Electoral Review of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council · Summary 3 Knowsley Metropolitan...

1

Electoral Review of

Knowsley

Metropolitan Borough Council

Submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

July 2014

http://jmu-journalism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/knowsley_council_logo.jpg

2

Contents

Page Number

STAGE 1 – COUNCIL SIZE

Summary

3

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Profile

4

Section A Background

6

Section B Electoral Arrangements

8

Section C Internal Review Process

10

Section D Optimum Council Size for Knowsley

13

Section E Current and Future Committee Structure 17

Section F The Role of the Councillor

24

Section G Councillor Profile

28

Section H Support Services for Councillors

30

APPENDICES Appendix A Comparable Authorities – Electorate and Ward Information Appendix B Diagram - 2014/15 Committee Structure Appendix C Committee Timetable 2014/15 Appendix D 2013/14 Municipal Year - Committee Attendance Appendix E Representation on Outside Bodies and Other Forums

2014/15

3

SUMMARY The strategic vision for the Borough of Knowsley is outlined in the Strategy for Knowsley: ‘the Borough of Choice’. Fit for purpose electoral and partnership governance structures are an essential component in delivering that vision. In particular, these structures must be sufficiently flexible to adapt to future change, and must also be capable of operating effectively with a sustainable level of resources. The last Ward Boundary Review within Knowsley was undertaken in 2002. The Borough and the Council are both substantially different to what they were 12 years ago. The roles and responsibilities of local government and Elected Members have also changed considerably. This submission to the Boundary Commission proposes a reduction in the number of wards from 21 to 15. Based upon a 3 Members per ward model, this equates to a proposal to reduce from 63 to 45 Elected Members. The proposal would provide an average councillor to elector ratio across the Borough of 1:2,512. This ratio would be an increase on the current arrangement of 1:1,795 and would move Knowsley much closer to the average of its 5 Metropolitan Borough “Nearest Neighbours” (which is 1:2,657). The Council recognises that any proposal relating to council size should be supported by evidence. This submission therefore also provides both an insight into how the Council operates under the current arrangements and also how it would manage its business within the proposed Council size of 15 Wards, retaining 45 Elected Members (Stage 1 – Council Size). A proposal for the future Ward boundaries - should the number of Wards be reduced from 21 to 15 - is submitted as a separate document (Stage 2 – Ward Boundary Arrangements).

4

KNOWSLEY METROPOLITAN BOROUGH PROFILE Knowsley is one of six local authority districts which comprise the Liverpool City Region. Located to the east of Liverpool and the west of Manchester, it is well connected to these major cities by the M57 and M62 motorways, and the A580 East Lancashire trunk road. The Borough covers an area of 33 square miles and is just over 10 miles long and up to 7 miles wide. Knowsley comprises a belt of large suburban towns, villages and open areas. Most of the Borough’s residents live in the suburban towns of Halewood, Huyton, Kirkby, Prescot, Stockbridge Village and Whiston. The majority of development in these towns dates from the 1920s onwards, with much of the growth resulting from "overspill" development from the City of Liverpool. Exceptions include the older market town of Prescot, the historic Knowsley Village (which is named in the Domesday Book), and a few pockets of older development in the other towns. The suburban housing areas are each served by town and/or district centres providing a range of mainly local shopping and other services. The Borough is an important location for employment in the Liverpool City Region and contains a number of large industrial and business parks, which play a crucial economic role as the home to around 3,000 businesses. These include the Knowsley Industrial Park and Business Park (in Kirkby), the Jaguar Land Rover car plant (in Halewood), and the King’s, Huyton and Prescot Business Parks in the central belt of the Borough. Whiston Hospital is another major employer of sub-regional significance. There is generally clear geographic separation in Knowsley between land for employment use and residential space. The countryside and urban fringe areas of the Borough are currently designated as Green Belt, much of which is high grade farmland, and within which the attractive villages of Knowsley, Cronton and Tarbock are located. Knowsley Safari Park (located within the historic Knowsley Hall Estate) represents a unique tourism facility, receiving over half a million visitors per year, and the National Wildflower Centre at Roby (Huyton) is a further significant cultural asset for the Borough. Population The Borough has a population of approximately 146,000 people in 66,000 households. Although Knowsley’s population experienced a decline of nearly 40,000 between 1971 and 1991, the rate of decline has slowed in more recent years and national projections indicate that the population will increase by approximately 4,000 between 2011 and 2021.

5

The age profile of the Knowsley population resembles that of Merseyside, the North West and the United Kingdom. Although the working age population (age 16-64) is on parity with the latter, there is a slightly higher proportion of residents in the 0-14 age groups than regionally or nationally. As is the case in many parts of the country, the number of older people (over 65 years old) in the Borough has steadily increased over the last 21 years. Indeed, this population group in Knowsley increased by 24% between 1991 and 2012. The Borough’s population can be analysed across the following areas:- • 56,135 Huyton and Stockbridge Village; • 41,163 Kirkby; • 28,499 Cronton, Knowsley Village, Prescot, and Whiston; and, • 20,139 Halewood. Socio-economic Conditions Despite higher than average levels of economic deprivation, several key indicators show continued improvement in relation to socio-economic conditions in the Borough. While some 20% of Knowsley’s working age population receive out-of-work benefits, the level of worklessness in Knowsley is at its lowest for at least ten years (and has reduced significantly more than the national and sub-regional changes in recent years). Primary school attainment averages in both English and Maths and school readiness are above national levels. Whilst secondary attainment continues to fall behind national levels, the Borough does have a more skilled adult population fuelled by training expansion and better qualified school leavers. Crime and anti-social behaviour levels have declined sharply in recent years, and are currently stable (compared with many statistical and regional neighbours which have experienced increases). The general health and wellbeing of the population is also continuing to improve, with reductions in mortality rates for critical conditions (including cardiovascular disease and cancer).

6

SECTION A Background Knowsley Council was extremely concerned by the initial proposals of the Boundary Commission on the 2011 Parliamentary Boundary Review. These initial proposals split Knowsley’s three existing Parliamentary Constituencies between five Parliamentary Constituencies and called into question the future sustainability of the Borough. In particular, the Commission proposed the complete abolition of the Knowsley Parliamentary Constituency. The Council responded by leading and co-ordinating a campaign against this aspect of the proposals. Alternative proposals were developed on the basis of local knowledge and experience, and they gained not only cross-party political endorsement but also widespread support and encouragement from partner organisations and the local community. The strength of feeling and support for Knowsley was clear. The initial proposals for Knowsley were subsequently amended following responses to the formal consultation process. The amendments resulted in the Commission adopting the Council’s counter-proposal for the Borough of Knowsley in its entirety. The Commission commented positively upon the strong, well-reasoned arguments and set of counter-proposals put forward by the Council, the political and other support for the counter-proposals, and the thousands of individual representations received from the community. Whilst the Boundary Commission subsequently ceased work on that Review in 2013 (as a consequence of the amended legislation), the initial recommendations and comments of the Commission had raised issues for the Council and its Elected Members. The Commission had commented that it was “hampered by the electoral size of the City of Liverpool Wards, which typically have more than 10,000 electors”. The Commission’s report illustrated that the levels of electorate per ward across Merseyside differed considerably between local authority areas, and the comment above could be interpreted as meaning that the relatively small size of Wards in Knowsley had made it easier for the Boundary Commission to implement changes by re-shaping and realigning Knowsley’s Wards. Such an interpretation had clear implications for the Authority in moving forward. In addition, the Council recognised that, since the last Ward Boundary Review within Knowsley in 2002, both the Authority itself and the Borough had changed significantly. The roles and responsibilities of local government and Elected Members had changed and will continue to change substantially. The changing landscape of local government and its finances also cannot be ignored. This review runs parallel with the Council’s Change and Transformation Programme which is aimed at enabling the Council to become a strategic commissioning organisation in order to ensure the sustainability of the Borough into the long-term and make sure the Council can balance its budget.

7

The Council is continuing to take on a more enabling role, working collaboratively with partner organisations and other key agencies in the provision of essential services. Furthermore, the Council is growing the social sector through social value approaches, with the aim of building community resilience and, where appropriate, reducing public service demand. The policy driver is the need for communities to increase their resilience and, where possible, solve their own problems. The intended impact is to reduce the demand on public services. Within this context, the Council has recently transferred assets (for example a library and several community centres) to community organisations. In view of the concerns arising from the 2011 Parliamentary Boundary Review and the substantial local government change agenda, the Council agreed in December 2012 that the time was right to commence its own review of the Borough’s Ward arrangements. In summary, the objectives of the Council’s review were:- • to secure the future sustainability of the Borough; and, • to ensure that the democratic arrangements in Knowsley remained

relevant in the long-term and continued to deliver effective local government for the Knowsley community well into the future.

This work commenced in advance of the Council inviting the Boundary Commission to undertake an electoral review of Knowsley in September 2013.

8

SECTION B Electoral Arrangements Background Since the Local Government Commission for England’s review of Knowsley’s electoral arrangements in 2002, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council has been composed of 63 Councillors. The 63 Council seats are spread over 21 wards with one-third elected every three years in four. The next “fallow year” is currently scheduled to be 2017. All 21 wards have 3 Elected Members. The most recent local elections were held in May 2014 when 19 of the 21 seats were contested. The overall Borough turnout was 29.3%, and turnout in individual wards ranged from 24.2% to 33.7%. A total of 53 candidates stood for election to the 19 contested seats. Electorate The current electorate in Knowsley is 113,462. The electorate has increased slightly (by 1.6%) over the last 6 years as illustrated in the table below:-

Year (Winter) Electoral Roll 2008 111,680 2009 111,615 2010 111,779 2011 112,264 2012 113,642 2013 113,462

Current electoral projections anticipate growth of 5.5% in the electorate up to 2020, with 1.7% attributed to natural change and 3.8% arising from new housing developments. This compares to growth of 0.8% projected for Knowsley by the Office of National Statistics in its interim 2011-based local authority projections (aged 17+). Current Population According to the 2011 Census, the population of Knowsley was 145,900. There has been a reduction in the size of the Borough’s population of 3% since the 2001 Census (which recorded 150,459 residents). The reduction in Knowsley during that period compares to a simultaneous 7.2% increase in the national population.

9

Parish and Town Councils There are five Parish/Town Councils in Knowsley, each of which holds all out elections every four years. 40.36% of the Borough’s population live in a parished area. The next all out Parish Elections are scheduled for May 2015. Future Electoral Arrangements Completed housing developments over the next six years are expected to deliver approximately 4,800 new homes across Knowsley, and consequently the electorate is expected to grow to 119,906 by 2020. The Council is currently proposing to release a number of available green belt sites for housing development, and these sites have been taken into account in these calculations. Population growth is expected throughout the Borough, with developments in the North Huyton Wards of Stockbridge, Page Moss and Longview seeing the highest concentration of new households. The current Councillor to elector ratio is 1:1,795 and has remained fairly consistent over the last decade. The projected electoral figures for 2020 would see a ratio of 1:1,900 councillors to electors as Ward boundaries currently stand.

10

SECTION C Internal Review Process The Council’s internal review process was led by a Members’ Working Group, chaired by the Leader of the Council. All Members of the Council were able to contribute to the process and a series of Member Workshops were also held. In addition, the Borough’s five Parish and Town Council were invited to attend a briefing session on the internal review. Taking account of the Boundary Commission’s Electoral Reviews Technical Guidance, the Working Group was clear from the outset that the first part of every electoral review is the consideration of the optimum council size (the total number of councillors who represent the authority). The Working Group also noted that the Commission’s preference is to base a council size decision on the consideration of locally generated proposals which are supported by sound evidence and reasoning. In starting to consider the optimum Council size for Knowsley, the Council was clear that it did not wish to change the current elections by thirds electoral arrangements and the uniform pattern of three-Member Wards. The Council’s view is that elections by thirds maintains democratic accountability while providing for consistency and minimising the risk of repeated policy shifts. The current three-Member Ward arrangement works well in Knowsley. It was clear from the outset that the review was likely to result in a reduction in the total number of Councillors and the creation of larger Wards, and therefore the Council’s view was that reducing the number of Members in each future Ward was not advisable. Consequently, the optimum Council size for Knowsley had to be divisible by three. In this overall context, the Working Group initially agreed to consider potential Council sizes within a range of options ranging from retaining the current Council size of 21 Wards (63 Members) to 14 wards (42 Members). In reaching a view on the optimum Council size, the Council was mindful of each of the principles set out in the Commission’s guidance. The Council was also mindful of the broader objective of the review, i.e. the future sustainability of the Borough of Knowsley. Furthermore, the methodology for determining an optimum Council size needed to be robust and capable of anticipating future change. In summary, the principles adopted in the development of an initial proposal therefore included:- • Local Government Boundary Commission Electoral Reviews

Guidance; and, • All Wards continuing to be represented by three Ward Members each.

11

The Working Group was also mindful that changes to warding patterns would be required as a consequence of a change in Council size. Consequently, draft warding arrangements which would achieve equality in electorate (as far as possible) and retain existing Polling Districts (as far as possible) were also considered. Such an approach would also ensure that the proposed changes would not have a negative impact on community identities and democratic engagement. Whilst there is no definitive council size and each local authority is different in terms of size and organisation, there is a certain number (depending upon the decision-making model adopted) of elected representatives required to carry out the essential functions of an administration, such as filling executive roles, scrutiny roles and regulatory roles, ensuring effective service delivery, and a representation role to constituents. In determining the optimum Council size, the Council has also taken into account the principles of its future streamlined governance arrangements (see Section E of this submission). It was noted from the Commission’s Electoral Reviews Technical Guidance that the Commission does not have any preconceptions about the right number of councillors to represent an authority and instead seeks to recommend a council size that allows a council to take decisions effectively, manage its business and responsibilities successfully, and provide effective leadership and representation. Furthermore, the Commission will seek to provide context to an authority’s proposals by reference to the CIPFA Nearest Neighbour model. The Council has therefore used the CIPFA model and also nearest geographical neighbour data to compare representation per Elected Member. Detailed comparisons are attached at Appendix A. Both models provide comparative data on council size and outline council sizes ranging from 48 to 90. These variances in council size must be considered in the light of other variations, such as the range of electorate sizes (from 94,582 to 325,125), differences in how individual councils manage their business, and specific local challenges faced by individual local authorities. It is clear that there is no “one size fits all” model, and also that there is no readily available formula which can be applied to all local authorities. Treated in isolation, a crude ratio of councillor to electorate is an unreliable indicator of democratic quality. However, when considered alongside the statistical information provided in the CIPFA model, the recognition of local knowledge and challenges provided by the nearest geographical neighbour model, an assessment of the Council’s current and future governance arrangements, and the representational role of an individual Councillor, a much clearer illustration of optimum Council size can be produced.

12

In view of the Commission’s guidance that it will form its view about the right council size for an authority by considering the areas of governance arrangements, scrutiny functions, and the representational role of the councillor, each of the options were also tested against these criteria.

