Council decision making could change later this year when proposals for changing the constitution and moving to a new system of democratic governance go before councillors in March.
The council is one of a minority of authorities in England to maintain a committee system while most local authorities in England operate a leader and cabinet system.
This system, brought in by the Local Government Act 2000, was designed to strengthen public engagement with local democracy and better support councils to deliver their objectives.
The key features of a leader and cabinet model are:
Under a leader and cabinet system, the Cabinet would meet every month to take all significant decisions in public. This is more frequent than the current committee cycle and will enable more timely and responsive decision making.
It would also be clearer to the public when and where decisions are taken and who is taking them, because decision making on the most significant issues will all be taken at the monthly cabinet meetings.
A Cabinet system encourages more forward planning as decisions need to be registered on a published forward plan 28 days in advance of a meeting. Under the current system, the only legal obligation is to publish papers at least 5 working days in advance
The potential for different committees duplicating work and referring matters between themselves, causing delays to progressing work, would also be removed.
It’s proposed to establish two overview and scrutiny committees, one for People related matters, incorporating the current Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and another for Place which considers the city.
Overview and scrutiny committees are designed to provide a check and balance to executive decision making in a leader and cabinet model.
The committees will have power to investigate any matter related to the council’s functions and to require the cabinet to respond.
A key purpose of overview and scrutiny in a leader and cabinet system is to provide capacity for elected members to undertake in-depth task and finish reviews on an issue where special investigation is required. In such cases, a ‘Task & Finish’ Scrutiny Panel will be appointed by the relevant standing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where items for investigation can be proposed by any member of the council.
Commenting on the proposals the Leader of the Council, Councillor Bella Sankey, said: “We have a duty to regularly review our constitution. Of all the options available to us a leader and cabinet system has been demonstrated by councils across the country to achieve more responsive, efficient and accountable decision making along with more effective scrutiny.
“By bringing all significant decisions together in one place these proposals would help meet the council’s ambition to take a ‘one council’ approach and join up services and systems.
“Strengthening public engagement and accountability will also align with our priority to be a listening and responsive council that’s delivering the services our residents expect and deserve.”
The proposals are due to go to the council’s Strategy, Finance and Regeneration Committee for consideration on the 14 March. If agreed, there will be public consultation on the public engagement element of the new model.
The new proposed system will then go before Full Council on 28 March for a decision on whether to adopt a leader and cabinet system. Once agreed the new system would commence from 16 May 2024.