Council / ‘Significant duplication’ across some SIC meetings, auditors say
A COUNCILLOR has welcomed a suggestion that SIC meetings could be more streamlined – saying it can be “burdensome” when the same report is taken through multiple committees.
Moraig Lyall added it can mean some councillors not present in earlier meetings may feel like they have missed out on debate.
An internal audit report on “committee effectiveness” was brought to a meeting of Shetland Islands Council’s audit committee on Wednesday.
One recommendation was for management to consider if reporting across committees can be streamlined.
The report said there can be “significant duplication” between functional committees, such as environment and transport and education and families, with policy and resources (P&R) and the full council.
Auditors selected a sample of four meetings from five committees.
It said between 53 per cent to 92 per cent of papers presented to P&R have been to at least one other committee, and/or are also planned for full council.
The report, from Audit Glasgow, said: “While a certain level of overlap is unavoidable, there is potential for some of the overlap to be reduced by streamlining what is reported, for example sharing reports that are only to be noted from other committees outside of the committee agenda.
“Also, due to the number of elected members many are members of multiple committees and, all are members of full council meaning that some members are seeing the report multiple times as it is presented to various committees.
“This increases the risk that committee time is not put to best use and that members become fatigued by large agendas and repeat reports.”
As the report suggested, there are occasions when a number of items are presented to different council meetings.
Jillian Campbell from Audit Glasgow said the organisation is asking SIC management to streamline duplication “as much as possible”.
Speaking the audit committee earlier this week, Lyall said she welcomed this suggestion.
She added: “I feel it’s disenfranchising for our colleagues who sit on the later committees that don’t see it the first time it’s around – it’s like they’ve almost missed out on the bulk of the debate.”
Lyall also said she felt the P&R committee should be changed “substantially”.
Depute leader Gary Robinson said he felt like a “lone voice” in seeing the merit of P&R, adding that it was created in response to findings from the Accounts Commission in 2010.
While he accepted the points about report duplication, the Lerwick North and Bressay member said: “Part of the duplication is also ensuring there’s proper scrutiny and challenge around issues right up to approval.”
Meanwhile councillors were also keen to see a proposed governance review come to fruition.
Shetland Central member Catherine Hughson said it should be a “high priority” this year.
Committee chairman Allison Duncan added that the “message is loud and clear to officers” that the governance review should be before elected members in September or earlier.
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