Agenda and minutes

The Chief Executive to notify the Committee of any substitute members.

The Committee were notified that Councillor Bryant was substituting for Councillor Lovelock for this meeting only.

Councillor Lovelock sent his apologies.

Members are asked to declare any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

None.

(Enclosure)

The minutes of the meeting held on 20th October were confirmed as a correct record of the decisions taken.

Report CS2 from the Corporate Manager Democratic and Legal Services and the Civic Support Officer.                                                                (Enclosure)

·                  An update from the Chairman will be given at the meeting.

Decision

That the Constitution and Accounts Committee recommends that the use of own vehicle for the Chairman be increased to £1,000 and the Vice-Chairman travel expenses be increased to £150 both for the coming financial year but that the remainder of the budget be determined through the Council’s budget setting process with a recommendation that it be based upon civic budget gross expenditure out turn figure plus inflation.

Members had before them report CS2 from the Civic Support Officer which detailed how the civic budget to the end of December 2005 had been spent.   The Civic Support Officer drew members’ attention to the fact that the transport costs had been fully allocated and there was still four months of the civic year to go.  All known functions had been included within the transport costs for the next four months.  Additional invites to functions during the next four months would be restricted.  Also circulated to members was a very comprehensive report which the Chairman of the Council had produced, as he was unable to attend the meeting. The Corporate Manager Democratic and Legal Services read the report out to members.   The report referred to the three significant changes that had occurred which were:

·                  the loss of a full time Chairman’s Officer/Driver.

·                  the loss of a part time Chairman’s/Vice- Chairman’s Driver.

·                  the loss of the “official” car.

These had been replaced by utilizing the services of the Chief Executive’s personal assistant on a pro rata basis and contracting out the provision of a vehicle and driver.   These had worked out very well and he commended the dedication of the Civic Support Officer and the support he had received from her.  The contracting out of the hiring of a driver and vehicle had also been successful and the contractor provided an exemplary service both in the vehicles and drivers he supplied.  The Chairman of the Council referred to the online access to the Civic Budget via a dedicated link which enabled him along with the Civic Support Officer to manage the budget on a day to day basis.  The report then gave an overview of the invitations that the Chairman received and approximately one-third of the 100 or so functions attended to date had been undertaken by self-drive.  He referred to the elements of the driver and vehicle contract and despite the large number of self drives that had been undertaken and taking into account the known commitments to the end of the civic year the travel element of the Civic Budget was all but expended.   He referred to the sale of the Civic car and whether some of the proceeds could be used to enable further additional invitations to be accepted.  The report concluded by referring to the number of self-drives and the consideration of an increase in the budget head for Use of Own Vehicle.  He also referred to the location of where the Chairman lived within the district as this would also impact on the travel budget and suggested that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

Report DLS50 from the Corporate Manager Democratic and Legal Services.

(Enclosure)

Decision

To request the Council to approve the following amendments to the Constitution:

1)        That the right of Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen (at the request of the Chairmen) to attend open and private cabinet meetings and speak on behalf of their DSP on relevant matters provided that the Chairman (or Vice-Chairman on behalf of the Chairman) reflect the views of the Panel and undertake to communicate those deliberations of the cabinet meeting back to the DSP.

2)        That reciprocal arrangements be granted to the Cabinet Portfolio Holders to attend and speak at relevant DSP meetings.

3)        That provision for Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen of DSP’s should be made within the Constitution to allow them to speak at Cabinet meetings before debate of a relevant DSP item.

Members had before them report DLS50 which concerned recommendations that had come out of a recent Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group meeting.   The report dealt with attendance of Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen of DSP’s attending Cabinet meetings.  Members of the Scrutiny Co-ordinating group felt that the Constitution should be revised to ensure that it is the right of Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen of DSP’s to address the Cabinet on behalf of their Panel on any item of relevance to that Panel.  Also that Chairmen or Vice-Chairman should be able to attend private cabinet meetings.

Members had mixed views over the proposals but the consensus was that private cabinet meetings should remain private.  The Chief Executive did clarify that a private cabinet meeting had not been held over the last year. Private briefings had taken place but no decisions were taken at these meetings and it would be a rare occurrence where a decision had to be taken in camera which would necessitate a private cabinet meeting.  Members felt that the DSP Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen were given the opportunity to speak at Cabinet and the Leader of the Council said that she had never denied any of the Councillors the opportunity to and never would.

The Chief Executive said that the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the DSP’s were trying to achieve better pre-scrutiny of issues on the forward plan which was behind their request.  It was felt that if the recommendation was agreed that it should state that the Chairman/Vice-Chairman was properly reflecting the views of the Panel and that the findings of the meeting should be reported back to the Panel.

A comment was then made about the call-in procedure and reference was made to the last call-in and its validity.   The Corporate Manager Democratic and Legal Services clarified to the Committee the role of the DSP’s and the call-in procedure rules as defined in the Local Government Act 2000.   The Chief Executive said that questions had certainly been discussed at the call-in and responses given.

An amendment was proposed and seconded that arrangements be made for the Portfolio Holders to speak at DSP meetings.  On being put to the vote the amendment was lost.  The original recommendation was then proposed with the addition that the Chairman or Vice Chairman  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

None.

The meeting closed at 4.15pm.