Agenda, decisions and minutes

1.1   Apologies were received from Cllr Gordon.

2.1  Deputy Mayor Bramble declared that she is chair of the Local

  Government Association.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2023 be agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings subject to:

·  3.1 to read RESOLVED: that the minutes of the Constitution Committee held on 13 July 2022 were approved as a correct record.

·  ACTION 3 The COWG is working through comments received and an email will be circulated to Committee members.

3.1  Councillors considered the previous minutes of the meeting held on 30

January 2023.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2023 be agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings subject to:

·  3.1 to read RESOLVED: that the minutes of the Constitution Committee held on 13 July 2022 were approved as a correct record.

·  ACTION 3 The COWG is working through comments received and an email will be circulated to Committee members.

RESOLVED:

To consider and provide comments/observations on the documents accompanying this report in Appendices 2-6.

4.1    Deputy Mayor Bramble introduced the item noting that Cllr Gordon and

herself had met with officers to agree the approach to the members’

review at committee to ensure best use of time.  The approach ensured

that members had the opportunity for dialogue that included

suggestions, comments or queries which were presented in public and

which officers took back to the Constitution Officer Working Group

(COWG).

4.2  The Head of Legal and Governance noted the continued work on

  comments and suggestions received from members.  Officers had met

  with the Engagement and Consultation Team to consider planned public

  consultation before the draft constitution goes to Full Council. The initial

  survey work will start in April to consider the current Constitution followed

by focus groups relating to the public facing elements of the Constitution.

It was proposed to present the consultation plan to the next Constitution

Committee meeting.  The aspiration was to provide any first draft

sections of the constitution that had not been seen by the Committee, at

the next meeting.

4.3  The Director of Legal, Governance, and Democratic Services reiterated

the importance of public consultation and had agreed with officers to use

Hackney publications that ensured as wide and accessible engagement   as  possible.  Members also had the opportunity to consider how they

participated in consultation events.  The Chair noted the importance of

member participation in the consultation process and included resident

representative organisations including the voluntary sector.

4.4  Councillors suggested the following amendments and areas for

  improvement:

Points to note

·  The importance of the consultation and engagement  process was reiterated.

·  Concerns were raised about the tight working timescales for the Committee.  The Chair offered to take concerns back to officers to be considered outside the meeting.

·  It was suggested the design for the focus groups was shared in advance and to understand who had expressed interest in attending focus groups.

·  To ensure residents who had submitted petitions or deputations were invited to participate in the consultation.

·  The Head of Legal and Governance noted the focus group design was to start in April and that members saw the design before the focus groups took place.

·  A consultation outcomes report  would be produced to outline comments received and how they had been addressed.

·  To ensure that Hackney Youth Parliament (HYP) and Hackney Futures had the opportunity to engage with the consultation process.

ACTION 1: Officers to present the Engagement Plan to the next Committee meeting.

ACTION 2: Officers to present any first drafts of the Constitution, not seen by members, at the next Committee meeting.

Overview and Scrutiny Update 

4.5  The Head of Legal and Governance introduced the update and noted

  the meeting held with the Chair of Scrutiny Panel and the Director of

  Legal and Democratic Services and the subsequent comments received

  (Appendix 2).  The following comments were made by the Committee:

·  The name change proposed from Scrutiny Commissions to Scrutiny Committees needed further consideration, as Commissions have different functions; Committees had decision-making powers.

·  The name change may cause confusion to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1  There was no other urgent business.

Duration of the meeting: 5.35pm - 7.08pm