Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services proposing changes to the Council’s Constitution to incorporate an amendment to the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations 2014 which came into force on 25th February 2014.  The amended regulations require that a recorded vote is taken in respect of the substantive budget motion and any amendments that are proposed to it.

(Report No.215)

Councillor Simon moved and Councillor Brett seconded the report (No. 215) of the Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services proposing changes to the Council’s Constitution to incorporate an amendment to the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) Regulations2014, which had come into force on 25 February 2014.

NOTED

1.         The amended regulations, introduced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), now required that a recorded vote was taken in respect of the Council’s substantive budget motion and any amendments that were proposed to it.

2.         Whilst supportive of the need for transparency in the decision making process, Members expressed concern at the lack of consultation on the Regulations prior to their introduction, which had been undertaken on a mandatory basis by DCLG.

3.         The changes proposed to the Constitution as a result of the Regulations had been detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.  It was proposed to base the recorded vote on a roll call and as no further guidance had been issued the advice was that this would need to apply to votes taken on each specific recommendation within the Budget Setting Report.

AGREED to approve the amendments to the Constitution relating to the introduction of recorded votes on the substantive budget setting motion and any amendments, as required within the Local Authorities (standing orders) (England) Regulations2014 and set out in Appendix 1 to the report.