To consider the submitted report on the above.

At its meeting held on 22 June 2015, the Overview and Scrutiny Board considered the Notice of Call-in of the decision of the Mayor on the establishment of two Policy Development Groups and their working arrangements, together with a decision-making route for policy development.  The Board resolved that the decision of the Mayor be referred to Council for consideration.  The Council considered the submitted report on the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Board regarding the Mayor’s decision.  A copy of the Mayor’s Record of Decision and appendices was circulated prior to the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Lewis and seconded by Councillor Darling (S):

that, having considered the proposal within the report “The principles of overview and scrutiny in Torbay”, the following amendments to the Operational Guidance for the Policy Development Groups be made:

a.    an Executive Lead and an Overview and Scrutiny Lead should fulfill the roles of Chairman and Vice-chairman of the Policy Development Groups;

b.    the Policy Development Groups should carry out their work both in private and in public according to the nature of the issue being considered with the presumption that they conduct as much of their work as possible in public;

c.    the Work Programme (and therefore the agendas) for the Policy Development Groups to be determined in consultation with the Mayor, Executive Leads, Overview and Scrutiny Leads and the Executive Director ensuring that there is a focus on those issues of critical importance to the Council moving forward.  The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Policy Development Group will each have the right to include items on the agenda;

d.    the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Policy Development Group will jointly have the authority to “sign-off” reports from the Group prior to the reports being forwarded to the Mayor (or appropriate decision maker);

e.    items going through Route 2 to be agreed by the Executive Director in consultation with the Mayor, Executive Leads and the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator; and

f.      the Members able to vote at the Policy Development Group will be the Chairman, Vice-chairman and the five members nominated in accordance with political balance.

The Council believe that these amendments make a package of measures which will make the Policy Development Groups more effective enabling inclusion of all of the members of the Council in policy development.

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared carried.

At the invitation of the Chairwoman, the Mayor indicated he would respond to the resolution of the Council within ten working days.