Agenda item

Purpose: the Council is committed to proactively engaging with the communities that we serve to ensure the best outcomes for all.  The Council therefore intends to establish Community Forums, where residents and others will be invited to participate in discussions with Members and senior officers at in-person meetings. 

The Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Recycling and Biodiversity has indicated that meetings of the Environment Advisory Group be more open.  The report sets out proposals for an Environment Action Group (EAG) Open Forum that seek to facilitate this proposal.

The report sets out the considerations that will be relevant to the operation of Community Forums, and seeks views regarding the same.  The potential resource implications are also highlighted.

Resolved that Executive note the establishment of Community Forums on the basis of the following operating model:

·         Community Forums will take place as and when the need arises, but at least quarterly;

·         These will be attended by a Member of the Executive;

·         The Chief Executive or relevant Executive Director will attend and be supported by the relevant Service Director or senior manager depending on discussion topics;

·         These meetings should take place at various locations across the district on a roving basis with invitees attending in person, but must have the ability to be operated in a hybrid format;

·         Topics for discussion will relate to matters of interest to communities in all or part of the district, which must be approved by the Leader; and

·         A Community Forum Webpage will be developed to promote the meetings and to provide feedback and updates on items discussed at meetings.

Executive note the Community Forum Terms of Reference, produced at Appendix B.

Executive also note the EAG Open Forum Terms of Reference, which can be found at Appendix C.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Councillor Tony Vickers introduced a report (Agenda Item 10) which detailed the establishment of Community Forums. Councillor Vickers reported that an initial Community Forum had already been held on Faraday Road and announced that the next one would concern ‘Country Matters’. It was reported that there would be four a year and that all would be hybrid.

Councillor Ross Mackinnon referred to section 4.1. of the report and queried how the initial Community Forum had been measured as ‘successful’. Councillor Vickers suggested that those in attendance had appeared to value the session.

Councillor Mackinnon noted that in opposition the Portfolio Holder for Climate Action, Recycling and Biodiversity had repeatedly stressed the importance of transparency in meetings. As such, Councillor Mackinnon noted that the public were not invited to the EAG Open forum, that EAG still met in private, and queried whether the subsequent recording of the meeting uploaded to YouTube had been edited. Councillor Vickers responded that going forward there would be a public and private part to the meeting due to the confidential aspect of some of the matters discussed. Councillor Dillon confirmed that the recording had been edited and would revert to Councillor Mackinnon with a reason following the meeting. 

Councillor Mackinnon suggested that there had been no change to arrangements since the last administration as it appeared that the Portfolio Holder ultimately still determined what was for public and what was for private discussion.  Councillor Dillon commented that the meetings were now recorded which had not happened in the past.

Councillor Culver noted the Green group’s support to the revisions made to EAG and queried whether there would be similar enhancements to PAG and TAG. Councillor Culver suggested that landowners and farmers should be invited to the next Community Forum. Councillor Vickers did not foresee that PAG would become a public meeting due to the confidential nature of information relating to the review of the Local Plan.   

Councillor Jo Stewart reported that she had been present at the Community Forum and commented that it had been interesting, well chaired and on a subject that provoked a lot of passion. Councillor Stewart welcomed the County Matters topic and looked forward to attending the next Community Forum.

RESOLVED that: Executive note the establishment of Community Forums on the basis of the following operating model:

·       Community Forums will take place as and when the need arises, but at least quarterly;

·       These will be attended by a Member of the Executive;

·       The Chief Executive or relevant Executive Director will attend and be supported by the relevant Service Director or senior manager depending on discussion topics;

·       These meetings should take place at various locations across the district on a roving basis with invitees attending in person, but must have the ability to be operated in a hybrid format;

·       Topics for discussion will relate to matters of interest to communities in all or part of the district, which must be approved by the Leader; and

·       A Community Forum Webpage will be developed to promote the meetings and to provide feedback and updates on items discussed at meetings.

Executive note the Community Forum Terms of Reference, produced at Appendix B.

Executive also note the EAG Open Forum Terms of Reference, which can be found at Appendix C.