Local Government Committee, 13 Feb 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Official Report 231KB pdf

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Items in Private

We will make a start because we have a full agenda and, although we expect other members to attend, we are quorate.

We will take items 6, 7 and 8 in private. During item 6 we will discuss potential advisers to the committee, and we do not want what we say to be in the public domain. Item 7 is a discussion on the operation of committees. I would like that debate to be as frank as possible, as changes have been made to the number and membership of committees. That debate is not at this point a matter for the public. Item 8 is our draft report on the power of community initiative, community planning and political restrictions. We agreed last week that item 9 should be taken in private. I am not happy that we are taking so many items in private, but it just so happens that today we have to consider three papers that should not yet be in the public domain.

I suggest that we postpone item 8 to our first meeting after the recess. It appears that we received the report only in the past hour or so and, given the volume of work that we have today, I do not think that we can give it proper consideration.

I appreciate that point, but 16 February is the closing date for responses. When we reach item 8, I will give you time to read the report and we will go through it line by line. I apologise that you have received the report so late. That does not happen very often on the committee. As you know, the staff have been under great pressure of work recently.

Has further thought been given to the Local Government Committee's agenda? It appears that we are being overwhelmed weekly. There is a danger that we will not be able to give the consideration that is required to everything on our agenda. Certainly, the staff seem to be under strain. This is the first occasion on which we have received a report on the day of a meeting—usually we receive reports at least 24 hours before meetings. We need seriously to consider rescheduling some of our work.

I take that point. It will come up for discussion when we examine the paper on committees.