The Civic Mayor has agreed to accept this item of urgent business at the request of the Leader of the Council and Councillor Tom Anderson.

On Tuesday, 30 November, 2021, the Policy and Resources Committee met to consider and respond to the Minister of State’s recent letter to the Council. The minutes of that meeting and an accompanying motion are attached as an urgent item for Council. Given the importance of the Council making clear its position in respect of the recommendations of the External Assurance Review that accompanied the Minister’s letter, the Mayor has agreed that this matter is urgent and that Council should consider this item, which will be considered after item 4b.

Further to minute 58, and with the agreement of the Civic Mayor, the Council then considered an urgent motion, Response to External Assurance Review.

It was moved by Councillor Janette Williamson and seconded by Councillor Tom Anderson,

‘That Council:

(1)  receives and notes the draft minutes of Policy & Resources Committee of 30th November 2021; and

(2)  endorses the decision of the Policy and Resources Committee to provide a written response to the Minister’s letter to the Council of 2nd November 2021, enclosing and publishing the two independent reports that make up the External Assurance Review, in the terms of this Council:

(a) acknowledging and accepting the content of the reports;

 (b) developing the recommendations for implementation; and, in particular,

(c) emphasising the adoption of the recommendations concerning:

(i)  development of a financial recovery plan;

(ii) appointing an independent Panel to support the Council;

(iii) moving to a whole council scheme of elections, subject to consultation, to take effect as of 2023 and then every fourth year thereafter; and

(iv) review the committee system to reduce the number of committees.’

Councillor Phil Gilchrist moved an amendment, which was seconded by Councillor Chris Carubia, as follows:

‘Delete ‘endorse’ and replace with ‘notes’ and delete ‘in the terms of this Council:’ in paragraph (1)

Delete ‘and accepting’ in paragraph (2)(a)

Add new paragraph (3) before sub-paragraphs (a) (b) and (c) –

(3)  Council notes that the CIPFA report calls for 'Members to be engaged at an early stage' and therefore resolves to ask that programme and policy committees receive all necessary budget information  in a timely fashion, presented in a clear and meaningful way, in order for them to work constructively with the chief executive and officers in –“

Following a debate and Councillor Williamson having replied, the amendment was put and lost (11:48).

Prior to the substantive motion being put, six Members rose to request a recorded vote.

A recorded vote was then taken and the Council divided as follows:

For the motion (54) - Councillors T Anderson, B Berry, M Booth, A J Brame, D Brennan, D Burgess-Joyce, H Cameron, I Camphor, K Cannon, C Carubia, W Clements, M Collins, H Collinson, T Cox, G Davies, S Foulkes, S Frost, P Gilchrist, J Green, E Grey, S Hayes, A Hodson, K Hodson, J Johnson, AER Jones, C Jones, T Jones, M Jordan, S Kelly, B Kenny, D Kenny, I Lewis, P Martin, M McLaughlin, J McManus, D Mitchell, S Mountney, Y Nolan, C O’Hagan, O Osanlou, C Povall, L Rennie, J Robinson, L Rowlands, T Smith,  P Stuart, Joe Walsh, S Whittingham, I Williams, J Williams, S Williams, J Williamson, G Wood and A Wright. 

Against the motion (1) – Councillor J Bird

Abstentions (4) – Councillors P Cleary, C Cooke, H Gorman and Jason Walsh.

The substantive motion, as amended, was therefore –

Resolved (54:1) (4 abstentions) – That Council:

(1)  receives and notes the draft minutes of Policy & Resources Committee of 30th November 2021; and

(2)  endorses the decision of the Policy and Resources Committee to provide a written response to the Minister’s letter to the Council of 2nd November 2021, enclosing and publishing the two independent reports that make up the External Assurance Review, in the terms of this Council:

(a)  acknowledging and accepting the content of the reports;

(b)  developing the recommendations for implementation; and, in particular,

(c)  emphasising the adoption of the recommendations concerning:

(i)  development of a financial recovery plan;

(ii) appointing an independent Panel to support the Council;

(iii) moving to a whole council scheme of elections, subject to consultation, to take effect as of 2023 and then every fourth year thereafter; and

(iv) review the committee system to reduce the number of committees.

The Civic Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7.20pm for a short break.

The meeting resumed at 7.35pm.