Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the duration of the 2016/17 municipal year.

The chairman requested nominations for the position of Vice-Chairman of Council Business Committee for the 2016/17 municipal year.

It was proposed by Councillor Warriner and seconded by Councillor Reynolds that Councillor Warriner be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council Business Committee. There being no further nominations, the Chairman declared the proposal to be carried.

Resolved:

That Councillor Warriner be appointed Vice-Chairman of Council Business Committee for the 2016/17 municipal year.

Minutes of meeting held on 10 March 2016 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting of 10 March 2016 (previously circulated) were approved by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

To receive declarations by Members of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Members are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Members should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee considered a report of the Democratic Services Manager to agree the Terms of Reference document and the consultation timetable for the Community Governance Review for the proposed Aldcliffe-with-Stodday Parish Council. The Elections Manager presented the report and responded to a number of questions from Councillors.

The Elections Manager reported that, at its meeting on 13^th April 2016, full Council had asked the Council Business Committee to develop and oversee the process for the Community Governance Review to consider the creation of a new parish council for an area to be called Aldcliffe-with-Stodday Parish Council, and to agree the process for consultation and the timetable to be followed.

It was noted that the review must be concluded by April 2017, and must consider all aspects of the creation of the parish council, including the electoral arrangements that would need to be adopted, and the initial precept arrangements, should a new parish be created.

A range of issues were discussed at the meeting, including:

·         The creation of the Parish Council

·         The electoral arrangements that would need to be adopted

·         Warding arrangements

·         Number of councillors needed for the area

·         Precept arrangements

During the discussion it was suggested that the terms of reference document be distributed to every property, rather than each individual on the electoral register to reduce cost. Other cost effective methods of distribution were also discussed, such as emailing the document to residents. The Committee agreed that a consultation would be more appropriate than a poll.

The Elections Manager agreed to amend the timetable in the consultation as well as ensuring that precept costs are transparent and explained in the document.

Resolved:

(1)  That the Elections Manager amend the Terms of Reference document and covering letter then recirculate it to Committee Members via email to be approved.

(2)  That the consultation timetable be revised and amended in the Terms of Reference document, subject to approval of Committee Members by email.

The Democratic Services Manager presented a report to enable the Committee to consider the best approach to discuss decision-making, when a decision was required before the next scheduled meeting.

After consideration of the options set out in the report, Members agreed that it wasn’t always necessary to call an ‘ad hoc’ meeting, nor was it always possible to agree responses to consultations via email, as urgent business. Therefore, the flexibility offered by a mixture of the two, set out in Option 3 of the report, was the most appropriate choice.

Resolved:

That, when a decision is required before the next scheduled meeting of the Council Business Committee, either an ad hoc meeting will be called, or the decision will be taken using the urgent business procedure, whichever is the most appropriate for each issue.

To approve the changes on the sheet attached and any other changes reported at the meeting.

Resolved:

That the following appointments to committees be approved:

1.       Councillor Peter Williamson (Cons) to become substitute member of Audit Committee instead of full member.

2.    Councillor Scott (NAI) to take Councillor Peter Williamson’s place on Audit Committee (this being the Conservative place in the Regulatory grouping to be passed over to either Councillor Woodruff or Councillor Scott as a result of the PR adjustment).

3.    Councillor Woodruff to take the seat on Licensing Act Committee passed over by the Labour group as a result of the PR adjustment.

4.    Councillor Knight to become a substitute for Councillor Ashworth on Overview and Scrutiny Committee and on the Highways and Planning Regulatory Committee.