Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the 2013/14 Municipal Year.  

The chairman requested nominations for the position of vice-chairman.

It was proposed by Councillor Knight and seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox:

“That Councillor Mace be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council Business Committee for the 2013/14 municipal year.”

There were no further nominations and the chairman declared Councillor Mace appointed.

Resolved:

That Councillor Mace be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council Business Committee for the 2013/14 municipal year.

Minutes of meeting held on 14 March 2013 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the last meeting were approved 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 10 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 at this point.

Referral report from Council.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report based on a request from Council, to consider making recordings of meetings publicly available on the council’s website.

In the course of asking questions, members expressed the view that purchasing recording or webcasting equipment would be too costly in an era of austerity, and that being recorded could stifle debate as some members may not feel comfortable under such conditions.   Conversely, it was suggested that recording meetings would provide an accurate record of what was said in the course of debates.

Councillor Mace proposed the following motion, seconded by Councillor Hamilton-Cox:

“Recognising support for the recent motion in Council in a recorded vote, this committee requests that speakers in Council meetings declare their names before speaking, always use a microphone and that sound recordings be prepared on an experimental basis and made available to members and officers on request, prior to further consideration of the subject in budget discussions for 2014/15”.

On being put to the vote, the motion was passed.

Resolved:

Recognising support for the recent motion in Council in a recorded vote, this committee requests that speakers in Council meetings declare their names before speaking, always use a microphone and that sound recordings be prepared on an experimental basis and made available to members and officers on request, prior to further consideration of the subject in budget discussions for 2014/15.

Report of the Chief Executive.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report on whether the council should produce a verbatim transcript of Taxi Forum and Taxi Liaison Group meetings, following a request from hackney carriage and private hire proprietors.

It was agreed that, because of data protection implications and the informality of the meetings, verbatim records of the Taxi Forum and Taxi Liaison Group meetings would be inappropriate.  However, should any forum or Group member present request that something said at the meeting be recorded in the notes, the Committee suggested that this request be granted so long as all the other members of the Forum or Liaison Group present agreed to the request. The suggestion was made subject to legal advice.

Resolved:

(1)        That the request for a verbatim transcript of Taxi Forum and Taxi Liaison Group meetings be refused. 

(2)        Subject to legal advice, the committee requests that individual statements be

recorded in the notes of the meeting if requested by a member of the Taxi Forum or Taxi Liaison Group provided all other members present at the meeting agree to the request.

Report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The Senior Democratic Support Officer introduced a report on the updated Member Development Strategy, which had been tabled for approval by the committee.

In the course of discussion, members agreed on the need for further training on email etiquette.  It was felt that councillors could potentially bring the council into disrepute with inappropriate email use, and that training may help to reduce that risk.

In addition, training was also requested on new planning regulations relating to wind turbine farms.    Whilst those regulations had not yet been published, it was suggested that training be arranged once they were in place.

Resolved:

(1)        That the draft Member Development Strategy 2013/14 be approved;

(2)        That suitable training courses be researched into email etiquette for councillors using the council’s email system

(3)        That training be arranged on forthcoming changes to the planning system, relating to wind turbines, once the new regulations had come into force.

Report of the Chief Executive. 

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a request from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which sought permission to carry out preparatory work in response to the Better Care Together consultation.  This represented a variation to the approved consultation policy.

The final response would still be considered by Council Business Committee, in line with the standard procedure.

Resolved:

That the request be approved.

Report of the Head of Governance.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report which asked the committee to decide whether or not to respond to a further consultation by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, on warding arrangements for the district.

Following a debate on the merits of responding on behalf of the council, Councillor Aitchison, seconded by Councillor Mace, proposed: “that the council should not respond to this further consultation on the revised warding proposals”. Individuals, political groups and town and parish councils would be able to make their own responses.

On being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

Resolved:

That the council should not submit a response to the further consultation from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

Report of the Head of Governance.

The committee considered a report on member champions, noting that although there was no legislative requirement to appoint them, initiatives at national level had encouraged their appointment to promote specific areas of interest.

The report set out a model protocol and role definition for the committee to consider recommending to Council for inclusion in the constitution. The committee also considered the issue of travel and subsistence costs for champions and agreed to refer the issue to the Independent Remuneration Panel.

Resolved:

(1)        That Council be recommended to add the attached model protocol and generic member champion role definition to the constitution, under section five, part six;

(2)        That Council be recommended to confirm that member champions be appointed at each Annual Council, and that this item be included in the business for Annual Council, shown in council procedure rule 1.1 (part four, section one of the constitution);

(3)        That Council be recommended to appoint only non-cabinet members as member champions, and to approve the attached generic role definition;

(4)        That the Independent Remuneration Committee be asked to consider amending the Members’ Allowances Scheme to permit reasonable travel and subsistence claims for member champions carrying out their role.

Report of the Chief Executive.

Prior to consideration of this item, Councillor Hill declared an interest as the councillor who had raised this issue.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report following a request from a councillor to review the rules regarding members’ questions on notice at Council.

The councillor had raised concerns with the current rules, and expressed the view that it was not fitting for the Chief Executive to make the decision about whether a question was relevant to the council’s powers or duties, or whether it affected the district. The councillor perceived this as an ‘officer filter’ for members’ questions.

In the course of debate, it was felt that the current rules gave a broad framework within which members could phrase questions, and that a filter of some description was desirable in ensuring that time was not taken up at Council with issues that had no relevance.

It was felt, however, that members whose questions had been rejected by the Chief Executive should have the right of appeal to the mayor, as chairman of the Council meeting, in the interests of fairness.

Resolved:

The committee recommends that the council procedure rules be amended to allow any member whose question on notice to Council has been refused by the Chief Executive, on the grounds that it did not satisfy procedure rule 13.4 (b), the right of appeal to the mayor.

The Democratic Services Manager introduced a report on the amended Protocol On Member / Officer Relations, which had been recommended by the Standards Committee for inclusion in the constitution.

Resolved:

That the amended Protocol On Member / Officer Relations, appended to the minutes, be approved for inclusion in the constitution.

It was reported that the Labour group would like to replace Councillor Denwood with Councillor Gardner on the Standards Committee.  

Councillor Aitchison would replace Councillor Gardner as a substitute member on that committee.

Resolved:

That the request be approved.