Agenda item

(To receive a report from Will Bell, Chief Legal Officer and Monitoring Officer, and Nicola Calver, Members Services Manager, which invites the Committee to consider several amendments to the Council’s Constitution following an internal review and to recommend that such amendments are approved by full Council)

Consideration was given to a report from the Monitoring Officer, which presented proposed changes to the Council’s constitution for the Committee’s consideration. The following changes were highlighted:

·   The substitution scheme now codified custom and practice.

·   Criteria for complaints and clarification of time limits regarding standards arrangements had been amended.

·   New statutory Health Scrutiny arrangements had been incorporated to ensure the term of reference for this committee were up to date.

·   The number of signatures and scope was clarified in relation the petition scheme.

·   Officer gifts and hospitality practices had been harmonised with that of Members.

·   The definition of a key decision had been altered to reflect the statutory definition.

·   Terms of reference for the Corporate Parenting Panel would reflect Government guidance and best practice.

·   Electronic seals were now defined as being permitted under the Council’s common seal.

The Committee considered the report, and the following comments were raised:

·Changes to the standards arrangements were designed to be preventative rather than being made out of existing concern and were designed to help complainants better understand the process. The complaints process was to be made more prominent on the Council’s website so complainants could more easily access the correct process.

·More amendments to the constitution were due to come forward and the constitution was to be reviewed by the Committee on an annual basis. However, assurance was given that the constitution was nonetheless fully compliant and legally sound.

RESOLVED

1. That the report and comments made be noted.

2. That the Committee endorse the proposals and recommend that full Council approve the amendments to the constitution as set out within the report.