Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture concerning the governance arrangements for Gloucestershire Airport Limited.

Note:  Councillors Hilton, Lugg and Taylor withdrew to the public gallery during consideration of this agenda item.

61.1      The Council considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture concerning the Terms of Reference for the Shareholder Forum for Gloucestershire Airport and progress being made with the governance arrangements.

61.2      Councillor James moved the recommendation set out in the report.

61.3      Councillor Dallimore seconded the motion.

61.4      Councillor James explained that the proposals for a Shareholder Forum followed the recommendations of the recent governance review to strengthen the governance arrangements for the Airport and would help to ensure that the policy positions of both the City Council and Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC) as shareholders was aligned, to help guarantee the Airport’s success. He welcomed the continuation of a constructive working relationship with the Airport company.

61.5      Councillor Wilson questioned whether the proposals would improve the Council’s relationship with the Airport company and raised concerns about the circulation of the report.

61.6      Councillor Field sought confirmation that the Airport Board and CBC would have sight of the Terms of Reference.

61.7      Councillor Porter emphasised the need for the governance matters to be resolved quickly in order for the Airport to successfully move forward.

61.8      A number of Members reported that they had not had sight of either the public or the exempt version of the report until the start of the meeting.

61.9      The Head of Legal and Policy Development confirmed that the requirements of the Access to Information Procedure Rules had been complied with.

61.10   Councillor Haigh questioned why the Council’s representatives on the Airport Board had been prevented from accessing the exempt report.

61.11   Councillor James noted that the public version of the report had been accepted as a supplementary agenda item on the day of the meeting and that the exempt report was circulated by email; the requirement for two separate versions of the report was due to the conflicts of interest of the Councillors who were also Members of the Airport Board. He advised that the Terms of Reference had been drafted jointly with CBC and would be made available to the Airport Board if approved by the both shareholder authorities. He confirmed that the Constitution would be amended accordingly.

61.12   RESOLVED –

(1)       That progress on implementation of the approved governance arrangements be noted;

(2)       That the draft Terms of Reference for the Shareholder Forum at Appendix 1 be approved;

(3)       That authority be delegated to the Leader, in consultation with the Head of Finance, the Head of Regeneration and Economic Development and the Head of Legal and Policy Development, to make decisions on behalf of the Council as shareholder, on all matters within the Terms of Reference for the Shareholder Forum, except any decisions which are not within the Council’s approved Budget or which are inconsistent with the Council’s Money Plan.