Agenda item

A report detailing proposed updates to the content of the Council’s constitution was considered at the meeting.

Members noted that the Scheme of Delegations was reviewed every year at the Annual Council meeting.  This review ensured that the content of the Scheme of Delegations was kept up to date and reflected changes in Officers’ job titles and national legislation.  There were additional changes that Members suggested might be required at a later date.

The Contract Procedure Rules and Financial Procedure Rules had both been reviewed following legislative changes.  The content was considered to be more robust than previously and the proposed amendments had both been considered at a meeting of the Constitutional Review Working Party held earlier in the calendar year.

A further recommendation, in addition to those included in the main agenda, had been published in a supplementary pack for the meeting pertaining to the work of the Audit Governance and Standards Committee.  The suggested changes to the Committee Terms of Reference for the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee as well as to the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee’s Procedure Rules to clarify the Committee’s role in the consideration of the annual strategy and the Treasury Management Strategy.  It was suggested that these changes would enhance governance arrangements at the authority.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Matthew Dormer and seconded by Councillor Craig Warhurst.

RESOLVED that

1)          The current version of the Scheme of Delegations be agreed;

2)          The updated Contract Procedure Rules be approved;

3)          The updated Financial Procedure Rules be approved;

4)          An update to the Scheme of Members’ Allowances 2026/27, to incorporate reference to Members’ eligibility to join the Local Government Pension Scheme be approved; and

5)          the Committee Terms of Reference and Procedure Rules for the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee be updated to reflect the Committee’s role in consideration of the annual strategy and Treasury Management Strategy.