Issue - meetings

Minute No. 25 – Review of the Council’s Constitution

RECOMMENDED that:

(a)    (i)     in relation to Issue 1 (Overview and Scrutiny Structure and Arrangements) the proposed amendments to Parts 2, 3, 4 and 7, as set out in Appendix 3 to the submitted report, be approved with an implementation date of 29 September 2023;

        (ii)    subject to the approval of (a)(i) above, authority to agree the calendar of meeting dates for the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the remainder of 2023/24 be delegated by Council to the Overview and Scrutiny Board;

(b)    in relation to Issue 2 (salary Sacrifice Scheme for Councillors):-

(i)     the proposed amendment to insert a new Section 8 into Part 7 (Scheme of Members' Allowances), as set out in paragraph 35 to the submitted report, be approved;

(ii)    the Chief Executive be delegated authority to determine from time-to-time which benefit schemes are to be made available to councillors;

(c)    in relation to Issue 3 (Schedule of Council Meetings – Change of Date, Time and Venue), the amendment to Part 4D, Procedure Rule 1, as set out in paragraph 39 to the submitted report, be approved;

(d)    any necessary and consequential technical and formatting related updates and revisions to the Constitution be made by the Monitoring Officer in accordance with the powers delegated.

The Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee presented the report on the Review of the Council’s Constitution – Recommendations of the Constitution Review Working Group and outlined the recommendations as set out on the agenda.

Comprehensive discussion took place with members stressing the importance, of both the overview and scrutiny function and welcoming the proposed new arrangements.

RESOLVED that: - 

(a)             (i)       in relation to Issue 1 (Overview and Scrutiny Structure and Arrangements) the proposed amendments to Parts 2, 3, 4 and 7, as set out in Appendix 3 to the submitted report, be approved with an implementation date of 29 September 2023;

(ii)             subject to the approval of (a)(i) above, authority to agree the calendar of meeting dates for the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the remainder of 2023/24 be delegated by Council to the Overview and Scrutiny Board;

(b)            in relation to Issue 2 (salary Sacrifice Scheme for Councillors):-

(i)               the proposed amendment to insert a new Section 8 into Part 7 (Scheme of Members' Allowances), as set out in paragraph 35 to the submitted report, be approved;

(ii)             the Chief Executive be delegated authority to determine from time-to-time which benefit schemes are to be made available to councillors;

(c)             in relation to Issue 3 (Schedule of Council Meetings – Change of Date, Time and Venue), the amendment to Part 4D, Procedure Rule 1, as set out in paragraph 39 to the submitted report, be approved; and

(d)            any necessary and consequential technical and formatting related updates and revisions to the Constitution be made by the Monitoring Officer in accordance with the powers delegated.

Voting: 50:0 (7 abstentions)

The report summarises the issues considered by the Constitution Review Working Group and sets out a series of recommendations arising from the Working Group for consideration by the Committee including proposed changes to the overview and scrutiny arrangements.

Any recommendations arising from the Committee shall be referred to full Council for adoption.

The Head of Democratic Services presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Members were requested to discuss the issues considered by the Constitution Review Working Group and the series of recommendations which had arisen.

In relation to this Members were advised that the recommendations included the proposed changes to the overview and scrutiny arrangements.

Further to this Members were informed that any recommendations arising from the Committee shall be referred to full Council for adoption.

Following the introduction, the Chair of the Constitution Working Group, Councillor Margaret Phipps highlighted the main areas of discussion raised by the Working Group and in proposing the recommendations set out within the report proposed an additional recommendation (a)(ii) as follows: -

(a)(ii)   subject to approval of a(i) above, authority to agree the calendar of meeting dates for the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the remainder of 2023/2024 be delegated by Council to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

The Committee discussed the recommendations in detail and in relation to this requested that each of the recommendations be discussed and voted on separately.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     (i)   in relation to Issue 1 (Overview and Scrutiny Structure and     Arrangements) the proposed amendments to Parts 2, 3, 4 and 7, as set out in Appendix 3 to this report, be approved with an implementation date of 29 September 2023;

(ii) subject to approval of a(i) above, authority to agree the calendar of meeting dates for the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the remainder of 2023/2024 be delegated by Council to the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

(b)     in relation to Issue 2 (salary Sacrifice Scheme for Councillors): -

(i)          the proposed amendment to insert a new Section 8 into Part 7 (Scheme of Members' Allowances), as set out in paragraph 35 to this report, be approved;

(ii)     the Chief Executive be delegated authority to determine from time-to-time which benefit schemes are to be made available to councillors;

(c)     in relation to Issue 3 (Schedule of Council Meetings – Change of Date, Time and Venue), the amendment to Part 4D, Procedure Rule 1, as set out in paragraph 39 to this report, be approved; and

(d)     any necessary and consequential technical and formatting related updates and revisions to the Constitution be made by the Monitoring Officer in accordance with the powers delegated.

Voting: (a) – (d) Unanimous