Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Antcliff, C Cupit and H Wetherall.

To note the Minutes of the Standards Committee held on 27 September 2023. 

To note the Notes of the Informal Standards Committee held on 15 November 2023. 

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on 27 September and the Notes of the Standards Committee meeting held on 15 November 2023 be noted.

Report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

Committee were presented with a working document that highlighted typographical changes that had been made to the Council’s Constitution. Committee considered that in future Officers should make these changes without the need to wait for approval from Committee. They heard that the Monitoring Officer had a delegation to this effect and would take the proposed approach going forward.

Members heard that the Constitution was currently divided into 29 sections. Officers had suggested that the Constitution could be split into two parts: Part One the Role of the Constitution and Part Two Technical Provisions supporting how Councillors and Officers work. Officers had attempted to identify what should form the core of the Constitution with additional documents and areas being treated as Constitutional Documents.

Committee considered that it would be worthwhile to have a core Constitution document separate from the appendices or Constitutional Documents as this would offer greater accessibility to Members.

Members heard that a further document could be created in order to make the Constitution more accessible to the wider public. This would be a concise, separate and simple document that would explain the role of the Council and Councillors. This document could form the basis of a social media campaign or a further campaign aimed at targeting younger members of the public.

Committee considered that a common simple and accessible document could be worthwhile and heard that the Monitoring Officer would provide a document to the next meeting of Committee that would form the basis of this. Members also considered that there was a need to increase engagement with younger residents but that a wider social media campaign or public documents would not be a worthwhile use of resources.

Members discussed additional proposed changes to the Constitution. They asked for further information to be provided to them on the levels of the financial part of key decisions such as what has influenced this level and if any increase would be required due to factors such as inflation.

Committee agreed that the HOPS should be allowed to appoint on a higher point in the pay scale where the market is such that any appointment is difficult to achieve or for other good reason but that the Leader of the Council should be notified prior to this decision being taken.

Group agreed that the Monitoring Officer should be able to make or revoke appointments to outside bodies and make changes to the membership of Committees and Sub Committees following consultation with the relevant party Leader, the Leader and/or Deputy Leader of Council and the relevant Portfolio Holder. Group considered that after a change had been made, all Group leaders should be notified of the change.

Members considered that an Independent Remuneration Panel should be established to review the Members Allowance Scheme and that the same panel should also conduct a review at Rykneld Homes Ltd.

Committee discussed the procedure rules for meetings and considered that meetings of Full Council should be limited to a maximum duration of three hours with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item STA/27/23-24