Issue - meetings

(Planning & Governance Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report.

Mover: J Philip, Planning and Governance Portfolio Holder.

Councillor J Philip submitted a report regarding the Calendar of Council meetings for 2018/19.

Report as first moved ADOPTED:

            RESOLVED:

That, as attached at Appendix 2 to these minutes, the draft Calendar of Council meetings for 2018/19 be adopted.

(Planning & Governance Portfolio Holder) To consider the attached report (C-044-2017/18).

(1)        That, as attached at Appendix 1 of the report, the draft Calendar of Council Meetings for 2018/19 be recommended to the Council for adoption.

The Portfolio Holder for Planning & