1.
PURPOSE
The Residents’ Forums (“the
Forums”) are part of Oadby and Wigston Borough
Council’s (“the Council”) governance arrangements
that exist to provide assurances that there are robust structures,
processes and accountabilities in place for engagement with local
people around the decisions and decision-making processes of the
Council.
2.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Terms of Reference of the Forums are as
follows:
2.1
To enable local residents to
oversee, scrutinise and hold the Council to account regarding its
decisions and decision-making.
2.2
To provide a conduit between the Council and the
local community.
2.3
To ensure that positive engagement with the wider
community is undertaken to gather information and views and inform
decisions.
2.4
To offer practical advice and support to new
projects where community engagement is required.
2.5
To highlight areas of concern raised by the wider community and enable potential
need for change, where appropriate.
2.6
To listen to, discuss and suggest new proposals and
changes that are required.
2.7
To ensure that any proposals and/or decisions
regarding Council services, service change or redevelopment etc.
have had appropriate community involvement.
2.8
To support the Council’s arrangements for
compliance with equality and diversity requirements in all
engagement activities.
3.
MEMBERSHIP & PARTICIPATION
3.1
Membership of the Forums is primarily intended for
residents, constituted groups and people who work or have
businesses within the area which the Forum represents.
3.2
The Forum will be an open and accessible platform
for community participation and the opportunity for all Forum
members to present and share their views individually or
collectively.
3.3
To achieve the broadest possible levels of
participation, the Council will make best use of its various
communication channels to promote the Forum meetings.
4.
THE CHAIR, MEETING FORMAT &
VOTING
4.1
The Residents’ Forums will be chaired by an
elected-Member appointed by the Council at its Annual General
Meeting for each ensuing municipal year.
4.2
The Forum meetings will take the format of an
informal discussion led by and through the Chair.
4.3
Where an item requires approval by way of a vote,
that vote will be by a show of hands.
4.4
Any vote will be determined by a simple majority of
those Forum members present and entitled to vote.
4.5
Elected-Members will not be entitled to vote on any
item at Forum meetings.
4.6
Decisions of the Forums will be advisory only and
not binding on the Council.
5.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT & CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST
5.1
Where any member of the Forum believes that he or
she has a conflict of interest in relation to one or more agenda
items, he or she must declare this at the meeting and in advance of
the agenda item being discussed.
5.2
It will be responsibility of the Chair to decide in
his or her ultimate discretion how to manage the conflict and
decide upon an appropriate course of action.
6.
FREQUENCY, DURATION & VENUE OF
MEETINGS
6.1
The Residents’ Forums will meet quarterly.
6.2
Forum meetings will be scheduled to last for no
longer than two hours, with any extension to the duration of the
meeting to be decided at the Chair’s discretion.
6.3
The dates, times and venues for Forum meetings will
be planned for the municipal year ahead and will endeavour to be as
accommodating as reasonably possible to maximise the opportunity
for participation for all.
7.
AGENDA-SETTING, MINUTES & REPORTING
ARRANGEMENTS
7.1
The Community Engagement Officer will provide
administrative support to the Forums and be responsible for the
preparation and circulation of meeting agendas, minutes and any
other resources as necessary.
7.2
The items of the agenda will be determined by the
Chair having due regard to any specific requests made by members of
the Forum raised at or before meetings.
7.3
The minutes will contain a brief summary of the discussions
held at Forum meetings and a record of any action points raised and
the outcome of any vote taken.
7.4
The consideration of the minutes of previous Forum meetings
will be limited to points of any factual or typographical
inaccuracies within the text as written only.
7.5
A ‘matters arising’ item will be included on the
agenda for Forum meetings to facilitate any further and necessary
discussion on minutes of previous meetings.
7.6
The minutes of the Residents’ Forums will be
reported to the next meeting of the Policy, Finance and Development
Committee for information.