13

SECTION D Optimum Council Size for Knowsley In view of the current and ongoing challenges faced by local government, the Council is resolute that the existing Council size is not sustainable. Furthermore, the Working Group concluded at an early stage that there was no point in commencing a process of incremental change which would undoubtedly need to be in the near future. Consequently, options for 20 Wards (60 Members) and 19 Wards (57 Members) were disregarded from the outset. Similarly, an 18 Wards (54 Members) option was dismissed at a very early stage in the Working Group’s considerations. In analysing the various options for an optimum Council size, it was clear that a Council size of 17 Wards (51 Members) or 16 Wards (48 Members) would not secure the level of change required to enhance the future sustainability of the Borough. A Council size of 17 Wards would result in around 2,351 electors per Councillor. A Council size of 16 Wards would result in around 2,500 electors per Councillor. Both of these would still result in Knowsley having the second lowest elector to councillor ratio in the CIPFA model and in the geographical neighbour model. Furthermore, due to the physical boundaries created by railway lines and major roads, both models impacted negatively on elector equality and on community identities when considered in the light of the potential warding arrangements. Clearly, the smaller the Council becomes the greater the risk that it will become unable to manage its business or provide effective elector representation, not only in terms of the Council’s current context but also in the light of likely future trends or plans. The Working Group decided in this context that a Council size of 14 Wards (42 Members) presented too great a risk of the Council becoming unsustainable. Following detailed consideration of the issues, the Council therefore concluded that a Council size of 15 Wards (45 Members) was the optimum for Knowsley. Not only would this option enable the Council to manage its business effectively (see below further analysis against the Boundary Commission’s criteria), but it would also provide for convenient and effective local government. With regard to Knowsley’s proposed Council size of 15, the following areas have been tested in detail in line with the Commission’s guidance:- Governance Arrangements “The Commission aims to ensure that councils have the right number of councillors to take decisions and manage their business in an effective way. We therefore look at how decisions are taken across the authority to assess the volume and distribution of responsibility amongst elected members and staff.”

14

Section E of this submission sets out how the work and decision-making responsibilities are distributed across the Council. Section E also refers to the regulatory and scrutiny functions of the Council. In addition, Sections F to H outline the demands on councillors’ time and proposals to assist councillors in carrying out their representational roles. The proposed changes to the decision-making structure would further streamline the framework and ensure that Members were not overburdened with special responsibility roles and meetings. Based on the evidence provided in these Sections, and building upon the current culture of clear lines of decision-making underpinned by a robust scheme of delegation to officers, the Council is clear that it will deliver effective and convenient local government with a Council size of 45. Overview and Scrutiny Functions “Every council has mechanisms to scrutinise the executive functions of the council and other local bodies. They also have significant discretion over the kind (and extent) of activities involved in that process. In considering council size, the Commission will want to satisfy itself that these responsibilities can be administered in a convenient and effective way through the number of councillors it recommends.” Section E of this submission outlines the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny function. The work of Overview and Scrutiny is supported by specifically nominated lead officers from the Corporate Management Team and the statutory Scrutiny Officer is also a member of the Corporate Management Team (reporting directly to the Chief Executive). The current arrangements work extremely well and have been nationally recognised with awards/commendations. A number of local authorities include all non-Executive Members in their scrutiny functions. As illustrated in Section E of this submission, the current arrangements within Knowsley utilise a core membership of 20 Members (32% of the Council’s current membership). The Council is clear that the current arrangements would continue to work equally well under a Council size of 45 Councillors, with up to 20 Members (45% of the proposed membership) maintaining their involvement in the Borough’s Overview and Scrutiny function. Representational Roles of Councillors in the Local Community “The Commission understands that there is no single approach to representation and members will represent and provide leadership to their communities in different ways. However, we are interested in hearing about the extent to which members are routinely expected to engage with communities and how this affects workload and responsibilities. In particular, if the council has defined a role for elected members, the Commission would find that evidence interesting.”

15

Sections F to H of this submission demonstrate the existing arrangements and also the future enhanced support to enable Knowsley Councillors to fulfil their representational roles. Increased electorate to representative ratios will undoubtedly impact on Councillors’ workloads and the amount of time which they can allocate to different duties and casework. Since the previous local Ward Boundary Review was undertaken, the Council has taken on a more enabling role, working collaboratively with partner organisations and local communities to provide essential services. The intended impact of this work is to reduce demand on public services. Population density has also been considered, as increased demands can be placed on Councillors representing areas where the population is widely spread out. The size and geography of Knowsley enables quick and efficient travel across and within the Borough. Furthermore, the scheduled enhancement of mobile technology support for all Councillors will facilitate ease of access to all elected representatives. Other Key Considerations Whilst it is noted that the Boundary Commission does not make decisions on council size purely for financial reasons, the ongoing financial challenges faced by local government cannot be ignored. The majority of local authorities are facing significant such challenges due to the Government’s ongoing reductions in public sector expenditure. Due to a policy shift away from allocating funding based on need, the greatest impact of the funding cuts is being felt by the most deprived authorities. Due to its deprivation challenges and reliance on Government funding, Knowsley has suffered some of the biggest funding cuts in the country. The indicative funding cuts for the next two years continue with this pattern. For example, the Government’s preferred measure of funding is known as “spending power per dwelling”. In 2015/16, the variation between areas with high relative needs (such as Knowsley) and less deprived areas is over threefold. Knowsley will lose “spending power” of £174 per dwelling (6%) compared to the average cut across England of £37 per dwelling (1.8%). Over the four-year period from 2010/11 to 2014/15, Knowsley’s funding from the Government has reduced in cash terms by 27% (£56m), which is equivalent to a real terms cut in the period of 38% (£77m). Over the same period, the Council’s workforce has reduced by 1,020 people (25%). Within these reductions, there has been a (specifically targeted) 30% reduction in senior management costs through post reductions (from 194 posts in 2010 to 135 in 2014). During this time, savings arising from expenditure on Councillors have been limited to those derived from changing the approach to peripheral expenses and civic cost reductions.

16

The Council’s estimated savings requirement over the next two years totals more than £25m and equates to a further 22% reduction in the Authority’s controllable expenditure. Given the savings implemented to date, this level of reduction requires the Council to look at every budget and every service. This must therefore include the costs of the elected governance and the overall Council size.

17

SECTION E Current and Future Committee Structure The Council operates a “Strong Leader and Cabinet” model of decision-making as defined in the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended). With the exception of minor updates, this structure has remained largely unchanged since it was introduced in 2002. In May 2011, the Council reviewed its Overview and Scrutiny arrangements with a view to achieving greater efficiency in the Authority’s overall democratic and decision-making structures. The aim of the 2011 changes was to maintain the overall quality of Overview and Scrutiny work in the Council, whilst reducing the level of resources allocated to hold and attend meetings. A new model was established on the basis of a single Overview and Scrutiny Committee (re-named the Overview and Scrutiny Board). This Board encompasses all of the responsibilities of the previous five separate Committees and is supported by Working Groups. Subsequent minor changes to the Committee structure were made in May 2012 with the establishment of the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee, which formalised the arrangements in respect of health scrutiny. In April 2013, the Health and Wellbeing Board was established as a committee of the Council in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Whilst the “Strong Leader and Cabinet” model of governance has been retained, it was amended in 2014 to enable the Council to pilot a more inclusive approach to decision-making. Specifically, three Policy Advisory Groups have been established to support Portfolio Holders in carrying out their Executive roles. In addition, with a view to facilitating improved partnership working, responsibility for the area working arrangements (which were previously facilitated through the Council-led Area Partnership Boards) has transferred to the multi-agency Knowsley Partnership. Although these amendments from 2014 do not change the Council’s governance model, the learning from these new approaches will be used to inform the governance structure for 2015/16 onwards. This is of particular relevance, given the timescales for this Boundary Review. The 2014/15 structure is illustrated in the diagram attached at Appendix B. Full Meeting of Council There are 7 scheduled full meetings of the Council each year, where all Councillors meet together. Such meetings are open to the public except where “exempt” or “confidential” items are being considered (as defined in the Authority’s Constitution). A full meeting of the Council is required to approve the Council’s Constitution and any amendments to it, to decide the Council’s policy framework, and to set the annual budget and Council Tax. Members of the public and Elected Members may ask questions of the Leader of the Council, Members of the Cabinet, or Committee Chairpersons at these meetings (such questions must be submitted and approved in advance in accordance with the Council’s Constitution).

