Agenda item
Constitution Review
- Meeting of Constitution and General Purposes Committee, Monday 12th October, 2020 6.00 pm (Item 10.)
Minutes:
The Monitoring Officer, Jessica Farmer, presented a report which contained various proposed Constitution amendments including some changes which would enable the Council to comply with the best practice recommendations included in the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on Local Government Ethical Standards.
In relation to Appendices J and K (HR Regulations), the Committee agreed to retain the current requirements around advertising and recruiting to Assistant Director level and above posts.
In relation to section 1.2, 4. of the report, (Appendices H and I (Full Council Procedure Rules), sections 9 and 17.4 and 17.5), the Chairman proposed that each Group only be permitted to table one amendment per motion which was duly seconded by Councillor Richard Cornelius. Following discussion on this matter, the Chairman moved to vote on the matter. The votes were recorded as follows:
For |
4 |
Against |
3 |
Abstain |
0 |
RESOLVED that:
1. The Committee agree the actions to comply with the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Local Government Ethical Standards best practice recommendations as detailed in Appendix A.
|
2. The Committee instruct the Monitoring Officer to circulate to all Members:
i. the report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on Local Government Ethical Standards;
ii. the best practice guidelines and actions as detailed in Appendix B; and
iii. the revised and updated Members Code of Conduct (Appendix C)
3. The Committee request that the Monitoring Officer and Head of Governance develop a comprehensive code of procedure to be followed at any meeting of the Standards Committee and bring it back to a future meeting.
4. The Committee recommend to Council that the Constitution be amended to incorporate the changes set out in this report and the amended versions attached at Appendices B to U subject to the following:
Appendices B and C (Members Code of Conduct) |
Retain the value of declarable gifts and hospitality at £25 rather than £100 as proposed in section 9 of the Member Code of Conduct |
Appendices H and I (Full Council Procedure Rules) |
Amend sections 9, 17.4 and 17.5 so that each Group are only be permitted to table one amendment per motion. |
Appendices H and I (Full Council Procedure Rules) |
Defer consideration of the speaking rights of the Liberal Democrat Group on motions to a future meeting of the Committee. |
Appendices J and K (HR Regulations) |
Retain the current requirements around advertising and recruiting to posts at Assistant Director level and above. |
Appendices L and M (Financial Regulations) |
Amend section 3.3.10 to include sending a copy of alternative budgets to the Monitoring Officer as well as the Chief Finance Officer. |
Appendices N and O (Article 7) |
Include equalities in the terms of reference of the Policy & Resources Committee and not the Community Leadership & Libraries Committee as proposed. |
Supporting documents:
- Constitution Review, item 10. PDF 455 KB
- Appendix A - Committee on Standards in Public Life, item 10. PDF 486 KB
- Appendix B - Member Code of Conduct (Tracked), item 10. PDF 577 KB
- Appendix C - Member Code of Conduct (Clean), item 10. PDF 528 KB
- Appendix D - Procedure for Dealing with Complaints (Tracked), item 10. PDF 153 KB
- Appendix E - Procedure for Dealing with Complaints (Clean), item 10. PDF 149 KB
- Appendix F - Article 4 - The Full Council (Tracked), item 10. PDF 212 KB
- Appendix G - Article 4 - The Full Council, item 10. PDF 209 KB
- Appendix H - Full Council Procedure Rules (Tracked), item 10. PDF 431 KB
- Appendix I - Full Council Procedure Rules (Clean), item 10. PDF 393 KB
- Appendix J - HR Regulations (Tracked), item 10. PDF 163 KB
- Appendix K- HR Regulations (Clean), item 10. PDF 157 KB
- Appendix L - Financial Regulations (Tracked), item 10. PDF 234 KB
- Appendix M - Financial Regulations (Clean), item 10. PDF 228 KB
- Appendix N - Article 7 (Committees, Forums, Working Groups and Partnerships) (Tracked), item 10. PDF 601 KB
- Appendix O - Article 7 (Committees, Forums, Working Groups and Partnerships) (Clean), item 10. PDF 545 KB
- Appendix P - Article 3 - Residents and Public Participation (Tracked), item 10. PDF 251 KB
- Appendix Q - Article 3 - Residents and Public Participation (Clean), item 10. PDF 246 KB
- Appendix R - Article 2 - Members of the Council (Tracked), item 10. PDF 229 KB
- Appendix S - Article 2 - Members of the Council, item 10. PDF 224 KB
- Appenidx T - Article 10 - Decision-Making (Tracked), item 10. PDF 789 KB
- Appenidx U - Article 10 - Decision-Making, item 10. PDF 724 KB