Agenda and minutes

18.1     RESOLVED – that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on 16 July 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

19.1     Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Denis. It was noted that Councillor Cross was substituting for him.

20.1     Copies of the reports referred to below are included in the minute book.

Report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

21.1     The Committee considered a report by the Deputy Chief Executive regarding the appointment of a councillor to the South East Employers Committee.

21.2     The Committee RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Lunn as the Council representatives on the South East Employers Committee until the date of the annual council meeting in the next County Council full election year.

Report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

22.1     The Committee considered a report by the Deputy Chief Executive regarding the arrangements the County Council has in place in relation to criminal record checks for Councillors.

22.2     The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the County Council to:

1) Agree that an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring service check be undertaken for Members performing the roles listed below:

a) Nominated substitutes for the Corporate Parenting Panel (as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report) and;

b) Members of the Discretionary Transport Appeal Panel (as set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report).

2) Agree that all Members are requested to undertake a basic criminal record check after the County Council elections in May 2025; and

3) That the Council’s DBS Policy Statement is updated to include reference to the changes proposed in Recommendations 1 and 2 as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

Report by the Chief Executive.

23.1     The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive regarding amendments to the Constitution.

23.2     The Committee RESOLVED to recommend the County Council to agree to the proposed amendments in the report and the appendices to the report.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

24.1     The Committee considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport regarding the Customer Service Annual Report.

24.2     The Committee RESOLVED to:

1) Note the progress of the Customer Service Experience Board in the implementation of a series of measures to improve customer experience.

2) Support the Customer Experience Board’s focus in 2024/25 in utilising the Customer Contact Dashboard to improve service delivery and to aim to provide savings and manage demand by channel shift;

3) Support the Customer Experience Board’s focus to adopt the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman’s new Complaint Handling Code;

4) Note the number and nature of complaints made to the Council in 2023/24; and

5) Note the contents of the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman’s annual letter to the Chief Executive.

Report by the Chief Executive.

25.1     The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive regarding the appointment to a new Assistant Director post within Children’s Services.

25.2     The Committee RESOLVED (by 3 votes to 2) to agree to the appointment to a new post of Assistant Director, Commissioning and Transformation, Children’s Services.

[Councillor David Tutt abstained from the vote].