Contact: Jeff Pattison, (01962) 847321

1. Summary

1.1. This report asks the Authority to consider the extent to which any of the additional Standing Orders suggested in the Appendix to this report should be adopted.

2. Background

2.1. At their meeting on 23 May 2001 the Authority agreed to consider amendments to the existing Scheme of Standing Orders covering the conduct of business at Authority meetings.

2.2. The Clerk has therefore prepared a Schedule of additional Standing Orders, attached as an Appendix to this report, which members may wish to consider. Members are therefore asked to consider the extent to which, if at all, any of these additional Standing Orders should be adopted for the future management of Authority business. It is, of course, open to members, if they wish to adopt all or any of these additional Standing Orders, to amend them in any way that they desire.

2.3. If members consider that there is a need to give these additional Standing Orders, together with any others that members consider appropriate, more consideration before any decision of the Authority to adopt all or some of them, then one option would be to set up a small working group of members to consider these with the Clerk. This working group could then report the results of their conclusions to a future meeting of the Authority. If this approach is accepted by the Authority it is suggested that a working group of five members be established on a political proportionality basis with 3 Conservatives, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 Labour.

3. European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

3.1 The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Recommendation

The Authority is asked to consider how it wishes to proceed with the proposal that additional Standing Orders be incorporated within the existing Scheme.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

None