Agenda item

To consider the recommendations of the Constitution Member Working Group on a range of proposed measures to further the Council’s efforts to be more open.

The Committee considered a report outlining a number of proposals by the Constitution Member Working Group.

Councillor S Pochin, who had been unable to attend the meeting, had submitted comments in relation to a proposal on the recording of committee meetings; the Chairman summarised her comments to the Committee.

Any non-major changes to the Constitution approved by the Committee in accordance with its new powers would be reported to Council in due course.

RESOLVED

1.    Audio-recording of committee meetings: that with effect from the beginning of the new municipal year, subject to the availability of appropriate equipment, the proceedings of all decision-making meetings be audio-recorded; further that such recordings be retained for use by officers only in order to resolve any disagreement as to the accuracy of the draft minutes of the meeting, and that after formal agreement of the draft minutes, the audio recording be deleted. It is further resolved that the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer make such amendments to the Access to Information Procedure Rules as he considers are necessary to give effect to the wishes of the Committee;

2.    Publication of Member attendances: that the public recording of Member attendances at non-formal decision-making meetings of Cheshire East Council, joint bodies and outside organisations be agreed in principle and the matter be referred to the Member IT Panel with a view to devising a suitable mechanism for recording such attendances;

3.    Contract Procedure Rules: that all notices of waiver, which are used when consent is sought to depart from the requirements of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules, and notices which are used to record any non-adherence to the Rules, be retrospectively published for information on the next appropriate Audit and Governance Committee agenda; and the Director of Legal Services be authorised to make such amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules as he considers necessary to give effect to the wishes of the Committee;

4.    Member Job Descriptions: that the job description for committee chairmen attached at Appendix 1 to the report be recommended to Council for approval and adoption, and further consideration be given to the development of a job description for councillors, taking into consideration the model set out at Appendix 2 to the report;

5.    Chairmanship of Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings: that it is this Committee’s view that the allocation of one or more overview and scrutiny committee chairmanships to the Council’s opposition groups is a good idea in principle and consistent with best practice; and

6.    Ombudsman findings: that subject to the requirements referred to in paragraph 5.2.4 of the report, the terms of reference of the Audit and Governance Committee be expanded to include responsibility for considering all findings of the Local Government Ombudsman, and for making recommendations as to actions that may be necessary in connection with the Ombudsman’s findings; this also to include reports resulting in a finding of maladministration against the Council; and the Director of Legal Services be authorised to make such amendments to the Constitution as he considers necessary to give effect to the wishes of the Committee.