Issue - meetings

The Leader outlined the report to Cabinet and welcomed the items put forward within the review. He concurred with the report that closer working relationships between TDC and local Parish and Town Councils were beneficial to both parties.

Cllrs K Bright, Fellows, Davis and Garner all spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1.

It was proposed by Cllr Everitt and seconded by Cllr Yates that Cabinet accepts all the recommendations of the TDC and Parish &Town Councils collaboration Scrutiny Panel.

Members AGREED

Councillor Currie, Chair of the Collaboration Working Party introduced the working party report. He thanked the working party members Cllr Austin, Cllr Bailey and Cllr Fellows for the work they did to gather evidence and produce the report. Councillor Currie also thanked Parish and Town Council representatives, Cabinet Members and senior officers who attended the various sessions where the working party gathered evidence that was used to come up with this report.

This review was an interesting exercise for Members as they got an insight into what Parish and District Councillors as well as officers thought about how they could improve effective working between the District and Parishes. A number of ideas were identified and added to the report, many of which were proposed by all parties. If implemented Members felt that this would successfully lead to a more effective approach for collaborative working for the benefit of the local residents around the District.

Councillor Currie further thanked TDC officers for their input to support this review and officers from Democratic Services for their invaluable help in putting this report together. With the ever tightening of budgets year on year Members felt that if the recommendations could be implemented, this would hopefully make a big difference on how services were delivered for our local communities.

Councillor Currie proposed, Councillor Keen seconded and Members agreed to forward the report and recommendations to Cabinet for decision.