Agenda item

This report provides the first tranche of suggested constitutional changes to the Committee for consideration and discussion.

Members considered a report that provided the first tranche of suggested constitutional changes to the committee for consideration and discussion.

The Monitoring Officer provided an overview and raised a point of clarification within Annex 2 of the report (Appendix 3, Full Council Procedure Rules) at point 3.1 l) in that the titles Honorary Alderwoman and Honorary Freewoman had regrettably been omitted and would be included. 

During discussion of the item, members questions were answered and it was highlighted that previously a cross party working group had been established to consider any constitutional updates.  Following a detailed discussion, the committee welcomed this approach and agreed that the changes made by the cross party working group would be reported to this committee for consideration prior to being considered at a meeting of Full Council. The committee also discussed Annexes 5 to 10 and acknowledged that these were minor amendments and having being put to the vote, it was unanimously:

Resolved:

i)             That the proposed Constitutional changes within Annexes 6, 8 and 10, of the report, (Appendix 11, Contract Procedural Rules, Article 11, Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee and Appendix 12, Officer Employment Procedure Rules) be endorsed for transmission to Full Council subject to:

·        the Monitoring Officer verifying the exact statutory wording that governed how a Political Group qualified for a Political Assistant (Annex 8, point 2.1).

·        the word ‘majority’ be changed to ‘largest’ within Annex 8, point 2.1.c.

·        Chief Operating Officer be changed to Head of Paid Service within paragraph 3.1 b. of Annex 8.

·        removing the gender pronouns in paragraph 11.3 of Annex 8.

ii)            That any further minor amendments be promptly received for submission to Full Council on 21 November 2023.

iii)          That a cross party working group be established to consider the Constitutional changes for onward endorsement by the Audit and Governance Committee on 28 February 2024 then Full Council on 21 March 2024.

Reason: To allow the committee to consider the proposed Constitutional changes, propose such amendments as the committee considers necessary, and endorse their onward transmission to Council for final approval.