Issue - meetings

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.