Issue - meetings

Revisions to the Constitution

Meeting: 22/02/2023 - Procedures Committee (Item 3)

3 Revisions to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 111 KB

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Minutes:

Members discussed the proposed changes to the constitution they raised the following points:

·       the need to understand officers’ reasons for the changes

·       for the changes to be broken and presented over a period of time and not in one document

·       the changes should be deferred for the new Council to consider after the May 2023 elections with the exception of the key decision thresholds.

 

Members recommended that Council increase in the financial limits for Key Decisions 3.4.7 for revenue to £100,000 and for capital projects to £250,000.

 

RESOLVED that the revisions to the Constitution be deferred to after the May 2023 elections with the exception of financial limits in 3.4.7.

 

RECOMMENDED to Council that the financial limits Key Decisions at 3.4.7 in the constitution be increased as follows:

·       Revenue £100,000

·       Capital £250,000

 

And any other references to these limits be amended accordingly.

 


Meeting: 18/01/2023 - Audit Scrutiny Committee (Item 28)

28 Revisions to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 807 KB

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Minutes:

The Committee discussed the revisions to the constitution that had been proposed by the Monitoring Officer. They noted that the aim of the constitution was to provide an operating manual for the Council.

 

It was agreed that the revisions would be forwarded onto the Procedures Committee for discussion.

 

The Committee received an update from the Chief Financial Officer regarding the ongoing external audit. They were told that Grant Thornton were still working on the 2021 accounts. They also heard that resourcing issues were affecting the undertaking of the audit and that it would come to Committee when ready.


Meeting: 24/10/2022 - Procedures Committee (Item 18)

18 Revisions to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 110 KB

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the report be deferred to enable Group Leaders to submit their groups’ written comments to the Monitoring Officer for ease of reference by a date towards the end of November 2022.

 


Meeting: 30/09/2022 - Procedures Committee (Item 14)

14 Revisions to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 110 KB

These changes were considered at the Procedures Committee 15 July 2022 and deferred to enable Group Leaders to take back to their groups for discussion.

 

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the report be deferred to enable Members to cross reference the proposed amendments with report from the Centre of Governance and Scrutiny. A further meeting of Procedures Committee be convened to look at the amendments prior to going to Full Council on 29 November 2022.

 


Meeting: 26/09/2022 - Standards Committee (Item 14)

14 To consider the Monitoring Officers proposed amendments to the Constitution relevant to the Standards Committee pdf icon PDF 807 KB

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Minutes:

The Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer raised alternative options for members to consider regarding the Standards Hearing process including a panel of Independent Persons to consider alleged breaches of the Members Code of Conduct. The proposal to merge the Standards, Audit Scrutiny and Procedures Committees were to ensure that the Council provided value for money and to action some of recommendations in the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny Report.

 

Some Members had reservations in the merging of the Committees and suggested the size of the Standards Committee should be increased to ensure wider representation.

 

Members noted that the proposed amendments to the Constitution would be considered by Procedures Committee later this week and asked the Procedures Committee to defer the report until all Members had read the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny document. 

 


Meeting: 15/07/2022 - Procedures Committee (Item 10)

10 Revisions to the Constitution pdf icon PDF 102 KB

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Minutes:

Members discussed the most appropriate way forward to review the proposed changes to the constitution and the need to ensure that Full Council had adequate time for the consideration of the proposals.

 

The Monitoring Officers advised of the importance of dealing with Section 4.26 Common Seal of the Council swiftly to ensure that the council complied with the requirements for the sealing of documents.

 

Members suggested amendments to 4.26 to include who the members of the Senior Leadership Team were and to ensure that it was clear how officers were given delegated powers. The Monitoring Officer noted these suggestions and advised a report on Section 4.26 would go to Full Council 26 July 2022 for consideration.

 

The Committee agreed that all Members would be send a copy of the proposed track changes for consideration within their Groups. A further meeting of this committee would take place on Friday 30 September 2022 to review all the groups comments. At that meeting the Chair would consider if an Extraordinary Full Council should be called to give due consideration to the changes to the Constitution.