Agenda item

Report of the Monitoring Officer on the review of the Council’s Constitution.

Report of the Monitoring Officer on the review of the Council’s Constitution and to seek approval to changes to the Constitution as part of the ongoing review and modernisation of the Council’s governance processes following consideration by the Constitution Review Group (CRG) and in accordance with one of the key recommendations in the corporate peer challenge action plan (as agreed at the Council meeting on 22 July 2019).  The revision of the Constitution is an important part of the modernisation programme.

The Council has already agreed some changes to facilitate the modernisation programme.

Councillor M.Cowan expressed his and the Liberal Democrats concern about having five OSC meetings a year. He felt that this was not sufficient and more frequent meetings were needed especially if it is replacing three Overview and Scrutiny committees. Councillor Kingsbury explained that the rationale for this was to enable more targeted Task and Finish Panels to be set up by the new OSC. In any event, these arrangements were to be trialled for one year and would be kept under review.

It was moved and seconded by Councillors T.Kingsbury and F.Thomson and

RESOLVED:

(unanimous)

(1)   Council noted CRG’s recommendations of the 5 March 2020 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)   Council approved the revised Access to Information Procedure Rules, Cabinet Functions, Cabinet Procedure Rules, Councillors’ Code of Conduct with new Social Media Protocol and amendment to Contract Procedure Rules, together with the introduction of Executive Member Decision Notices, as set out in Appendices 2 to 7 to the report.

(3)   Council accepted CRG’s recommendations to approve the proposed Officer amendments to their individual responsibility for functions and delegated powers, as set out in Appendix 8 to the report.

(4)   Council accepted CRG’s recommendations to agree to trial new scrutiny arrangements for a period of one year until the start of the new 2021/22 Municipal Year, as explained in paragraphs 3.9 to 3.19 of the report. 

(5)   Council delegated to CRG the authority to agree the operational arrangements for the new Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(6)   Council approved the appointments to the new Overview and Scrutiny Committee and any consequential updated appointments to other committees as set out in Appendix 11 to the report.

(7)   Council approved the amended timetable for the dates of the council meetings in the Municipal Year 2020/21 as attached at Appendix 12, to reflect the changes to the scrutiny arrangements for the council.

(8)   Council agreed to adopt the standing orders for virtual meetings, the requirements as explained in paragraphs 3.20 and 3.21 of the report and as set out in Appendix 13 to the report.

(9)   That the Chief Executive was authorised to take all necessary decisions of the council in the event of urgency or emergency.

(10)Council approved, in relation to each and every member of the Council, that non-attendance by a member at any relevant meeting of the Council, Cabinet or any committee, sub-committee or panel of the Council or Cabinet that is due to or caused by any related impact or consequences arising out of the coronavirus pandemic, be accepted as a reason for non-attendance at that relevant meeting, from the date of this resolution up to and including the 7 May 2021.

(11)Council agreed to give delegated authority to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with CRG Members, the Chief Executive and the Corporate Director (Public Protection, Planning and Governance), to make any required consequential amendments to the Constitution and implement the detailed changes to procedures arising from approving these recommendations together with any general updating.