Meeting documents

A report to consider governance arrangements for Local Government Reorganisation in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole.  To follow.

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive on proposals for the Council to be part of two joint committees, with other Dorset councils, to develop future governance arrangements and service provision across the County in order to support Local Government Reorganisation.

The Leader of the Council presented the report and reminded members of the submission to the Secretary of State for proposed changes to Local Government arrangements in Dorset, the purpose of the suggested joint Committees and their composition.  She asked to Committee to consider an amendment to the report that the County Council's seats on the Joint Committee should be capped at six irrespective of the number of councils that could join at a later date.  Members noted that the report would be considered by all councils in Dorset and this change would be conveyed to them in due course.

In response to a question, the political composition and proportionality for the Joint Committee was clarified by the Head of Organisational Development, as the Monitoring Officer.

Councillor David Jones addressed the Committee on behalf of the County Council's Christchurch members about their concern for Christchurch being linked with Bournemouth and Poole.  They were prepared to support the County Council having two members on the East Joint Committee but he suggested that the two seats be taken by Councillors from Christchurch electoral divisions.  In proposing this representation, the Christchurch members reserved and confirmed their rights to oppose Option 2B in respect of Local Government Reorganisation.  He did not think that County Council representatives would represent Christchurch residents' views on the Joint Committee and he questioned the wording in the report.  In response, the Leader of the Council acknowledged that the wording had led to some misunderstanding.  There was no intention for County Council representatives on the Joint Committee to represent Christchurch views.  The wording should say that the County Council would only represent Christchurch residents because of the services they were receiving from the Council, not as individuals.  There was no intention of County Councillors to act on behalf of the Borough Council. Councillor Jones thanked the Leader for her clarification and would report this to his Christchurch colleagues.

It was clarified that Christchurch Borough Councillors would be invited to join the Joint Committee.

The Committee was asked to comment on the report from the County Council's perspective.  It was recognised that dual hatted members would also have an opportunity to comment at their District and Borough Council meetings.

RECOMMENDED  (unanimously)

1.    That the County Council be recommended to approve the proposal to establish two Joint Committees with other Councils across Dorset to support the development of the Future Dorset proposal for Local Government Reorganisation, aiming to deliver

sustainable services across Dorset for the future.

2.   That the membership of the proposed Joint Committees with the County Council's seats be capped at six, irrespective of the number of councils that could join at a later date.

Reason for Decision

To enable Dorset County Council to form part of the governance arrangements that would support the progress of local government reform in Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole as part of the Future Dorset Submission made to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in February 2017.