Agenda and minutes

Additional Meeting, Constitution, Ethics and Probity Committee - Thursday 19th December, 2013 6.00 pm

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

Contact: Chidilim Agada 020 8359 2037 Email: chidilim.agada@barnet.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of last meeting

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2013 be approved as a correct record.

2.

Absence of Members (If any)

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Anthony Finn, Councillor Mark Shooter and Councillor Andrew Strongolou. Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rowan Quigley-Turner for agenda items 1-6.

3.

Declaration of Members' Disclosable Pecuniary interests and Non Pecuniary interests (If any)

Minutes:

There were none.

4.

Public Question Time (If any)

Minutes:

There were none.

5.

Members' Items (If any)

Minutes:

There were none.

6.

Change to Governance System - Public Consultation - Final report pdf icon PDF 104 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance introduced the report. Public comments were received on this item from Mr Dix. The Committee noted the views of Mr Dix on proposed changes to public participation processes, including proposals to allow the submission of written comments and to set the time limit for oral comments at 3 minutes per person.

 

The Committee noted the contents of the consultation findings report, and commented that the public consultation event had provided constructive input to help shape the committee’s recommendations as well as inform future actions, including improving communications to increase public awareness and participation.

 

RESOLVED - That these comments are taken into account as part of the development of options on item 7 on this agenda.

7.

Constitution Development pdf icon PDF 177 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Assurance Director introduced the report.

 

RESOLVED - That the Committee’s recommendations on the options contained within this report, as noted in the Appendix A to these minutes, be included in the drafting of the Constitution.

8.

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

Minutes:

There were none.

 

Minutes  - Appendix A

 

The following Table represents the sections of the current Constitution, issues and decisions taken:

No.

Section

Issue

Decision Required

Decision

1

Article 1 – Constitution

Nothing specific regarding the Executive Model therefore review to ensure consistent at the end of the process.

N/A

.

2

Article 2 – Members of the Council

Nothing specific regarding the Executive Model therefore review to ensure consistent at the end of the process.

N/A

 

3

Article 3 – Citizens of the Council

These need to refer to the Public Participation Rules to ensure readability of the Constitution.

This minor amendment will be included within the redraft of the Constitution.

Agreed

4

Article 4 – The Full Council

To avoid duplication and future proofing the document it is suggested that the role of Full Council and that statutory aspects thereof should only sit in one place, namely Responsibility for Functions, to ensure readability and understandability.

Article 4 is to retain definitions relevant for reading across the Constitution, such as budget and policy framework and listing plans and strategies requiring approval.

Currently the following are required by law to be adopted by Full Council:

·         Safer Communities Strategy

·         Sustainable Community Strategy

·         Development Plan Documents comprising the Local Plan

·         Adoption of Neighbourhood Development Plans, Neighbourhood Development Orders and Community Right to Build Orders 

·         Statement of Licensing Policy (under the Licensing Act 2003)

·         Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy (under the Gambling Act 2005)

Appendix B has the Statutory Role of full Council listed for review.

Agreed.

The contents in Appendix B were agreed subject to the amendment of the wording in 1.12 in Appendix B to read ‘Electing the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committees.'

5

Article 5 – Chairing the Council

Nothing specific regarding the Executive Model therefore review to ensure consistent at the end of the process.

N/A

 

6

Article 6 – Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Proposed to be deleted and .the Terms of Reference for the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee are included within the Responsibility for Functions, and it will be covered by the overall Meeting Procedure Rules.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee is included within Appendix B for consideration by the Committee.

Agreed – subject to amendment of typographical error to correct spelling of ‘Secretary’ under point 2 of Responsibilities.

7

Article 7 – Executive

This will need deleting, but will need to be replaced with an Article that sets out the committees and sub-committees and how they are created and appointed to.

The Article will be drafted for consideration by the Committee in January 2014.

Agreed

8

Article 8 – Regulatory and Other Committees

Nothing specific regarding the Executive Model therefore review to ensure consistent at the end of the process.

N/A

 

9

Article 9 – Area Committees, Forums and LSP

It is proposed that the Area Committees and Forums are included within the new Article 7 setting out committees and sub-committees, and within the Responsibility for Functions.

The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP)– the majority  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.