Ben Houchen pulls out of inquorate Scrutiny Committee meeting

TVCA’s constitution says: “quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be ten members, representing no fewer than four Constituent Authorities”.

Councillors expressed their frustration at the committee’s constitution, with Labour’s Matt Storey saying he thinks the threshold for quoracy is too high. “At most local authorities, if seven councillors turn up you’re doing well,” he said. “Ten is far too high”.

He was also critical of Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen for not attending, saying the mayor’s attendance “isn’t about quoracy, it’s about accountability.

"There is very litle point to the meeting unless the mayor is there to be scrutinised,” he added.

A spokesperson for TVCA told The Yorkshire Post: “The mayor is not a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Please note that the mayor’s attendance does not affect the meeting’s quoracy.”

The schedule for 2024’s meetings for the committee had been agreed around Lord Houchen’s commitments, on the expectation he would attend. When challenged by councillors who attended if this had been the case, TVCA chief executive Julie Gilhespie confirmed this was true.

Committee members’ concerns were raised when the meeting’s agenda was sent on Monday without listing any cabinet members due in attendance.

“The mayor is the only member of the cabinet who’s directly elected to his position,” said Cllr Storey. “He has to be there for us to do our jobs properly.

“That meeting is the only public forum for elected members to ask questions on behalf of constituents directly to the mayor.”

Lord Houchen was also absent for the committee’s previous meeting in November.