Issue - meetings

This report recommends changes to the Council’s Constitution, following completion of a review commissioned by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services.

Discussion:

This report provided details of recommended changes to the Council’s Constitution, following completion of a review commissioned by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services. The report stated thatthe review has concluded that Medway’s Constitution was in good shape with only two specific areas which required revision (the procedures for land and property acquisitions and disposals (which were corrected at Cabinet and Full Council on 21 January 2016) and the need to clarify that licensing of scrap metal dealers was an executive rather than non-executive function. The exercise had, however, provided an opportunity to bring forward revisions intended to improve presentation and to elaborate on, or clarify, the meaning of some provisions.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, Councillor Mackness referred to a typographical error on page 381 of Supplementary Agenda No.1, specifically that the reference to the DSS should be amended to DWP.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services, Councillor Mackness, supported by the Portfolio Holder for Resources, Councillor Gulvin, proposed the recommendations set out in the report.

Decisions:

(a)  The Council agreed that Rule 16.2 of the Council Rules be suspended, to enable the proposed minor revisions to the Council Rules to be agreed at this meeting of the Council.

(b)  The Council approved the proposed revisions to the Constitution as set out as tracked changes in Appendix B to the report.

Background:

This report provided details of proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution, following completion of a review commissioned by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services. The report set out the scope of the review which, in summary, was to ensure it would be up to date and consistent with current legislation and established practice. Appendix A to the report set out a high level summary of the principal changes proposed to the Constitution. A copy of the Constitution which highlighted all the recommended revisions as set out in Appendix B to the report (Supplementary Agenda No.1).

It was noted that the Chief Executive, Directors and Deputy and Assistant Directors had been consulted on proposed changes to the Constitution and had assisted in identifying updates required, and that Group Leaders had been informally consulted on the proposed changes.

It was also noted that a recommendation from the Audit Committee concerning an annual report on all debt written off had been reflected within Appendix B to the report and the Planning Committee, on 6 April 2016, would be considering minor changes to the Planning Code of Good Practice and the procedures for escalation of planning applications to the Committee for determination.

The Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be reviewing the redrafted Overview and Scrutiny Committee rules at its meeting on 14 April 2016 so that the comments of the Committee can be reflected in the final report to Full Council.

Reasons:

The revisions to the Constitution proposed in this report demonstrate that the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9