Issue - items at meetings - Amendments to the Council's Constitution and its Presentation (including recommendations from the Constitution Working Group)

Report by Director of Law and Governance

The Cross Party Constitution Working Group (“the CWG”) held nine meetings

between November 2021 and July 2022. It was tasked with considering ways of amending the Constitution and then making recommendations. The recommendations contained in this report arise from its work and were approved by the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting on 20 July 2022.

Council is RECOMMENDED to approve:

a) The changes to the presentation of the Constitution on the Council’s website referred to in paragraphs 4 to 8 of the report

b) The video and diagram referred to in paragraphs 9 to 11 of the report for inclusion on the Council’s website

c) The proposals for the incorporation of all of the current Articles into the main body of the Constitution referred to in paragraphs 12 to 14 of the report

d) The proposals for amendment to the Protocol on Members’ Rights and Responsibilities, the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations, the Council Procedure Rules and the Contract Procedure Rules in the Constitution referred to in paragraphs 15 to 23 of the report

e) The proposed new Part 2 of the Constitution relating to the Fire and Rescue Service referred to in paragraphs 26 to 28 of the report; and

f) A delegation to the Director of Law and Governance to make textual amendments to the Constitution to address any inconsistencies or correct any cross-referencing errors arising from or as a consequence of the amendments, along with updating job and group titles if those referred to in the Constitution are obsolete (insofar as the Director of Law and Governance does not already have such a delegation)

Council is also recommended:

g) To note that the Code of Conduct it adopted on 5 April 2022 and the Current Scheme of Allowances referred to in paragraphs 24 to 25 below will be incorporated into the Constitution.

Recommendations agreed nem con

Council had before it a report detailing recommendations arising from The Cross Party Constitution Working Group’s review of the Council’s constitution. The recommendation contained in this report were approved by the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting on 20 July 2022.

Councillor Roz Smith, Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee presented the report.

Following debate it was –

RESOLVED (on a motion from Councillor Roz Smith and seconded by Councillor Brad Baines and carried nem con) to approve:-

(a) The changes to the presentation of the Constitution on the Council’s

website referred to in paragraphs 4 to 8 of the report

(b) The video and diagram referred to in paragraphs 9 to 11 of the report for

inclusion on the Council’s website

(c) The proposals for the incorporation of all of the current Articles into the

main body of the Constitution referred to in paragraphs 12 to 14 of the

report

(d) The proposals for amendment to the Protocol on Members’ Rights and

Responsibilities, the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations, the Council

Procedure Rules and the Contract Procedure Rules in the Constitution

referred to in paragraphs 15 to 23 of the report

(e) The proposed new Part 2 of the Constitution relating to the Fire and

Rescue Service referred to in paragraphs 26 to 28 of the report;

(f) A delegation to the Director of Law and Governance to make textual

amendments to the Constitution to address any inconsistencies or

correct any cross-referencing errors arising from or as a consequence of

the amendments, along with updating job and group titles if those

referred to in the Constitution are obsolete (insofar as the Director of Law

and Governance does not already have such a delegation)

and

(g) note that the Code of Conduct it adopted on 5 April 2022 and the

Current Scheme of Allowances referred to in paragraphs 24 to 25 below

will be incorporated into the Constitution.