Agenda item

RESOLVED:

1.    To recommend that Full Council agrees to establish the Spelthorne Joint Committee to deal with both executive and non-executive functions from 1 December 2016 in place of the current Local Committee in Spelthorne which will cease to function from that date.

2.    That the following changes to the scheme of delegation be approved:

·      to delegate the executive functions to the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report

·      to recommend to Council to delegate the non-executive functions to the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report

·      the advisory functions that will come under the remit of the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report.

3.    That the functions that Spelthorne Borough Council has agreed to delegate to the Spelthorne Joint Committee, as set out in Annex A of the submitted report, be noted.

4.    That the Spelthorne Joint Committee Terms of Reference, including the Standing Orders under which it will operate, as set out in Annex A of the submitted report be agreed, and authority be delegated to the Director of Legal and Democratic and Cultural Services to agree to any minor amendments to the Terms of Reference  which may be required.

5.    To recommend to Council to appoint a Chairman of the newly formed Spelthorne Joint Committee from 1 December 2016.

Reasons for Decisions:

Cabinet and full Council agreement is required to establish a Spelthorne Joint Committee in place of the current Local Committee arrangements; to delegate recommended executive functions to the newly formed Spelthorne Joint Committee; and to agree the Terms of Reference and Standing Orders under which the newly formed committee will operate.

This approach has already proved successful in Woking where a Joint Committee, has been operating since June 2014 and was recently reviewed and showed to have improved partnership working between both authorities.

The new Joint Committee will simplify and speed-up local decision making processes, enabling for the first time, all functions and budgets delegated to it by both authorities to be jointly decided upon.

Joint Committees are an innovative two tier response to central government policy initiatives including devolution. Positive conversations are being held with other Surrey Borough and District Councils on the formation of further Joint Committees with SCC.

The Cabinet Member for Localities and Community Wellbeing said that he was delighted to present this report to Cabinet and that the formation of a joint committee in Spelthorne was welcomed by all Spelthorne Members.

He said that, following Spelthorne Borough Council’s agreement at their Cabinet meeting on 20 July 2016 and Council on 21 July 2016, approval to establish the joint committee, was now sought from Surrey County Council’s Cabinet and Full Council

He highlighted the extended remit that a joint committee would have over and above that of the current local committee with decision making functions in relation to the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), youth provision and advisory functions such as older people’s services.

Finally, he drew attention to recommendation (5), stating that a Chairman for the newly formed Spelthorne Joint Committee would need to be appointed at the County Council meeting on 11 October 2016.

The Cabinet Associate for Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Independence, who was a councillor in Spelthorne, endorsed the Cabinet Member’s comments. He considered that the Standing Orders set out in Annex A to the report were clearly written and that the formation of the joint committee would continue to improve relationships between the County Council and the Borough Council.

RESOLVED:

1.    To recommend that Full Council agrees to establish the Spelthorne Joint Committee to deal with both executive and non-executive functions from 1 December 2016 in place of the current Local Committee in Spelthorne which will cease to function from that date.

2.    That the following changes to the scheme of delegation be approved:

·      to delegate the executive functions to the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report

·      to recommend to Council to delegate the non-executive functions to the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report

·      the advisory functions that will come under the remit of the Spelthorne Joint Committee as set out in Annex A of the submitted report.

3.    That the functions that Spelthorne Borough Council has agreed to delegate to the Spelthorne Joint Committee, as set out in Annex A of the submitted report, be noted.

4.    That the Spelthorne Joint Committee Terms of Reference, including the Standing Orders under which it will operate, as set out in Annex A of the submitted report be agreed, and authority be delegated to the Director of Legal and Democratic and Cultural Services to agree to any minor amendments to the Terms of Reference  which may be required.

5.    To recommend to Council to appoint a Chairman of the newly formed Spelthorne Joint Committee from 1 December 2016.

Reasons for Decisions:

Cabinet and full Council agreement is required to establish a Spelthorne Joint Committee in place of the current Local Committee arrangements; to delegate recommended executive functions to the newly formed Spelthorne Joint Committee; and to agree the Terms of Reference and Standing Orders under which the newly formed committee will operate.

This approach has already proved successful in Woking where a Joint Committee, has been operating since June 2014 and was recently reviewed and showed to have improved partnership working between both authorities.

The new Joint Committee will simplify and speed-up local decision making processes, enabling for the first time, all functions and budgets delegated to it by both authorities to be jointly decided upon.

Joint Committees are an innovative two tier response to central government policy initiatives including devolution. Positive conversations are being held with other Surrey Borough and District Councils on the formation of further Joint Committees with SCC.