Decision - Review of Constitution

RESOLVED

That the committee recommends to Council:

(i)                 That the Council resolves, in accordance with section 9KC of the Local Government Act 2000, to change its governance arrangements from leader and cabinet to a committee system.

(ii)               That the parts of the constitution set out in Appendix 1 to the report (being the parts where there are substantive changes) be approved.

(iii)             That the transitional arrangements in relation to the Audit and Standards Committees, as set out in paragraph 16.3 of the report, be approved and adopted until such time that the relevant Regulations relating to standards are made and come into force

(iv)              That the current scheme of delegations to officers be approved subject to the changes set out at Appendix 5 to the report and any other consequential modifications

(v)                That the rest of the existing constitution be approved and adopted, subject to such amendments as are necessary to make them fit for a committee system

(vi)              That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the minor and consequential changes refereed to in paragraphs 2.1(iv) and 2.1(v)

(vii)            That the constitution as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, with the addition of the parts referred to in 2.1(v) above, be approved and adopted as the Council’s constitution in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2000 and relevant Regulations, Orders and Directions made by the Secretary of State

(viii)          That the new system of governance and the new constitution come into force immediately after the conclusion of Annual Council on 17 May 2012

(ix)              That the Chief Executive be authorised to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the new governance arrangements, including the power to make such transitional arrangements as are necessary for the orderly implementation of the proposals

(x)                That officers be instructed to make copies of the Council’s new constitution available at its principal offices and to publish a notice describing the new arrangements, in accordance with s9KC of the Local Government Act 2000

(xi)              To note that the issue of Member’s Allowances be dealt with separately elsewhere on the agenda and that any proposed Code of Conduct be referred to Council as part of the recommendations from the Standards Committee