Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Director of Finance Resources & Customer Services seeking approval to the establishment of a Remuneration Committee.                              (Report No.122)

Members are asked to note that the proposed change was considered and approved for recommendation on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group on 4^th November 2014.

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.122) seeking approval to the establishment of a Remuneration Committee.

NOTED the proposed change had been considered and approved for recommendation to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group on 4 November 14.

AGREED to approve:

(1)     with effect from 20th November 2014, the establishment of a Remuneration Committee as a freestanding Committee appointed by Council, with the Terms of Reference detailed in section 3.7 of the report.

(2)     the Terms of Reference for the Audit Committee being amended, as detailed in section 3.8 of the report, to reflect the change in (1) above.

To receive a report from the Director of Finance Resources & Customer Services seeking approval of an amendment to the Council Procedure Rules enabling the Associate Cabinet Members to be included under Councillor Questions.                                                            (Report No.78)

Members are asked to note that the proposed change was considered and approved for reference on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group (16 September 2014).

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.78) seeking approval of an amendment to the Council Procedure Rules to include Associate Cabinet Members (ACM’s) within the procedure for Council Questions.

NOTED the proposed change had been considered and approved for recommendation to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group on 16 September 2014.

AGREED to approve (as recommended by Members & Democratic Services Group) the following amendments to Section 9 (Council Questions) within the Council Procedure Rules:

(1)       Extending the list of members which Council Question can be addressed to, in order to include Associate Cabinet Members:

“Any Councillor may ask a Cabinet Member, Associate Cabinet Member, Overview & Scrutiny/Scrutiny Workstream Chair or Statutory Committee Chair a question at a Council meeting.”

(2)     Updating the list of outside bodies on which questions can be addressed to members serving on them, as follows:

·                Association of London Government – amend to London Councils

·                Enfield Strategic Partnership Board – change to Enfield Strategic Partnership

To receive a report from the Director of Finance Resources & Customer Services seeking approval to a change to the Council’s Constitution relating to the way decisions regarding the establishing of companies and trusts and acquisition of share capital are agreed.   (Report No.135A)

Members are asked to note that the recommended change in the report was considered and approved for reference on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group (12 November 2013).

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services (No.135A) seeking approval to a change in the Constitution relating to the way in which decisions to establish companies and trusts and acquire share capital are agreed.

NOTED the proposed change in decision making arrangements had been considered and recommended on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group (12^th November 2013).

AGREED to approve the removal of approval for the establishment of any companies or trusts and acquisition of share capital as a matter in the Constitution reserved for Council and its inclusion, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Functions & Responsibilities) Order, as an Executive function under the remit for Cabinet.

To receive a report from the Director of Finance Resources & Customer Services seeking approval of amendments to the Constitution relating to changes introduced as a result of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings & Access to Information) Regulations 2012, in the following areas:

·                The Access to Information Rules (Chapter 4.6) & Citizens Rights section (Chapter 2.3)

·                The introduction of a policy relating to the filming and recording of public Council, Cabinet, Scrutiny, other Committee & Forum meetings

Members are asked to note that the above changes recommended in the report were considered and approved for reference on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group (3 September 2013).

In addition Council is being asked to approve an additional amendment to the Constitution relating to the level at which future decisions are taken on the establishment of companies under the Local Authorities (Functions & Responsibilities) Order 2000.          (Report No.106)

Councillor Simon moved and Councillor Georgiou seconded a  report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services (No.106) seeking approval of amendments to the Constitution relating to changes introduced as a result of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) Regulations 2012 in the following areas.

·                Executive meetings, publication of documents and access to them by the public, councillors and scrutiny members; and

·                The introduction of a policy relating to the filming and recording of public Council, Cabinet, Scrutiny, other Committee & Forum meetings

In addition Council was also asked to consider an additional amendment to the Constitution relating to the way in which future decisions on the establishment of companies, trusts and acquisition of share capital by the Council were taken, under the Local Authorities (Functions & responsibilities) Order 2000.

NOTED

1.         The changes arising from the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, as detailed in sections 3.1 and 3.2 of the report, had been considered and approved for recommendation on to Council by the Members & Democratic Services Group (3 September 2013).

2.         The recommended changes had been designed not only to comply with the requirements of the Executive Meeting Regulations but also to reflect good practice in operation of the procedures and assist the Council in managing its business in as efficient and effective a way as possible.

3.         The Policy in relation to filming of meetings had been designed to take account of guidance issued by the Department of Communities & Local Government, and whilst allowing filming to be undertaken would require this to be subject to advance notice and to be undertaken in a way that would not disrupt the conduct of any meeting.

4.         The recommendation in relation to the decision making process for the establishment of companies (as detailed within section 3.3 of the report) had not been subject to formal consideration by the Members & Democratic Services Group.  John Austin (Assistant Director Corporate Governance) advised members that this had arisen as a result of external legal advice, originally provided in relation to an unrelated matter.  The legal opinion provided was that under the terms of the Local Authorities (Functions & Responsibilities) Order 2000 this was a matter that should be treated as a power of the Executive rather than full Council.

5.         The concern expressed by the Opposition Group, in relation to 4. above, at the limited consultation with members on the proposal in advance of the meeting, with further detail requested on the legal advice and any potential decisions planned that the recommended change would impact upon.  As a result, it was agreed that the recommended change should be withdrawn from consideration at the meeting and referred for more detailed consideration by the Members & Democratic Services Group in advance of any final decision being made.

AGREED

(1)       To approve the amended Access to Information Rules (Chapter 4.6 in the Constitution) and the Citizens Rights section (Chapter 2.3 in the Constitution) attached as Appendix 1 Appendix 2 of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62

RECEIVED a report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services (No.48) seeking approval to the amendment of the Terms of Reference for the Councillor Conduct Committee and to the Member Code of Conduct.

NOTED that the proposed amendments had been considered and approved for recommendation on to Council by the Councillor Conduct Committee (2 May 2013) and Members & Democratic Services Group (8 July 2013).

AGREED to approve the amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Councillor Conduct Committee and Member Code of Conduct, as detailed in section 3.1.2 of the report.