Issue - meetings

Council considered a report presented by the Monitoring Officer, which sought approval to establish a new cycle of meetings for Scrutiny committees with effect from the 2025/26 Municipal Year.  Following feedback received from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny and a review by the Scrutiny Officer into the scrutiny function it was recommended to reduce the number of scrutiny meetings from six to four per annum for the thematic committees which would meet on a quarterly basis except for the Finance and Corporate Scrutiny Committee which would continue on its current format.

Councillor Tom Kirkham sought clarity on the continued scrutiny of Dragonfly Shareholder Board updates at Local Growth Scrutiny Committee, with the reduced number of meetings how would updates and the findings of the independent review be reported?

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the Dragonfly Shareholder Board meetings would be scheduled in line with the calendar of Local Growth Scrutiny Committee. Once approved minutes from the Shareholder Board were available, they would be shared at the next available Local Growth Scrutiny Committee meeting. It was acknowledged the Local Growth Scrutiny Committee would meet four times a year but this was considered to be an efficient use of the council’s time. If required members could request convening additional meetings.

Councillor Tom Kirkham asked whether the membership and scope of the Shareholders Board could include more councillors?

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that as part of the independent review they would be looking at everything for Dragonfly as well as the Council’s governance arrangements and part of that could include the expanding the membership of the Shareholders Board to include additional members.

Moved by Councillor Tom Munro and seconded by Councillor John Ritchie

RESOLVED that (1) the meeting schedule and number of meetings as outlined

          in paragraph 2.3 and 24 of the report be approved with effect from the

          Municipal Year 2025/26; and

(2) that the meeting dates for these committees will be included in the proposed schedule of meetings 2025/26 scheduled for submission to Council in March 2025 be noted.