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Council minutes, agendas and reports

Decision details

Formal Meetings of the Authority’s Committees

Decision Maker: Chief Executive Officer

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decision:

The Chief Executive Officer considered the report presented to the informal meeting of the County Council Members held on 17 November 2021 regarding how the formal meetings of the authority’s committees could be held from 17 November 2021 onwards, and having taken into account the comments made by Members at the informal meeting and all relevant information, resolved, under his emergency delegated powers, to approve that:
1) The remote access, live broadcast informal meetings of the Council’s committees continue with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members.

2) The meetings of the Executive revert to in person meetings, if it is determined to be safe and practical to do so.

3) The continued use of remote access, live broadcast informal meetings is reviewed periodically, taking into account the level of Covid-19 infections and hospitalisation, with a further report being considered at the Council meeting on 16 February 2022.

4) That the meeting of the County Council on 16 February 2022 is held as an in person meeting, if it is determined to be safe and practical to do so.

5) That the power be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer in consultation with the Leader to determine which committee meetings should be held virtually and which could be held physically, subject to consultation with the relevant committee chair.

By whom: Richard Flinton, Chief Executive Officer, under his emergency delegated powers and after consultation with the County Council Members at the informal meeting on 17 November 2021

Reasons for the decision:

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.

Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”), which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 that, for the present time, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic circumstances, remote live-broadcast committee meetings should continue (as informal meetings of the Committee Members), with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with other Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members. This approach has been periodically reviewed since that time and will be further reviewed by full Council at its February 2022 meeting.

The Chief Executive Officer considered the report presented on how the formal meetings of the authority’s committees could be held from 17 November 2021 onwards, and having taken into account the comments made by Members of the informal meeting of the County Council held on 17 November 2021, and all relevant information, resolved, under his emergency delegated powers, to approve the proposals.

Alternative options considered:

The alternative options considered are detailed in the report to County Council on 17 November 2021

Publication date: 19/11/2021

Date of decision: 17/11/2021