Information about Local
Government Reorganisation Joint Scrutiny Committee
The agendas and
minutes for these meetings can be viewed on the Somerset County
Council website at this link:
Somerset County Council
They will be published
7 days before the meeting.
Following the Secretary of State’s decision, extensive
collaborative work has been undertaken by the five councils to
support the implementation of the single unitary council in April
2023. Through partnership, the programme governance arrangements
have been jointly established with oversight and direction from the
Somerset leaders and chief executives. The LGR Joint Committee has
agreed the Terms of Reference for the LGR Joint Committee and
included provision for the creation of a Joint Scrutiny Committee
in those Terms of Reference.
The
establishment of the JSC will create a collaborative democratic
mechanism which will establish a countywide scrutiny framework
allowing the Constituent Councils to scrutinise the LGR Joint
Committee in an effective and timely manner in relation to the
preparation for the establishment of the unitary council in
Somerset. It will also positively respond to DLUHC’s
expectations for collaborative arrangements to be established as
early as possible in the implementation programme. The JSC will be
consulted and have an opportunity to make representations to the
LGR Joint Committee in relation to budget setting for the new
Unitary and any medium-term financial plans. The establishment of
the JSC will also ensure that all Councils can play an important
role in helping shape the direction of the implementation process
but without leading to duplication and delay.
The
Local Government Reorganisation Joint Scrutiny Committee of sixteen
members drawn from the relevant overview and scrutiny committees of
the Constituent Councils, eight from the County Council and two
from each of the District Councils (eight in total) with the Chair
being appointed from the District membership and the Vice Chair
from the County membership. Allocation of the seats has been based
on individual councils. This ensures the political make up of each
constituent council is represented and is reflective of the fact
that the Constituent Councils are currently individual sovereign
councils.
