Agenda item

Report No: CAB/FH/18/005

Portfolio Holder: James Waters               

Lead Officers: Karen Points and Leah Mickleborough

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.       The Local Plan Working Group continues to operate in accordance with its Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

2.       The existing West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group be disbanded and replaced by the Growth and Innovation Group, in accordance with the new Terms of Reference contained in Appendix B of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

3.       The Future Governance Steering Group continues to operate, in accordance with the amended Terms of Reference contained in Appendix C of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

4.

(a)     The West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel and the West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel continue to operate in accordance with their current Terms of Reference contained in Appendices D and E respectively of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005; and

(b)     periodical meetings of the Joint Panels continue to be scheduled as and when required but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.16 of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

5.

(a)     The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Group be retained as indicated in Section 1.4.2 of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005; and

(b)     provided that resources are available to support them, further informal task-and-finish working groups continue to be established to consider specific issues as required throughout the remainder of 2017/2018.

6.

(a)     Forest Heath District Council’s membership (including substitutes) of the Local Plan Working Group, Future Governance Steering Group, West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel, West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel and Joint Member Development Group, as set out in Table 1 of Appendices A, C, D, E and F respectively of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005, be re-appointed for the remainder of 2017/2018;

(b)     should any future changes to membership of the bodies listed in (6)(a) above be required in the remainder of 2017/2018, the Service Manager (Democratic Services) be requested to exercise their existing delegated authority to appoint on the nominations of Group Leaders; and

(c)     such appointments be made on the basis of political balance requirements, where applicable and identified in Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

(Report No: CAB/FH/18/005)

The Cabinet considered this report which provided an interim review of the Cabinet’s Working Group, Joint Panels and Other Groups.

As the Cabinet’s Local Plan Working Group and, presently, the West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group, were constituted with having regard to the political balance of the Council, an interim review of the membership and Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Working Group, Joint Panels and other Groups had been undertaken, as a result of recent changes to the political composition of the Council.

This had also provided an opportunity to review and propose amendments to the ToR for the existing West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group and the Future Governance Steering Group.

Relevant issues were drawn to the attention of the Cabinet, including that approval of the majority of the recommendations meant no changes would be made to the existing arrangements.

However, it was being recommended that the West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group be replaced by the Growth and Innovation Group for the reasons set out in paragraphs 1.3.2 to 1.3.8 of the report.  It was also being recommended that the ToR for the Future Governance Steering Group be amended to enable it to consider a wider range of technical issues to ensure the appropriate governance was in place for the creation of the new single council for West Suffolk.

With the exception of the new Growth and Innovation Group, which was proposed not to have a defined membership, Table 1 contained in each Appendix, the existing membership for the various bodies and it was proposed these be re-appointed.

It was proposed, seconded and with the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.       The Local Plan Working Group continues to operate in accordance with its Terms of Reference, as detailed in Appendix A of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

2.       The existing West Suffolk Joint Growth Steering Group be disbanded and replaced by the Growth and Innovation Group, in accordance with the new Terms of Reference contained in Appendix B of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

3.       The Future Governance Steering Group continues to operate, in accordance with the amended Terms of Reference contained in Appendix C of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

4.

(a)     The West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel and the West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel continue to operate in accordance with their current Terms of Reference contained in Appendices D and E respectively of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005; and

(b)     Periodical meetings of the Joint Panels continue to be scheduled as and when required but with regard to the discussion outlined in Section 1.3.16 of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.

5.

(a)     The Cabinet’s existing informal Working Group be retained as indicated in Section 1.4.2 of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005; and

(b)     Provided that resources are available to support them, further informal task-and-finish working groups continue to be established to consider specific issues as required throughout the remainder of 2017/2018.

6.

(a)     Forest Heath District Council’s membership (including substitutes) of the Local Plan Working Group, Future Governance Steering Group, West Suffolk Joint Health and Safety Panel, West Suffolk Joint Staff Consultative Panel and Joint Member Development Group, as set out in Table 1 of Appendices A, C, D, E and F respectively of Report No: CAB/FH/18/005, be re-appointed for the remainder of 2017/2018;

(b)     Should any future changes to membership of the bodies listed in (6)(a) above be required in the remainder of 2017/2018, the Service Manager (Democratic Services) be requested to exercise their existing delegated authority to appoint on the nominations of Group Leaders; and

(c)     Such appointments be made on the basis of political balance requirements, where applicable and identified in Report No: CAB/FH/18/005.