The minute of the Constitution and Standards Committee of 14 December 2021, 17 February 2022 and 13 April, 2022, together with the reports on the revision of the petition scheme, revision of the members code of conduct and the wider Constitutional revisions are attached with the recommendation that they be adopted by the Council.

The first item requiring approval was three referrals from Constitution and Standards Committee, to adopt a revised Constitution including a revised Member Code of Conduct and Petition Scheme.

On a motion by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Paul Stuart, it was –

Resolved –

(1)  That the revisions to the Constitution be agreed.

(2)  The revised Member Code of Conduct be agreed.

(3)  The revised Petition Scheme be adopted.

The Director of Law and Governance introduced the report which presented the Committee with the recommended changes to the Constitution for operation as

of the 2022/23 municipal year. It was reported that the Governance Working Group had undertaken a review of the Council’s committee system following its first year of operation, and the resulting changes required to the Constitution to enable the outcome of the review to be implemented were presented to the Committee.

On a motion by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Chris Cooke, it was moved that the recommendation in the report be agreed, with the addition of “in particular, members’ attention be drawn to the new committee structure, the overview and scrutiny ways of working, the revised petition scheme, the detailed procedures covering matters of urgency, the reconsideration of overview and scrutiny function, the procedures for establishing sub-committees, along with the steps intended to inform members as they form agendas, and the enhanced role for Policy and Resources.”

The motion was put and agreed by assent.

A further motion was moved by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, seconded by Councillor Steve Foulkes, that “the Committee thanks all members of the Governance Working Group who have helped bring matters to a conclusion in time for the new municipal year”.

The motion was put and agreed by assent. It was therefore –

Resolved – That

(1)  Council be recommended to adopt the constitutional revisions as set out in Appendix A, in particular, members’ attention be drawn to the new committee structure, the overview and scrutiny ways of working, the revised petition scheme, the detailed procedures covering matters of urgency, the reconsideration of overview and scrutiny function, the procedures for establishing sub-committees, along with the steps intended to inform members as they form agendas, and the enhanced role for Policy and Resources.

(2)  the Committee thanks all members of the Governance Working Group who have helped bring matters to a conclusion in time for the new municipal year.