Issue - meetings

Report number DEM037 by the Democracy Service Manager.         

                                                                                                            (Enclosure)

Report DEM 037 was introduced by the Portfolio Holder for Access and Engagement. He advised that this report was just for noting, and that any comments should be made to the Service Manager of Democratic Services as soon as possible, in order for the report to come back to full Council on the 23^rd April for final approval.

It was noted that in July and August there were three Development Control Committee meetings scheduled close to each other. It was suggested that this was an error and would be amended.

A Member urged all Chairmen to keep to the scheduled dates for meetings once they had been approved, as Members had busy diaries and sometimes found it impossible to attend if meetings were moved. Another Member noted that it was not always the Chairman who moved meetings; sometimes, particularly with quasai-judicial committees, meetings had to be moved due to time restrictions allowed by legislation.  

The Leader of the Council noted the May cabinet meeting was scheduled for 10^th may. She apologised as she had booked leave for that week, assuming that the Cabinet meeting would be held on the first Monday of the month as usual. She reserved the right to reschedule and confirm a new date when the report came back to Council.

The Chairman of the Engagement PDG queried why the Engagement PDG had been scheduled for Tuesday 4^th May, when they usually met on a Thursday. He was advised that this was due to the probability of a General Election being called for that week.

A Member queried why there seem to be quite a gap between some Council meetings on the proposed calendar. The Chief Executive advised that a Council meeting had been scheduled for December 2010 rather than January 2011, as there was a strong probability of the Council needing to consider new legislation before the New Year. She felt it sensible to schedule a December meeting rather than having to arrange an extra-ordinary meeting for December as well as having a scheduled meeting in January.

The Portfolio Holder for Access and Engagement re-iterated that the calendar was up for consultation with Members, and that Members should speak to the Service Manager of Democratic Services with any other queries and / or amendments.