Meeting documents

To agree the recommendations and decisions.

Proposed by Councillor Anna Groskop and Seconded by Councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey, moved and the Council RESOLVED :. 

·       That the Council approves the establishment of a LGR Joint Scrutiny Committee together with the four District Councils in Somerset constituted in accordance with and having the roles and responsibilities set out in the Terms of Reference attached at Appendix 1 ("Terms of Reference").  

·       That the Council agree to nominate the following eight Members from its overview and scrutiny committees onto the Joint Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Ann Bown

Councillor Bob Filmer

Councillor Anna Groskop

Councillor Jane Lock

Councillor Tessa Munt

Councillor Leigh Redman

Councillor Rod Williams

Councillor William Wallace

·       That the Council nominated Councillor Bob Filmer to the Joint Scrutiny Committee as the proposed Vice Chair.

The Council considered a report from the Monitoring Officer that set out proposals for the Council to consider regarding the potential formation of a Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Joint Scrutiny Committee comprising elected representatives from Mendip District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council and South Somerset District Council (collectively known as the Constituent Councils for the Joint Committee). Each individual Council would be considering the proposed formation of the Joint Scrutiny Committee (JSC) and delegating appropriate functions to it.

Councillor David Fothergill welcomed this Joint Scrutiny Committee as the start of a process and that it would build on the ‘spirit of collaboration’ which already existed with the Health and Well-being Board and the Joint Waste Board. Councillor Bill Revans acknowledged that the proposals represented a compromise, but they should not be regarded as inadequate because of that as there was fair representation across the County which offered a realistic way forward and he encouraged all to participate and not be partisan. Councillor Martin Dimery thanked the Officers for trying to make the Joint Committee as fair as possible but wanted it recorded that there were no Green Party representatives despite some parts of the County having a very strong Green Party presence.

The Monitoring Officer reminded Council that any elected member could attend meetings of the Joint Scrutiny Committee and they would be most welcome to participate in discussions.

Councillor Leigh Redman thanks Officers for the work put into this process and acknowledged that he had made some comments on the Terms of Reference and had been pleased to see that the accompanying FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) had addressed many of his points. It was confirmed that any subsequent changes to the terms of reference would have to be approved by the Constitution and Standards Committee.

Councillor Anna Groskop, seconded by Councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey, moved and the Council RESOLVED to:. 

·         Approve the establishment of a LGR Joint Scrutiny Committee together with the four District Councils in Somerset constituted in accordance with and having the roles and responsibilities set out in the Terms of Reference attached at Appendix 1 ("Terms of Reference").  

·         Agree to nominate the following eight Members from its overview and scrutiny committees to sit on the Joint Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Ann Bown

Councillor Bob Filmer

Councillor Anna Groskop

Councillor Jane Lock

Councillor Tessa Munt

Councillor Leigh Redman

Councillor Rod Williams

Councillor William Wallace

·         Nominated Councillor Bob Filmer to the Joint Scrutiny Committee as its Vice Chair.