Archived decisions

Contact: Jeff Pattison, 01962 847321

1 Summary

1.1 The Authority at its meeting on 26 September 2001 asked a small group of members to consider possible changes to the Authority's Standing Orders. The group has now met and made recommendations regarding this issue. The report outlines the suggested changes being recommended by the group.

2 Background

2.1 At its meeting on 26 September 2001 the Authority appointed a working group of five members consisting of Councillors Cartwright, Gausden, Horne, Hutcheson and Semmens to consider possible amendments to the Authority's existing Standing Orders. Once the group of members had considered the issue, the Authority required the group's recommendations to be considered by the full Authority for determination as to whether or not any changes should be made.

2.2 The working group met on Monday 17 December 2001 to consider the Authority's existing Standing Orders and also the report of the Clerk, which was submitted to the Authority meeting on 26 September 2001.

2.3 Following a long and wide ranging discussion, the working group did consider that some amendments could usefully be made to the Authority's existing Standing Orders. Accordingly at Appendix 1 a composite version of the new revised suggested Standing Orders is attached. Members will note that the existing Standing Orders are in normal typeface, suggested additions are in bold and deletion of existing Standing Orders is in italics. Hopefully the effect will be that members will be able to see at a glance those additional Standing Orders which are being recommended for acceptance and those which are recommended for deletion.

2.4 It is open to the Authority to either accept or reject the recommendations of the working group or, indeed, to suggest and agree other amendments to the Standing Orders which are not referred to in Appendix 1.

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

Recommendation

That the Authority accepts the recommendations of the working group and adopts the revised Standing Orders contained in Appendix 1 to the report with immediate effect.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose the 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.

None.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works.

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