There were no Substitute Members.

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

The Group considered the reference from the Licensing Committee seeking the group to change its mind and allocate 2 places for members of the Licensing Committees to attend the Annual Licensing Conference.

The Head of Democratic Services reported that there were savings in the overall budget which would allow a further member to attend. He also indicated that he was planning as part of the committees training programme to include a joint presentation from members and officers to all other members of the committee on what had been learned from the annual licensing conference.

RESOLVED: That, for this year only, 2 members of the Licensing Committee be appointed to attend the Annual Licensing Conference and funded from the Members Development budget but that the second member appointed should not have attended the conference previously.

The Group considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services on the issues raised by the recommendation of the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee to Council that any non-executive member should be allowed to substitute on any committee not requiring prior training, rather than having nominated substitutes.

RESOLVED:

i)  That the Council be recommended

(1)  That the current rules for substitution be changed from nominated  substitutes to any member of the Council acting as a substitute for any  committee, other than Overview and Scrutiny Committees and the Standards Committee, as long as they have received the appropriate training (if appropriate) to enable them to sit on that committee.

(2)  That the Constitution be amended in Article 6A and in the Local Codes of Conduct for Councillors and Officers dealing with Planning and Licensing matters to delete the relevant paragraphs for training and replace them with the following:-

  “The Council has agreed that no member will be able to serve on the Committee without having agreed to undertake a minimum period of training on the policies and procedures of this Committee as specified by the Council. This training should be completed to an agreed level according to an agreed programme within an agreed time period set by the committees for newly appointed members and substitute members of the committee. If the specified training has not been completed by the due date, the member will cease to be a member/substitute member of the Committee in question until the training has been completed. The Head of Democratic Services will keep a record of the training requirements of each committee and of members’ compliance with the requirements.  Existing members of the Committee should be updated regularly on changes of legislation and procedures and receive refresher training on an annual basis.”

ii)  That the Standards Committee be requested to evaluate the above proposed changes to the Constitution being recommended to the Council by the General Purposes Group.

The Group considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services concerning any amendments which are required to the Councils Petition scheme, which is within the Constitution, arising from the Local Democracy and Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

RESOLVED:

(i) That the Council be recommended

(1)  That an amendment is made to the Council’s Petition Scheme to allow a debate, without time limit, by the Council of a petition with 1,500 signatures.

(2)   That the council’s Petition Scheme be amended to include a provision whereby if a petition has been received with 100 signatures and requests that a senior officer of the council should attend a meeting of an Overview and Scrutiny Committee that officer will attend with such senior officer being defined as Chief Executive, Director or Head of Service.

(3)   That the Council’s Petition Scheme be amended so that there is no age limit on who can sign the Petition or  present the Petition to Council.

(4)   That the Councils Petition Scheme be amended to include an E Petition facility.

(ii)That the Standards Committee be asked to evaluate the amendments to the Constitution being recommended to the Council by the General Purposes Group.

The Group considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services seeking nominations to various outside bodies.

RESOLVED:

(1)  That Councillor Paine be appointed to the vacancy on Action with Communities in Rural Kent;

(2)  That Councillor English be appointed to the vacancy as a Trustee on the Howard de Walden Centre; and

(3)  That it be noted that there is still a vacancy for the post of substitute member on South East Employers and that further nominations be sought.

6.30 p.m. to 8.39 p.m.