18

An Elected Member is appointed at the Annual Meeting of the Council in May each year to act as Mayor of the Borough. In addition to undertaking ceremonial duties, the Mayor presides over full meetings of the Council. The Annual Meeting of the Council is also used to appoint the Leader of the Council and the Committees/Working Groups of the Council (excluding the Cabinet). With regard to the appointment of the Cabinet, this decision falls to the Leader of the Council, who then reports to the Annual Meeting on the number and names of Members to be appointed to the Cabinet (including the name of the Deputy Executive Leader) and on the delegation of Executive functions. Cabinet The Cabinet functions collectively as the strategic policy makers for the whole Council, and, in doing so, has collective responsibility for the Council’s vision of making Knowsley 'the Borough of Choice’. Knowsley has a single party Cabinet made up of the Leader plus 9 Cabinet Members (Portfolio Holders). The Cabinet is responsible for taking decisions on the Executive functions of the Council. These functions include proposing the policy framework, budget and Council Tax to full meetings of the Council and implementing the Authority's policy framework. The Cabinet meets approximately every four weeks – there are currently 12 meetings scheduled for the 2014/15 Municipal Year, including two special meetings to consider the budget proposals and the Council Annual Meeting business respectively. Each Cabinet Member has a Portfolio area of responsibility - a number of Portfolios are thematic and relate to the Local Strategic Partnership themes (e.g. Health and Social Care) whilst some are functional (e.g. Finance and Information Technology). Portfolio Holders have regular contact with the relevant Directors and Heads of Service. The Council no longer operates a traditional Department or Directorate organisational structure and there are no direct correlation between Cabinet Portfolios and Director responsibilities. The Cabinet Portfolios are as follows:- • Leader's Portfolio • Neighbourhood Delivery • Regeneration, Economy and Skills • Health and Social Care • Children and Family Services • Leisure, Community and Culture • Corporate and Customer Services • Community Safety and Social Inclusion • Human Resources • Finance and Information Technology

http://councillors.knowsley.gov.uk/mgExecPostDetails.aspx?ID=129&StyleType=standard&StyleSize=none










19

Overview and Scrutiny Board The Overview and Scrutiny Board is the Council’s only Scrutiny Committee. It is responsible for all matters in relation to the improvement, delivery and performance of the Knowsley Overview and Scrutiny function. The Board comprises a core membership of 8 Elected Members plus 7 Co-opted Members (the latter being invited to meetings where the matters under consideration relate to their remit). The Elected Members of the Board are all appointed at the Annual Meeting of the Council. The Board meets 8 times per municipal year. At the first meeting each year, the Board agrees the annual Scrutiny Work Plan and uses its final meeting to review the year’s activities and agrees the Annual Scrutiny Report. The 6 meetings in between focus on specific themes identified for each meeting. The focus tends to be outward-looking and based on examining partnership activity in a particular policy area (e.g. community safety, children and families, employment and skills, housing and environment, and health and wellbeing). The annual Scrutiny Work Plan sets out the Overview and Scrutiny function’s work for the year. It provides for 6 in-depth reviews of issues within the categories referred to above - 2 in each of 3 themed areas (i.e. Neighbourhoods, Policy and Resources, and Wellbeing). During the year, these in-depth reviews are carried out in two distinct phases by Working Groups chaired and vice-chaired by the relevant Lead/Deputy Lead Member. During the course of a review, Working Group Members may engage in site visits, interviews, and/or focus groups to inform the review process. Once a review has been completed, its final report is submitted to the Cabinet for consideration. The Lead Member presents the report at the relevant Cabinet meeting, and the relevant Portfolio Holder(s) respond. The Overview and Scrutiny Board is supported by a Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee in fulfilling its statutory health scrutiny responsibilities. In specific terms, the Sub-Committee is charged with considering proposals put forward for consultation by commissioners/providers to change or develop health services where they may impact on Knowsley residents, as well as providing commentaries on health trusts’ annual “quality accounts” documents. In certain instances, where proposals impact on more than one local authority area and at least two health scrutiny functions agree that proposals constitute “substantial” change or development, there is an obligation to establish a Joint Health Scrutiny Committee to consider whether the proposals are in the interest of the relevant area. In other instances, where proposals impact only in Knowsley or where Knowsley is the only Authority to consider proposals to be a “substantial variation”, the Health Sub-Committee can be charged with reaching a view on whether the proposals are in the interests of the Borough.

20

Licensing Committee The Licensing Committee consists of 15 Members who are scheduled to meet four times each year. The Committee exercises all powers in respect of the licensing registration and enforcement functions of the Council (arising from the Licensing Act 2003 and other licensing and control powers). This Committee is also supported by a Licensing Sub-Committee, which consists of any 3 of the 15 Members of the Licensing Committee, and which meets on an ad hoc basis. The Licensing Sub-Committee determines applications for licences, permits, registration, consents or permissions issued by or on behalf of the Council and not dealt with under delegated powers, and considers all applications for review, continuation, transfer, variation, renewal, suspension, closure orders, forfeiture or revocation of all licences, permits, registrations, consents or permissions issued by or on behalf of the Council. Planning Committee The Planning Committee consists of 26 Members who are scheduled to meet 10 times each year. It has delegated authority to discharge the Council's functions and exercise all powers as the Local Planning Authority. This includes enforcement powers in relation to Local Authorities Regulations 2000 and Highways Act 1980, and the registration of Common Land or Town and Village Greens. Appeals Committee The Appeals Committee consists of 7 Members who are scheduled to meet 6 times each year. It has delegated authority for hearing and determining appeals against certain decisions made by or on behalf of the Council (as set out in the Authority’s Constitution). Governance and Audit Committee The Governance and Audit Committee consists of 8 Members who are scheduled to meet 4 times each year. The Committee oversees the Council's corporate governance arrangements, the work of internal auditors, and the Authority’s response to external audit and other external inspections. It reviews and approves the Annual Governance Statement (as required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2011) and approves the annual audited Statement of Accounts. The Committee also supports the Council in the promotion and maintenance of high standards of conduct by monitoring and reviewing matters in relation to the local standards framework, and advising and commenting upon the adoption of the underpinning protocols for the local standards framework.

21

Human Resources Appeals Committee The Human Resources Appeals Committee consists of 9 Members who meet on an ad hoc basis to hear and determine appeals by employees of the Council (other than staff appointed by schools) against their dismissal from employment with the Council, or on matters relating to their employment (excluding grievance appeals, which are dealt with under the Council’s grievance procedure). The number of meetings varies each year in accordance with the Committee’s caseload. In the 2012/13 Municipal Year, the Committee met on 9 occasions, whereas it met only once in the 2013/14 Municipal Year. Employment and Appointments Committee The Employment and Appointments Committee consists of 8 Members who meet on an ad hoc basis. Depending on the agenda for a particular meeting, the relevant Portfolio Holder(s) will also attend. The Committee shortlists applicants for interview and makes recommendations to the Council in relation to the appointment of the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service, and Chief Officer and Deputy Chief Officer (i.e. Director) posts. The Committee also performs a number of other limited functions in relation to the Council's establishment and human resource policies (as set out in the Authority’s Constitution). Health and Wellbeing Board The Council representation on this Board is the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member (Health and Social Care) and the Cabinet Member (Children and Family Services). It is scheduled to meet 8 times in the 2014/15 Municipal Year – 6 times on a formal basis (when meetings are open to the press and public) and twice on an informal basis (in order for the Board to undertake development sessions). The main purpose of the Health and Wellbeing Board is to promote improvements in the health and wellbeing of the Knowsley population and the integrated working of those engaged in providing health, social care, and related services across the Borough. Policy Advisory Groups Three Policy Advisory Groups have been established for the 2014/15 Municipal Year with a view to supporting Portfolio Holders in the discharge of their duties by making recommendations on forthcoming policy development and executive decisions relating to the Council’s priority goals and outcomes. Each Policy Advisory Group comprises 8 Members, although the relevant Portfolio Holders will also be entitled to attend as and when matters affecting their Portfolios are to be considered (they would not count towards the quorum of the meeting in such cases). Meetings will be held on an ad hoc basis in accordance with a flexible work plan to be established for each Group and reviewed throughout the Municipal Year.

