Agenda item

Minutes:

Members considered a proposal from the Chairman to make a recommendation to Council from the Governance and Audit Committee to amend the start times for the Committee for the rest of the civic year.

 

The Chairman detailed that at the Annual Council meeting held on 9 May 2022, Members voted to amend the start time of the Governance and Audit Committee. The Chairman then informed that this change was not convenient. To amend any change back to 10 AM, the Chairman stated that the most direct provision was for Committee to make a recommendation.

 

The Chairman explained that a motion or amendment to rescind or vary a decision made at a meeting of Council within the past six months could not be moved unless at least 10 Members signed a notice of motion or upon the recommendation of a committee. Every such notice or recommendation shall refer to the resolution to be rescinded or varied.

 

The Chairman then asked the permanent Members of the Committee who were present and a substitute Member for the Committee who was also present. The Chairman referred to a conversation with an absent Member about her opinion on the most suitable time for the Governance and Audit Committee.

 

Note:               Councillor C. Grimble entered the Chamber at 2.06 pm

 

During this item, multiple issues were raised. Regarding training, Members heard that with the ‘Virtual First’ policy implemented at the Annual Council meeting on 9 May 2022, training would likely be held in the preceding days before the Committee meeting.

 

There was also discussion regarding the availability of Councillors and other responsibilities, which included ‘dual hatted’ councillors and those in work.

 

As a point of information, the Vice-Chairman clarified that councillors have no right to be released from employment contracts. The Member also clarified that you could not assume you could get a Member to the meeting.

 

After the discussion, the Chairman stated that the following recommendation should be made to Council. Having been proposed and seconded, on being put to the vote, it was

 

RESOLVED that it be RECOMMENDED to Council that Minute 87 resolution (c) from the Annual Meeting of Council held on 9 May 2022 relating to the commencement time for Governance and Audit Committee be varied, so that the Governance and Audit Committee meet at 10.00 am for the remainder of the civic year.

 

After taking the vote, the Chairman also suggested that a further amendment be made to the Constitution, namely: -

 

To insert into paragraph 5.1 of Part V, the Rules of Procedure:

           

“Where necessary and expedient, the Head of Paid Service can vary the time of committee meetings in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, and where practicably, the Committee as well.”

 

indicating any such amendment would require Council approval.

 

Having been proposed and seconded, on being put to the vote, it was

 

FURTHER RESOLVED that it be RECOMMENDED to Council that the following be inserted into the Constitution, following paragraph 5.1, of Part V, in the Rules of the Procedure, “Where necessary and expedient, the Head of Paid Service can vary the time of committee meetings in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, and where practicably, the Committee as well.”

 

In response to a point of information regarding whether the recommendation would state how Members voted on the above, the Democratic and Elections Team Manager confirmed that the recommendation would only state the recommendation had been supported.

 

It was also noted by a Member that guidance related to the governance of meetings suggested that abstentions are not recorded unless requested and that if a vote only has in favour and abstentions, it would still be recorded as unanimously in favour, abstentions were not a vote against and in effect simply reduced the number of Member voting.