Full Terms of Reference
Joint Strategic Economic
Committee
Swindon and Wiltshire Joint Strategic Economic
Committee - Termsof reference,membershipand procedurerules.
1.
Purpose
To provide local democratic and financial
accountability for the Swindon and Wiltshire Strategic Economic
Plan (SEP), the use of the Local Growth Fund (LGF) and other
related funding streams.
2. Governance
2.1 The Swindon and Wiltshire Joint Strategic Economic
Committee (JSEC) is established as a joint committee under sections
101(5),102 of the Local Government Act 1972, section 9EB of the
Local Government Act 2000 and Regulation 11 of the Local
Authorities (Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions (England)
Regulations2012.
2.2 The JSEC comprises Swindon Borough Council and
Wiltshire Council as the two Unitary Authorities in the area
covered by the Swindon and Wiltshire SEP.
2.3 Political
proportionality rules do not apply to the JSEC as so
constituted.
3. Functions
3.1 The functions delegated to the JSEC by the
Unitary Authorities are as
follows:
·
To act as a
single voice for local government in Swindon and Wiltshire in
relation to the delivery of the SEP and local Growth
Deals;
·
To
facilitate and enable collaboration between the two Authorities on
economic development and related matters;
·
Provide
local democratic accountability for the delivery of the SEP and the
use of public resources to fund the implementation of the Strategic
Economic Plan and Local Growth Deals (including supporting
Wiltshire’s Council’s role as the accountable
body);
·
Provide
political oversight of the marshalling and co-ordination of Local
Government’s contribution to the delivery of the SEP and
Local Growth Deals;
·
Act as
formal link between Local Government and the LEP.
4. Membership
4.1
Membership of the JSEC shall
comprise:
Voting:
a. 3 Executive members of each council to include;
i. The
Leader
ii. Deputy Leader
iii.
Cabinet Member holding the portfolio which includes Economic
Development
Non-voting
b. Chairman of the SWLEP plus two other SWLEP Board
Members who are from the Business community.
4.2 Each Unitary Authority shall appoint up to
three named substitutes for their voting members. The substitute
member shall be a Cabinet Member of the Authority and shall have
the same rights of speaking and voting at meetings as the member
for whom the substitution is made.
4.3
Each member of the JSEC shall remain
in office until removed or replaced by their appointing local
Authority, the Leader of their Council or the SWLEP Board, as the
case may be.
5. Voting
5.1 One member one vote for
each Unitary Authority member.
5.2
Except as otherwise provided, any matter shall be decided by a
majority of the votes of the voting members present.
However, In the event of any circumstance where the
JSEC cannot reach agreement on an issue pertaining to the SEP, the
issue in hand will be referred back to the SWLEP Board for
review.
6.
Quorum
6.1 The quorum for a
meeting shall be four voting members, including at least
one member from each council. No
business shall be transacted unless a quorum is
present. If a quorum ceases to be
present during a meeting the meeting shall be adjourned to a date
to be agreed or determined by the Chair.
7. Chair and Vice-Chair
7.1 The Chairmanship and Vice
Chairmanship of the JSEC shall rotate annually between the Elected
Leaders of each Council. If the Chair is not present at any meeting
the Vice Chair will preside. If neither
Leader is present the JSEC will elect a Chair for that meeting from
those present.
8. Meetings
8.1 The JSEC shall meet
quarterly and at such other times as may be agreed.
8.2 A meeting of the JSEC
shall be convened by the Chair within twenty-eight days of the
receipt of a written request of any two voting members addressed to
the secretary to the JSEC. No business
other than that specified in the request shall be transacted at
that meeting.
8.3 The agenda and supporting
papers shall be circulated electronically to the members of the
JSEC at least 5 clear days before the meeting.
8.4 The agenda for any meeting
shall be settled by the secretary in consultation with the Leaders
of both Councils.
8.5 Where a member of the JSEC
is unable to attend any meeting they shall arrange for their
substitute to attend and inform the secretary of this as soon as
possible before the meeting.
8.6 Except as otherwise
provided, meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the rules
of procedure in Part 4 of Wiltshire Council’s
Constitution.
9.
Access to Meetings and Information
9.1 The Access to information
rules in Part 5 of Wiltshire Council’s Constitution shall
apply to proceedings of the JSEC.
9.2 Any Freedom of Information
requests received by the JSEC shall be directed to the relevant
Council to deal with in accordance with the relevant
legislation. Where the request relates
to both Councils they shall liaise with each other before
responding to the request.
10.
Hosting and Administration
10.1 Hosting
of the JSEC shall be rotated between Swindon Borough Council and
Wiltshire Council. The secretary to the JSEC shall be from
Wiltshire Council who will also provide support through the
services of the Council’s Director of Finance / Section 151
Officer and the monitoring officer/director of legal and
governance.
10.2 The
secretary shall keep a proper account of money received and
expended on the administration of the JSEC and the costs incurred
shall be shared equally between the two Councils.
10.2
Wiltshire Council shall be the Accountable Body for the purposes of
the Growth Fund and other funding relating to the Swindon and
Wiltshire SEP.
11. Code of
Conduct and Declaration of Interests
11.1 Members of the JSEC
shall be subject to their own Council’s Code of
Conduct, including the rules on
declaration of interests.
12. Overview and Scrutiny Arrangements
12.1 The
decisions and business of the JSEC shall be subject to the overview
and scrutiny functions of each Council and any joint overview and
scrutiny arrangements agreed between the Councils.
13.
Variation and Dissolution
13.1 The
constitution of the JSEC may be varied or dissolved by the
unanimous agreement of the voting members.