Meeting arrangements

Report 6
Date: 27 February 2001
By: Clerk

Summary

The report reviews the arrangements made for meetings of the Committee and asks members whether they wish to make any revisions to these arrangements.

A. Recommendations

• the arrangements for the meetings be noted
• members are invited to comment on the proposed changes outlined below at paragraphs 6 and 12 and to agree on the boroughs to be visited until the end of the year.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. At the inaugural meeting of the Committee on 28 July 2000 it was agreed that, in order to engage as many people as possible, the Committee would hold future meetings at various venues around London.

2. At its meeting on 26 September 2000 the Committee set various criteria concerning the type of venues to be used and it was agreed to hold meetings in alternate inner and outer-London boroughs.

Meetings have been held as follows.

September

Greenwich - Clockhouse Community Centre SE18

October

Waltham Forest - Epicentre E11

November

Hammersmith and Fulham - Edward Wood Community Centre W11

December

Enfield -The Community House N9

January

Tower Hamlets - Dame Colet House E1

February

Bromley - Central Library

3. Venues have been sought which met the criteria set by the Committee although existing bookings have in many cases limited the number of options available.

Time of meetings

4. In order that as many members of the public have the opportunity to attend, the CDO meetings, unlike other Committees of the Authority, are held in the evenings. (The December meeting fell during Ramadan so it was brought forward to the morning.) The meetings start at 6.00 p.m. but at the November meeting a member of the public asked whether consideration had been given to holding meetings at 7.00 p.m. The questioner felt that a later starting time would enable more Londoners who worked to attend the meetings. The questioner was advised that this point would be taken into consideration when the meeting arrangements were reviewed.

5. In considering the request members may also wish to consider the alternative view - namely that a later starting time might act as a deterrent for people working in the near vicinity of the meetings as it would mean that they had spare time to fill in.

6. One option would be to experiment with different starting times with the bulk of meetings at 6.00 p.m. and with some meetings in the morning or afternoon. This might make the meetings more attractive to particular sections of the community.

Child care

7. At the meeting in Tower Hamlets the Committee was asked whether consideration had been given to the provision of child care and the Committee asked the officers to look into this issue.

8. It has not been possible to identify any comparable meetings where child care is provided for members of the public. There are a number of important factors involved and the officers are still examining how such a scheme might work in practice.

Refreshments

9. Following a request from a member of the public made at the October meeting refreshments are now made available for everyone attending the meeting. The Committee is asked whether it wishes to continue this practice.

Community questions

10. The Authority’s Standing Orders were amended to facilitate 30 minutes for members of the public to ask questions.

Publicity

11. Publicity is given to the Committee’s meetings in the area in which they are to be held to encourage the public, as well as stakeholders to attend. Posters are sent to local libraries, community centres, local police stations for public notice boards and to those who have particular responsibility for diversity and social injustice issues. Press notices are sent to all local and ethnic newspapers and radio stations and the website is also a useful platform.

Options for change

12. Members may consider that a short presentation on a relevant topic in support of a written paper might be of interest to the Committee and to members of the public. Indeed, if included in the publicity it might attract more members of the public to attend the meeting.

Venues for future meetings

13. Committees of the Authority have agreed to meet bi-monthly from June. If the Committee wishes to continue holding meetings alternately in inner and outer boroughs the following programme is suggested:

March

Lambeth

April

Haringey

May

Kingston

June

Havering

September

Barnet

C. Financial implications

Costs will continue to be incurred from hiring external venues and providing refreshments.

D. Background papers

• Report 15 to the meeting of the Consultation, Diversity and Outreach Committee held on 26th September 2000.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is John Crompton, MPA Secretariat.

For information contact:

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

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