Agenda item

Councillor Palethorpe presented and Councillor Hadland seconded a report seeking adoption of the Council’s new Constitution.  In presenting the report, Councillor Palethorpe drew attention to a couple of amendments.  One was with regards to paragraph 20.2 in respect of attendance at Cabinet or Committee by other members of the Council.  It was suggested that this paragraph be amended to allow members to address the Cabinet on any item on the meetings’ published agenda.  In addition attention was drawn to page 4.3 paragraph 1.4.1 regarding the Guillotine process which stated that if the business of a Council meeting had not been concluded by 10:30 pm the Mayor would draw the attention of the meeting to the time and to the rule that the Guillotine would normally fall closing the meeting at this point.  However, it was being suggested that perhaps an earlier time of 9:30pm would be preferable.  It was noted that the Constitution was a working document and that as issues evolved then further changes would probably need to be made accordingly. 

RESOLVED:(1) That the Constitution as set out in appendix 2 of the report be adopted for immediate implementation.

                        (2)That the Solicitor to the Council be authorised to make any typographical amendments to the Constitution as approved and to issue copies to all Councillors and relevant members of staff.

(3)   That it be noted that the Planning Protocol (Part 5) and the Members’ Allowance Scheme (Part 6) would be subject to revision at a later date once the Standards Committee had considered the former and the Remuneration Panel had considered the latter.

.

(4)   ) That paragraph 20.2 be amended as follows:

“Members will be permitted to address Cabinet upon any item on that meeting’s published agenda (except where Cabinet is required to follow a statutory procedure in relation to that item or exercise thereof would prejudice the Council’s duty to act quasi judicially).  Such addresses on any one item shall not without the specific consent of Cabinet exceed three minutes and Cabinet will have the discretion to limit the number of members speaking on any one item.  Members will have a right to speak on any item in order to declare personal and prejudicial interest in that item”.

                        (5)That the issue regarding the timing when the guillotine should come into effect to close the meeting be given further consideration at a later date.