Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Roger Lawrence and Wendy Thompson.

No declarations of interests were made.

[For approval]

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 February 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

There were no matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

[To recommend to Council revisions to the Constitution]

Jaswinder Kaur, Democratic Services Manager presented the report on changes made to the Constitution for approval by the Council. The main changes related to splitting the terms of reference of the Licensing Committee to form a Statutory Licensing Committee and a Non Statutory Licensing Committee, which was in line with best practice; and the introduction of a protocol for webcasting to ensure compliance with the Council’s obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation, and the Human Rights Act 1998. The other proposed changes to the Constitution were administrative, such as updating Cabinet portfolios, delegations and responsibility for functions to reflect the current position and /or best practice.

Referring to a proposed change to the Code of Conduct for Employees regarding employees who are provided with an access pass or identification card being required to wear them on a corporate branded lanyard at all times. The Chair suggested that it would be good practice for Councillors to wear an ID badge. He noted that not all Councillors wore the corporate lanyard but used other means to wear/display their identification badge. He suggested that Councillors be consulted about the best way(s) they would prefer to wear their ID badge at all times and thereafter it be written into the Councillors Code of Conduct accordingly.

Councillor Val Gibson reported that she thought the Code of Conduct for Councillors would have been attached to the report.  She advised that she had read the revised Code and asked whether the Group should see it before it was presented to Council for approval. The Democratic Services Manager informed the Group that the Councillor Code of Conduct was being reviewed and in accordance with the Constitution, changes must be considered by the Standards Committee for recommendation to Council. A report on proposed amendments was due to be considered by the Standards Committee on 27 October 2018. She undertook to send an electronic copy of the document to the Group. The Democratic Services Manager added that in the long-term amendments to the Councillor Code of Conduct would be presented to the Advisory Group for onward transmission to Council.  The Group supported that intent.

Councillor Alan Bolshaw pointed to a typographical error on the wording of function 27 of the delegations to the Non – Statutory Licensing Committee.

Resolved:

1. That Council be recommended to:

a.     Approve the amendments to the Constitution.

b.     Authorise the Director of Governance to implement the changes.

2.    That Councillors be consulted about the best way(s) they would prefer to wear their identification badge at all times and that it be written into the Councillors Code of Conduct.