Policy and Project Advisory Board - Tuesday, 5th June, 2018 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To appoint two Vice-Chairmen of the Advisory Board for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.  A copy of the roles and responsibilities of the Chairman and Vice-Chairmen is attached.

RESOLVED:  That Cllrs Marina Munro and Sophia Choudhary be appointed Vice-Chairmen for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

To receive a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of the Advisory Board, and to consider and discuss the working arrangements. This will include:

·         The role of the Progress Group

·         Reporting arrangements

·         Arrangements for working groups and task and finish groups

A copy of Article 9 of the Council’s Constitution setting out the role of the Advisory Board and terms of reference is attached. A workflow diagram is also attached.

Karen Edwards, Corporate Director, provided a presentation on the roles and responsibilities of the Project and Policy Advisory Board.  The main purposes of the Board were to be a sounding board for policies and projects, examine specific priorities to prepare delivery plans and prepare new policies.  It was expected that the major project work would be dealt with through task and finish groups which would report back through the Board.  There were a number of potential sources where work for the Board could be generated including Council Notices of Motion, the Council Plan, requests from Cabinet and Government or other agency consultation papers.

It was proposed that a Progress Group was established which would meet between Board meetings to co-ordinate and develop the Board’s overall work plan and prepare agenda for the forthcoming meeting.  The Progress Group would also be required to draft terms of reference for the sub groups and informally track progress on the work of the sub groups appointed by the Board.

There were a number of existing groups already established which the Board would be requested to agree appointments to and some new groups were being proposed.  The existing groups were the Aldershot Regeneration Group, Farnborough Regeneration Group (formerly Farnborough Town Centre Working Group) and the Elections Group.  It was proposed that the existing Local Plan Members Group should incorporate the housing strategy work and rebranded as the Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group.  There were two other areas of work which it was proposed would require task and finish groups which were leisure facilities and contracts and the Rushmoor 2020 programme.

The Board discussed the proposals and raised a number of issues. Board members proposed a number of items of work to be include on the future work plan which included the Procurement Strategy, Hampshire T19 Programme and the Management Plan for Southwood Park.  There was also some discussion regarding whether there should be one regeneration group rather than a separate group for Aldershot and Farnborough.  It was agreed that the groups should remain separate and any common issues could be identified when the groups reported back to the Board.  It was also agreed that task and finish groups should be provided with a timeframe of when the work should be finished and reported back to the Board. 

The Board AGREED to the establishment of groups to consider the leisure facilities and contracts and the Rushmoor 2020 programme.  The Board also AGREED the rebranding of the Local Plan Member Group to the Strategic Housing and Local Plan Group.

The Board noted that a high priority for the Council was to set up a Local Housing Company by the end of 2018 to support the delivery of homes in the Borough.  It was proposed that, given the importance of the matter, the issue should be considered by the Board itself, instead of establishing a task and finish group.  The Board was advised that an additional meeting of the Board might be required to enable consideration of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

(1)       Progress Group –

To appoint the Members of the Progress Group on the basis of representation which includes the Chairman, the two Vice-Chairmen and two Labour Group representatives. 

(2)       Elections Group –

To confirm the Members of the Elections Group for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. The membership to include the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for electoral services, the Chairman of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee and representatives of the other Groups. The Group will be chaired by either the Chairman or one of the Vice-Chairmen of the Advisory Board.

(3)       Local Plan Members Group –

To confirm the Members of the Local Plan Members Group for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. The membership to include the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board, the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for strategic planning, the Chairman of the Development Management Committee and representatives of other groups (2 Labour; 1 Independent). The Group will be chaired by either the Chairman or one of the Vice-Chairmen of the Advisory Board.

(4)       Aldershot Regeneration Group –

To confirm the Members of the Aldershot Regeneration Group for the 2018/19 Municipal Year. The membership to include the Chairman or a Vice Chairman of the Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for regeneration and four Members generally drawn from Aldershot wards (2 Con: 2 representatives of other groups). The Group will be chaired by either the Chairman or one of the Vice-Chairmen of the Advisory Board.

(5)       Farnborough Regeneration Group –

To confirm the Members of the Farnborough Regeneration Group (formerly Farnborough Town Centre Working Group) for the 2018/19 Municipal Year, with the Membership to include the Chairman or a Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Board, the Cabinet Member with responsibility for regeneration and four Members generally drawn from Farnborough wards (2 Con: 2 representatives of other groups). The Group will be chaired by either the Chairman or one of the Vice-Chairmen of the Advisory Board.

(6)       Proposed Groups to be Established –

To note that the following new groups have been proposed, and to endorse the development of terms of reference before they are established and the membership agreed.

·                Health, Wellbeing and Obesity Task and Finish Group –

Following discussion on a notice of motion at 19th April 2018 Council meeting it was agreed that a Task and Finish Group would be established to examine the issues raised in more detail.

·                Leisure Contracts Task and Finish Group –

The establishment of a Task and Finish Group was suggested by the Leisure and Youth Policy and Review Panel when the process for renewal of the leisure contracts starts.

·                Housing Strategy Task and Finish Group –

Meeting housing and homeless needs is a key priority in the Council Plan and the Group will be key in developing a new Housing Strategy.

·                Local Housing Company Task and Finish Group –

Setting up a housing company to provide new social and private rented homes  ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

To consider the way forward for developing the work plan for the year ahead.

The Board AGREED that the Progress Group would develop the work plan for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.  The Board was advised that requests for issues to be included on the work plan should be submitted to one of the representatives on the Progress Group or the Board administrator.