Issue - meetings

The Audit and Governance Committee is responsible for maintaining an overview of the Council’s Constitution and governance arrangements.

The use of a Working Group for the recent review proved to be effective and the committee is therefore asked to consider the establishment of a permanent Working Group to undertake these responsibilities, recommending changes as appropriate.

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 ‘E’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

It was explained that the Audit and Governance Committee was responsible for maintaining an overview of the Council’s Constitution and governance arrangements.

The use of a Working Group for the recent review had proved to be effective and the Committee was therefore asked to consider the establishment of a permanent Working Group to undertake these responsibilities, recommending changes as appropriate to the Audit and Governance Committee.

The Chairman of the Committee reported that, following conclusion of work by the previous Working Group, he had written to all members of Council inviting submission of suggestions for future review and that the responses received had been collated for attention by the re-formed Working Group. The importance of being able to call on councillors from outside membership of the Working Group to provide, where appropriate, specialist input was underlined.

RESOLVED that:-

(a)  a Constitution Review Working Group be established comprising five councillors drawn from the Audit and Governance Committee, made up of two councillors from the Conservative Group, one unaligned councillor and two from the Unity Alliance;

(b)  meetings of the Working Group be held at 6pm;

(c)  where appropriate, other relevant councillors and officers be invited to attend meetings of the Working Group on specialist areas in a non-voting capacity.

Voting: For – 5; Against - 4.