To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors H. Bramer and A.C.R. Chappell.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26th June, 2006.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 26th June 2006 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

There were no suggestions from members of the public.

To consider revisions to the Constitution.

The Committee considered revisions to the Constitution.

A report was tabled at the meeting setting out the decisions of the Constitutional Review Group on 17th July together with the recommendations made by that Group on 30th May which had been circulated as part of the agenda papers.  Cabinet had approved these recommendations at its meeting immediately preceding the meeting of the Committee.

The report noted that the Group had considered some limited detailed amendments to the Constitution and issues raised as part of the Corporate Assessment of the Council. 

The following principal points were made:

·          That the wording of recommendation (a) as presented to Cabinet needed to be amended to make it clearer that the intention was that members of the Cabinet would be appointed solely by the Leader of the Council and that he would then notify the Head of Legal and Democratic Services accordingly of the membership of Cabinet and their portfolios.

·          That the wording of recommendation (c) as presented to Cabinet needed to be amended to make clear that there was no intention to prevent Members questioning the proposals in the budget or other matters appearing on the agenda.  It was only formal questions on matters not on the agenda which it was proposed should be prohibited at the meeting reserved for budget setting.

·          That in relation to recommendation e (iv) it should be made clear in the Constitution that if at some point it were to be decided to appoint an Independent Chairman of the Audit Committee that appointment and the term of office should be approved by the Council as a whole.

·          The Committee also identified the following issues to which it thought future consideration could usefully be given: the arrangements for dealing with questions from members of the public; and ways of enhancing Council meetings themselves.

RESOLVED: That the recommendations approved by Cabinet as set out in the report tabled at the meeting be approved subject to

(a)               the amendment of the wording of recommendations a, and c for the reasons set out above; and

(b)               provision being made in the Constitution that, if at some point it were to be decided to appoint an Independent Chairman of the Audit Committee that appointment and the term of office should be approved by the Council as a whole.