22

School Organisation Advisory Group The School Organisation Advisory Group consists of 8 Members – 3 Elected Members plus representatives from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, the Church of England Diocese, and Special School, Primary School, and Secondary School Governors. As and when statutory objections are received to school organisation proposals relating to Knowsley schools, the Advisory Group meets to consider and make recommendations upon the determination of the statutory proposals to the Cabinet. Scheme of Delegation The Council operates a robust Scheme of Delegation to officers in order that only the key policy or strategic decisions (and, in the case of planning or licensing issues, those where there is an element of contention or objection) need to be made by Councillors. No individual Elected Member has decision-making powers. Delegated decisions are determined by Officers in consultation with the appropriate Elected Member(s) as set out in the Scheme of Delegation. The Scheme of Delegation means that changes to legislation, national or local policy do not always have an immediate direct impact on the workload of committees. Frequency and Composition of Committees Typically, committee membership is on a standing basis although there are exceptions to this approach. For example, the Overview and Scrutiny Board undertakes a number of in-depth reviews through its “task and finish” Working Groups, which are drawn from the Overview and Scrutiny Board membership and a pool of non-Executive Members (i.e. the Overview and Scrutiny Panel). These Working Group memberships are set through an expression of interest process informed by a preset timetable of review meetings. The majority of committee meetings are scheduled in advance, and the calendar of these appointments is agreed at the Annual Meeting of the Council. The timing of some meetings may remain ad hoc if such an approach is made appropriate by the nature of the associated work (for example, the Licensing Sub-Committee). The current Committee Timetable is provided at Appendix C by way of example. Committee meetings are always held on a quorate basis and there have been no instances in recent years where a Committee has been unable to perform the duties ascribed to it due to a lack of membership. Details of Member attendance for the 2013/14 Municipal Year are attached at Appendix D. Generally, there has been appropriate stability and continuity in the membership of the respective committees over the last 4-year period. This allows for a degree of specialisation and development of knowledge of a subject area.

23

Future Governance Arrangements There is an understanding within the Council that the number of committees and Cabinet Portfolios is likely to reduce in line with the proposed reduction in the number of Elected Members. At this stage, there are no formal plans for such reductions, and it is intended that learning from the changes to the decision-making structure in June 2014 will inform the future arrangements. Whilst these future governance arrangements are still to be developed, the Council is clear that it can be structured in order to manage the Council’s business efficiently and effectively with a Council size of 45 Elected Members. The new model will be developed and be ready for implementation in 2016. Indeed, the principles of a new model of governance have already been developed in order to form part of this submission, and these are listed below. The Council’s view is that the new future arrangements must achieve:- • Minimised bureaucracy; • Support for all Elected Members in discharging their community

leadership roles in the future larger Wards with increased electorates; • Opportunities for all Members to play a role in shaping the Council’s

policies and to be consulted on major strategic decisions; • Transparency and ready access to information; • Definition of the roles and responsibilities of Members (executive, non-

executive, scrutiny, committee members) and officer functions, with clear delegation arrangements;

• Permanent savings from the Scheme of Members’ Allowances; • Clarity of focus on the Council’s key priorities; • Adoption of partnership working and an increased focus on

commissioning (rather than only delivery); and, • Overall benefit to the Knowsley community.

24

SECTION F The Role of the Councillor Representing Constituents Councillors are frequently involved in case work on behalf of their respective constituents. This regularly involves interaction between the Council’s administration and the member of the public, and this may also involve engagement with other organisations and individuals. Councillors are often sought out by constituents as a source of information regarding Council services or to explain Council policy in a certain area. Councillors are therefore expected to have a broad (albeit not necessarily in-depth) knowledge of the full range of Council services together with a knowledge of how to progress issues and with whom. Although there is no formal expectation from the Council that Councillors must become involved with local community-based organisations (e.g. parish and town councils or resident groups), the majority choose to do so and are extremely active within their local communities. All Councillors have a Knowsley Council email address, are provided with computer facilities and internet access, and have their email address, home address and telephone number made publicly available to facilitate direct contact from and with their constituents. Councillors also conduct ward surgeries; these vary in frequency but are typically held every fortnight. Councillors often act as “community champions” and work with the local community to deal with or progress specific issues. Examples include campaigning for or against a local facility or issue, or co-ordinating support or opposition to applications for planning consent etc. Roles on Community Associations and as School Governors are just two of the typical types of community involvement for Knowsley Councillors. 24 out of the 63 current Borough Councillors are also members of one of the local Parish or Town Councils as analysed below. 2 are Members of both Knowsley Town Council and Prescot Town Council as well as the Borough Council (one being a Ward Member for Prescot East and the other being a Ward Member for Prescot West):- • 9 Borough Councillors are also Members of Halewood Town Council; • 6 Borough Councillors are also Members of Knowsley Town Council; • 5 Borough Councillors are also Members of Prescot Town Council;

and, • 6 Borough Councillors are also Members of Whiston Town Council.

25

A more detailed list of these involvements is publicly available via the Register of Interests on each of the Councillor’s pages on the Knowsley website via the address/link below:- http://councillors.knowsley.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1 Decision Making and Regulatory Role As discussed in Section E Current and Future Committee Structure, the Council operates a “Strong Leader and Cabinet” Executive model. Within this model, Councillors are responsible for determining the key policy and decisions of the Council in addition to undertaking the Authority’s statutory roles. Representing the Council on Outside Bodies In addition to Elected Members’ involvement in organisations within their own local communities, they may also be nominated to carry out a wider representative role on behalf of the Council on outside organisations. The Council currently appoints to 187 positions on 111 different outside bodies/partner organisations. A full list of outside bodies to which Knowsley Council nominates Members can be found in Appendix E. These cover a range of themes and geographical footprints. A small sample is listed below:- • Knowsley bodies – such as the Knowsley Partnership Board, the First

Ark Group Board, and the Sure Start Children’s Centre Advisory Boards;

• Sub-regional bodies – such as the Liverpool City Region Combined

Authority and the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority; • Regional bodies – such as the North West Regional Leaders’ Board,

the North West Employers’ Organisation Neighbourhoods Champions, and the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation; and,

• National bodies – for example the Local Government Association, the

Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities, and the Association for Public Service Excellence.

