Agenda item

Further to an officer review of the effectiveness of Executive Advisory Boards (EABs) which took place in the latter part of 2018-19, recommendations had been made in respect of reconfiguring the EABs and introducing measures to strengthen the Forward Plan process.  In response to these recommendations, the Council had resolved to establish a councillor task and finish group to consider the recommendations and report its findings to the EABs and Council before any related decisions were made.

Having considered the group’s subsequent findings, the Council made some resolutions concerning work programming, the Forward Plan and the configuration of EABs.  The most notable resolutions were that the existing arrangement of the two EABs be retained for the time being, whilst the Forward Plan process was strengthened pending further review 12 months following the Borough Council Elections in May 2019 to ascertain whether changes to the Forward Plan process and/or EAB structure were required. 

Following the second phase of the review, the EABs combined to meet as the Joint EAB on 9 July 2020 to consider the future structure and remit of EABs.  The Joint EAB’s recommendations had also been considered by the Executive on 22 September and then by the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee on 24 September.  Both had commended the recommendations for adoption by the Council at this meeting.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Joss Bigmore, proposed, and the Chairman of the Community EAB, Councillor Angela Goodwin seconded the following motion:

“(1)  That the concept of retaining two EABs, each meeting on alternate months with the flexibility to have a balanced inter-changeable remit as appropriate to the agenda items, without the risk of losing topic continuity and expertise, and possibly ahead of Executive meetings to offer a pre-decision opportunity to make recommendations, be agreed.

(2)    That the remit of EABs be realigned to reflect the Executive portfolios and Directorates of the Council and that, accordingly, the Place-Making and Innovation EAB be renamed as the Strategy and Resources EAB and the Community EAB be renamed the Service Delivery EAB.

(3)    That the existing Joint EAB arrangement be continued and implemented when significant and wide-ranging agenda items, such as budgetary matters, are under consideration.

(4)   That closer two-way working between the Executive and EABs, including an expectation that relevant Lead Councillors (or other Executive members in the absence of the relevant Lead Councillor) proactively attend EAB meetings and EAB Chairmen and / or Vice-Chairmen attend Executive meetings to elaborate on advice given and to receive feedback, be established and adopted.

(5)   That a clear formalised procedure of reporting EAB advice and views to the Executive and EABs receiving Executive feedback be adopted.

(6)    That,in addition to exploring relevant Forward Plan items and Corporate Plan priorities, the EABs have free range to select their own review topics on which to advise the Executive, including the establishment of task groups where considered necessary (and subject to available resources).

(7)    That the EABs receive items sufficiently in advance of determination by the Executive in order to have the opportunity to advise on, and influence, its decisions from a broader knowledge base.

(8)  That the Democratic Services and Elections Manager be authorised to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above recommendations.

Reason:

To introduce a more efficient and effective EAB configuration and contribution.

Following the debate on the motion, Councillor Ramsey Nagaty proposed, and Councillor Catherine Young seconded, the following amendment:

Omit “possibly” from paragraph (1) of the motion.

Paragraph (1), as amended, would read as follows:

“(1)  That the concept of retaining two EABs, each meeting on alternate months with the flexibility to have a balanced inter-changeable remit as appropriate to the agenda items, without the risk of losing topic continuity and expertise, and ahead of Executive meetings to offer a pre-decision opportunity to make recommendations, be agreed.”

Following the debate on the amendment, it was put to the vote and was lost.  Under the Remote Meetings Protocol, a roll call was taken to record the vote on the amendment, the results of which were 8 councillors voting in favour, 28 against, and 5 abstentions, as follows:

Following the vote on the amendment, the Council

RESOLVED:

(1)     That the concept of retaining two EABs, each meeting on alternate months with the flexibility to have a balanced inter-changeable remit as appropriate to the agenda items, without the risk of losing topic continuity and expertise, and possibly ahead of Executive meetings to offer a pre-decision opportunity to make recommendations, be agreed.

(2)    That the remit of EABs be realigned to reflect the Executive portfolios and Directorates of the Council and that, accordingly, the Place-Making and Innovation EAB be renamed as the Strategy and Resources EAB and the Community EAB be renamed the Service Delivery EAB.

(3)    That the existing Joint EAB arrangement be continued and implemented when significant and wide-ranging agenda items, such as budgetary matters, are under consideration.

(4)   That closer two-way working between the Executive and EABs, including an expectation that relevant Lead Councillors (or other Executive members in the absence of the relevant Lead Councillor) proactively attend EAB meetings and EAB Chairmen and / or Vice-Chairmen attend Executive meetings to elaborate on advice given and to receive feedback, be established and adopted.

(5)   That a clear formalised procedure of reporting EAB advice and views to the Executive and EABs receiving Executive feedback be adopted.

(8)    That,in addition to exploring relevant Forward Plan items and Corporate Plan priorities, the EABs have free range to select their own review topics on which to advise the Executive, including the establishment of task groups where considered necessary (and subject to available resources).

(9)    That the EABs receive items sufficiently in advance of determination by the Executive in order to have the opportunity to advise on, and influence, its decisions from a broader knowledge base.

(8)  That the Democratic Services and Elections Manager be authorised to make appropriate amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above recommendations.

Reason:

To introduce a more efficient and effective EAB configuration and contribution.

Under the Remote Meetings Protocol, a roll call was taken to record the vote on the motion, the results of which were 40 councillors voting in favour, none against, and 1 abstention, as follows: