Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 04 October 2023 and the Extraordinary meeting held on 20 November 2023.

The Committee agreed the minutes of the meetings held on 4 October 2023 and 20 November 2023 as a correct record.

Committee is asked to recommend that Council:

1.    Agree a revision to the number and Terms of Reference of Committees established under the Committee System form of governance, effective from the Annual Council Meeting in May 2024, as proposed in Appendices E and F,

2.    Agree to amend the Terms of Reference of the Investigating and Disciplinary Committee in relation to the power to suspend any relevant Officer in an emergency, as detailed at paragraphs 3.18 to 3.24 of the report,

3.    Agree changes to the Scheme of Delegation (Appendix G) in relation to land issues; and

4.    Authorise the Monitoring Officer to make any consequential changes to the Constitution as a result of the change in Committee structure and Terms of Reference.

The Committee considered a report with proposed changes to the structure of the Committee system. The Council undertook an Internal Audit Review of the Committee System, and a Local Government Association Corporate Peer Challenge in 2022, and one of the recommendations that arose suggested reducing the number of Committees and focusing the work of the Committees through their terms of reference. The Committee System Working Group met to discuss proposals and make recommendations to the Standards Committee. Their recommended changes reduced the number of Committees to four with expanded terms of reference for each, revised delegations to offices to reflect the changes to the structure, and all ‘information only’ reports would be included in a monthly members’ briefing pack. An Investigating and Disciplinary Committee would also be established to meet if required.

It was proposed by Councillor Bateson and seconded by Councillor Button that the Committee consider the recommendations as set out in the report.

Members of the Committee noted the recommendations from the internal audit and peer review and how the proposed changes addressed them. Some members expressed concern that they may miss information relevant to their Committee if it was published in the briefing pack without having their attention drawn to it. Some members also suggested a regular reporting mechanism for the Council’s representative to the Surrey Police and Crime Panel be included, and it was agreed to look into this after the meeting. The Committee were reassured that the Committee System Working Group would continue to review procedures and make recommendations as required.

The Committee resolved to recommend to Council:

1.    To agree a revision to the number of terms of reference of Committees established under the Committee system form of governance, effective from the Annual Council meeting 2024, as proposed in Appendices E and F,

2.    To agree to amend the terms of reference of the Investigating and Disciplinary in relation to the power to suspend any relevant officer in an emergency, as detailed at paragraphs 3.19 to 3.24 of the report,

3.    To agree changes to the Scheme of Officer Delegation (Appendix G) in relation to land issues, and

4.    To authorise the Monitoring Officer to make any consequential changes to the Constitution as a result of the change in Committee structure and terms of reference.