Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Black)

Report of Chief Officer Governance

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Phillip Black)

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer Governance to enable Cabinet to consider whether to continue or stand down the various Cabinet Advisory Groups that were established in the previous administration.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

Cabinet was requested to consider each current Advisory Group and confirm whether the Advisory Group should be reconvened, whether the terms of reference needed revising for any reconvened Advisory Group or whether it should be stood down. If Cabinet was minded to reconvene an Advisory Group consideration should be given to both the frequency of the meetings and as to where/how the Advisory Groups should meet.

Cabinet confirmed that they wished to continue with a number of Advisory Groups and identified those that required more support namely the various Housing AG’s, Visitor Economy, Culture, Arts & Heritage AG and the Local Plan Review Group. It was suggested that  officer involvement would ordinarily extend to scheduling meetings and invitations and that apart from a few exceptions the meetings could proceed online with those hosting ensuring that the action points were documented.  It was recognised that there would be occasions when face to face meetings would be beneficial but Cabinet was mindful of the limited officer resource to support meetings.

After some discussion it was proposed by Councillor Wood, seconded by Councillor Parr and unanimously agreed when put to the vote:

Resolved unanimously:

(1)             That the following Advisory Groups be stood down:

·        Canal Quarter AG

·        Bailrigg Garden Village AG

·        Economic Development & Regeneration AG

(2)             (a)That the following Advisory Groups be maintained:

·        Building Community Wealth Partnership Group

·        Morecambe Vision AG

·        Homeless AG

·        Climate Emergency & Environment AG

           (b) That the following Advisory Groups merge/be renamed:

·        Community Wellbeing AG & Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise AG

·        Culture Heritage Cabinet AG to be renamed Visitor Economy, Culture, Arts & Heritage AG

·        Housing Advisory Group (sub groups green skills & community led housing) to be renamed Housing Task Force

(c) That the following additional Advisory Groups be established:

·        Low Carbon Transport AG

·        Parks & Public Spaces  AG

·        Council Housing Advisory Group

(3)             That with regard to the operating arrangements the following was agreed:

·        That where possible the meetings be conducted via Teams with invitations sent out by the linked officer save for those circumstances when a face to face meeting was deemed beneficial.

·        That groups made their own arrangements to keep points for action with notes kept in a central location. e.g. Teams file.

·        That where a more formal structure was required this be agreed and resourced by the officer and chair.

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

Chief Executive

Reasons for making the decision:

Advisory Groups provide an opportunity for Cabinet Members to meaningfully engage with communities and stakeholders on significant topics across the policy landscape, with members benefiting from an enhanced range of perspectives to inform decision-making.  The decision for using Teams to support these groups where possible is in line with the Council’s digitalisation agenda and is reflective of Cabinet being mindful of the officer resource implications of supporting each group.