Issue - meetings

To consider the delegation of functions.

Report of the Interim Monitoring Officer attached.

The Interim Monitoring Officer informed the Committee of work to be carried out to ensure decision-making powers are properly delegated to the relevant decision-making individual or body of the new Unitary Council. It was noted that bodies would need to be established with responsibilities in the following areas of the unitary Council’s non-executive business:

·        Development Control

·        Building Control

·        Licensing

·        Environmental Health

·        Housing

·        Staffing

·        Education Appeals

·        Highways and Transportation

·        Rights of Way

·        Governance/Audit

·        Standards

All Local authorities relied on arrangements by which some decisions, within specific limits, were delegated to officers, whilst others are delegated to committees and sub committees.   Individual Portfolio Holders, subject to certain limitations, could take executive decisions.  Delegation was an important issue to resolve as it would dictate the amount of work for each Portfolio Holder (where appropriate) and each committee and sub-committee. 

There were still a number of key questions to be answered to provide direction to officers and to progress constitutional work.  It was noted that the detail of these issues would best be addressed through informal Member working arrangements (with the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Party Whips), and reports would be brought back to this Committee at an appropriate time.

RESOLVED – to note the content of the report and the detailed arrangements for the proposed decision making structure of the unitary Council should be given initial consideration via informal Member working arrangements.