GovernanceCommissionquestionnaire

On24July2014CanterburyCityCouncilpassedaresolutioncommittingittoacommitteesystemof
governanceforaperiodfiveyearsfromthedateoftheresolution.Thecommitteesystemof
governancewillbeimplementedattheAnnualCouncilmeetinginMay2015.
Whatisacommitteesystem?
AlllocalauthoritiesoperatedunderacommitteesystemuntiltheLocalGovernmentAct2000came
intoforcewhichrequiredmostcouncilstoadoptaLeaderandExecutivesystem.TheLocalismAct
2011hassincegivencouncilstheoptionofreintroducingacommitteesystemifitchoosestodoso.
Underacommitteesystem,decisionmakingauthorityflowsfromthecouncilmeetingasabody.The
councilcandelegateitsfunctionstocommitteesorofficersexceptwhereregulationsprescribethata
functioncannotbedelegated.Committeescanappointanddelegatetosubcommitteesanda
committeeorasubcommitteecandelegatefurthertoanofficer.
Haveyoursay
ACommissionhasbeenestablishedtodesignacommitteesystemforrecommendationtotheCouncil
thatwilldeliverthebusinessanddemocraticneedsofthecitycouncilfromMay2015.
Tohelpinformitswork,theCommissionwouldliketohearyour/yourorganisationsviewsonthe
followingquestions.Pleasetryandkeepyourresponsesconciseinorderforustocollateandanalyse
allresponseseffectively.Ifyouhaveanythingfurtheryouwouldliketocontributetothereview,
pleaseemailitto:charlotte.hammersley@canterbury.gov.uk
Yourname/organisation:
Contactdetails:
Q1 Haveyouattendedanycouncilmeetingsinthelast12months?
Yes
No
Q2 Whattypeofmeetingdidyouattend?
(ForexampleFullCouncil,Executive,Overview/ScrutinyandAudit,AreaMemberPanels,
Planning,Licensing).
Didyouattendthewholemeetingordidyouattendforaspecificitemofinterest?
Wholemeeting
Specificitemofinterest
Q3 Howsatisfied/dissatisfiedareyouwiththemeetingsyouattended?
Verysatisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Verydissatisfied
Ifdissatisfied,whatwereyourreasons?
(Forexamplepolitics,thedecisiontaken,theformat/venueofthemeeting)
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Ifsatisfied,whatwereyourreasons?
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Q4
Weareredesigningthecouncilsdecisionmakingstructurebyhavingdecisionstakenbymulti
partycommittees.
What(upto)threethingswouldyouliketoseeaddressedinthenewstructure?
1
2
3
Q5 Thecouncilmayintroduceoneormorespecificcommitteesaspartofthenewstructure
(examplesoftheseatothercouncilsincludeHousing,Community,Environment).These
committeeswouldtakedecisionsonallaspectsoftheirsubjectarea.

Doyouhaveanyviewsonwhatsubjects/issuesthesecommitteesshouldrepresent?
(excludingPlanningandLicensing)
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Q6 Whatpracticablearrangementswouldyouconsiderparticularlyhelpfultomaintaining
meaningfulpublicconsultations/engagementswiththecouncil?
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Haveyouusedourwebsiteasameansofjoininginconsultations?
Yes
No
Q7 AnOverviewandScrutinyCommitteecanonlyhaveresponsibilityforexaminingtheworkof
anothercommitteeinanewstructure.
Doyouthinkitwouldhavevalue?
Yes
No
Ifyes,why?
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Q8 Thecouncilcurrentlyoperatesscrutinyandbestvaluereviewswhichinvestigatespecificissues
overaseriesofmeetingsbeforeproducingreportswithrecommendationsforimprovement.
Areyouawarethesereviewstakeplace?
Yes
No
HaveyougivenevidencetoaScrutinyorBestValueReviews?
Yes
No
Q9 Thecouncilhasastatutorydutytoscrutinisecrimeanddisorderissues.
Doyouthinkthereareanyotherissuesthatwouldbenefitfromregularscrutinyorreview
arrangements?
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Q10 ThecouncilcurrentlyhasAreaMemberPanelsthatareconsultedonupcomingdecisionsthat
affecttheirlocality.
Doyouthinkthereshouldareabasedconsultativeordecisionmakingcommittees?
Areabasedconsultativecommittees
Decisionmakingcommittees
Why?
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Q11 Indesigninganewcommitteestructure,howimportantiscosttoyou?
Important
Notimportant
Doyouthinkitshouldbedesignedtocostnomorethanthepresentsystem/ormore/or
less?
Nomorethanthepresentsystem
Morethanthepresentsystem
Lessthanthepresentsystem
Why?
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Q12 Arethereanyothercommentsyouwouldliketomakeatthisstage?
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