Issue - meetings

1.    To approve the content of the draft Panel Performance Assessment Scoping Document and the areas identified for the Panel to address.

2.    To delegate the right to decide on the Panel's membership, whilst considering the advice of the WGC to the Leader, in consultation with the Chief Executive.

The report was submitted stating that there was a new requirement for the Council under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act to carry out a Performance Assessment by a Panel once within an election cycle. It was explained that the external Panel, independent of the Council would look at the Council's work and the Council was expected to prepare a scoping document identifying the areas it wanted the Panel to be looking at.

The Council's Business Support Service Manager added that there had been an agreement in October last year to carry out the Panel Assessment this year. He noted that the Service was working with the Welsh Local Government Association along with discussions to create the scoping document and that a draft of the document had been included with the report. It was reiterated that work to identify potential members for the Panel was currently underway. It was detailed that the Panel would likely consist of an independent Chair, counterparts from the broader public, private or voluntary sectors, Senior Local Government Officer who was currently in post and a Senior Elected Member from outside the Council. 

It was explained that the Panel would look at the work of the Council and the Council was expected to provide background information for the Panel and also identify the areas that the Council was keen for the Panel to be looking at as set out on page 76 of the report. It was noted that these areas had been discussed with the Governance and Audit Committee in May as well as the Corporate Management Team and their suggestions were accepted. The timetable was confirmed, and it was indicated that the assessment would likely take place at the end of November.

The Chief Executive highlighted that the assessment was welcome, and it was hoped that the process would be valuable, thorough and constructive as well as providing a challenge to the Council so that there would be an opportunity to learn and improve.

Observations arising from the discussion

·       The process was welcomed. It was asked whether there was scope for the Panel to identify other areas to look at in addition to the areas that had been suggested by the Council.

·       In response it was clarified that part 3.2 of the report set out the specific areas the Panel would look at together with a core set of questions that would be asked. It was highlighted that the Council was invited to submit additional areas and these were set out on page 76 of the report.

·       It was noted that the guiding principles were broad in nature. It was added that there was no restriction on anything and that the Panel was entitled to pay more attention to a particular area.