New committee to reduce duplication and improve decision making

An all committee review has been taking place looking at the remit and workload of each of the various council committees with aim of making sure decision making is effective and streamlined.

The review has found there are some areas of overlap where work and responsibilities were being duplicated.  

Consequently a proposal is being put forward not only to reallocate some work to existing, more relevant committees, but to create a new committee by merging the Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities (NICE) and Tourism, Development & Culture (TDC) committees.  

All the work currently being undertaken will continue and none of the focus will be lost.  

Merging NICE and TDC will save the council approximately £10,000 in councillor allowances and other costs incurred by committees.

Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture

The proposed name for the new committee is Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee (TECC).

The proposal will be considered by the council’s Policy, Resources & Growth Committee next month and then a meeting of Full Council.

Speaking about the new committee, council leader Councillor Nancy Platts said that co-opted members of the NICE committee - which includes representatives from the voluntary sector, the police and the CCG - would have seats on the new committee to ensure their voices were heard by the council and the city. She said:

“We’re very clear that the views of our partners are intrinsic to the decisions we make as councillors on behalf of the city and we want to hear more of our partners and our communities’ voices at committee meetings.

“Increasing equality is a central principle informing how we plan, finance, deliver, commission and review our services; our commitment to equality and inclusion is unwavering. We will ensure equalities and inclusion continue to be a key factor in all our decisions.”

Additional proposed changes

  • Homelessness issues will be within the remit of the Housing & New Homes Committee
  • Major building projects will be the within the remit of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee
  • Economic growth and regeneration will be the within the remit of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee
  • Councillor ward budgets will be the within the remit of the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee