Decision details

Area Committees Working Group Final Report

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Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: For Determination

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

To submit the findings of the review undertaken by the Area Committees Working Group

Decisions:

The Cabinet welcomed Councillor Thomas to the meeting of Cabinet to present the report of the Area Committee Working Group in her capacity as Lead Member of the Area Committee Working Group.

Councillor Thomas reported that she had presented the report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committe (Regulation, Compliance and Corporate Services). The Committee recommended that the Cabinet be requested to consider the most appropriate course of action in respect of the submissions by Councillors Jamieson, McGuire and Thomas.

Decision Made: That the following recommendations be approved:-

(1)

that the current Area Committee system in Sefton cease;

(2)

that the current responsibilities of Area Committees be transferred to the Committees as detailed in Appendix 1 attached to the report of the Head of Regulation and Compliance considered by the three Area Committees during the December 2015/January 2016 cycle;

(3)

that three Constituency Fora be established covering the Bootle, Sefton Central and Southport Constituencies with the following terms of reference:

A.	To engage with local residents, community groups, partners, businesses, private sector organisations, the voluntary, community and faith sector and Parish Councils particularly in relation to the Sefton 2030 vision for the borough;
B.	In areas covered by Parish Councils, to work closely with such Parish Councils and the Sefton Area Partnership of Local Councils by promoting and enhancing the Parish and Town Council Charter for Sefton
C.	To consider complaints from constituents if it can be demonstrated that none of their Ward Councillor(s) has responded at all to a request for action;
D.	To meet a minimum of twice per year ; and
E.	To determine, with the consent of the three Ward Councillors, the devolved allocation of Ward funds on local priorities that would not otherwise be funded by Council budgets; that this funding continue to be administered by the Head of Communities; and any Ward budget over £10,000 not allocated at the end of the Municipal Year be transferred to the Cabinet Member – Communities and Housing for inclusion in the Community Transition Fund;

(4)

that the Head of Communities to support the operation of the Constituency Fora;

(5)

that the Head of Strategic Support to provide support on public engagement and consultation issues to the Constituency Fora;

(6)

that subject to operational requirements the use of Council buildings be allowed to host the Constituency Fora; and

(7)

that to assist the role of Constituency Fora Operational Groups be established if deemed necessary by local Ward Members (in those areas where currently none exist) to work with partner agencies in their localities.

Reasons for the Decision:

The Working Group has recommended that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) and the Cabinetconsider the submissions detailed in paragraph 6 and Appendix 3 of the Final Report and determine the most appropriate course of action thereon.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

No alternative options were considered. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services) established the Working Group to review the findings of the public consultation exercise undertaken on the role of Area Committees, and the other issues set out in the report submitted to the Cabinet on 23 June 2016 and the Working Group has performed this task

Report author: Paul Fraser

Publication date: 18/10/2017

Date of decision: 05/10/2017

Decided at meeting: 05/10/2017 - Cabinet

This decision has been called in by:

Cllr. David Pullin who writes We wish to call-in the Area Committee decision for reasons A B C D and E as set out in the Constitutions procedure for call-in. We strongly question the decision to impose the same solution across all areas of the borough when the consultation itself says that one size does not fit all. We would like to seek more understanding on why the wishes of the people of Southport have been so flagrantly ignored. We would also like more understanding on why the cabinet members feels the consultation responses indicate they want more powers transferring to cabinet members as that does not appear to be the case. We note that the area committee in Southport was created as a result of a public referendum and that current council policy under Sefton's 2030 vision is for our communities to be strong, knowledgeable and informed. It is hard to see how a plan which centralises power and leads to fewer local meetings can achieve these aims. As such it is difficult to see how current council policy has guided this decision and it is questionable whether the decision conforms to agreed policies. As such we would like to make a recommendation that the matter be referred to full council where councillors from all the communities affected can have their say. "
Cllr. Richard Hands who writes We wish to call-in the Area Committee decision for reasons A B C D and E as set out in the Constitutions procedure for call-in. We strongly question the decision to impose the same solution across all areas of the borough when the consultation itself says that one size does not fit all. We would like to seek more understanding on why the wishes of the people of Southport have been so flagrantly ignored. We would also like more understanding on why the cabinet members feels the consultation responses indicate they want more powers transferring to cabinet members as that does not appear to be the case. We note that the area committee in Southport was created as a result of a public referendum and that current council policy under Sefton's 2030 vision is for our communities to be strong, knowledgeable and informed. It is hard to see how a plan which centralises power and leads to fewer local meetings can achieve these aims. As such it is difficult to see how current council policy has guided this decision and it is questionable whether the decision conforms to agreed policies. As such we would like to make a recommendation that the matter be referred to full council where councillors from all the communities affected can have their say. "
Cllr. John Dodd who writes We wish to call-in the Area Committee decision for reasons A B C D and E as set out in the Constitutions procedure for call-in. We strongly question the decision to impose the same solution across all areas of the borough when the consultation itself says that one size does not fit all. We would like to seek more understanding on why the wishes of the people of Southport have been so flagrantly ignored. We would also like more understanding on why the cabinet members feels the consultation responses indicate they want more powers transferring to cabinet members as that does not appear to be the case. We note that the area committee in Southport was created as a result of a public referendum and that current council policy under Sefton's 2030 vision is for our communities to be strong, knowledgeable and informed. It is hard to see how a plan which centralises power and leads to fewer local meetings can achieve these aims. As such it is difficult to see how current council policy has guided this decision and it is questionable whether the decision conforms to agreed policies. As such we would like to make a recommendation that the matter be referred to full council where councillors from all the communities affected can have their say. "

Accompanying Documents: