Agenda item

Adoption of the Constitution for 2016/17

To receive the report of the Head of Paid Service which seeks approval for changes to, and adoption of, the Council’s Constitution for the municipal year 2016/17 (to follow).

 

Please note the report will be supplied as a supplement to the agenda when it is available.

 

Minutes:

8.1         Council consider a report of the Head of Paid Service concerning the Council’s Constitution for the municipal year 2016-17.

 

8.2         Councillor James moved the recommendations in the report. He explained that the Constitution was a living document and that it was necessary to update it to take account of the move to all out elections and the election of a majority Administration. The changes reflected how the business of the Council had evolved and sought to ensure that decision-making processes were efficient and effective. He clarified that the transitional arrangements proposed for the role of Mayor referred only to the situation where a Mayor retired or was not re-elected in an election year, but would remain as Mayor until a new Mayor was elected at the Annual Council meeting. He further clarified that the proposed terms of reference for the Planning Policy Sub-Committee included a duplication that would be corrected and that additional minor changes would be made using delegated powers.

 

8.3         Councillor Dallimore seconded the motion.

 

8.4         Councillor Haigh explained that she was pleased that a cross-party Constitution Working Group would remain, but that she did not support the dissolution of the Grants and Community Services Forum (GCSF). She stated that the GCSF existed to ensure close links between Councillors and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and provide the mechanism for the VCS to be part of the budget setting process, but that it had been neglected in recent times. She objected to dissolving the GCSF without full details on the alternative structure that would replace it being disclosed.

 

8.5         Councillor Hilton noted the proposal to consider introducing a Special Responsibility Allowance for the Chair of the new General Purposes Committee and he stated that elements of the existing Members’ Allowances Scheme should also be reviewed. He asked what steps were being taken to recruit a new Independent Remuneration Panel and begin the review process.

 

8.6         Councillor Dallimore reported that the dissolution of the GCSF had been driven by the VCS because all parties recognised that more flexible mechanisms would enable the Council to engage with a wider variety of organisations. She explained that a prescriptive approach was not being proposed because it was important to be able to adapt going forward. She stated that the Council valued the voice of the VCS and that she looked forward to seeing more Councillors becoming involved in the relationship between the Council and the VCS in the future.

 

8.7         Councillor James advised that a new Members’ Allowances Panel was being recruited. A review would take place in the Autumn and report to Council in January in line with the usual timetable.

 

8.8         RESOLVED

 

(1)          That the changes highlighted in this report and shown in the appendices be approved and the revised Constitution be adopted with immediate effect.

 

(2)          That authority be delegated to the Managing Director to make minor and consequential amendments to the Constitution to implement the changes set out in this report in consultation with Group Leaders.

 

(3)          That, as part of the next review, the Members’ Allowances Panel be asked to consider amending the 2016-17 Scheme of Allowances to include a Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) for the Chair of the General Purposes Committee and, should an SRA be recommended and subsequently approved by Council, that it be backdated to 23 May 2016.

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