Agenda and minutes

Minutes of meeting held on 21^st June 2007. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 21^st June 2007 were agreed and signed as a true and accurate record.

It was proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Councillor Burns that Tony James be appointed Vice-Chaiman for the Municipal Year 2007/08.

Resolved, unanimously:

That Tony James be appointed Vice-Chairman for Municipal Year 2007/08.

Report of Head of Democratic Services.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report requesting the committee to consider its preference for meeting times for the Municipal Year 2008/09. The Committee discussed the issue and agreed that meetings of the Committee should be in the day time, with some members preferring afternoon meetings.

Resolved, unanimously:

That the comments as set out in the above minute be forwarded to the Head of Democratic Services.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer updated the Committee with regard to compliance with the submitting of an entry for the Register of Members’ Interests. It was reported that all City Council members had made a submission and that change forms had been issued to all members so that they could keep their entry updated.  With regard to Parish Councils it was noted that some had adopted the new Code of Conduct in May 2007 and others were due to in September 2007 and declaration forms were currently being received.  It was noted that advice was being provided to those filling in forms as it was required.

Resolved, unanimously:

(1)               That the proactive approach being taken by the Monitoring Officer be welcomed.

(2)       That the Committee receive update reports form time to time.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer advised that all City Councillors had now been trained on the Code of Conduct and at the request of Thurnham Parish Council she had attended their meeting to discuss the Code of Conduct. The Monitoring Officer also reported that she had attended a meeting of the Lancashire Association of Parish and Town Councils to discuss training. Since the last meeting two training sessions had been provided for Parish Councillors and Clerks, with just over 50% of the Parish Councils in the district represented. It was agreed not to organise any more training sessions for parishes at this time and that the issue of training for Parish Councils should be revisited at a future meeting when the Parish representative was present.

Resolved, unanimously:

That the issue of training for Parish Councils be considered at the meeting of the Committee scheduled for 10^th April 2008.

Report of the Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer introduced a report setting out revisions to the Protocol on Planning Procedure which had been amended as a result of the revised Code of Conduct. The Monitoring Officer circulated a revised text to replace paragraph 2, section 8 of the Protocol. It was agreed that in order to give Members time to provide any observations on the revised paragraph final approval of the protocol would be delegated to the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chairman.

The Committee considered the revised Protocol on Planning Procedure in detail and made several amendments to the document.

Resolved, unanimously:

(1)        That the Protocol on Planning Procedure (as appended to these minutes) be approved in principle.

(2)        That final approval of the Protocol on Planning Procedure be delegated to the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chairman, for recommending to Council Business Committee.