Agenda item

To consider a report to the Growth Board setting out progress made against recommendations arising from the Growth Board Review. This includes providing endorsement and approval for a number of key governance documents. 

The Panel considered a report to the Growth Board which set out progress to date in implementing early actions from the review. It requested endorsement and approval of a suite of revised governance documents which had been updated to reflect the outcome of the review.

The Chair expressed some concern that the Panel was being invited to give its comments after the report had already been considered and approved by several Growth Board partner councils. He acknowledged that technical approval of the report and recommendations rested with the sovereign local authorities but commented that, in his view, it was not effectively possible for those councils to make any changes or to reject the new Terms of Reference.

In discussion, proposed measures to improve public participation by the earlier publication of Growth Board agendas was welcomed. The view was, nevertheless, expressed that the size of these documents (at over 150 pages) could act as a potential disincentive. It was, however, acknowledged that, in most cases, the covering reports set out the key information. With regards to public speaking, the Panel felt that the Growth Board’s website should clearly set out how members of the public could register to speak at future meetings.

It was noted that a Freedom of Information (FOI) protocol formed part of the suite of revised governance documents for approval by the Growth Board. The Panel agreed that a recommendation should be made concerning the autonomy of responses to FOI requests between the Growth Board partner organisations. The aim of this would be to increase transparency and highlight gaps in governance.

It was commented that although there was reference to environmental bodies within the proposed Terms of Reference, there was not an explicit reference to flood alleviation. Members also felt that more detail was required in respects of the establishment of the proposed Local Nature Partnership. It was agreed that a recommendation should be made to the Growth Board requesting an update.

The Panel recognised the important role of the Growth Board’s subgroups in undertaking a significant amount of the Board’s detailed work, while also acknowledging the elected representation from each partner council on them. They also noted that the amended Terms of Reference placed a greater emphasis on these councillors to act as conduit between their local authorities and the Growth Board. The Panel, therefore, felt that a recommendation was necessary to further clarify how subgroup members were expected to undertake this aspect of their role. It was also important that the subgroups were aware of the Scrutiny Panel’s activity.

RESOLVED: That the Scrutiny Panel recommends that:

1.      The Growth Board provide it with an update at its next meeting concerning the development of a Local Nature Partnership for Oxfordshire

2.      The Growth Board provides clarity about how members of its Advisory Sub-Group will be expected to carry out their conduit role between that group and their local authority, as suggested in the Terms of Reference for those groups.

3.      The Growth Board ensures that the Advisory Subgroups have access to the minutes of the Scrutiny Panel meetings.

4.      The Growth Board makes visible on its website’s home page how the public can register to speak at future meetings of the Board.