Meeting calendar for 2001/02

Report: 6
Date: 25 January 2001
By: clerk

Summary

At the awayday on 4 January, Members expressed views on the frequency and timing of committee meetings. This report makes proposals for the future meeting dates etc in line with those views.

A. Recommendations

That the Committee make their recommendations to the February meeting of the full Authority on:

1. their preferred option for the 2001/02 calendar;
2. whether to cancel the June cycle of committee meetings (but not of the full Authority or the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee);
3. whether to change the start time of the April and June full Authority meetings to 10am;
4. whether to hold future full Authority meetings at Romney House or outside venues.

B. Supporting information

Committee calendar

1. At the awayday, one of the issues discussed was the frequency of the committee meetings (currently monthly). Although Members felt that monthly meetings had been necessary in the early life of the MPA, they considered that it is now possible and preferable to move to a two monthly cycle.

2. Two options are attached for Members to consider (see Supporting material). Both are based on:

• monthly meetings of the full Authority except for August;
• monthly meetings of the Co-ordination and Urgency Committee (if there is business to be discussed);
• meetings every two months for other committees, but avoiding any meetings in August;
• holding meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

3. The main difference between the two options is that option one keeps the full Authority meetings on the second Thursday of the month, and option two moves them to the end of the month, at the end of the committee cycle. I would recommend option two, as it would enable quicker decision making if reports from committees need to be approved by the full Authority. For ease of reference this option is also attached in schedule form. Some changes may be necessary to take account of, for instance, GLA or MPS meetings. It may also be necessary to adjust meeting dates to fit the budget process, especially in December.

4. Both options mean that every second month is free of committee meetings. It is difficult to achieve an even spread of meetings over the two month period whilst keeping August and the Christmas period clear. However, Members may wish to use the "free" month for the smaller group or scrutiny working approach that was another feature favoured at the awayday.

5. These proposals start from July. Members may wish to introduce the new cycle earlier, by cancelling the committee meetings in June.

Meetings of the full Authority

6. At the Awayday Members expressed a preference for all meetings of the full Authority meetings to be held in the morning. If agreed, this can be built into the forward calendar. However, Members are asked to consider:

1. whether the meetings on 12 April and 14 June 2001 (which are currently due to start at 6pm) should be brought forward to 10am;
2. whether to continue using outside venues or to use Romney House facilities where available (Room AG16).

Church House and Westminster Central Hall have been booked for these two meetings - there may be a cost involved in some lost deposit if the meeting times are changed, and certainly if the bookings are cancelled altogether.

C. Financial implications

If there were to be fewer Authority meetings some small savings on accommodation, attendance and printing costs would result.

D. Review arrangements

As a new organisation, the MPA is still establishing itself and will want to keep its formal decision making processes under review to ensure that they are effective.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

The author of this report is Simon Vile.

For information contact:

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

Draft calendar of dates for Authority and committee meetings from July 2001

Option 2

Key

PSPM

Professional Standards & Performance Monitoring

CUC

Co-ordination & Urgency Committee

FPBV

Finance, Planning & Best Value

HR

Human Resources

CDO

Consultation, Diversity & Outreach Committee

AP

Audit Panel

MPA

Full meeting of the Authority

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