To receive Report No.107/2021 from the Monitoring Officer.

Report No 107/2021 was received from the Monitoring Officer. Councillor O Hemsley introduced the report.

The purpose of the report was that Council, at its Annual Council Meeting agreed the date and time of ordinary meetings of Council (and its committees) for the coming Municipal Year. This was done at the meeting in May. However, there was uncertainty at the time about meetings owing to changes in regulations and the pandemic situation and therefore

it was decided that an updating report would be brought to Council to ensure that a full programme was available.

Councillor G Waller requested that religious festivals be recognised within the programme of meetings going forward. The Monitoring Officer noted this and would inform Governance of the change.

Councillor M Oxley enquired as to why the meetings of Cabinet would continue to operate virtually as by law any Body of the Council making decisions should meet in public. The Monitoring Officer explained that the Executive was a separate authority, and the Leader was able to set a scheme of delegation in relation to that which could include individual delegation to Members of the Cabinet. During Covid-19 this had been undertaken but would be reviewed going forward as Officers moved back in to the Catmose offices.

Councillor M Oxley asked if recommendations from Cabinet referred through to Council for acceptance could be seen as decisions. The Monitoring Officer stated that Cabinet would pass referrals through to Council where the elements were either part of the budget policy framework or were a material alteration to the Council’s budget. These were decisions of Cabinet and could be made through the schemes of delegation made by the Leader.

Councillor G Waller stated that if the Leader had delegated decisions to be made to a Portfolio Holder that this be reflected within the Cabinet reports. The Monitoring Officer explained that the decision notices reflected this.

Councillor W Cross stated that Cabinet meetings should be undertaken in person and not virtually. The Monitoring Officer explained that Members would be reviewing the way in which Cabinet meetings took place very shortly.

Councillor A MacCartney asked if debates were taking place within the Cabinet meetings prior to a decision being made. Councillor Hemsley stated that robust debates were still being undertaken during Cabinet meetings and these could be listened to online.

Councillor M Oxley asked which committees of the Council were decision making bodies. The Monitoring Officer stated that all committees were capable of decisions. The Executive was not a committee of Council and individual delegations could be made.

Councillor G Brown asked if the Programme of Meetings could be made available earlier so Members could plan ahead. The Monitoring Officer noted this.

Councillor O Hemsley moved the recommendations contained within the report. Councillor Stephenson seconded the recommendations.

RESOLVED

That Council:

APPROVES the programme of meetings for 2021/22.