Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer attached.

The committee received a report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer which outlined a number of urgent decisions taken since 7 January 2022 in accordance with the urgency procedures outlined within the Council’s Constitution.

The report highlighted that 6 urgent decisions had been submitted during this period, which required agreement from either the Mayor or the Chair of Scrutiny Committee to be taken using urgency procedures.

A query was raised as to why 3 decisions on Mutual Agreements had been taken under the General Exception Procedure. It was explained that this was due to the confidential nature and personal information contained within the report, but assurances were provided that such process is lawful and is discussed with union representatives. 

Members reiterated concerns made previously over the number of urgent decisions taken and requested information on the use of urgent decisions at other authorities.

Resolved: (unanimously)

That the Scrutiny Committee

1.     notes the report and

2.     requests further information on the use of urgent decisions at comparative local authorities.

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Noted.

Members received a report setting out a number of urgent decisions taken in accordance with urgency procedures outlined in the Council’s Constitution since the report to the last meeting of Council.

These urgent decisions include ‘key’ decisions taken by the Executive (i.e. Cabinet of Individual Executive Members) as defined in the Cabinet Forward Plan / Notice of Executive Decisions, decisions which include confidential or exempt information, and urgent decisions for which the Mayor agreed to waive scrutiny call-in.

It was proposed by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Paul Foster, seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Mick Titherington, and subsequently

Resolved (unanimously) that the report be noted.