Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2019 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

(1)          The General Counsel introduced the report on the draft structural revision of the Constitution.   He explained that it was consistent with the current version in that there was no change to its content.  The draft version before the Committee was therefore merely aimed at rationalisation and simplification.

(2)       The General Counsel then informed the Committee of the intention to modernise the Constitution following discussions with Members, including workshops.

(3)       During discussion of this item, the following points were raised by Members of the Committee:-

(a)          Paragraph 11.16 of the draft Constitution should clarify that the executive functions referred to were those relating to data, democracy and law.

(b)          Paragraph 13.1 of the draft Constitution should not state that there could be no new policy or policy change.

(c)          Paragraph 17.113 should be amended by the deletion of one of the references to Kent Police.

(d)          The covering report to the County Council should explain that areas such as the role of Members in Highways Consultations, and the interface of Members and Trading Companies would be dealt with at a later stage.

(e)          Either of the two identical paragraphs 10.6 and 10.13 of the draft Constitution should be deleted.

(4)       RESOLVED that subject to (3) above, the draft revised version of the Constitution be endorsed and recommended to the County Council for adoption.