Issue - meetings

Report by Ian Gibbons, Associate Director Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer on the review of Part 3 (Responsibility for Functions and Schemes of Delegation) and the recommendation of the Standards Committee.

Councillor Julian Johnson, Chairman of the Standards Committee presented a report which requested Council to consider proposed changes to Part 3 (Scheme of Delegation) of the Constitution which included the transfer of the Police and Crime Panel Procedure Rules and Panel Arrangements from Part 3 to a new Protocol. The changes had been considered and recommended by the Standards Committee at its meeting on 9 July 2014. Details of the changes being proposed including as tracked changed documents were presented along with the relevant extract of the Standards Committee minutes.

Councillor Stuart Wheeler, Cabinet member for Hubs, Heritage & Arts, Governance and Support Services explained that a briefing for members had been held on 24 July to explain the proposed changes in detail and provide an opportunity for members to ask questions. He commended the proposed changes.

Following debate, it was

Resolved:

To approve the proposed changes to Part 3 of the Constitution, including the transfer of the Police and Crime Panel Arrangements to a new Protocol subject to the following changes:

·         That Paragraphs 4.9 – 4.9.8 in respect of the election of chairmen and vice-chairmen of Area Boards be referred back to the Standards Committee via the Focus Group on the Constitution for further consideration and reported back to Council. This is to particularly address the scenario where the outgoing chairman and vice-chairman are standing for election as chairman. The changes as proposed be approved pending further reconsideration.

·         That paragraph 4.10 in respect of Cabinet representation on Area Boards be referred back to the Standards Committee via the Focus Group on the Constitution and reported back to Council to clarify the position on the attendance of Cabinet members where they are not standing members in their own right. That the status quo position as presented remains in the meantime.

·         At paragraph 6 – Health and Wellbeing Board

For clarity, 2^nd bullet point replace

‘Wiltshire Council Cabinet representatives with responsibility for Children, Adults and Public Health’

with  ‘The Leader of the council and 2 Wiltshire Council Cabinet Members with responsibility for Children, Adults and Public Health’.

·      For clarity, 3^rd bullet point replace ‘1 Member of the Opposition representative’  with ‘one member who is not a member of the ruling group(s) on the council.’