Agenda item

To consider the following recommendation from the Cabinet following discussion at its meeting on 4 January 2018 (and previous discussions at the Cabinet meeting on 23 November 2017) with regard to the establishment of a Joint Committee and the arrangements to support its future working:

1.          the recommendation of the HotSW Leaders (meeting as a shadow Joint Committee) to form a Joint Committee for the Heart of the South West be approved;

2.          the Arrangements and Inter-Authority Agreement documents set out in appendices A and B for the establishment of the Joint Committee with the commencement date of Monday 22^nd January 2018 be approved;

3.          the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration be appointed as the Council’s named representative and substitute named representative on the Joint Committee;

4.          Somerset County Council be appointed as the Administering Authority for the Joint Committee for a 2 year period commencing 22nd January 2018;

5.          the transfer of the remaining joint devolution budget to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee for the remainder of 2017/18 financial year be approved subject to approval of any expenditure by the Administering Authority;

6.          an initial contribution of £1,400 for 2018/19 to fund the administration be approved and the work programme of the Joint Committee, noting that any expenditure will be subject to the approval of the Administering Authority;

7.          it agrees that the key function of the Joint Committee is to approve  the Productivity Strategy (it is intended to bring the Strategy to the Joint Committee for approval by February 2018);

8.           the initial work programme of the Joint Committee aimed at the successful delivery of the Productivity Strategy be authorised; and

9.          It agrees the proposed meeting arrangements for the Joint Committee including the timetable of meetings for the Joint Committee as proposed in para 2.14 of the attached Background Report.

At the previous meeting of Council the subject matter had been referred back to Cabinet for further consideration (due to appendix B being missing from the original paperwork).  The Cabinet at its meeting on 4 January 2018 reconsidered the matter and made a further recommendation to Council.

The Leader MOVED seconded by Councillor R J Chesterton:

THAT the recommendation of the Cabinet as set out in Minute 96 (set out below) be ADOPTED:

1.          the recommendation of the HotSW Leaders (meeting as a shadow Joint Committee) to form a Joint Committee for the Heart of the South West be approved;

2.          the Arrangements and Inter-Authority Agreement documents set out in appendices A and B for the establishment of the Joint Committee with the commencement date of Monday 22^nd January 2018 be approved;

a)           

3.          the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration be appointed as the Council’s named representative and substitute named representative on the Joint Committee;

4.          Somerset County Council be appointed as the Administering Authority for the Joint Committee for a 2 year period commencing 22nd January 2018;

5.          the transfer of the remaining joint devolution budget to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee for the remainder of 2017/18 financial year be approved subject to approval of any expenditure by the Administering Authority;

6.          an initial contribution of £1,400 for 2018/19 to fund the administration be approved and the work programme of the Joint Committee, noting that any expenditure will be subject to the approval of the Administering Authority;

7.          it agrees that the key function of the Joint Committee is to approve  the Productivity Strategy (it is intended to bring the Strategy to the Joint Committee for approval by February 2018);

8.           the initial work programme of the Joint Committee aimed at the successful delivery of the Productivity Strategy be authorised; and

9.          It agrees the proposed meeting arrangements for the Joint Committee including the timetable of meetings for the Joint Committee as proposed in para 2.14 of the attached Background Report.

Following discussion with regard to:

·         Whether the joint committee would have any influence over development in the local area.  The meeting was informed that the joint committee would have no say over the Local Plan or any development opportunities in Mid Devon.

·         Infrastructure issues.

Upon a vote being taken, the MOTION was declared to have been CARRIED.

The Council had before it questions *  submitted by Councillor Mrs J Roach in accordance with Procedure Rule 13.2 together with responses from the Leader of the Council.

Councillor Mrs Roach in accordance with Procedure Rule 13.7 asked supplementary questions with regard to her questions 1 and 3: Referring to budgetary arrangements she asked whether any on-costs had been considered with regard to officer time. She asked about access to information rules for the joint authority and whether meetings would only be held in Part II if exempt information was being discussed.

The Chief Executive stated that the cost of democracy was not considered an on-cost and that he already attended meetings with regard to the Heart of the South West.

The Monitoring Officer stated that Somerset County Council was the administrative authority for the Joint Committee, it was vastly experienced in such arrangements and it would be the County Council’s constitution and access to information rules that would apply.  There may be circumstances when it would be necessary to go into Part II for discussion on exempt issues.

Notes: 

i)             Councillors: F W Letch, Mrs J Roach, L Taylor and N Way requested that their vote against the decision be recorded;

ii)            Councillors: Mrs G Doe and Mrs N Woollatt requested that their abstention from voting be recorded;

iii)          * Questions and responses previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.