URL: https://rother.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1709

Decision Maker: Audit Committee

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: To consider a number of changes to the democratic structure and processes in order to achieve budget savings from 2025/26

Content: Members received the report of the Chief Executive, which recommended a number of changes to the democratic structure and processes in order to achieve budget savings from 2025/26. The actual savings themselves would be relatively minor in monetary terms but would have benefits in terms of reductions in carbon emissions, as well as demonstrating to the public a commitment by Members to embrace change to realise reductions in expenditure to help meet the budget challenges.   The potential savings identified were outlined and explored in detail in the report and included:   -           Reduction in the number of formal committee meetings -           Reduction in the number of meetings held during the evening -           Reduction of the number of Members appointed to committees -           Amendments the Mileage Claiming Policy     To achieve a reduction of meetings, it was proposed that Cabinet would meet every six weeks, rather than monthly as per the current arrangements and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) reduced its scheduled formal meetings from eight to six (a reduction of two), plus hold two meetings per year informally, over MS Teams. The informal meetings could consider items for noting only (progress reports), other monitoring type reports and presentations which did not have to take place in the public domain.    It was recognised that a move to daytime meetings could have those benefits as detailed within the report and have a positive impact on staff retention but may prove problematical for working Members and those with other daytime commitments. Conversely, it was recognised that some Members favoured daytime meetings due to other evening commitments, caring duties and travelling during dark, winter evenings and inclement weather. It was proposed that the membership of each committee considered whether it would be possible to meet during the day and agree the time of day that best suited the membership at the start of each civic year.   A reduction in the number of Members appointed to committees would also result in a reduction of costs as outlined within the report. A recommendation to Council was already awaiting determination regarding the proposed reduction of Members appointed to the Planning Committee from 14 to 10; OSC and the Licensing and General Purposes (L&GP) Committee each had 12 Members appointed, which could also be reduced to 10 Members. This would reduce the number of Members required to travel to the Town Hall (less mileage and carbon footprint) and potentially impact on the length of meetings (less overtime / utility costs / refreshments).     Some concern was raised about potential difficulties arising when arranging a Licensing Panel, due to a reduction in the number of L&GP Members, but officers confirmed that as a small group of Members tended to sit on the Panels, this would therefore not be affected.   The live-streaming of formal Council meetings and the ability to join meetings remotely via the MS Teams hybrid solution, currently cost the authority approximately £16,000 per annum. To help to off-set this expenditure, a potential change to the reimbursement of Members’ travel costs was recommended; it was noted that many Members already joined meetings remotely, rather than travel to the Town Hall.   It was proposed that the Council introduced a policy change allowing committee Members only the right to claim travelling expenses to the Town Hall when attending formal committee meetings of which they were a Member.  Mileage for other duties, such as attending meetings of outside bodies and traveling around the district when undertaking civic roles, would be paid as per the current arrangements. All other non-committee Members would be expected to join the meeting remotely and would forfeit the right to claim mileage if they preferred to attend in person. Proposed exceptions to this rule were for attendance in person at Planning Committee to represent residents’ views, following an invitation to attend a specific meeting, such as Cabinet and in relation to attendance at a meeting when there was a confidential item on an agenda.  There was a recommendation to Council in December that Members would no longer be permitted to attend remotely to hear and contribute to the debate on confidential items and must be physically present in the meeting room. It was acknowledged that the savings would be small.   Concern was raised that this change might lead to feelings of isolation, especially for those Members in rural wards or on lower incomes who might not be able to travel if expenses could not be claimed. It was noted that non-committee Members attending remotely had the same rights as if in person and that there were other ways to engage with colleagues where expenses were met, such as training activities. It was recommended that the change be reviewed after one year.   Members of the Committee were supportive of the recommendations, with the addition of reviewing the policy in relation to the payment of travelling expenses to attend formal committee meetings one year after implementation.   RECOMMENDED: That, with effect from the new civic year commencing in May 2025:   1)         Cabinet be scheduled to meet every six weeks (nine times per year);   2)         the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be scheduled to meet formally six times per year, plus two informal meetings to be held over MS Teams;   3)         at the start of each civic year, following the appointments to committees, the membership of each committee considers whether it is possible to meet during the day and agree the time of day that best suits the membership;   4)         the number of Members appointed to the Overview and Scrutiny and Licensing and General Purposes Committees be reduced from 12 to 10;   5)         the policy in relation to the payment of travelling expenses to attend formal committee meetings be amended, to permit Committee Members only the right to claim travelling expenses to the Town Hall (as outlined in paragraphs 19-24 of the report), and be reviewed  one year from implementation; and   6)         the Chief Executive be authorised to make the necessary amendments to the Constitution, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer.

Date of Decision: December 2, 2024