To consider updates to the constitution.

Council considered a report by the Head of Legal Services and Deputy Monitoring Officer to consider amendments to the constitution in relation to: functions of Audit and Governance Committee including recruitment and appointment of Independent Persons to Audit and Governance Committee; functions of Planning and Regulatory Committee; clarification of the Planning Code and functions rules; amendment to Fostering Panel membership to reflect practice; amendment to employment rules; amendment to the corporate scheme of delegation; amendment to enable consequential changes to be made to the Constitution; clarification to call-in; and role description for position of chair and vice chairperson.

The recommendations in the report were proposed by the Chairman and seconded by Councillor David Hitchiner.

The recommendations in the report were put to the vote and were carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

That Council approves changes in the Constitution:

a)         in Appendix 1 to enable a change to the process for resolution of objections to the framework proposals, in the Budget and Policy    Framework;

b)         in Appendix 2 to enable changes to Audit and Governance Committee     functions including recruitment of the Council’s independent persons;

c)         in Appendix 3 to make changes to clarify the rules in The Planning code           and functions of the Planning and Regulatory Committee;

d)         in Appendix 4 to make changes to fostering panel membership to          accurately reflect practice;

e)         in Appendix 5 to makes changes to the corporate scheme of delegation to include provision for the statutory ‘Qualified Person’ under the     Freedom of Information Act 2000;

f)          in Appendix 6 to enable changes to the employment rules, relating to the            delegation to the head of paid service to make appropriate interim    arrangements when required;

g)         in Appendix 7 to enable consequential changes to be made to the Constitution;

h)         in Appendix 8 to clarify the rules relating to officer decisions and call in;           and

i)          in Appendix 9 to include a role description for the chair and vice chair of   a committee.