To receive Report No.103/2017 from the Director for Resources.

Report No. 103/2017 from the Director for Resources was received the purpose of which was for the Annual Council meeting to consider the establishment and terms of reference of Scrutiny Panels and Standing Committees as required under Part 4 Section 1, Procedure Rule 22 of the RCC Constitution.  A review of the current structure of Scrutiny Panels and Committees had taken place and the report presented a proposal for approval by Council.  Changes to the current structure were detailed at paragraphs 3 and 4 of the report which must be considered before seats could be allocated in accordance with political balance rules.

Mrs Mogg provided a brief introduction outlining the main changes proposed in the report as follows:

·         Changes to the number, name, membership size and terms of reference of Scrutiny Panels;

·         Development Control and Licensing Committee and Licensing Committee to be brought under one Committee with a new name of Planning and Licensing Committee with revised membership size, delegations, terms of reference and start time changed to 7pm in line with other Committees;

·         Introduction of a Public Speaking Scheme for Planning and Licensing Committee;

·         Changes to the terms of reference for Employment and Appeals and Audit and Risk Committees;

·         Amendment to the close of meetings Procedure Rules; and

·         Revised Scheme of delegation.

During debate the following points were raised:

      i.        Mr Oxley was concerned that the amount of time being given to the consideration of planning applications would be reduced by the change in start time of Planning and licensing Committee and the change in the close of meetings procedures.  Mr Oxley was also concerned that enforcement had also been delegated to Officers and would no longer come to the Committee and Mr Conde supported this concern;

    ii.        Mrs Mogg confirmed that where enforcement was concerned the delegation was in consultation with the Chair of the Committee who could request that an issue was brought before the Committee.  All changes would be kept under review and could be reconsidered in future;

   iii.        Mr Oxley highlighted that the Terms of Reference for the Conduct Committee noted promotion of high standards of conduct by Members of the authority, but did not explicitly mention Parish and Town Councillors;

   iv.        Mrs Mogg confirmed that this was included under her statutory role as Monitoring Officer, but that the Conduct Committee would also take the opportunity to review the Terms of Reference at the first meeting of the Municipal year;

    v.        Mr Bird felt that it was restrictive to allow only one person to speak for and one person to speak against a planning application under the proposed Public Speaking Scheme for Planning and Licensing Committee and also that 3 minutes was a short amount of time; and

   vi.        Mr Gale was also concerned regarding reducing the amount of time for the Planning and Licensing Committee to consider planning applications.  

RESOLVED

1)    Council APPOINTED the Scrutiny Panels and Standing Committees as set out at paragraph 5 of Report 103/2017 for the Municipal Year 2017/18;

2)    Council APPROVED the terms of reference for Scrutiny Panels as set out in Appendix A of Report 103/2017;

3)    Council APPROVED the terms of reference for Standing Committees and the Scheme of Delegation as set out in Part 8 of the Constitution shown Appendix B of Report 103/2017 ;

4)    Council APPROVED the proposed changes to Close of Meetings Procedure Rules as detailed in Section 6 of Report 103/2017;

5)    Council APPROVED the revised public speaking scheme for the Planning and Licensing Committee as set out in Appendix C of Report 103/2017;

6)    Council AUTHORISED the Monitoring Officer to incorporate the revisions and changes above into the Council’s Constitution.

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In accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 11, paragraph 2 –

Recording of Votes – Mr Gale requested that his vote against the above

resolutions be recorded.

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