Agenda item

The report of the Monitoring Officer containing the schedule of meeting dates proposed for the 2015/16 Council Year is attached (CC12).

The schedule has been drawn up to reflect the various rules about frequency of meetings set out in the Council’s Constitution.

The final finance settlement in 2015 and future years is not expected until early to mid-February. This, together with the deadline for business rates forecasts from district councils being 31 January, means a Council meeting to agree the budget on 10 February (the second Tuesday in the month as set out in the Constitution) is unworkable. It is suggested that the Council meeting in 2015 is rearranged to 17 February 2015 and that it is scheduled for the third week in February going forward.

Linked to the above and to allow for the provisional settlement to be in late December (which has been the pattern for the last two years) it is suggested that the Cabinet meeting in January 2015 is rearranged to 27 January and that it is scheduled for that week going forward.

Based on the Constitution, the Council meeting in April 2015 would be 7 April 2015. This is the day after Easter Monday and in the past this has caused difficulties for Members. It is suggested that Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules be waived to allow the meeting to be held on 14 April 2015.

In previous years the December Council meeting has been cancelled or reduced to half a day due to its proximity to the November date leading to lack of business. It is suggested that from 2015/16 the two meetings be replaced by one meeting held in late November.

Council is RECOMMENDED to agree:

(a)          the changes to the dates of Cabinet and Council meetings in January and February 2015 and going forward to reflect the changed budget process;

(b)         the schedule of meeting dates for the 2015/16 Council Year and in particular:

(i)           to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the 2015 April Council meeting to be held on 14 April;

(ii)          that from 2016 the November and December Council meetings be replaced by a single meeting to be held in the last week in November;

(iii)         that Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules be amended to reflect the changes agreed above."

Council had before them a report (CC12) which sought agreement to the schedule of meeting dates proposed for the 2015/16 Council Year.  The schedule had been drawn up to reflect the various rules regarding frequency of meetings set out in the Council’s Constitution.

The final finance settlement in 2015 and future years was not expected until early to mid-February. This, together with the deadline for business rates forecasts from district councils being 31 January, meant that a Council meeting to agree the budget on 10 February (the second Tuesday in the month as set out in the Constitution) was unworkable. It was suggested that the Council meeting in 2015 be rearranged to 17 February 2015 and that it is scheduled for the third week in February going forward.

Linked to the above and to allow for the provisional settlement to be in late December (which has been the pattern for the last two years) it was suggested that the Cabinet meeting in January 2015 was rearranged to 27 January and that it is scheduled for that week going forward.

Based on the Constitution, the Council meeting in April 2015 would be 7 April 2015. This is the day after Easter Monday and in the past this had caused difficulties for Members. It was therefore suggested that Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules be waived to allow the meeting to be held on 14 April 2015.

In previous years the December Council meeting had been cancelled or reduced to half a day due to its proximity to the November date leading to lack of business. It was suggested that from 2015/16 the two meetings be replaced by one meeting held in late November.

With the agreement of Council, Councillor Purse moved and Councillor Val Smith seconded to move the recommendations as amended by Councillor Pressel in strikethrough:

Council is RECOMMENDED to agree:

a)           the changes to the dates of Cabinet and Council meetings in January and February 2015 and going forward to reflect the changed budget process;

b)           the schedule of meeting dates for the 2015/16 Council Year and in particular:

(i)           to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the 2015 April Council meeting to be held on 14 April;

(ii)          that from 2016 the November and December Council meetings be replaced by a single meeting to be held in the last week in November;

(iii)         that Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules be amended to reflect the changes agreed above.

Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and it was:-

RESOLVED: (nem con) to agree:

(a)          the changes to the dates of Cabinet and Council meetings in January and February 2015 and going forward to reflect the changed budget process;

(b)          the schedule of meeting dates for the 2015/16 Council Year and in particular:

(i)            to waive Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules to allow the 2015 April Council meeting to be held on 14 April;

(ii)          that Rule 2.1 of the Council Procedure Rules be amended to reflect the changes agreed above.