Agenda item

To receive a report from Councillor Galvin, the Chair of the Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) on the work of the SMC, including a motion to be moved by Cllr Galvin in respect of the advice offered by the Working Group set up by Council to advise on the implementation of the re-structure of the scrutiny process.

A written report was received from Cllr John Galvin, the Chair of the Scrutiny Management Committee (SMC) on the work of the SMC since the last report to Council, on 27 November 2008.  The report included a recommendation arising from the advice of the Working Group set up to consider the new Scrutiny structure, which would be formally moved in due course.

The Lord Mayor then announced that notice had been received of three amendments to the motion to be moved on the Scrutiny structure, one of which had been ruled out of order under Standing Order 15.3.6, on the grounds that it was the second amendment to be submitted by the same Member, namely Cllr D’Agorne. 

Cllr Waller then moved, and Cllr Runciman seconded, that Standing Orders 12.5 and 15.3.2 be suspended to enable him to propose an amendment outside the time limits set down in those Standing Orders, in the same terms as the amendment ruled out of order.

On being put to the vote, the motion to suspend Standing Orders was declared LOST.

Cllr Galvin then moved, and Cllr Pierce seconded, the following recommendation to Council, contained in paragraph 17 of his report, arising from the advice of the Working Group set up to consider the detailed implementation of the new scrutiny structure agreed by Council at the last meeting (Minute 45 refers):

“That the role of the SMC and functions common to all standing scrutiny committees as set out in Annex A be approved and that Council consider which model (A or B) it wishes to adopt as the basis for the standing scrutiny committees, in line with the previously agreed changes to the scrutiny structure.”

Cllr D’Agorne then moved, and Cllr Taylor seconded, the first amendment to the above motion, as follows:

“At the start of the second sentence after the words ‘And, that’, delete the words ‘Council considers which model (A or B) it wishes to adopt’ and replace with ‘Council adopts Model A …..’ At the end of the motion, add the following words ‘and subject to:

• further consultation taking place with the group leaders and chief officers on the precise remit of each Committee;
• no loss of provision for the public to access relevant reports and make representations in advance of a decision, nor in their ability to participate at the point of decision making."

Cllr Scott then moved and Cllr Looker seconded, the second amendment to the above motion, as follows:

At the start of the second sentence after the words ‘and that’, delete the words ‘Council considers which model (A or B) it wishes to adopt’ and replace with ‘Council adopts Model B’.

The above amendments were then put to the vote as alternatives, with Members being asked in respect of each to vote for or against the amendment, or to abstain.  The results of the votes were as follows:

Amendment 1 - 21 in favour, 24 against, 1 abstention.  Declared LOST.

Amendment 2 – 24 in favour, 21 against, 1 abstention. Declared CARRIED.

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

“That the role of SMC and functions common to all standing scrutiny committees as set out in Annex A, be approved, and that Council adopts Model Bas the basis for the standing scrutiny committees, in line with the previously agreed changes to the scrutiny structure.”

On being put to the vote the motion, as amended, was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the above motion, as amended, be approved. ¹