Agenda item

The report provided an update on work taking place with Derbyshire Councils on Vision Derbyshire and the emergence of the opportunities presented through a County Deal. Approval was sought for the Council’s involvement in Phase 4 development and implementation and for the Council’s involvement in the establishment of a Joint Committee of local authorities within Derbyshire, the Vision Derbyshire Committee, to progress a collaborative working model which sought to improve outcomes for people and places through closer working between those authorities.

The financial commitment required was £52,350 p.a. There was an expectation that this Council could start to draw on some services including Climate Change, Local Plan reviews and aspects of Covid recovery. There was no intention to create a Scrutiny Panel within Vision Derbyshire as this process was to be done by the various Local Authorities independently. However a Joint Committee was envisaged.

One notable absentee from participation was South Derbyshire District Council. This was due to a change in Leadership of the Council brought about by a By-Election, part of the cause of which was the Vision Derbyshire project.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee recommend to the Executive:

·       To note progress on the development of the Vision Derbyshire approach and recent phase 3 developments and achievements;

·       To consider and note key actions currently being undertaken during Vision Derbyshire Phase 3a to develop an ambitious programme of work in advance of Phase 4;

·       To consider and approve Vision Derbyshire Phase 4 proposals for the forthcoming period as set out in the report;

·       To approve the Council’s active participation in Vision Derbyshire Phase 4 and the associated costs of taking forward the programme of work, the maximum cost of which currently stood at £52,350 p.a.;

·       To approve proposals for the establishment of the Vision Derbyshire Joint Committee and to delegate functions to the Joint Committee as set out in the Functions and Responsibilities document in Appendix B;

·       To approve the Terms of Reference, including the Introduction and Context, Functions and Responsibilities, Procedural Rules and Information Procedure Rules for the Vision Derbyshire Joint Committee as set out in Appendix B and the position detailed in those documents regarding Scrutiny and Co-option;

·       To appoint the Leader, Cllr. Anthony McKeown, as the Council’s representative on the Vision Derbyshire Joint Committee and the Deputy Leader, Cllr. Damien Greenhalgh, as substitute;

·       To agree to delegate authority to the Leader to agree by executive member decision which authority will act as the host authority for the Joint Committee;

·       To note that as the functions of the Committee are executive functions, HPBC will not have the opportunity to co-opt additional members onto the Committee and the ability to co-opt is restricted within the Terms of Reference;

·       To note that, in accordance with Section 9F of the Local Government Act 2000, constituent authorities who operate executive arrangements will need to make formal scrutiny arrangements to review or scrutinise decisions made in connection with the exercise of the functions of the Vision Derbyshire Joint Committee, and the Council’s existing scrutiny arrangements through its select committees will apply.