Issue - meetings

On Tuesday 19^th July the SAC/CC (Alexandra Park and Palace Statutory Advisory Committee & Alexandra Palace and Park Consultative Committee) Working Group met to review the Joint SAC/CC arrangements and agreed the recommendations of the Consultative Committee Working Group, which met on Monday 18^th June, including the following recommendations:

• In the spirit of building on what has already been achieved, there are further improvements to the joint meeting arrangements that could be made. See below:
• Retain the joint meeting approach, but structure the meeting as two separate but consecutive formal meetings in sequence, first the CC and then the SAC.
• The agenda could be common for both parts.
• Councillor trustee members of the CC should attend and take part in the first meeting just as they would for the CC now. SAC members could be involved in the first meeting as participating but non-voting observers.
• For the second part, which would be ring-fenced as formal SAC, members of the CC could attend as non participating observers.
• Chairman of the SAC would be as of now, and chairman of the CC would be decided by the membership.

The Consultative Committee is recommended to agree the above points as a way forward for the Joint SAC/CC arrangements.

The minutes of both working groups are attached for information.

The Chair welcomed comments and questions from Committee Members on the following recommendations of the Consultative Committee Working Group, which met on Monday 18^th June 2011:

·   In the spirit of building on what has already been achieved, there are further improvements to the joint meeting arrangements that could be made. See below:

·        Retain the joint meeting approach, but structure the meeting as effectively  two separate meetings held consecutively in sequence, first the CC followed by the SAC.

·   The agenda could be common for both parts.

·   Councillor trustee members of the CC should attend and take part in the first meeting just as they would for the CC now. SAC members could be involved in the first meeting as participating but non-voting observers.

·   For the second part, which would be ring-fenced as formal SAC, members of the CC could attend as non participating observers.

·   Chairman of the SAC would be as of now, and chairman of the CC would be decided by the membership.

Following was noted during discussions:

·   The Consultative Committee Working Group was thanked for its work on the review.

·   The Chair reminded the Committee that the Joint Statutory Advisory and Consultative Committee (SAC/CC) was established to allow for joint and better quality of debate on issues concerning the Palace and Park.

·        The SAC still had to convene formally at the close of the Joint meeting to meet legislative requirements and formalise any joint recommendations to the Board, the wording of which could be agreed before the close of the Joint meeting and then ratified or amended as appropriate by the SAC. 

·        The Chair reminded members that quality of debate would be enhanced and duplication hugely reduced, by both committees meeting together in the first session. Use of technology and clearly and visibly recording the resolutions of the joint meeting (i.e. on a projection screen) and then using those agreed positions in the following SAC session to be officially ratified by the separate SAC meeting would mean a far more efficient use of the SAC’s time.

·        One member expressed concern that the remit of the SAC might be diluted by holding shorter meetings and the Committee noted that effective chairmanship should avoid this by leading appropriate and fair debate and ensuring that both SAC and CC members were in agreement and that any separate points by the SAC be recorded effectively.

RESOLVED that the above points as a way forward for the Joint SAC/CC arrangements be agreed.

The meeting ended at 20:25 hrs.