Issue - meetings

Council gave consideration to a report which presented the 22/23 Annual Review of the Constitution and arising recommendations, as considered by the Governance and Audit Committee on 18 April and recommended for approval.

The report also included an Annual Report from the Monitoring Officer for the period 22/23. The report aimed to provide an holistic view of all governance associated matters.

The Outgoing Vice-Chairman of the Governance and Audit Committee presented the report and indicated the report had been given through and in depth consideration and had been supported unanimously by the Audit Committee. 

The newly appointed Leader expressed his thanks for the work undertaken by the Governance and Audit Committee and for the detailed report. Referencing paragraph 3.5 and 3.6, public participation at Planning meetings and public participation at committee meetings, whilst the administration would be supporting the report and the recommendations Council were advised that they would be carrying out a much more in depth review or both these functions over the next Civic Year to ensure that the schemes worked in a more meaningful way.

Having been proposed and seconded, with no further questions, it was: -

RESOLVED that the RECOMMENDATION from the Governance and Audit Committee  be accepted and

(a)        the outcome of the 22/23 annual review, as detailed in the report be received and noted;

(b)        the additional amendments detailed throughout Section 3 of this report, identified during the 22/23 review be approved for adoption and implementation with immediate effect;

(c)        the appointment of Mr Andrew Morriss as Independent Member on The Governance and Audit Committee until Annual Council May 2027 be approved;

(d)        delegated authority be granted to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chairman of the Governance and Audit Committee, to amend the Scheme of Corporate Delegations (pages 48 – 60 of Section IV), if required, on approval of HR policies by Corporate Policy and Resources Committee throughout 2023/24.

(e)        · the progress made with regards to the areas of work agreed for      further development in the previous review (Section 2);

· the areas considered but not taken forward (Section 6)

· the further planned work for 2023/24 onwards (Section 7);

·  the introduction of the Subsidy Control Act (Section 9)

· the statistical data provided within the report in respect of the         number, nature and outcome of Code of Conduct Complaints   (Section 10);

· the support offered to Parish Councils (Section 12); and

· the use of the Council’s RIPA powers during the period (section     14)

      be received and noted.

(f)         the amended Financial Procedure Rules and Contract Procedure Rules approved by the Governance and Audit Committee at its meeting on 18 April 2023 be received and noted.