The Council is clear that collaborative and partnership working must be a priority for the future sustainability of the Borough. Consequently, the Council will need to review the outside organisations upon which it is represented and widening the spread of membership on these bodies to share the workload more equally amongst Members. This will be of particular significance in view of the proposed reduction in the total number of Members.

http://councillors.knowsley.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

26

Localism and the Implications of the Localism Act 2011 The clear direction from national Government in recent years (the “localism” agenda) has been to reduce the size of Government and to encourage communities to support themselves in becoming sustainable. The need for direct liaison between the Council and its local communities has increased. Councillors now need to play a key role in “championing” their local areas. Liaison between the Council and local groups (e.g. parish and town councils, tenant groups, resident groups) is particularly important in this regard. Special Responsibility Positions Elected Members may also be appointed to positions of special responsibility within the Council. The current special responsibility positions are outlined below. Leader of the Council The Leader of the Council is elected at the Annual Meeting of the Council and so is a member of the majority political group on the Council. The Leader performs an important role in providing the political leadership of the Council, and representing the Council’s interests in terms of relations with other local authorities and other local, regional, and national organisations/bodies. The Leader is responsible for all executive decision-making within the Authority, whether undertaken by the Cabinet (which he chairs) or by officers under delegated powers. Deputy Leader of the Council The Deputy Leader supports and where appropriate deputises for the Leader of the Council. The Deputy Leader is a Member of the Cabinet (i.e. the Vice-Chairperson) and also holds a Cabinet Portfolio. Portfolio Holders The Portfolio Holders are Members of the Cabinet and have a defined area of responsibility (Portfolio) as set out in the Constitution. The Portfolio Holders support the Leader of the Council in the exercise of the Executive functions. Leader of the Opposition The Council recognises the Leader of the largest minority group as Leader of the Opposition. In 2014/15, all 63 Councillors in Knowsley are members of the Labour Group, and there is therefore currently no Leader of the Opposition within the Council.

27

Chairpersons of Committees and Lead Members Chairpersons of Committees and Lead Members chair and preserve order at the relevant meetings and ensure that the business of such meetings is carried out effectively with due regard to all legal and Constitutional requirements and in accordance with agreed Terms of Reference. Vice-Chairpersons of Committees and Deputy Lead Members Vice-Chairpersons of Committees and Deputy Lead Members support and where appropriate deputise for their relevant Chairperson/Lead Member.

28

SECTION G Councillor Profile A survey was recently undertaken of Councillors in order to provide a profile of Knowsley’s Elected Members. In 2014/15, all 63 Councillors in Knowsley represent the Labour Party. There are 23 female Elected Members and 40 male Elected Members on the Council. The current age range of Elected Members is:- • 4 of 63 Members (6.3%) are aged 34 and under; • 17 of 63 Members (27%) are aged between 35 and 54; • 16 of 63 Members (25.4%) are aged between 55 and 64; • 21 of 63 Members (33.3%) are aged between 65 and 74; and, • 5 of 63 Members (8%) are aged over 75. The current cohort of Elected Members comprises Councillors who have served on the Authority for a range of time periods:- • 11 of 63 Members (17.5%) have been Councillors in Knowsley for a

total of 20 years or more; • 23 of 63 Members (36.5%) have been Councillors in Knowsley for a

total of between 10 years and 20 years; • 12 of 63 Members (19%) have been Councillors in Knowsley for a total

of between 5 years and 10 years; and, • 17 of 63 Members (27%) have been Councillors in Knowsley for a total

of less than 5 years. The above age and experience statistics demonstrate that there is a wide age range amongst the current cohort of Elected Members. In addition, there is a fairly even split between Members with over 10 years’ experience as a Councillor and more newly elected Members. The availability of Members with invaluable experience and also Members with a newer viewpoint will help to support the transition to a Council size of 45 and the development of the new approaches to ways of working which will be required as a result of that change.

29

Employment and carer statistics for the Councillor cohort vary from election to election. Currently, 25 out of 63 Elected Members are in paid employment/self employed (39.7%). The remaining 38 Members (60.3%) are either retired or not in paid employment for other reasons. 30 Members (47.6%) have caring responsibilities for a child/partner/relative. Whilst it is difficult to reflect accurately the number of hours spent on Council duties (as workloads can differ substantially from week to week) Members provided an indication as part of the survey of their estimates of the average hours spent on Council duties. The majority of Elected Members spend an average of up to 40 hours per week on their Councillor duties. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the survey identified that Members with Special Responsibility roles generally tend to spend more time at Council meetings and on related work, with the remaining Members spending a greater majority of their time on Ward related and community matters. As outlined above, in view of the pressures on Elected Members’ time and the need for Members to balance their Councillor roles with employment and other commitments, the potential increase in workload as a result of a reduced Council size will need to be addressed. The Council is clear that the proposed streamlined decision-making structure (see Section E) and the increased use of mobile technology (see Section H) will together ensure that Members will be able to manage their role successfully within a Council size of 45.

30

SECTION H Support Services for Councillors In light of the proposed increase in the number of electors in each ward and the consequent increase in the scope of each Ward Councillor’s role, consideration is now being given to the balance of support provided by the Council to its Elected Members in their various Councillor roles. It is essential that Councillors receive the most effective support possible in discharging their community roles, which have increased in relative importance when compared to their traditional representational and/or decision-making responsibilities. Clerical/Administrative The Leader receives specific clerical/administrative support through the Chief Executive’s Office to assist him in discharging his leadership and representational roles, i.e. he benefits from the support of a named Personal Assistant. Where appropriate and necessary, ad hoc support is also provided to Portfolio Holders by the relevant Directors’ Executive Support Teams, but these Members are not supported by specific individuals. Currently, Members usually pass casework directly on to relevant staff and also deal with such issues directly. Council officers work alongside Members to deal with such Council-related issues, including dealing with queries from the public, and assisting with the processing of complaints received. Information and Communications Technology All Councillors are issued with computers during their term of office. A recent review of information technology support for Members has resulted in proposals which may better assist Members in working in a more mobile way. A number of support solutions are now being piloted, and the learning from this work will be used to inform future policy (from 2015 onwards). As part of this review, Members identified a number of online tools which could assist them in their role (e.g. web pages, blogs, and social media accounts) and the potential benefits of these are now being explored. Training and Development To assist Elected Members in their roles, training is provided across a range of topics. Each Member has a Personal Development Plan and training or development support is provided to match the needs described in those Plans. Role profiles have also been adopted to assist Members in identifying any training and development needs which they may have in relation to specific duties and responsibilities arising from the various representational roles described elsewhere in this document. Knowsley achieved Level 1 of the North West Charter for Member Development in 2007 and Level 2 of the Charter in 2009.

31

All Members are invited to frequent training sessions and seminars, which are put in place to cater for their developmental needs. In 2013/14 27 training sessions were arranged for Knowsley Members, covering a broad range of topics and development needs. Examples of subject areas include induction/introduction to the Council, chairing meetings, public health, equality and diversity, licensing, and corporate parenting. Formal feedback from the training and development sessions shows that they are highly valued by Members. As summarised in the diagram below, 87.7% of Members who attended such sessions rated them as “excellent” and only 0.6% rated any session as “poor”. The quality of this support is routinely monitored and reviewed by the Members’ Training and Development Task Group.

87.7%

6.7%1.2% 0.6% 3.8%

Excellent Good Average Poor No answer given

Member Satisfaction with Training and Development Courses (2013/14)

32

COMPARABLE AUTHORITIES - ELECTORATE AND WARD INFORMATION APPENDIX A

Authority Electorate No. of Wards No. of

Elected Members

Average Electors

per Member

CIPFA Nearest Neighbours*

Gateshead 148,629 22 66 2,252

Knowsley** 119,906 15 45 2,665

Rochdale 160,360 20 60 2,673

Oldham 162,284 20 60 2,705

St Helens 136,294 16 48 2,839

Sunderland 214,896 25 75 2,865

Barnsley 182,761 21 63 2,901

Salford 176,133 20 60 2,936

Tameside 172,060 19 57 3,019

Rotherham 198,457 21 63 3,150

Sandwell 229,169 24 72 3,183

Walsall 196,791 20 60 3,279

Wigan 245,910 25 75 3,279

33

Bolton 199,490 20 60 3,325

Doncaster 221,991 21 63 3,524

Wakefield 251,831 21 63 3,997

Liverpool City Region Neighbours

Halton 94,582 21 56 1,687

Knowsley** 119,906 15 45 2,665

St Helens 136,294 16 48 2,839

Sefton 205,888 22 66 3,120

Liverpool 325,125 30 90 3,613

Wirral 240,570 22 66 3,645

* Figures as at 1 December 2013 (Source – Office for National Statistics – 2013 Electoral Statistics). ** Based on proposed Council size of 45 and 2020 projected electorate.

