Decision details

To approve proposed amendments to the Constitution.

The Chief Executive Officer considered the report presented on the proposed revisions to the Council’s Constitution, and having taken into account the comments made by Executive Members, resolved, under his emergency delegated powers, to propose the following recommendations to the County Council for approval:
i. That the proposed amendments to the Constitution as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved by full Council;
ii. That the proposed changes to the Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules in the Constitution as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 of the report be approved by full Council;
iii. That the proposed addition to Council Procedure Rule 13(h) in the Constitution as set out in paragraph 5.5(a) of the report be approved by full Council.

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, 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 will be reviewed by full Council at its July meeting.

The Chief Executive Officer took all relevant information into account in exercising his emergency delegated powers in this matter, including considering the views of the Executive Members made at the informal meeting of the Executive on 8 June 2021.

The reasons for the decision in this matter are as detailed in Report on Amendments to Council Constitution attached.

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