Agenda item

To consider (a) Integrated Care Partnership and Integrated Care Partnership Assembly; (b) Independent Remuneration Panel; and (c) Arrow Valley West By-Election.

(a)     Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) and Integrated Care Partnership Assembly (ICPA)

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Health and Well-being introduced the report and commented that the proposed changes to integrated care were being introduced to develop a strategy involving all partners to address the care needs of the population. This approach would include preventative actions to provide better outcomes in life and lead to less pressure on adult social care and the health service. She outlined the objectives of the ICPA Terms of Reference set out in the Appendix to the report.

On being put the vote, the resolution was agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED: that

a)    the terms of reference for the Integrated Care Partnership Assembly attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved; and

b)   the Assistant Director for Legal and Governance be authorised to update the constitution accordingly.

(b)   Independent Remuneration Panel

The Leader of the Council introduced the report and commented that the Remuneration Panel usually met once per term. It was necessary to go through an advertising process to fill vacancies on the Panel. On final selection, details of the Panel would be brought back to Council and the Panel could then commence its work. A report of the findings of the Panel would be brought to Council next year.

On being put the vote, the resolution was agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED that:

a)    the reconstitution of the Independent Remuneration Panel with 5 members be approved and that recruitment of members to the Panel is undertaken as set out at paragraph 12 of the report;

b)   the terms of reference as set out in Appendix 2 to the report be approved;

c)    the Chief Executive be authorised to make all necessary arrangements to put the recommendations in this report into effect and to bring recommendations for membership to Council for approval in due course; and

d)   it is intended that the Panel will commence work on reviewing the Members Allowances scheme as soon as practicable in order to make recommendations to the Council in 2023.

(c)  Arrow Valley West By-Election

The Leader of the Council introduced the report and congratulated Cllr Andy Fry for his success at the recent Arrow Valley West By-Election. The outcome of the by-election meant that political balance needed to be adjusted with two seats allocated to the Unity Group that were previously allocated to the Conservative Group. He proposed that these seats be allocated onto the Audit and Governance Committee and the Adult Care and Well-being Panel. The former holder of the seat in Arrow Valley West had previously sat on the Audit and Governance Committee. There was also a vacancy on the Adult Care and Well-being Panel. These changes would cause the least disruption to the work of Council and maintain stability. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Marcus Hart and became the substantive motion.

An amendment was proposed by the Leader of the Unity Group, Cllr Mel Allcott and seconded by Cllr Richard Udall that a member of the Unity Group be added to the membership of the OSPB (as well as on the Audit and Governance Committee).

The amendment was then debated and the following points made:

·         The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Communities commented that the membership of the OSPB had always consisted of panel chairmen and other members were not directly appointed to it. It would not be appropriate from a political balance perspective to make such an appointment

·         It was a matter for Council, based on the advice of the Monitoring Officer, to decide the allocation of seats based on political balance

·         The Monitoring Officer advised that each political group had the same proportionality on each decision-making body as to its numbers proportional to the full council. Essentially each councillor was entitled to two places on committee/panels. The calculation of the allocation of places involved the rounding up or down of decimal points which led to the 7:1:1 allocation on the scrutiny panels. Ultimately, the final decision rested with Council. The allocation of a place for the Unity group on the Audit and Governance Committee was straight-forward. However, there were a number of committees with the same number of places and Council could determine where the extra place was allocated. The membership of OSPB was set out in the constitution, which could be changed by the Council, but if changes were made there was a risk that the political balance of the individual committee would be impacted as well as the overall balance

·         Precedent had been set on previous occasions where non-panel chairs had sat on the OSPB

·         The Chairman of the OSPB commented that an increase in the numbers on the OSPB did not necessarily equate to better outcomes and the current membership was sufficient to work effectively

·         The Leader of the Unity Group commented that as the main opposition group in the Council, her group should have more involvement on the OSPB.

On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

On being put to the vote, the substantive motion was agreed.

RESOLVED that the outcome of the by-election for Arrow Valley West be noted and the political balance of the Council as set out in Appendix 3 to the report be approved.