Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mr Anderson, Councillors Beadsley, Thompson and Edger, for whom Councillor Worrall substituted.

To receive any declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, and the nature of that interest, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 September 2010.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2010 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive a report which gives details of proposed amendments to the Council's Contract Standing Orders and agree that amendments to the Council's Contract Standing Orders be recommended to Council.

The Committee received the report which gave details of proposed amendments to the Council’s Contract Standing Orders from the Borough Solicitor.

The Contract Standing Orders had been adopted by the Council in 2009. Experience of working with them had suggested a number of areas in which some alterations and improvements could be made.

The proposed amendment to procurement of residential placements for care, care and support for people in their homes or for SEN placements of young people would enable spot purchasing to take place more speedily, as could be necessary, whilst still seeking value for money. It was noted that spot purchasing would be carried out in accordance with guidelines to be established by the relevant Director, with the approval the Executive Member, and with the advice of the Borough Solicitor and Head of Procurement.

RECOMMENDED to Council that the amendments to Contract Standing Orders summarised in the report and set out in the draft attached at Annex A be adopted.

To receive a report which seeks approval to amendments to the Council’s Constitution which are proposed as a result of recent experience and in consequence of legislation.

The Borough Solicitor introduced the report which sought approval to amendments to the Council’s Constitution which were proposed as a result of recent experience and in consequence of legislation.

The proposed amendments included the removal of the Corporate Plan from the Policy Framework as it was no longer a requirement and the inclusion of the Licensing Authority Policy Statement which was now a requirement. It was recommended that the Council’s Pay and Workforce Strategy be included in the list of policies as it was of such fundamental importance to the business of the Council, particularly given the potential implications of public expenditure cuts.

Proposed amendments to the call-in procedure within the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules had been recommended from experience of a call-in which recently occurred  in relation to the Site Allocations Policy Framework Development Plan Document. It was proposed that if Members requested a call-in they gave a brief summary of their reasons for the request and the proposed decision which they desired the Commission to take. 

Members of the Committee agreed that the proposed amendments to the call-in should specify that a brief written summary of their request and reasons be given as it was possible that information for the request of a call-in could be misinterpreted by Officers if given verbally.

It was noted that the proposed decision from Members requesting a call-in could be amended at the meeting of the Commission as necessary.

RESOLVED that:

        i)             part 2 section 3 of the Council’s Constitution as proposed by paragraph 4.3 of the report be amended

       ii)             subject to the amendments outlined by the Committee, part 4 section 8 of the Council’s Constitution as proposed by paragraph 4.5 of the report be amended.