Meeting:	Council
Meeting date:	21/11/2024
Report of:	Bryn Roberts, Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer
Portfolio of:	Cllr Douglas, Leader of the Council

Decision Report: 2025/26 Corporate Calendar

Subject of Report

1. This report presents for consideration and approval by Council the draft Corporate Calendar of meetings from May 2025 to May 2026, attached as Annex A.

Benefits and Challenges

2. Approval of the Corporate Calendar will enable forward planning for the upcoming municipal year and provide a framework for the Council’s democratic and decision-making functions.

3. Non-approval of the Calendar may delay forward planning and the maintenance of an appropriate schedule of municipal meetings.

Policy Basis for Decision

4. An appropriate Corporate Calendar of meetings provides an essential framework for the democratic and decision-making functions required to support the delivery of the Council Plan and other key corporate priorities.

Recommendation and Reasons

5. It is recommended that:

i. The Corporate Calendar of meetings for 2025/26, attached as Annex A, be approved.

ii. That the Director of Governance be authorised to make any changes to the Calendar as may prove necessary from time to time.

Reasons:

i. To provide a framework for the democratic and decision-making functions which will underpin delivery of the Council’s corporate priorities.

ii. To ensure that the calendar of meetings is implemented to assist with the forward planning and better management of meetings.

Background

6. Council previously approved the 2024/25 Corporate Calendar at its meeting of 21 March 2024, and is now asked to approve the annual Corporate Calendar of meetings for 2025/26. Such approval is common practice at many local authorities and provides elected Members the collective opportunity to comment upon the cycle, pattern, and proposed dates for meetings prior to formalising. Equally, it provides absolute clarity to Members and the public regarding proposed arrangements.

7. The Calendar has been scheduled with the following general principles in mind:

i. Maintaining the existing number and frequency of meetings of each Committee from the 2024/25 Calendar.

ii. Each Committee meets wherever possible on the same day of the week.

iii. Avoiding clashes between meetings wherever possible.

iv. Maintaining summer and Christmas breaks in August and mid-December to early January respectively, and for school holidays and half-terms as far as possible.

v. Meetings have been scheduled to enable the timely consideration of ordinary business, with flexibility for additional meetings to be called if necessary.

8. Once agreed by Council, provisional room bookings will be confirmed and the Calendar will be published on the Council’s website.  A further report will follow in the coming months with proposed meeting dates for the 2026-27 municipal year.

Consultation Analysis

9. The Calendar was circulated to appropriate officers and to all Members in October 2024 for consultation. The draft presented to Council incorporates suggestions made during the consultation.

Options

10. The following options are available to Council:

i. Approve the draft Calendar.  This is the recommended option.

ii. Not approve the draft Calendar.  This option is not recommended.

Organisational Impact and Implications

11. There are no known organisational implications associated with the preparation of the annual calendar of meetings, other than potential resource implications for Members and Officers if the calendar was not appropriately scheduled and spaced. 

Risks and Mitigations

12. There are no known risks associated with this report.

Wards Impacted

13. All wards.

Contact details

For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.

Author

Name:	Bryn Roberts
Job Title:	Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer
Service Area:	Corporate Services
Report approved:	Yes
Date:	11/11/2024

Co-author

Name:	Lindsay Tomlinson
Job Title:	Head of Democratic Governance and Deputy Monitoring Officer
Service Area:	Corporate Services
Email:	lindsay.tomlinson@york.gov.uk
Report approved:	Yes
Date:	11/11/2024

Background papers

No background papers were used in the preparation of this report.

Annexes

Annex A: Draft 2025/26 Corporate Calendar