Issue - meetings

Councillor Harvey

Cabinet considered a report on the proposal to form a Spelthorne Joint Committee with Surrey County Council.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND that Council:

1.    Establishes a Joint Committee with Surrey County Council for the purposes as outlined in the report;

2.    Delegates to the Head of Corporate Governance, in consultation with the Leader, any final changes to the Terms of Reference at Appendix 1 to accommodate final discussions with Surrey County Council; and

3.    Authorises the Head of Corporate Governance to update the Constitution as necessary in consequence of the decision.

Reason for the decision:

Cabinet noted that a Joint Committee would create a true partnership between Surrey County Council and Spelthorne Borough Council with decision making delegated from both organisations.

To receive a report from the Head of Corporate Governance on draft proposals to form a Spelthorne Joint Committee.

The Head of Corporate Governance outlined draft proposals to replace the current Surrey County Council Local Committee in Spelthorne with a Spelthorne Joint Committee which would be a true partnership between the County and Borough Councils with decision making delegated from both organisations.

The Joint Committee’s expanded remit would help deliver the following aims:

·         Increase the involvement of residents, local communities, businesses and partners

·         Improve decision making and speed up processes

·         Support Members in their role as community leaders and champions

·         Promote greater accountability and local scrutiny.

He explained the general remit of the Joint Committee and detailed the specific, proposed, County and Borough functions which would become the responsibility of the Spelthorne Joint Committee. He informed the Committee that the County was open to considering alternating the chairmanship of the Joint Committee between the two councils. If the proposal was agreed by both the County and Borough Councils, it was envisaged that the Joint Committee would be operational from 1 June 2016.

The Committee had before it the draft Terms of Reference and Standing Orders for the Joint Committee.

In response to a question, the Head of Corporate Governance clarified that this Committee would still have responsibility for the scrutiny of Joint Committee executive decisions which related to functions delegated by Spelthorne Borough Council only.

Resolved to note the draft proposals to form a Spelthorne Joint Committee in place of the Local Committee in Spelthorne and the executive and non-executive functions to be delegated to the Joint Committee.