Agenda item

Report of the Director of Governance to follow.

The Chair of the Governance Committee, Councillor Ian Watkinson, presented a report of the Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer seeking approval of changes to the Council’s constitution. The changes included removal of repetition, changes to the council’s standing orders and changes in relation to Executive Member Decision making processes. The report also sought approval of an updated report template.

It was proposed by Councillor Watkinson, seconded by Councillor Foster and it was RESOLVED (unanimously):–

1) That Council approves the following proposed changes in Appendix B of the report:

i) that the proposed changes relating to Terms of Reference of Council, Cabinet and Committees, be approved,

ii) that the proposed Scheme of Delegation for Cabinet and Committees be approved; and

iii) That the proposals for the process of Executive Decisions to be amended to be member led, be approved;

2) That Council approves the following in respect of Appendix C to the report – Amendments to Council Procedure Rules (Standing Orders):

i)                 That the proposed amendments to Standing Orders 8, 13.2, 14.3, 14.5, and 14.14 be approved;

ii)                That Standing Orders 16.4 and 16.6. be not amended and that in the event a decision is not unanimous, it will be the practice going forward thateach councillor’s vote in favour, against or abstain will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting;

3) That Council approves the proposed report template as detailed at Appendix D of the report.

The following amendments were moved in respect of proposed changes in Appendix C – Amendment to Council Procedure Rules (Standing Orders):

An amendment was moved by Councillor Howarth, seconded by Councillor Foster

“That the proposed changes to Standing Order 23 be approved subject to a further amendment to Standing Orders 23.1 and 23.2 that “ …the Notice of Motion under rule 10 has been signed by at least 2 members”.’

A recorded vote was taken as follows:

FOR - Councillors Adams, Alty, Bell, Blow, Bylinski Gelder, Donoghue, Evans, Flannery, Forrest, Foster, Hancock, Howarth, Jones, Lomax, Martin, Melia, Sharples, Shaw, Titherington, C Tomlinson, M Tomlinson, Trafford, Turner, Watkinson, and Wooldridge;

AGAINST- Councillors Bretherton, Campbell, Chisholm, Clark, Coulton, Mary Green, Michael Green, Hesketh, Hughes, Moon, Mort, Mullineaux, Ogilvie, Rainsbury, Margaret Smith, Phillip Smith, Suthers, Walton, Watson and Yates.

The Mayor declared the amendment carried and it was therefore

RESOLVED - “That the proposed changes to Standing Order 23 be approved subject to a further amendment to Standing Orders 23.1 and 23.2 that “ …the Notice of Motion under rule 10 has been signed by at least 2 members”.’

An amendment was moved by Councillor Foster, seconded by Councillor M Tomlinson that:

“In respect of Standing Order 34.1 (iii), Councillors for the ward in which the application is located (not on Planning Committee) will then have the opportunity to make representations about the application. Each will have up to four minutes to state their case. Where the application will have an effect on neighbouring wards the Chair of Planning will permit the ward councillors for the affected wards to speak on the same basis as ward councillors”.

A recorded vote was taken as follows:

FOR - Councillors Adams, Alty, Bell, Blow, Bylinski Gelder, Donoghue, Evans, Flannery, Forrest, Foster, Hancock, Howarth, Jones, Lomax, Martin, Melia, Sharples, Shaw, Titherington, C Tomlinson, M Tomlinson, Trafford, Turner, Watkinson, and Wooldridge;

AGAINST - Councillors Bretherton, Campbell, Chisholm, Clark, Coulton, Mary Green, Michael Green, Hesketh, Moon, Mort, Mullineaux, Ogilvie, Rainsbury, Margaret Smith, Phillip Smith, Suthers, Walton, Watson and Yates.

The Mayor declared the amendment carried and it was therefore

RESOLVED - In respect of Standing Order 34.1 (iii), Councillors for the ward in which the application is located (not on Planning Committee) will then have the opportunity to make representations about the application. Each will have up to four minutes to state their case. Where the application will have an effect on neighbouring wards the Chair of Planning will permit the ward councillors for the affected wards to speak on the same basis as ward councillors.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Foster, seconded by Councillor Titherington that

“Standing Orders 2.1 and 13.1 be amended so as to delete the words “The Chairman of any Committee, The Chairman of any My Neighbourhood Forum, A member appointed by the Council to any joint authority or joint board, A member appointed by or on behalf of the Council as a member or Director of any Company, any member Champion” and to retain the words “The Leader or Deputy Leader of the Council” and “A member of the Cabinet”.

A recorded vote was taken as follows:

FOR - Councillors Adams, Alty, Bell, Blow, Bylinski Gelder, Donoghue, Evans, Flannery, Forrest, Foster, Hancock, Howarth, Jones, Lomax, Martin, Melia, Sharples, Shaw, Titherington, C Tomlinson, M Tomlinson, Trafford, Turner, Watkinson, and Wooldridge;

AGAINST - Councillors Bretherton, Campbell, Chisholm, Clark, Coulton, Mary Green, Michael Green, Hesketh, Moon, Mort, Mullineaux, Ogilvie, Rainsbury, Margaret Smith, Phillip Smith, Suthers, Walton, Watson and Yates.

The Mayor declared the amendment carried and it was therefore

RESOLVED - “Standing Orders 2.1 and 13.1 be amended so as to delete the words “The Chairman of any Committee, The Chairman of any My Neighbourhood Forum, A member appointed by the Council to any joint authority or joint board, A member appointed by or on behalf of the Council as a member or Director of any Company, any member Champion” and to retain the words “The Leader or Deputy Leader of the Council” and “A member of the Cabinet”.