Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Strata Board.

The report of the Strata Board was submitted responding to the Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee request for access to the Board minutes. The Teignbridge Strata Director advised that the level of information on the Board minutes was operational and was not appropriate for general release. The Joint Scrutiny Committee and Joint Executive Committee had the relevant information to monitor the performance of Strata.

Councillor A Dewhirst of Teignbridge District Council spoke on this item. He had been asked to attend the meeting by the Teignbridge District Council Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee Members. He raised concerns that the Joint Scrutiny Committee could not adequately fulfil their scrutiny role if they did not have access to the Board minutes. The request that the Board minutes be made available to both Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee and Joint Executive Committee was unanimously agreed at the Scrutiny meeting on 7 June 2016.

The Teignbridge Strata Director clarified that the Board would consider requests from Members regarding information should they be relevant to the strategic way forward for Strata.

Executive Members felt that is was not appropriate for the Board minutes to be made available and they did not support the request from Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee that the Board minutes be made available to the Strata Joint Scrutiny and Executive Committee.

Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 7 June 2016 and its comments were reported which included a recommendation that the Board minutes be made available in Part B of the agenda to both the Strata Joint Scrutiny and Executive Committees.

RESOLVED that the Boards response be noted.

To consider the report of the Strata Board.

Members noted that the Strata Board had met and considered the JSC’s request for access to Board minutes. The Board fully understood the need for scrutiny members to have sufficient information to undertake the role and was committed to providing appropriate information.

The level of information in Board minutes was operational and related to the day to day management of the company and as such was not appropriate for general release. The Board had reviewed the information currently provided to both the Joint Scrutiny Committee and Joint Executive Committee to assist Councillors to both monitor and develop business.

Members were concerned that they could not fulfil their scrutiny role adequately and ensure the provision of value for money for the public without access to the minutes of the Board. In cases where there was sensitive personal information contained within them, these could be redacted.

Strata Joint Scrutiny Committee:-

(1)        noted the report; and

(2)        requested that Board minutes be made available in Part B of the agenda to both the Strata Joint Scrutiny and Executive Committees