Chairmen's Committee - Approved Committee Minutes - 8 December 2014

Present

Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré, President and Chairman, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Connétable  A.S.   Crowcroft ,  Chairman,  Environment,  Housing  and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel

Deputy A.D. Lewis , Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

Deputy R.J. Renouf , Chairman, Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel Deputy L.M.C. Doublet , Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Deputy S. M. Brée, Vice-Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Apologies

Connétable J.E. Le Maistre, Chairman, Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Absent

In attendance

 Mrs. K. Tremellen-Frost, Scrutiny Manager

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

1. Records of meetings

The records of the meetings held on 12th and 28th November and 4th December 2014 were approved and accordingly signed.

511/1(2)

2. Vice-President: appointment

It was agreed that Deputy L.M.C Doublet would be the Vice-President of the Committee.

510/1(45)

3. Meetings, briefings and hearings: private or public

Following  substantial  discussion  and  after  in-depth  consideration  of Standing Orders, the Code of Practice for Scrutiny Panels and the Public Accounts Committee, the role of the Chairmen's Committee in oversight of the Scrutiny/PAC function and the range of possibilities and related  possible  consequences  of  public/private  meetings,  the Committee agreed by majority that Scrutiny/PAC meetings and briefings should continue in private for the next six months after which the matter would be reviewed.

The Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel requested that his dissent from this decision be recorded. The Chairman, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, although stating that she would comply with the Committee decision, requested that it be noted that her preference was for meetings to be held in public through Part A and Part B agendas. Her concerns about public engagement were  noted  and  it  was  agreed  to  consider  the  matter  of  public engagement in general at a subsequent meeting.

It was agreed that Hearings would be held in public unless exceptional circumstances arose. The Committee agreed to a minor rewording of the Scrutiny Code in order to reflect the above.

KTF

510/1(42)

4.  Visual recording of Scrutiny and Public Accounts Committee meetings, briefings and hearings.

Given the decision to hold meetings and briefings in private no filming of these would be permitted.

In light of ongoing work with regard to webstreaming of both the States Assembly  and  Scrutiny/PAC  Hearings,  the  Committee  agreed  to maintain the status quo ie: Scrutiny/PAC hearings could be filmed by the media only and not by members of the public and only for the first five minutes of a hearing.

510/1(83)

5. Ministerial Responsibilities: transfer between Departments

The matter was to be discussed at the meeting between the President and the Chief Minister as the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel was considering reviewing this.

511/1(8)

6. Council of Ministers meetings: Part B agendas

The Committee noted that Scrutiny/PAC Members had access to the Part B agenda of the Council of Ministers via the Scrutiny Manager. It was also noted that following circulation of the agenda from the Scrutiny Manager to all Scrutiny Members, a Panel Chairman could request background papers relevant to the Panel's remit of which (s)he was Chairman via the Scrutiny Manager.

511/1(33)

7. Communication: Executive and Scrutiny/PAC

The practice undertaken during the previous term of office whereby regular meetings between the Chief Minister and the President were held would be continued. These were to be held shortly after each Chairmen's  Committee  and  would  provide  an  avenue  for  two-way communication.

510/1(14)

8.  Budget

The  Committee  noted  the  projected  underspend  in  2014  and  the allocated budget for 2015. The process for managing the budget and reporting to the Panels and Committees was noted.

9.  Activity Reports

The Committee noted that it would receive activity reports on each of its monthly agendas from each Panel and the PAC. The Committee also noted the areas which would be reported to it.

510/1(3)

10. Training

The Committee noted the following training which had been arranged:-

Chairing and Team work

Tuesday 27th January 2015: two sessions, one morning and one afternoon, Blampied Room, States Building.

Questioning

Theory sessions – either 10th or 11th February 2015, 2.00pm-3.00pm

Practical sessions – either 27th February or 3rd March 2015, 9.00am- 1.00pm

Members would be requested to select which session early in 2015.

11. Future Meetings

The Committee noted that its next meeting was scheduled for 13th January 2015. It also noted apologies from the Chairman, Environment, Housing and Technical Services Scrutiny Panel for that meeting and it was agreed that the Vice-Chairman should be requested to attend.

The Committee also noted that the Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel would be visiting the House of Commons on that date. Noting that the meeting would be quorate it was agreed that the Committee should meet as planned.