Meeting documents

Details of Cabinet Member interests in District, Town and Parish Councils will be displayed in the meeting room. The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via the Democratic Services Team.

Council is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate.

(see explanatory notes attached to agenda)

This item includes the presentation of petitions. Details of any public questions / petitions submitted will be included in the Chair’s Schedule which will be made available to the members and to the public at the meeting.

To receive the Chair’s information sheet detailing events attended in July, August, September, October, November and December 2019, and January 2020.

To consider a report with recommendations from the Leader of the Council, arising from the Cabinet meetings held on 13 November and 18 December 2019

The recommendations relate to:

·       Climate Emergency Framework.

·       Investment Strategy

·       Treasury Management mid-year outturn report 2019-2020

To consider the report with recommendations from the Corporate Parenting Board.

The Corporate Parenting Board requests:

·       That Council invites District Councillor representation on the Corporate Parenting Board to provide support on housing and leisure issues

·       That Council extend its thanks to the young people on the Care Councils for all the hard work that they undertake.

·       That Council recommends that councillors appointed to the Corporate Parenting who do not attend Board meetings for three consecutive meetings are reported to Group Leads

To consider a report with recommendations by the Monitoring Officer.

The Council is recommended :

1.     To agree to implement a programme of cultural transformation and improvements to its scrutiny arrangements by March 2021, including the provision of additional resources in the Democratic Services Team and members training budgets to deliver the enhanced scrutiny arrangements;

2.     To agree 10 of the 11 recommendations within the Centre for Public Scrutiny’s ‘Supporting governance, scrutiny and member support in Somerset County Council’ report as detailed on pages 9 and 10 of Appendix A and for these to be implemented by March 2021. In line with Scrutiny Committees’ recommendations, the Council is asked to endorse an alteration to Recommendation 6 within the CfPS report and recommend that the number of agenda items is limited to an absolute maximum of 4, rather than the 2 recommended in the CfPS report;

3.     To request that it receives a progress report on the improvements to its scrutiny arrangements at its meeting in November 2020;

4.     To authorise the Monitoring Officer to undertake any necessary technical amendments to the Council’s Constitution to support the implementation of the proposed improvements to the Council’s scrutiny arrangements; and

5.     To request that the Monitoring Officer undertakes further work regarding the proposals for co-opted members (with non-voting rights) to be potentially included within the membership of the Scrutiny Committee Policies and Place and the Scrutiny Committee for Adults and Health with the aim of reporting these proposals to the Council’s Annual General Meeting.

To consider a report with recommendations by the Monitoring Officer.

The recommendations are that Council:

·       Agrees to increase the composition of the Officer Appeals Committee from six to nine elected members (see 3.2.7 below) 

·       Agrees to increase the composition of the Constitution & Standards Committee from five to six elected members (see 3.2.7 below) 

·       Approves the revised committee appointments set out in this report and the Appointments Schedule at Appendix 1 (to follow) – see section 3.2  

To consider the report by the Chief Executive.

The recommendations relate to: 

·       Appointment of Chief Finance Officer

·       Appointment of Director of Adult Social Services

·       Appointment of Monitoring Officer 

To consider a report setting out any requisitioned items submitted for the Council’s consideration.

To receive reports by the Leader of Council summarising key decisions taken by him and the Cabinet, including at the Cabinet meetings held on 13 November and 18 December.

To receive the Annual Report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Planning and Community Infrastructure.

To receive the Annual Report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

To receive the Annual Report of the Pensions Committee.

To receive the report.

To consider a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee for Policies, Adults and Health.

To consider a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee for Policies, Children and Families.

To consider a report by the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee for Policies and Place.