Apologies for absence were receivedfrom Councillor O’Connor (substitute: Councillor A Jones).

No interests were declared at the meeting.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday, 15^th October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday, 22^nd October 2024 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Further to its meetings held on 15th October and 22^nd October2024, the Committee received a report of the Executive Director (Strategy & Change) that presented the options for a reduction in the number of Councillors on the committees of 17 in size, having regard to benchmarking data and the political balance requirements. A spreadsheet illustrating the outcome of the benchmarking exercise was attached to the submitted report at Appendix 1.

The Committee also discussed the appropriate number of Overview & Scrutiny Committees and the merits of a separate Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  

Resolved:-

1. That the number of Overview & Scrutiny Committees be changed to 4 (four), one of which shall be solely the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The remits of the existing Scrutiny Committees (with the exception of Health matters) are to be re-distributed to the other three Overview & Scrutiny Committee to ensure workloads and responsibilities are evenly and appropriately allocated.

2. That the existing Appeals Committees A & B be combined into one single Appeals Committee and that the Home to School Transport Appeals be dealt with by this Committee.

3. That the number of Councillors on each Committee be amended as follows: The membership of the new Committees will be as follows:

• The three Overview & Scrutiny Committees and the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee to be 9 Councillors.

• Planning Committee to be 11 Councillors

• The new Appeals Committee to be 5 Councillors

• Licensing Committee to remain at 15 Councillors

• Appointments & Disciplinary Committee to remain at 7 Councillors

• All other Committees (Audit, Standards and General Purposes) to remain at 9 Councillors

4. That the new Committee structure, remits and relevant memberships to take effect at the start of the new Municipal Year.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director (Strategy & Change) that presented the amended drafts of Part 5 (Overview & Scrutiny) and Part 6 (Councillors) of the proposed new constitution for Southend-on-Sea City Council. Copies of these were attached to the submitted report at Appendices B and C

The Committee also had before it the initial draft of Part 7 (Officers), (in relation to the following sections only) of the proposed new constitution for Southend-on-Sea City Council:

• Management Structure

• Scheme of Delegation to Officers

• List of Proper Officers (and Designated Posts

A copy of this was attached to the report at Appendix D to the submitted report. It was noted that a revised table of delegations and the other sections of Part 7 would be circulated to the Committee in time for its meeting taking place on 18 November 2024.

Resolved:-

1. That, the suggested drafting amendments made by Committee (with annotations from our external advisors, Anthony Collins) at its meeting on 15 October and attached as Appendix A to the submitted report be noted.

2. That, subject to the amendments set out in Minute No. 10 above following the review of the sizes of Committees etc., the revised and final drafting of Part 5 (Overview and Scrutiny) of the proposed constitution as set out in Appendix B to the submitted report be approved.

3. That, the revised and final drafting of Part 6 (Councillors) as set out in Appendix C to the submitted report be approved.

4. That, subject to the comments made at the meeting, the first draft of Part 7 (Officers) of the new proposed Constitution for Southend-on-Sea City Council as set out in Appendix D to the submitted report be noted and that officers make the appropriate amendments and/or additions based on those comments for approval at the meeting of the Committee taking place on 18 November 2024.