Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ

Contact: Maria Lugangira 020 8359 2761  Email: maria.lugangira@barnet.gov.uk

Note: Public questions must be submitted by 10am on Wednesday, 2 October 2019 PLEASE NOTE: Barnet is introducing ‘paperlight’ meetings. Only two paper copies of the agenda will be available at the meeting for members of the public. Attendees are requested to view the agenda online and if needed, to print any specific agenda report(s). 

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of the Chairman

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from the Chairman. Further apologies for lateness were received from the Vice-Chairman which meant he would be absent for the start of the meeting. In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Article 7, paragraph 7.10, the Governance Officer opened the meeting and sought nominations for the position of Chairman.

 

Councillor Alison Moore, duly seconded proposed Councillor Barry Rawlings. Having been put to the vote the nomination was declared carried.

 

RESOLVED – That Councillor Barry Rawlings be appointed Chairman.

 

 

 

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Committee held on 25 June 2019 be approved as a correct record.

 

3.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Alex Prager and Councillor Helene Richman.

 

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillor Melvin Cohen for whom Councillor Anthony Finn was substituting.

Councillor Richard Cornelius for whom Councillor Peter Zinkin was substituting.

 

4.

Disclosable Pecuniary interests and Non Pecuniary interests

Minutes:

None.

5.

Report of the Monitoring Officer (if any)

Minutes:

None.

6.

Public Question (if any) pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Minutes:

Details of the questions asked by residents and the answers provided had been published and circulated at the meeting.  Verbal responses were given to supplementary questions at the meeting.

 

As part of his supplementary question John Dix requested clarification on the decision taken by this Committee at its meeting on 25th June 2019 on Item 7, Public Participation.

 

The Committee agreed that clarification was required and requested that an item is brought back to the next meeting of the Committee clarifying what was agreed by the Constitution and General Purpose Committee and subsequently by Full Council on 30th July 2019 [Action: Head of Governance]

 

 

7.

Members Item (if any)

Minutes:

None.

8.

Review of the European Parliamentary Elections - 23-26 May 2019 pdf icon PDF 180 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Assurance presented the report which provided the Committee with a review of the planning, implementation and delivery of the European Parliamentary Elections held on 23rd May 2019 for the 8 Members of the European Parliament to represent the London Region.

 

RESOLVED - That the Committee note the recommendations made in the European Parliamentary (EU) Elections Review (Appendix A) from the elections held on 23 May 2019.

 

9.

Member Development Programme 2018 - 2022 pdf icon PDF 239 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance presented the report which provided the Committee with (i) details of development sessions/briefings that have been delivered since October 2018 to date and (ii) the proposed Member development sessions.

 

He explained that to ensure the programme met Members training and development needs a Member Development Steering Group had been established. The membership of the Panel included both Party Group Leaders, the Group Whips, Political Assistants and the Member Development Champion (appointed by their respective Groups).  

 

With regards the upcoming Member Development programme he explained that a Members’ Training Needs Review had been undertaken, with the results informing the programmes design.

 

It was requested that where a session is specifically aligned to a Committee, the Chairman of that Committee is consulted beforehand with regards to the date.

 

RESOLVED - 

 

1.     That the Committee note the sessions delivered since October 2018 as set out in Appendix A and provide feedback on sessions delivered to date.

 

2.     That the Committee note the schedule of proposed Member Development sessions as set out in Appendix B and Appendix Bii and comment accordingly.

 

3.     That the Committee note the optional eLearning set out in Appendix C and comment accordingly

 

4.     That the Committee note the Council’s commitment to achieving charter status in accordance with the requirements of the Member Development Charter. 

 

10.

Proposal for the restructure of the Finance Service pdf icon PDF 178 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

[Councillor Alex Prager in the Chair]

 

The Director of Finance presented the report which sought the Committee’s approval to implement a new structure for the Council’s finance service following the insourcing finance structure from Capita. The decision to insource was authorised by the Policy and Resources Committee 11 December 2018.

 

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.     That the Constitution and General Purpose Committee approve the proposed changes to the Finance Service staffing structure as set out in Appendix A.

 

2.     That the Constitution and General Purpose Committee authorise the deletion and creation of the posts as set out in Appendix B. 

 

3.     That the Constitution and General Purpose Committee authorise the Director of Finance to appoint to posts, including an additional Assistant Director, within the final structure.

11.

Constitution Review pdf icon PDF 213 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance presented the report.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee:

 

Recommend to Full Council that the Constitution be amended to incorporate the changes detailed;

(i)              in the report

(ii)            in the amended version, the sections set out in Appendix A to D

 

subject to the following;

 

1.     That a detailed report is brought back to the next meeting of the Committee setting out the rationale behind the proposed amendments to Article 2 and Article 7 which would restrict Members who have called-in planning applications from sitting on the Committee which determines the application.

 

2.     That the proposal to change the allocated time given to the Lead Petitioner to present their petition to an Area Committee from five minutes to three minutes be rejected.

 

3.     That in Section 2.3(f) the following change is made add ‘Ward’ before ‘Member’.

 

 

12.

Creation of new post: Assistant Director - Capital Works pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Growth presented the report which provided the Committee with background detail on the changes within the CSG Capital Works Delivery team and the rational for the need of an Assistant Director – Capital Works

 

He clarified that the post holder would report into the Director of Growth and would lead and manage all future capital schemes for the council.

 

RESOLVED - The creation of an Assistant Director – Capital Works post within the senior management team to manage capital works delivery, as set out in this report.

 

 

 

 

13.

Committee Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the Committee note the updated Work Programme

 

14.

Any item(s) that the Chairman decides is urgent

Minutes:

None.

 

15.

Motion to Exclude the Press and Public

Minutes:

RESOLVED that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 2 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended).

 

16.

Creation of new post: Assistant Director - Capital Works [EXEMPT]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the Committee noted the information set out in the exempt report.

 

17.

Any other exempt item(s) the Chairman decides are urgent

Minutes:

None.