Agenda item

To review the Council’s future role in the governance of voluntary sector organisations that may or may not be in receipt of revenue grant aid from the authority and to make recommendations to the Council.

The Committee reviewed the Council’s future role in the governance of voluntary sector organisations that may or not be in receipt of revenue grant aid from the Authority.

The Chairman of the Governance and Audit Committee advised the Committee

an earlier report had been withdrawn from the Committee meeting on 27 June 2018 as it had required changes.  The changes had been made and the report was ready for consideration by the Committee.

The Committee discussed the recommendations.  Members felt that:

•       Residents valued the Councils input within the voluntary sector and that Council representation demonstrated to residents that the Council cared and took voluntary bodies seriously. 

•       It was important that Members supported their community, and the recommendations in the report provided transparency to demonstrate that Councillors are not running voluntary organisations but are supporting them.

•       The recommendations do not represent a removal or pulling back of support for the voluntary sector.

•       It is important that representatives of the Council cannot hold positions of responsibility.  The recommendations sought to avoid situations where there could/would be a conflict of interest.

The Vice Chairman of the Committee advised the Committee of some corrections to the report which should be recorded.

5.7 Age Concern.

It should be recorded that Councillor Cliff Thompson resigned as a trustee of Age Concern on 21 August 2018.

It should be recorded that Age Concern has no Council Trustee.

5.5 Shopmobility

It should be recorded that Councillor Mattick and Councillor Mrs Angell have both resigned their roles at Shopmobility.  Councillor Mattick had been an observer and Councillor Mrs Angell was a Director.

The Chairman requested that a press release be prepared to describe the changes in more detail to the voluntary sector.

The Committee considered the recommendations set out within the report. Following debate it was proposed that there should be minor changes made to recommendation 2.2 and 2.4.

These changes were:

2.2 - The insertion of the word “voting” into the last line of the text after the words “Director or” but before the word “member”

2.4 - The insertion of the word “a” into the first line of the text after the word “is” but before the word “nominated”

      - The deletion of the words “as a” on the first line of text after the word “nominated” but before the word “representative”

      - The insertion of the words “hold or” on the second line of the text after the words “they may not” but before “subsequently”

The Committee voted on the amended recommendations and it was RESOLVED that:

2.1       That the Council continues to support the voluntary sector and recognises the important role Members play in its continued success;

2.2       That with immediate effect the Council no longer agrees nominations to any voluntary sector organisation where that role is as a Trustee, Director or voting member of the management board/committee

2.3      The Council may continue to nominate Members to voluntary sector organisations as representatives in a non management capacity with no role in the governance of the organisation. Such roles will be limited to Members being nominated to act as conduits for communication between the Council and the organisation or as observers at its meetings.

2.4       Where a Member is a nominated representative pursuant to 2.3 above, they may not hold or subsequently accept a role on the organisation’s board as a Trustee/Director or in any other management capacity such as Treasurer.

Nb:      The term “Voluntary Sector Organisations” for the purposes of this report expressly excludes Council owned companies, all maintained, VA and VC schools, academies and local authority consortiums. For the avoidance of doubt representation by Members on school governing bodies is therefore not affected by this report’s recommendations.