Archived decisions

Contact: Colin Hinxman, Democratic Services - Ext: 7343

email: [email protected]

1. At their meeting on 15 July the Board considered a report of the Chief Executive on the proposed way in which the Management Committee should be invited to exercise their functions to scrutinise the Board and to hold it to account, particularly in the area of potential calling-in of decisions. The approach envisaged was electronic, with Board decisions to be notified by e-mail to Management Committee Members. The Board agreed and asked that the report with their views should be referred to the Management Committee for their comments.

2. The report was referred to the Management Committee on 28 July. They agreed with the proposal that the electronic modus operandi be adopted as a means for them to exercise their call-in function and asked the Chief Executive to compile a list of current e-mail addresses which could be used for that purpose.

3. To recap, the relevant sections of the Constitution for the River Hamble provide as follows:

3.1. Decisions of the Board are subject to scrutiny by the Management Committee and may be "called-in" by a quorum of the Committee (ie five members) for consideration.

3.2. Decisions of the Board will be notified to all members of the Management Committee. Any notice of call-in must be given in writing to the Chief Executive within 7 days. The decision will then be considered at a meeting of the Management Committee, which the Chairman of the Board, (or a nominated deputy) shall attend. The Management Committee shall then communicate its conclusion on the matter in a report to the Board.

4. The Board at its meetings will receive detailed reports on each item. In order to set up a workable and efficient system, it will be essential to run communication electronically so that decisions can be promptly communicated by e-mail. The Chief Executive has, therefore, set up electronic distribution lists for the Board, Management Committee and all others involved in the work of the River Hamble Harbour.

5. It would, therefore, be possible to operate as follows:

· 7 days before the Board meeting where possible e-link to the relevant agendas and reports, sent to all committee members.


· within 7 days from the Board meeting - decisions communicated to all committee members by means of an e-copy of the decision sheets or Minutes.


· within 7 days of that notification, 5 members would need to signify their intention to "call-in" the decision by means of an e-mail to the Chief Executive, giving their reasons for doing so.


· within 14 days of the Chief Executive receiving a total of 5 valid requests for call-in, a meeting of the Management Committee would be set up following consultation with the Committee Chairman.

6. The system could operate either by the production of decision sheets recording the outcome for each item; or by the submission of the Board's Minutes to the Management Committee Members.

7. The suggested way forward in this report would support the County Council's Corporate Strategy Aim 2 - Stewardship of the Environment - and Aim 5 - Improving Services - by contributing to effective operation of the streamlined decision making structure.

RECOMMENDATION:

That an electronic modus operandi be adopted as the means for the River Hamble Harbour Management Committee to exercise its call-in function and that the Board determine whether they wish to operate by way of decision sheets or re-use of the full Minutes.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

Published works.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE

None.

8hR100805