Agenda and minutes

Minutes of meeting held on (previously circulated). 

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as a correct record.

There were no items of urgent business.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report on the Council’s meetings timetable and times for the 2012/13 municipal year, which featured proposals to change the start time of Personnel Committee and Standards Committee to 6pm.

In the course of discussion, it was agreed that the Chairman of Personnel Committee should have the discretion to call an earlier starting time when faced with an appeal or similarly time consuming matter.

In addition, it was noted that recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings, which start at 6pm, had continued until almost 10pm.  As such, it was suggested either that agendas for that committee are shortened, more meetings are held to spread the workload, or that sandwiches are provided for members and officers.

Resolved:

That the draft meetings timetable, meeting start times and venues for 2012/13, as appended to the report, be approved, with Personnel Committee and Standards Committee to start at 6pm.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report giving options for the forthcoming Special Council meeting, to be held in October 2012.

It was noted that Special Council meetings are held every other year either to consider a single topic, hear an external speaker, meet in an assembly or forum, or to consider a local, regional or national issue.

The report set out three suggested topics for a Special Council meeting:

-                    an event with young people;

-                    discussion of the National Grid upgraded programme; or

-                    to consider options for council governance arrangements in light of the Localism Act 2011.

In the course of discussion, a clear consensus emerged in favour of hosting an event with young people from across the district.  It was thought that this would allow the council to engage with an important segment of the local population, and the Chairman raised the possibility of allocating a small budget to the young people involved.

Resolved:

(1)               That the 2012 Special Council meeting was to be held with young people of 6^th form age from across the district;

(2)               That officers from Community Engagement be requested to prepare proposals for agreement at the next meeting, about the content and structure of the 2012 Special Council meeting.

Report to follow.

The Committee considered a report on the council’s written submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission’s review of the council’s size, which had been formulated at the previous Council Business Committee meeting.

It was noted that the Boundary Commission had not been satisfied that the council had put forward a sufficient rationale for maintaining sixty councillors, and had resolved to defer its decision until meeting with the council’s political leaders, which it did on 28^th February 2012.

The Boundary Commission would consider the size of Lancaster City Council at its meeting of 17^th April 2012, before which the council had been invited to produce a further written submission with more detailed reasoning to support the continuation of sixty councillors.

In discussion, the majority of members reaffirmed their support for maintaining sixty councillors and maintained that reducing the number would have an adverse effect on communities, reduce the diversity amongst members, and disengage people with the council in rural areas.  

Resolved:

That the draft submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission be endorsed.

There were no appointments to committees or changes to membership.