Issue - meetings

This report asks Members to consider a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution, with regard to the size of the Executive, Standing Orders, terms of reference for the Urgency Committee, clarification around working groups, Champions, and expansion of the role of the Standards Committee.

RECOMMENDED:(i) That the proposed amendments to the Constitution listed A to G in the report be approved, but with clarification that the titles for the three affected Executive Member positions, arising out of proposal D, should read:

·        Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services

·        Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services

·        Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion

(ii)That the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the necessary amendments to the written Constitution document.

REASON:                              To give effect to legal requirements and Members’ wishes in respect of amendments to the Constitution.

Members considered a report which set out a number of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution.  These related to the size of the Executive, Standing Orders, terms of reference for the Urgency Committee, clarification around working groups, Champions, and expansion of the role of the Standards Committee.

Details of the proposed amendments were listed as items A to G in paragraphs 6 to 24 of the report.  They included:

A - Expanding the role of Standards Committee to undertake local assessments of complaints against Members of the Council

B - Various changes to Standing Orders

C - Expansion of Urgency Committee functions to include staffing matters

D - Reducing the size of the Executive from 9 to 7 Members

E - Removing the Economic Development Partnership Board from the Constitution

F - Amendments to the list of Member Champions

G - Amendment of Article 10 to include the list of standing Working Groups

A briefing note prepared by the Head of Civic, Legal and Democratic Services, outlining the impact on Executive arrangements of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, was circulated to Members at the meeting.

Having noted the advice of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RECOMMENDED:(i) That the proposed amendments to the Constitution listed A to G in the report be approved, but with clarification that the titles for the three affected Executive Member positions, arising out of proposal D, should read:

·        Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services

·        Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services

·        Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion

(ii)That the Monitoring Officer be instructed to make the necessary amendments to the written Constitution document.

REASON:                              To give effect to legal requirements and Members’ wishes in respect of amendments to the Constitution.