Brighton & Hove City Council
Audit & Standards Committee
4.00pm26 March 2021
Virtual Meeting (Microsoft Teams)
MINUTES
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Present: Councillors Yates (Chair) Hugh-Jones (Group Spokesperson), Bagaeen (Group Spokesperson), Clare, Hamilton, Heley, Moonan and Peltzer Dunn |
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Independent Members present: Helen Aston and David Bradly
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PART ONE
62 Procedural Business
62a Declarations of substitutes
62.1 Councillor Clare was present as substitute for Councillor Littman.
62b Declarations of interests
62.2 Councillor Hamilton noted that he had been Chair of the Cildren, Young People & Skills Committee at the time the specific decision on Home to School Transport arrangements had been taken.
62.3 Councillor Yates noted that he had been Leader of the Council and Chair of the Policy & Resources Committee at the time the specific decision on Home to School Transport arrangements had been taken
62c Exclusion of the press and public
62.4 In accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“the Act”), the Committee considered whether the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item of business on the grounds that it is likely in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during it, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act.
62.5 RESOLVED - That the press and public are excluded from the meeting for items listed on Part 2 of the agenda.
63 Chair's Communications
63.1 There were none.
64 Public Involvement
64.1 No items were received from members of the public.
65 Member Involvement
65.1 No items were received from Members.
66 Independent Barrister's Review into Home to School Transport
66.1 The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law that presented the findings from the independent barrister commissioned by the Chief Executive to carry out an investigation into the procurements associated with the Home to School Transport service change which was implemented in September 2019 following concerns from Members. The report made recommendations about how the Council should deliver change programmes.
66.2 In response to a query from the Chair, the Head of Commercial Law clarified that the Panel was comprised of Councillor Hugh-Jones, Councillor Williams, Councillor Wares and Chaired by David Bradly, one if the Council’s Independent Persons.
66.3 The Committee then resolved to exclude the press and public under Section 100(A) Section 4 of the Local Government Act 1972.
66.4 The Committee reconvened in public session at 18.10pm.
66.5 The Chair put the recommendations to the vote that were agreed.
66.6 RESOLVED- That the Committee notes the report.
67 Independent Barrister's Review into Home to School Transport (Exempt Category 5)
67.1 As detailed in the Part Two minutes.
68 PART TWO PROCEEDINGS
68.1 RESOLVED – That Committee agreed that the Part 2 Items remain exempt from disclosure from the press and public.
69 Items Referred For Council
69.1 No items were referred to Full Council for information.
The meeting concluded at 6.15pm