34

LEADER PLUS CABINET

POLICY ADVISORY GROUP

(Economic Development)


(Welfare Reform and Employment)

PLANNING COMMITTEE

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

BOARD

EMPLOYMENT AND APPOINTMENTS

COMMITTEE

GOVERNANCE AND AUDIT

COMMITTEE

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY BOARD


(Wellbeing)

COUNCIL

LICENSING COMMITTEE HUMAN

RESOURCES (APPEALS)

COMMITTEE

Portfolio Holder(s)

APPEALS COMMITTEE

Portfolio Holder(s)

Portfolio Holder(s)

APPENDIX B

35

APPENDIX C

COMMITTEE TIMETABLE 2014/15 Council Wednesday

6.00pm 25 June 17

September 10

December 28

January 4 March * 25 March AGM

22 May

Cabinet Wednesday 2.00pm

18 June

16 July

6 Aug

10 Sept

8 Oct

5 Nov

10 Dec

14 Jan

11 Feb*

4 March

1 April

19 May#

Planning Committee

Thursday 6.00pm

19 June

31 July

11 Sept

9 Oct

13 Nov

11 Dec

15 Jan

12 Feb

19 March

16 April

(4.00pm) Appeals Committee

Tuesday 10.00am

15 July

9 Sept

7 Oct

25 Nov

20 Jan

7 April

Licensing Committee

Thursday 2.00pm

10 July 18 September 4 December 26 March

Governance and Audit Committee

Tuesday 4.00pm

24 June 23 September 20 January 14 April

Overview and Scrutiny Board

Monday 5.00pm

14 July 11 August

22 September

17 November

15 December

19 January

9 March

13 April (4.00pm)

Health and Wellbeing Board (Formal Meetings)

Thursday

1.30pm

18 June (3.00pm)

24 July** (Informal)

25 Sept 12 Nov (Wed at 3.00pm)

11 Dec 29 January 26 February** (Informal)

26 March

Joint Consultative Committee

Friday 10.00am

4 July 5 December

Please Note: * denotes Budget Meeting # denotes Special Meeting of Cabinet (held on a Tuesday)

Formal meetings of the Health and Wellbeing Board are in bold type. Development sessions are in italics and denoted by **.Meetings of other Council Committees and Groups (including the Licensing Sub-Committee, the Employment and Appointments Committee, the Human Resources Appeals Committee and the three Policy Advisory Groups) will be set up throughout the Municipal Year as and when required

36

APPENDIX D 2013/14 Municipal Year Committee Attendance Committee Name Number

of Members

Number of

Meetings

% Attendance

Appeals committee 7 7 69

Area partnership board co-ordinating group

8 3 75

Assistive technology 10 5 72

Budget processes 11 5 76

Cabinet meetings 10 13 89

Child poverty 11 5 80

Choice based lettings policy 12 5 52

Council meeting 63 8 82

Domestic abuse 12 5 72

Employment and appointments committee

10 5 84

Evaluating the effectiveness of the stronger families programme

11 5 44

Governance and audit committee

8 4 66

Halewood Partnership Board 2 4 75

Human resources appeals committee

9 1 78

Huyton Partnership Board 4 4 81

Joint Consultative Committee 6 2 92

Kirkby Partnership Board 3 3 100

Licensing committee 15 4 60

Members training and 8 3 54

37

Committee Name Number of

Members

Number of

Meetings

% Attendance

development task group

Overview and scrutiny board 9 8 75

Planning committee 26 6 72

Polling district review working group

7 4 64

Prescot Whiston Cronton and Knowsley village

2 4 100

Town centre (and districts) committee

8 3 83

Ward boundary and community governance review working group

8 5 80

38

APPENDIX E Representation on Outside Bodies and Other Forums 2014/15 Leader’s Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative /

Nominees

1. Liverpool City Region Cabinet

1. Leader of the Council

2. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority


Substitute 1. Deputy Leader of the Council

a) Merseytravel Committee 1. Councillor M Sharp 2. Councillor K McGlashan b) Employment and Skills

Board 1. Leader of the Council

Substitute 1. Cabinet Member

(Regeneration, Economy and Skills)

i) Employment & Skills Portfolio Holders


2. Cabinet Member (Regeneration, Economy and Skills)

c) Housing and Spatial Planning Board


Substitute 1. Chairperson of Overview and

Scrutiny Board

2. Lead Scrutiny Member (Neighbourhoods)

3. Knowsley Partnership Board

1. Leader of the Council 2. Cabinet Member

(Children & Family Services)

Nominations for the period following Knowsley Partnership Board’s Annual Meeting in June 2014 to be reviewed thereafter Thematic Groups:

a) Safer Knowsley Partnership

1. Cabinet Member (Community Safety and Social Inclusion)

b) Children and Families Board

1. Cabinet Member (Children & Family Services)

39

c) Housing Partnership 1. Cabinet Member (Regeneration, Economy and Skills)

d) Local Advisory Groups Halewood Area 1. Councillor A Harvey Huyton Area 1. Councillor B Maguire Kirkby Area 1. Councillor T Garland Prescot, Whiston, Cronton

and Knowsley Area

1. Councillor T Byron

5. Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership Board


6. Liverpool John Lennon Airport Consultative Committee

1. Councillor B Swann

7. Local Government Association

a) General Assembly 1. Leader of the Council 2. Deputy Leader of the Council 3. Cabinet Member (Corporate

and Customer Services) b) Finance Panel 1. Cabinet Member (Finance

and IT) c) National Retail Planning

Forum


d) Urban Commission 1. Leader of the Council Substitute 1. Cabinet Member

(Regeneration, Economy and Skills)

8. Local Government Group – Councillors Forum


9. Local Government Information Unit

1. Leader of the Council Substitute 1. Deputy Leader of the Council

10. Merseyside Police and Crime Panel

1. Councillor W Weightman

11. North West Regional Leaders Board


40

12. Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities (SIGOMA)

1. Leader of the Council Substitute 1. Cabinet Member (Finance

and Information Technology) Regeneration, Economy and Skills Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative /

Nominees

1. Community Foundation Merseyside - Knowsley Foundation Fund Administration Panel


2. Connect 2 – Sustrans 1. Cabinet Member (Regeneration, Economy and Skills)

3. First Ark Board 1. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community and Culture)

4. Knowsley Housing Trust Landlord Board

a) Nominations for the period up to KHT’s Annual Meeting in 2014

(Term of office expires July 2016 – 2ndt term)

1. Councillor S Powell

(Term of office expires July 2014 – 1st term)

2. Councillor P Kelly

(Term of office expires March 2015 – 1st term)

3. Councillor E Connor

(Term of office expires July 2016 – 1st term)

4. Councillor B Maguire

b) Nominations for the period following KHT’s Annual Meeting in 2014 to be reviewed thereafter

5.

