The Portfolio Holder for Legal & Democratic Services presented a report updating the Committee on challenges and recent achievements within her portfolio, highlighting that workplace accidents had fallen from 35 to 14  with days lost off work falling from 29 to zero. Individual Electoral Registration (IER) had not become less cumbersome over time but the funding from government had fallen. Almost all Licensing PIs were at a very high standard of 100%, but they would be difficult to maintain while the new Licensing Partner was embedded. Further Partnership expansion would be difficult at this time given managerial capacity. The trading company’s first meeting would be on 15 November 2016. She felt that her services were in much better position than when she had taken them over. An appendix to the report of recent legal successes was tabled for Members’ consideration.

Updating Members on matters raised at the meeting on 23 February 2016, she confirmed that training would be given to Members about declarations of interest after the Full Council meeting on 22 November 2016. The Swanley slip road, which had been the site of an accident involving the Council, was to be completely adopted by the Highways Agency. The Portfolio Holder responded to Members’ questions.

In response to a question from the Chairman, the Portfolio Holder advised that her three greatest concerns were in getting IER to a cost neutral position, in embedding the London Borough of Bexley into the Licensing Partnership and ensuring that the trading company makes returns and is properly governed and regulated.

Asked about the Licensing Partnership, the Portfolio Holder confirmed that efficiencies were created as the administration was centralised and mostly electronic. The Partner Authorities kept their own Officers and policies and so licensing complaints should be directed to local staff. The Licensing Partnership was due to have its first cost neutral year in 2017/18 since the Licensing Act 2003 and it was unsuitable to ask for a greater proportion of savings going forward as it was a true Partnership. The draft Partnership Working Agreement set out a 6 months’ notice period to leave.

A Member enquired what percentage of the District had been registered on the electoral roll. The Portfolio Holder explained that approximately 88,700 had already registered but there were still an additional 300 registrations each week.

Another Member raised concerns that some Members may not be familiar with the Council’s procedural rules, such as when Members may speak at Full Council meetings. The Chief Officer Corporate Services explained that the Head of Legal & Democratic Services was considering all training offered to Members and may soon send a survey to Members for what training they would be interested in.

The Portfolio Holder was asked whether there was a cheaper or more efficient way to administer elections. The Portfolio Holder advised that legal constraints prevented allowing online voting with fewer polling stations but she was investigating the digitisation of the service where possible.

The Vice Chairman made a request that the Council consider recording more meetings and make videos of Member training available online. The Portfolio Holder expressed support for these proposals.

The Vice Chairman further enquired whether it was appropriate that no Councillor sat on the Executive Board and whether that allowed the Board to act against Members’ wishes. The Portfolio Holder clarified that the structure was based on guidance provided by E C Harris and would help to avoid conflicts of interest. Members noted that the Articles of Association required that the Business Plan be approved by the Trading Board.