recruitment process as outlined in Section 2 of Report DEM/SE/002;

(2)     the Council appoint a Selection Panel of three Members, plus a substitute Member to advise the Service Manager (Legal Services) on the appointment of Members of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) and the terms and conditions of appointment. (If Forest Heath District Council, at their meeting on 15 July 2015, agree to end their Members’ Allowance Scheme on 30 November 2015, the Selection Panel would be joint and consist of two Members, plus a substitute Member from each authority);

(3)     the Service Manager (Legal Services) be authorised to seek candidates for an Independent Remuneration Panel to determine its terms and conditions.