Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Dennis and Game.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in accordance with Council Procedure rule 2.2 (v)

To approve the Minutes of the Constitutional Review Working Party meeting held on 20 February 2018, copy attached.

Councillor Campbell proposed, Councillor Dixon seconded and it was AGREED that the minutes of the Constitutional Review Working Party held on 20 February 2018 be approved and signed by the Chairman.

Nick Hughes, Committee Services Manager outlined the proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution.

The following points were discussed:

·  Members queried what would happen if an issue related to both finance and policy. Members were advised that the responsibilities are split in that the Executive, Policy & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel considered petitions that request new services or requiring council action on an emerging matter affecting the local community, whereas the Finance, Budget & Performance Scrutiny Panel reviewed or scrutinised decisions made and progress.

·  Members were advised that whilst it was not possible to create working parties, it was possible to create a time-limited scrutiny review and any Member could be part of a scrutiny review excepting Cabinet.

·  The changes did not affect the Boundaries and Electoral Arrangements Working Party.

·  The call-in function will be exercised by the Executive, Policy & Community Safety Scrutiny Panel as the alternative of creating a process to decide which panel was considered too laborious and there would be deadlock if the Chairmen did not agree on which Panel the issue should go to.

·  The Working Party commended officers for the work that had gone into the changes to the Constitution.

The Working Party AGREED to recommend the changes to the Constitution to the Standards Committee.