Appointment of portfolio holders and appointments to oversight groups

Report: 3d-AMG
Date: 29 May 2008
By: Chief Executive

Summary

This reports seeks confirmation of the positions and appointments of portfolio holders. It also invites members to nominate themselves to the membership of the Authority’s oversight groups.

In considering membership of oversight groups, members are ask to consider if the Authority should at this stage establish a Olympic/Paralympic Oversight Group.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the existing portfolio positions be confirmed until 30 September 2008, together with a fifth portfolio holder position for procurement; and

2. appointments be made (until 30 September 2008) to the membership of the MPA’s Oversight Groups , including consideration of the establishment of a Olympic/Paralympic Oversight Group.

B. Supporting information

Portfolio positions

1. Portfolio positions were established by the Authority at its meeting January 2006 to lead on specific major areas of work and as a method of effectively using members’ limited time and providing a flexible response to key strategic issues.

2. Portfolio holders are individual members appointed to lead the Authority’s work in agreed areas of major importance. They have an equivalent role to a chair of a committee in many respects including the ability to commission reports from the MPS or the MPA and having the expectation that they will be consulted and engaged on relevant issues of interest in their portfolio area. It should be noted that the MPA cannot delegate decision-making to individual members, so portfolio holders do not have executive powers and matters requiring decision are reported to the relevant committee.

3. Under the MPA members’ allowances scheme Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) are payable to portfolio members who are magistrate or independent members.

4. Appendix 1 outlines the current portfolio positions and members are asked to confirm existing portfolio positions and to appoint to these until 30 September 2008. Members’ expressions of interest will be tabled at the meeting.

Procurement issues

5. In January 2006 the Authority established four areas with a portfolio holder role. However, since then the Authority has been increasingly monitoring and scrutinising procurement issues and this matter has become of increased significance for the Authority. Faith Boardman has been supporting this work on behalf of the Authority and it is now recommended that procurement should formally have a portfolio status.

Oversight Groups

6. The Authority has a number of Oversight Groups These groups are informal meetings which help the MPA to shape and monitor policies and work plans in certain areas, prior to consideration by MPA (formal) committees. Details of these Oversight Groups are at Appendix 2. Oversight Groups do not have executive powers; those remain with the appropriate MPA committee.

7. Membership of Oversight Groups has been in the past open to all members, regardless if they serve on the parent committee. It is now suggested that each group contains no more than 5 members, although all members would be able to attend as with MPA committees, with the exception of the Budget and Monitoring of Police Overtime Group which membership will consist of all members of the Finance Committee.

8. Where there is a relevant portfolio, that member should chair the oversight group. Where this is not the case the oversight group should appoint its own chair.

9. Members may also feel that the time is now right to establish an Olympic and Paralympic Games Oversight Group. If this is supported, members are asked to express an interest in the membership of this group.

C. Race and equality impact

There are no specific implications as a result of these recommendations.

D. Financial implications

If Procurement is agreed as a portfolio holder position, should a magistrate or independent member be appointed to that position, that member will be eligible for payment of a Special Responsibility Allowance of £3,766 p.a.. This can be met from within existing budgets.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Nick Baker, MPA Committee Services

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Portfolio holders 2007-08

Table listing MPA Portfolio holders 2007-08

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