Agenda item

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director – Legal & Democratic Services & Monitoring Officer proposing amendments to the Council’s Constitution in relation to: Financial Procedure Rules; Contract Procedure Rules; Petitions; Motions; Licensing & General Purposes Committees; Audit & Governance Committee; Planning Policy Board; Acquisitions & Disposals Policy; and some minor amendments to the Terms of Reference for Planning Committee and the Officer Scheme of Delegation in relation to the sealing of legal documents.  The proposed amendments were set out in detail in the report, and these had been considered by the Audit & Governance Committee at their meeting held on 7 May 2025, where they were recommended to full Council for approval.

In accordance with Rule No. 4.6.1, Councillor S Haynes moved and Councillor S Michael seconded an amendment to the report recommendations as follows:

“That Full Council: -

a)        adopts the Constitutional amendments set out in Appendices A, B, C, D, H, I and J and paragraph 2.8 of the report;

b)        subject to the approval of a) above, notes the adoption of templates for motions and amendments as illustrated in Appendices E and F to the report;

c)        adopts the terms of reference for a new Licensing Committee as set out in Appendix G of the report, to be implemented with effect from 15 July 2025;

d)        confirms for the Licensing Committee Terms of Reference in the Constitution to be updated accordingly once the Committee has approved any revisions to its Scheme of Delegation;

e)        approves a reduction in membership of the Audit & Governance Committee to 9 Members with effect from 15 July 2025 for a trial period, and adding two further meetings of the Committee to the Schedule of Meetings;

f)         approves the addition of ‘Principal Legal Officer’ to the Officers listed in the Council’s Constitution as having authority to seal legal documents on behalf of the Council;

g)        notes that a further report will be brought to the Full Council meeting on 15 July 2025 to consider a revised allocation of seats on committees, if the changes recommended at c) and e) above are approved;

h)        approves the convening of the Independent Remuneration Panel to undertake a desktop review of the affected full review of all Members’ Special Responsibility Allowances, if the proposed changes to Committees are agreed. and

i)          to refer the review of arrangements for Audit & Governance Committee back to the Committee, with instruction to split Audit and Governance out and create two new committees “Audit and accounts” as well as “Governance, General purposes and LGR”; bringing proposed terms of reference and size of membership to next Full Council on 15 July 2025.  Subject to those changes, the following chairs and vice chairs to be appointed from 15 July 2025:

Audit & Accounts: Chair: Councillor S Michael; Vice Chair: Councillor N Allen

Governance. General Purposes and Local Government Reorganisation: Chair: Councillor R Holloway: Vice Chair: Councillor P Rainbow

(Meeting adjourned at 7.52pm to consider the amendment, and recommenced at 8.05pm).

The amendment, on being put to the vote, was declared carried with 18 votes for and 17 against.

On being agreed, the amendment became the substantive motion as follows:

AGREED      (with 18 votes for and 17 against) that Full Council:

a)            adopts the Constitutional amendments set out in Appendices A, B, C, D, H, I and J and paragraph 2.8 of the report;

b)            notes the adoption of templates for motions and amendments as illustrated in Appendices E and F to the report;

c)            adopts the terms of reference for a new Licensing Committee as set out in Appendix G of the report, to be implemented with effect from 15 July 2025;

d)        confirms for the Licensing Committee Terms of Reference in the Constitution to be updated accordingly once the Committee has approved any revisions to its Scheme of Delegation;

e)        approves the addition of ‘Principal Legal Officer’ to the Officers listed in the Council’s Constitution as having authority to seal legal documents on behalf of the Council;

f)         notes that a further report will be brought to the Full Council meeting on 15 July 2025 to consider a revised allocation of seats on committees, given the changes in respect of the Licensing and General Purposes Committees and to the Audit & Government Committee;

g)        approves the convening of the Independent Remuneration Panel to undertake full review of all Members’ Special Responsibility Allowances; and

h)            to refer the review of arrangements for Audit & Governance Committee back to the Committee, with instruction to split Audit & Governance out and create two new committees ‘Audit & Accounts’ as well as ‘Governance, General Purposes and Local Government Reorganisation’; bringing proposed terms of reference and size of membership to next Full Council on 15 July 2025.  Subject to those changes, the following Chairs and Vice-Chairs to be appointed from 15 July 2025:

Audit & Accounts: Chair   Councillor S Michael: Vice Chair Councillor N Allen

Governance, General Purposes & Local Government Reorganisation: Chair          Councillor R Holloway: Vice Chair Councillor P Rainbow