Agenda item

The Interim Director of Governance and Compliance (Monitoring Officer) introduced the report of the Interim Executive Director of Corporate Services (Deputy Monitoring Officer), and advised the committee of their role in determining the matter.

As per the Council’s procedure for call-in meetings, the Chairman called on Councillor S Pochin, as the nominated spokesperson for the call-in group, to explain the reasons why the decision was called-in.

Following this, the Acting Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Director of Place was asked to, in light of the fact that the then Portfolio Holder for Finance and Communications was not re-elected on 2 May 2019, explain the reasons for the decision and provide context in respect of the issue under which the decision was called-in.

The committee unanimously agreed that it should accept the call-in request and proceed to its deliberation as to whether it would provide any advice to the decision taker.

Members of the committee then directed questions to the officers present to ensure that it would be able to take informed and well-evidenced decision.

A motion was proposed and seconded which stated that the Committee accept the call-in and advise the relevant portfolio holder now responsible for this matter, that adequate consultation needed to be undertaken with the appropriate persons and bodies in respect of the decision that was taken.

The vote on the motion was tied and, following the Chairman’s decision to not exercise a ruling vote, the proposition failed.

The Chairman proposed that the committee accept the call-in and, instead of providing advice direct to the decision taker, recommend that the Constitution Committee review the constitutional process for providing elected members with Part 2 (exempted) information, and the time that is provided to review such information when it is provided to elected members; and that this would conclude the matter.

The motion was seconded and unanimously carried.

The Chairman confirmed that this meant that the committee would not be issuing advice to the relevant portfolio holder in respect of the called-in decision, and that the decision would therefore be implemented with immediate effect.

RESOLVED

That the committee accept the call-in request of the call-in group and, instead of providing advice direct to the decision taker or appropriate portfolio holder, recommend that the Constitution Committee review the constitutional process for providing elected members with Part 2 (exempted) information, and the time that is provided to review such information when it is provided to elected members; and that this would conclude the matter.