KHT Area Boards

a) Nominations for the period up to KHT’s Annual Meeting in 2014 Kirkby 1. Councillor R Smith

2. Councillor D Arnall 3. Councillor T Garland

Huyton 1. Councillor S Lee 2. Councillor B Maguire 3. Councillor D Baum

Halewood 1. Councillor T Powell 2. Councillor A Harvey 3. Councillor E Finneran

Prescot/Whiston 1. Councillor D Williams 2. Councillor D Allen 3. Councillor S Arnall

41

b) Nominations for the period following KHT’s Annual Meeting in July 2014 to be reviewed thereafter

6. Knowsley Housing Partnership


Substitutes 1. Chairperson of Overview and Scrutiny

Board 2. Lead Scrutiny Member

(Neighbourhoods)

7. The Industrial Communities Alliance


Substitute 1. Councillor J Greer

8. Merseyside Housing Forum


Substitutes 1. Chairperson of Overview and Scrutiny

Board 2. Lead Scrutiny Member

(Neighbourhoods)

9. North Huyton New Deal New Future Partnership Ltd

1. Councillor S Lee 2. Councillor K McGlashan

10. North Huyton Revive Partnership Board

1. Councillor K McGlashan 2. Cabinet Member (Regeneration,

Economy and Skills) 3. Cabinet Member (Corporate and

Customer Services) Substitutes 1. Councillor S Lee 2. Councillor D Baum

11. Prescot Township

Heritage Board 1. Cabinet Member (Regeneration,

Economy and Skills) 2. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community

and Culture) 3. Councillor Ms D Allen

12. Villages Housing –

Stockbridge Village Estate Management Committee

1. Councillor W Weightman

42

13. Water Services - Merseyside Strategic Flood and Coastal Risk Management Partnership

1. Cabinet Member (Corporate and Customer Services)

Community Safety and Social Inclusion Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Knowsley Youth

Offending Service Management Board


2. Merseyside Community Safety Partnership


3. Substance Misuse Board


Corporate and Customer Services Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE)

a) General meetings 1. Cabinet Member (Corporate and Customer Services)

2. Cabinet Member (Neighbourhood Delivery)

2. Co-operative Council’s Innovation Network


3. Huyton-with-Roby Distress Fund

1. Councillor Mrs C Bannon 2. Councillor T Harvey 2. Councillor R Maguire

4. Kirkby Charity of

Thomas Aspe 1. Councillor Mrs D Arnall 2. Councillor Mrs J Harris 3. Councillor Ms M Stuart

5. Kirkby Unemployed

Centre Management Committee

1. Councillor E Connor 2. Councillor T Garland 3. Councillor N Keats 4. Councillor R Halpin

43

6. Merseyside Joint Authorities

a) Fire and Rescue 1. Councillor E Grannell 2. Councillor A Newman

b) Recycling and Waste Authority


7. Prescot/Whiston Advice Centre Limited

1. Councillor T Byron

8. St Helens West and Prescot Sub-Division Victim Support Scheme

1. Councillor Ms D Allen

9. North West Reserve Forces and Cadet Association

1. Councillor K McGlashan

Children & Family Services Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Adoption and

Permanence Panel 1. Cabinet Member (Children & Family

Services)

2. Children’s Homes Voluntary Visiting Scheme

1. Councillor E Connor 2. Councillor A Cunningham 3. Councillor T Fearns 4. Councillor T Garland 5. Councillor N Hogg 6. Councillor M Sharp

3. Children in Care

Council 1. Cabinet Member (Children & Family

Services)

4. City Region Child Poverty Commission


5. Fostering Panel 1. Cabinet Member (Health & Social Care)

6. Friends of Knowsley Young Carers Charity

1. Councillor M Murphy 2. Cabinet Member (Children & Family

Services)

7. Knowsley Children and Families Board


44

8. Knowsley Community College Governing Body


9. Prescot School Endowment Fund

1. Councillor Ms D Allen 2. Cabinet Member (Children & Family

Services)

10. Schools Forum

1. Lead Scrutiny Member (Wellbeing)

11. Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education


12. Sure Start Children’s Centre Advisory Board Huyton

1. Councillor Ms J Lilly

2. Councillor Miss V Lamb

13. Sure Start Children’s Centre Advisory Board Kirkby

1. Councillor Ms R Smith

14. Sure Start Children’s Centre Advisory Board Halewood

1.

Councillor B Swann

15. Sure Start Children’s Centre Advisory Board Whiston/Prescot (includes Sherwood, Southmead and Phoenix)

1. Councillor Mrs P Kelly

Neighbourhood Delivery Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. City Region

Environment and Waste Board


2. NWEO Neighbourhoods Champion


Finance and Information Technology Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Merseyside Pension

Fund 1. Cabinet Member (Finance and

Information Technology)

45

2. Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation

a) Management Committee

1. Cabinet Member (Finance and Information Technology) – Voting Right


Deputies 1. Chairperson of the Governance & Audit

Committee 2. Chairperson of Overview and Scrutiny

Board

b) Executive Sub-Committee

1. Cabinet Member (Finance and Information Technology)

c) Audit Sub Committee

1. Chairperson of the Governance & Audit Committee

3. Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation Procurement Holdings Limited (Director)

1. Cabinet Member (Finance and Information Technology)

Health and Social Care Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Age UK (Knowsley)

a) General 1. Councillor M Sharp b) Executive Committee

1. Councillor M Sharp

2. Aintree Hospitals Board of Governors

1. Cabinet Member (Health and Social Care)

3. Carers Partnership Board


4. Older People’s Champions Network North West of England


5. Knowsley Carers Management Committee

1. Councillor Mrs J Harris 2. Councillor W Weightman

6. Knowsley Disability Concern Board of Trustees

1. Councillor T Powell

46

7. Knowsley District Citizens’ Advice Bureau

1. Councillor T Harris 2. Councillor D Arnall

8. Knowsley Home Start - Management Committee

1. Councillor Ms V McNeill 2. Councillor Mrs D Arnall

9. Learning Disability Partnership Board


10. Liverpool Women’s Hospital Foundation Trust

1. Councillor Mrs D Arnall

11. Local Implementation Planning – Mental Health


12. National Councillor Network for Adult Social Care and Health


13. Older People’s Partnership Board


14. 5 Boroughs Partnership Council of Members Foundation Trust

1. Councillor B N Hogg

Human Resources Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. North West Employers’

Organisation 1. Cabinet Member (Human Resources) Deputy 1. Cabinet Member (Corporate and

Customer Services) Leisure, Community and Culture Portfolio Outside Bodies Council Representative / Nominees

1. Champion for

Children and Young Peoples Physical Activity

1. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community and Culture)

47

2. Community Associations

a) Bryer Road 1. Councillor Ms S Arnall 2. Councillor Ms D Allen 3. Councillor S O’Keeffe

b) Mosscroft 1. Councillor V Lamb 2. Councillor Ms J Lilly 3. Councillor Mrs K Moorhead

c) Northwood 1. Councillor E Connor 2. Councillor T Garland 3. Councillor M Murphy

d) St John’s 1. Councillor F Walsh 2. Councillor B O’Hare 3. Councillor P Boland

e) Southdene 1. Councillor W Brennan 2. Councillor Ms M Stuart

f) Swanside 1. Councillor R Maguire

2. Councillor R Round JP 3. Councillor G Wright

g) Westvale 1. Councillor Mrs J Keats 2. Councillor N Keats 3. Councillor Ms R Smith

h) Stockbridge Village

1. Councillor D Baum 2. Councillor W Weightman 3. Councillor J Donnelly

3. Councils for Voluntary Service

a) Knowsley 1. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community and Culture)

b) Merseyside


4. Knowsley Allotment Forum


Deputy 1. Councillor T Fearns

5. Knowsley Arts &

Heritage Alliance 1. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community

and Culture)

6. Knowsley Cultural Partnership


7. Knowsley Sports and Physical Activity Alliance


8. Mersey Forest Steering Group


48

9. Merseyside Cultural Forum


10. Public Libraries Association


Substitute 1. Cabinet Member (Children & Family

Services) 11. Trans-Pennine Trail

Steering Group 1. Cabinet Member (Leisure, Community

and Culture)

Electoral Review of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council · Summary 3 Knowsley Metropolitan...

Documents

Transcript of Electoral Review of Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council · Summary 3 Knowsley Metropolitan...