Issue - meetings

The Committee considered a report of the Democratic Services Manager to agree the timetable of Committee meetings for the 2017/2018 municipal year. The Democratic Services Manager presented the report, and explained reasons for the proposed changes to meeting times and locations, as well as the differences between the draft timetables at Appendix A and Appendix C. The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Committee that any substantial proposals for changing the current timetabling pattern, shown at Appendix A, would need to be submitted as a recommendation to Council for approval.

Members discussed in detail the two potential Committee timetables. Members raised concerns about some of the proposed changes, in particular, the suggestion that  Budget and Performance Panel should be held in June and August, the preference being for July and September, as it was in 2016. It was also suggested that holding Overview and Scrutiny meetings one week before Cabinet (as demonstrated in Appendix C) would be beneficial to all Overview and Scrutiny Members as well as those involved in the pre-scrutiny process.

Members agreed with the recommendations in the report regarding changing the start times of:

·        Annual Business Council to 6pm;

·        JCC to 5pm with Personnel Committee to start at 6:10pm, ‘or at the rise of JCC, whichever is the later’ with the Chairman to use their discretion regarding an earlier start for JCC depending on the amount of business to be considered

Members also agreed with the change of venue for Audit Committee from Morecambe Town Hall to Lancaster Town Hall.

It was proposed by Councillor John Reynolds and seconded by Councillor Roger Mace:

‘(1)    That the draft timetable, set out in Appendix C of the report, be recommended to Council, subject to changing the Budget and Performance Panel meetings scheduled for 13 June and 15 August to dates in July and September.

(2)     That it be recommended to Council that

a)      the start time of Annual Council be changed from 6.30pm to 6pm.

b)      the start time of JCC be changed from 4pm to 5pm and Personnel Committee to start at 6:10pm, ‘or at the rise of JCC, whichever is the later’ with the Chairman to use their discretion regarding an earlier start for JCC depending on the amount of business to be considered

c)      the venue for Audit Committee be changed from Morecambe Town Hall to Lancaster Town Hall.’

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the proposition.

Resolved:

(1)    That the draft timetable, set out in Appendix C of the report, be recommended to Council, subject to changing the Budget and Performance Panel meetings scheduled for 13 June and 15 August to dates in July and September.

(2)     That it be recommended to Council that

a)      the start time of Annual Council be changed from 6.30pm to 6pm.

b)      the start time of JCC be changed from 4pm to 5pm and Personnel Committee to start at 6:10pm, ‘or at the rise of JCC, whichever is the later’ with the Chairman to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31