Agenda item

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer incorporating a draft Public Speaking Protocol for Scrutiny was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Chair reported that the Protocol provides a fair and organised way for members of the public to put their views across at meetings of the Scrutiny Committees.

The Solicitor for Corporate Governance advised that although public speaking at the Scrutiny Committees is possible at present, there is no definite procedure for doing so; the draft Protocol provides an opportunity to put in place clear and formal guidance to inform both the public and Scrutiny Members of the arrangements for public speaking at the Scrutiny Committees and to ensure therefore that expectations of the process are managed. The main provisions of the Protocol are as follows –

•           Officers will undertake the administrative work under the Protocol in consultation with the relevant Scrutiny Chair.

•           Members of the public can request to speak at a Scrutiny Committee meeting if they have submitted a written request to the Scrutiny Officer at least 3 working days prior to the Committee meeting. The written request must be made using the relevant form from the Council’s website and electronic submissions are encouraged. Any supporting written material should also be submitted 3 working days in advance of the Scrutiny Committee meeting.

•           Members of the public are encouraged to review the Scrutiny Committees’ Forward Work Programmes to obtain information about the matters due to be considered.

The Officer in a correction to the feedback from the Scrutiny Committees at Appendix 2 to the report clarified that the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee had recommended that the Protocol be adopted on condition that there is an expectation in the Protocol that the Scrutiny Chairs receive advice from the Scrutiny Officer and the Monitoring Officer before permitting late requests. She advised that should the Protocol be approved by Full Council then the intention is that it be publicised via the Council’s website and social media and for the Scrutiny Chairs to highlight the Protocol with the Town and Community Councils Forum. In addition, each Scrutiny Committee’s Forward Work Programme as well as all public consultation documents will contain a reference to the Public Speaking at Scrutiny Protocol in order to ensure that members of the public are fully aware of the public speaking provision. The Protocol will be reviewed after a year to assess whether its use has been effective.

Councillor Aled Morris Jones, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee reported from the Committee’s 9 March, 2020 meeting which had considered the Public Speaking at Scrutiny Protocol and said that it had always been his practice as Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee to allow public speaking at meetings of the Committee without imposing any time constraints on public speakers. In confirming that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee had voted by a majority to accept the Protocol and to recommend it to the Executive, Councillor Aled Morris Jones requested that when circumstances allow and prior to its being adopted, there be a detailed discussion of the Protocol at Full Council.

The Executive welcomed the Protocol as providing much needed guidance on public speaking at Scrutiny thereby providing clarity to members of the public on the arrangements and expectations in relation to presenting their views at Scrutiny Committee meetings. The Executive was happy to support the Protocol as presented and was agreed that the amendment with regard to late requests proposed by the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee be put to and debated by Full Council.

It was resolved to recommend to the Full Council that the Public Speaking at Scrutiny Protocol at Appendix 1 to the report be adopted and that it be included in the Council’s Constitution.