Issue - meetings

Considered – A report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) and Monitoring Officer presenting the governance arrangements, and a draft Constitution, for the new unitary authority, for the Executive’s consideration and recommendation to full Council for approval.  It also presented draft executive arrangements for executive functions for approval by the Leader and draft delegations for the Executive’s approval.

County Councillor David Chance introduced the report and thanked all the Members who had contributed to the work of the associated member working groups, and the officers who had support those groups to inform the revisions to the Constitution.  He also acknowledged the collaborative contributions from the seven district and borough councils, and noted the draft Constitution now included the district/borough council functions which the new authority would take on.

He confirmed that development of the draft Constitution had continued since the working group agreed its proposals for the various sections, and Barry Khan - Assistant Chief Executive (Legal and Democratic Services) drew attention to a document tabled at the meeting (see Appendix A) containing further amendments identified since the report had been published.

County Councillor David Chance went on to introduce the individual sections that made up the draft Constitution and drew specific attention to the following:

Part 1

The proposed delegation of the completion of the introduction section to the Monitoring officer, once all other sections were approved.

Part 3

 - The overall proposed governance structure and a number of proposed substantive changes i.e.:

·       a Strategic Planning Committee (12 members)

·       six Area Constituency Planning Committees based on MP constituency boundaries

·       a Statutory Licensing Committee and sub-committees (7 members)

·       a General Licensing and Registration Committee and sub-committees

·       six Area Constituency Committees following the MP constituency boundaries (dealing with both executive and non-executive functions)

·       six Overview and Scrutiny Committees

·       a Standards and Governance Committee with an expanded size and role

·       North Yorkshire Police & Crime Panel (7 NYC & 3 CoY)

- The proposed executive arrangements and delegations proposed for the Leader’s approval

- The re-written Officers’ Delegation Scheme in Schedule 4, to reflect the new proposed structure and the transfer of district/borough council functions

- The need for a more detailed review of the Schedule of Appointments to Outside Bodies in Schedule 5, post vesting day.

Part 4

Some majority and substantive amendments proposed to:

·       the Council Procedure Rules, including putting time limits on Executive question time but making it a constitutional requirement for the Executive to respond to members’ written questions at all times outside of the council meeting, with the answers being published on the Council’s website

·       the Financial Procedure Rules

·       the Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules

Part 5

- A draft Code of Conduct for Members which took account of the new national model code of conduct issued by the Local Government Association.

- The intention to include the Planning Code of Conduct and a new Protocol re Honorary Aldermen and Alderwomen

Part 6

The separate approval process being undertaken for the Members’ Allowance Scheme.

Part 7  ...  view the full minutes text for item 154