Agenda item

Recommendations

That, subject to any comments Members may have, the following proposed amendments to the Constitution are recommended by the Executive to full Council for approval:

(a)   The management of amendments at meetings of full Council, as referenced in section 4.0 of, and Appendix A to, this report;

(b)   The process for the cancelling or postponing of a committee meeting at a time after the summons for the meeting has been issued, as referenced in section 5.0 of, and Appendix A to, this report;

(c)   The Terms of Reference for the Chief Officers Appointments and Disciplinary Committee and Sub-Committee and the Staff Employment Procedure Rules and clarification of the process for approving Chief Officer appointments, as referenced in section 6.0 of, and Appendix B to, this report;

(d)   The removal of the reference to the Local Transport Plan in the Policy Framework in Article 4 of the Constitution, as detailed at section 7.0 of the report;

(e)   The Terms of Reference for the Audit Committee and Pension Board, as detailed at section 8.0 of the report and at Appendix 1;

(f)    The Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules (PCPR) and the: 1) Procurement Financial Thresholds; 2) the Key Decision Limit; and 3) the Grant Application and Acceptance Process., as detailed at section 9.0 of the report and at Appendices 2 to 7.

Considered – A report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services presenting proposed amendments to the Council’s Constitution for recommendation to full Council.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Heather Phillips, introduced the report which presented amendments considered by the Constitutional Working Group. Key changes included revised arrangements for amendments to motions at full Council and an increase in the key decision threshold to £1 million.  Changes to procurement rules aimed at supporting local suppliers and improving flexibility were highlighted.

Resolved (unanimously)

That the following proposed amendments tot eh Constitution are recommended by the Executive to full Council for approval.

(a)   The management of amendments at meetings of full Council, as referenced in section 4.0 of, and Appendix A to, the report;

(b)   The process for the cancelling or postponing of a committee meeting at a time after the summons for the meeting has been issued, as referenced in section 5.0 of, and Appendix A to, the report;

(c)   The Terms of Reference for the Chief Officers Appointments and Disciplinary Committee and Sub-Committee and the Staff Employment Procedure Rules and clarification of the process for approving Chief Officer appointments, as referenced in section 6.0 of, and Appendix B to, the report;

(d)   The removal of the reference to the Local Transport Plan in the Policy Framework in Article 4 of the Constitution, as detailed at section 7.0 of the report;

(e)   The Terms of Reference for the Audit Committee and Pension Board, as detailed at section 8.0 of the report and at Appendix 1;

(f)    The Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules (PCPR) and the: 1) Procurement Financial Thresholds; 2) the Key Decision Limit; and 3) the Grant Application and Acceptance Process., as detailed at section 9.0 of the report and at Appendices 2 to 7.

Reasons for recommendations

For the reasons set out in the body of the report and in the Appendices, it is recommended that, subject to any comments Members may have, the matters raised in this report be considered and the recommendations and proposed changes to the Constitution set out below be agreed and/or recommended to full Council for information and/or approval as indicated.