Agenda item
Review of external appointments - Phase 2
- Meeting of General Purposes Committee, Thursday, 8th February, 2018 7.00 p.m. (Item 4.5)
- View the background to item 4.5
Further to the initial consideration at the October 2017 meeting, the Committee is invited to consider further detail on each of the outside bodies and to make recommendations to the Mayor on how the current list of outside bodies could be amended or refined to ensure having representation on outside bodies is meeting the Council’s objectives.
Minutes:
Joel West, Senior Committee Officer, introduced the report which, further to the Phase 1 report in October 2017, presented additional information on outside bodies for the Committee’s consideration and made proposals for how the current list of outside bodies could be amended or refined to ensure having representation on outside bodies is meeting the Council’s objectives.
Mr West summarised the findings of the review so far and drew the Committee’s attention to the 12 bodies identified in the report for which Council nominations were recommended to be discontinued. Mr West advised that, since the report had been finalised, a comment had been received from a Councillor that strongly supported continuing representation on one of these bodies, the Ricardo Community Trust.
Several members of the Committee indicated concern that, despite being nominated by the Mayor to represent the Council on outside bodies, they had not received any correspondence from those bodies nor been invited to meetings.
Members indicated that it can be challenging to participate in the work of outside bodies and would benefit from access to advice from officers:
a) managing tensions in what is perceived to be a dual role: both a Council representative and a serving Board member/trustee etc of the outside body; and
b) in advance of outside body meetings to discuss the agenda/business and receive policy insight or briefings, if required.
Further to (a) Asmat Hussain, Corporate Director Governance, directed Members to the guidance note included as Appendix B of the report and advised this issue would also be covered in Member Induction training. Further to (b) Ms Hussain advised that Directorates would be requested to identify a Lead officer for each outside body who nominees could approach for support and advice.
The Committee noted that the guidance at Appendix B of the report included a requirement for nominees to report back to the Council and lead member or relevant committee as requested or as necessary and suggested this provision is formalised. It suggested a requirement for regular brief reports to the Mayor or Cabinet which could be included in the Mayor’s report on nominations to outside bodies, which is made to the Annual Council Meeting.
With regards to the 12 bodies identified in the report for which Council nominations were recommended to be discontinued, The Committee confirmed it would prefer to maintain nominees to the following four outside bodies:
· Docklands Sailing and Water Sports Centre.
· Mudchute Association (Park and Farm)
· Ricardo Community Foundation (St Clements Hospital)
· Women's Environmental Network
RESOLVED:
That the Committee:
1) Notes the further information concerning the current outside bodies included at Appendix A of the report.
2) Recommends to the Mayor that the Council should no longer nominate representatives to the following 8 outside bodies:
Billingsgate Market Consultative Advisory Committee; Cultural Industries Development Agency; East London Nursing Society Trust; Greater London Enterprise; Green Candle Dance Company; Merchant Navy Welfare Board; The Henderson Charity; and Women's Library Council.
3) Recommends to the Mayor that the process of outside bodies is strengthened by:
· Provision of guidance and training for nominees on their roles;
· Identification of a lead officer for each outside body to provide briefings and policy advice to nominees; and
· Development of a framework for nominees to report back to the Council, Cabinet or lead member on the work they have undertaken.
4) Notes the revised Guidance for Members Representing the Council on Outside Bodies at Appendix B.
Supporting documents:
- Review of external appointments - Phase 2, item 4.5 PDF 104 KB
- Appendix A - Details of Outside Bodies, item 4.5 PDF 244 KB
- Appendix B - Guidance for Council Representatives on Outside Bodies, item 4.5 PDF 220 KB