To consider any changes to the Constitution relating to the Companies Committee.
Minutes:
The item had been added to the agenda following the last meeting of the Committee.
At a recent Council meeting a Member wanted to ask the Chairman of the Companies Committee a question during Open Questions by Councillors, and although the Chairman of the Companies Committee was prepared to answer the question, the Constitution did not allow for this. A proposal was therefore made to allow questions to be put to the Chairman of the Companies Committee during Open Questions by Councillors at Council.
A further proposal was made to allow members of the public to ask questions at Companies Committee which was allowed with other Committee’s such as Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
Each proposal was taken separately.
The Chairman asked if, like with other Committees, Members could speak at a meeting of the Companies Committee at the discretion of the Chairman. This was confirmed by the Assistant Director of Governance and Deputy Monitoring Officer with reference to the appropriate Article within the Constitution, Article 11, paragraphs 11.4.
Clarity was sought around asking questions of the Chairmen at the Companies Committee and it was noted that following the elections next year, changes may be made to the Companies Committee and there may be less wholly owned Council companies.
Further reference was made to who could answer questions during Open Questions by Councillors at Council and Members were referred to Paragraph 12.2 of the Council Procedure Rules which listed who could answer questions and Paragraph 12.3 which listed those Committee where questions could not be asked of the Chairman or Vice-Chairman.
It was stated that the Chairmen of the wholly owned Council Companies could be held to account by the Companies Committee who acted in a shareholder role. The Constitution Committee could propose that the Chairman (and Vice-Chairman) of the Companies Committee be added to the list of Members who could be questioned during Open Questions by Councillors.
The proposal to add the Companies Committee to the list of those committee Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen who could answer questions during Open Questions by Councillors was seconded and on being put to the vote AGREED.
Decision
That the Constitution Committee recommends to Council that the Companies Committee Chairman and Vice-Chairman be added to the list contained in paragraph 12.2 of the Council Procedure Rules.
The second proposal concerned allowing members of the public to speak at meetings of the Companies Committee in the same way that members of the public could speak at Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The proposal was seconded.
Members of the public were allowed to attend any public meeting of the Council, unless they had been excluded under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.
A question was asked if there was a reason why speaking at the Companies Committee by members of the public was not included in the Constitution. Reference was made to the quasi-judicial Committees and their speaking arrangements but it was confirmed that there was no reason that the Companies Committee should be excluded.
It was proposed, seconded and AGREED to allow speaking by members of the public at Companies Committees in the same way that the public can speak at Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
Decision
That the Constitution Committee recommends to Council that public speaking is allowed at the Companies Committee in the same way that the public can speak at Overview and Scrutiny Committees.