Agenda item

Amendments to the Constitution

The Committee is asked to recommend the proposed amendments to the Constitution, as set out in the report and attachments, to Council for approval.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report from the Group Head Corporate Governance that sought a recommendation to be made to Council regarding the proposed amendments to the Council’s Constitution.

 

The Committee considered each part of the proposed amendments separately:

 

Part 1 – Introduction to the Constitution

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 2 – Article 5, The Mayor

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 2 – Article 5, The Officers

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 3 (b) – Terms of Reference of Committees

 

Cllr Williams highlighted that the cumulative spend on individual projects  often exceeded the £1m referred to in the Constitution so asked for this to be addressed as an amendment to this part of the Constitution.

 

Part 3 (d) – Delegations to Officers

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 3 (f) – Roles of Different Councillors

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 4 (a) – Council Standing Orders

 

Cllr Rybinski stated that a number of her constituents had expressed that they did not want the National Anthem to be removed from the Council’s Constitution.

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 4 (c) – Substitution Scheme

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 4 (e) – Contract Standing Orders

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

 

Part 4 (g) – Access to Information Rules

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 4 (i) – Procedure Rules for Task & Finish Groups and Working Groups

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 5 (a) – Councillor Code of Conduct

 

Cllr Williams stated that the requirement for councillors to be respectful should also apply to officers. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the requirement was already included in the Protocol on Member-Officer Relations.

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 5 (d) – Planning Code

 

Cllr Williams wanted paragraph 18 removed

 

Part 5 (h) – Monitoring Officer Protocol

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 5 (k) – Conflicts of Interest

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

Part 5 (m) – Disclosure and Barring Checks

 

AGREED with the proposed amendments

 

 

It was proposed by Cllr Bateson and seconded by Cllr Button that the Committee agree the proposed amendments.

 

The Committee resolved to recommend to Council that they approve the proposed amendments to the Council’s Constitution with consideration being given to the points raised under some of the individual Parts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: