Issue - meetings

Report of Director – Law and Governance

Purpose of report

To consider the findings of the Member Champion Review.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To merge the roles of heritage and design Member Champion with the Lead Member for Planning portfolio, and the generations together Member Champion with the Lead Member for Wellbeing portfolio, taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

1.2       To retain the Military Member Champion role, to be appointed annually. 

1.3       That the Terms of Reference for Member Champions be amended as shown in appendix 3, taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

Resolved

(1)          That the roles of heritage and design Member Champion with the Lead Member for Planning portfolio, and the generations together Member Champion with the Lead Member for Wellbeing portfolio, taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

(2)          That the Military Member Champion role, to be appointed annually, be retained.

(3)          That the Terms of Reference for Member Champions be amended as set out in the Annex to the minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted a report to consider the findings of the Member Champion Review.

Resolved

(1)          That the roles of heritage and design Member Champion with the Lead Member for Planning portfolio, and the generations together Member Champion with the Lead Member for Wellbeing portfolio, taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

(2)          That the Military Member Champion role, to be appointed annually, be retained.

(3)          That the Terms of Reference for Member Champions be amended as set out in the Annex to the minutes (as set out in the Minute Book), taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

Reasons

Taking into account the feedback from Councillors Clarke and McHugh, it is recommended to merge the roles of heritage and design Member Champion with the Lead Member for Planning portfolio, and the generations together Member Champion with the Lead Member for Wellbeing portfolio, taking effect from the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

The Assistant Director – Planning and Development has confirmed that the removal of the design and heritage Champion roles would not cause any operational issues, as all aspects of design and heritage are discussed with Councillor Clarke in his role as Lead Member for Planning.

It is recommended that the Military Member Champion role remains in place, to be appointed annually via a report to Executive which also appoints representatives to Outside Bodies. 

Terms of Reference for Member Champions are recommended to remain broadly the same as initially introduced, subject to amendments as shown in appendix 3. Text shown in italics are proposed inclusions, with text struck through being proposed deletions.

Alternative options

Option 1: To retain all Member Champion roles, appointing non-Executive Members to the positions. This is rejected, as the changing Council priorities have aligned the Champion roles with Lead Member portfolios, except the Military Member Champion, as evidenced through discussions with the existing Champions. Maintaining a Champion role alongside the Executive Lead Member portfolio would be duplicating work

Option 2: To abolish/cease all Member Champion roles. This is also rejected, as removing the Military Champion role would give an impression of not giving due priority to the military community