Issue - meetings

To consider recommendations to Council of Committees and other bodies in respect of the following matters:

a.      Committee Membership Changes (Pages

b.      Additional Functions-Head of Safer and Stronger Communities (Pages

c.      Amendments to Finance and Contract Procedure Rules (Pages

d.      Member Speaking at Planning Committees (Pages

e.      Cabinet Decision-Making Arrangements (Pages

f.        Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (Pages

Consideration was given to recommendations to Council from the Governance and Constitution Committee in respect of the following matters:-

Committee Membership Changes

                     The Conservative Group had notified the following proposed changes to Committee places:

         Licensing Committee

         Replace Councillor Parker with Councillor Hardy

Governance and Constitution Committee

Replace Cllr Bentley with Cllr Livesley

Public Rights of Way Committee

Replace Cllr Rhoda Bailey with Cllr Wray

The Governance and Constitution Committee, at its meeting on 21 May 2009 considered a report relating to the proposed changes and recommended that Council approve them.

RESOLVED

                     That the proposed changes to Committee places be approved.

Additional Functions-Head of Safer and Stronger Communities

           The Governance and Constitution Committee, at its meeting on 25 June 2009, had considered a report seeking a recommendation from the Committee to Council that reference to additional pieces of legislation be added to the list contained in the Constitution, relating to matters which fell within the remit of the Head of Safer and Stronger Communities.Council was recommended to approve the recommendation.

RESOLVED

1.      That the amended list of legislation, attached at Appendix A, be added to the list in the Appendix to the “Powers and Responsibilities of Officers” (section of Part 3 of the Constitution) which would have the effect of bringing responsibility for this legislation within the remit of the Head of Safer and Stronger Communities by virtue of paragraph 25.1.2 of that Part; and

2.      That such consequential amendments be made to the Constitution as the Borough Solicitor considered necessary to give effect to the wishes of Council.

Amendments to Finance and Contract Procedure Rules

The Governance and Constitution Committee, at its meeting on 25 June 2009, had considered a report relating to proposed amendments to the Finance and Contract Procedure Rules and recommended that Council approve the proposed amendments.

RESOLVED

1.      That the amendments to the Finance and Contract Procedure Rules, set out in Appendix B attached, be approved.

2.      That the Borough Solicitor be authorised to continue to exercise his corrective powers with regard to the Constitution, in those cases where he considers it appropriate to do so.

Member Speaking at Planning Committees

The Governance and Constitution Committee, at its meeting on 21 May 2009, considered an amendment to the Constitution to apply a Planning Public Speaking Protocol to Members’ general speaking rights at Planning Board and Planning Committee meetings.

Procedure Rule 38 in the Constitution provided that any Member may attend

Committees to which they had not been appointed. The Member had no right to vote, but could speak with the consent of the chairman.  The Council had delegated authority to the Strategic Planning Board to adopt its own working protocols. The Board had now adopted a Protocol which gave enhanced speaking rights to a wide range of speakers who could address the Board and Committees. It was, therefore, necessary to amend the existing provisions within the Constitution relating to Member and public speaking.

The Committee had previously resolved to review Member and public speaking provisions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125