Agenda and minutes

To note the appointment of Mrs J A Rook to the Committee in place of Mrs P A V Stockell.

The Committee noted the appointment of Mrs J A Rook in place of Mrs P A V Stockell.

(1)       Mr A J King moved, seconded by Mrs P A V Stockell that Mrs J A Rook be elected Chairman of the Committee.

                                                Carried with no opposition.

(2)       Mrs J A Rook thereupon took the Chair.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2010 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)       The Director of Law and Governance informed the Committee that the proposed time limit for debate on a petition at County Council meetings had been set at forty five minutes rather than one hour (as recommended by the Informal Member Group) in order to achieve consistency with the provision for time-limited debate.   This was agreed.

(2)       The Committee agreed to recommend that the County Council should not deliberate a petition on the same subject within 6 months of a County Council petition debate.  

(3)       The Committee agreed that should the proposed Petition Scheme be adopted by the County Council on 22 July 2010, its operation would be reviewed with a further report being made to the County Council meeting on 9 December 2010.

(4)       RESOLVED that subject to (2) and (3) above:-

(a)       the County Council at its meeting on 22 July 2010 be recommended to approve the Petition Scheme set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

(b)       the County Council be recommended to agree that the Petition Scheme come into force on 1 September 2010; and

(c)        consequential amendments to the Constitution resulting from the introduction of the Petition Scheme be made from 1 September 2010 or whenever the Scheme comes into force.

(1)       Mrs T Dean asked the Committee to consider recommending to the County Council that a reasonable amount of time be guaranteed in the Constitution for time-limited debate at County Council meetings.

(2)       The Committee agreed by 6 votes to 1 to note Mrs Dean’s comments, make no recommendation for a change to the Constitution on this matter, but to keep the situation under review.

(3)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)               the proposed amendments to the Property Management Protocol set out in Appendix 1 of the report be recommended to the County Council; and

(b)               the proposed changes to the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted prior to their submission to the County Council.

RESOLVED that the report on the annual return for Members’ expenses and allowances for the year 2009/10 be noted.

Following the meeting a revised annual return was produced and published, incorporating some minor amendments.

RESOLVED that Mr C T Wells be appointed as a non-voting co-opted representative on the John Townsend Trust.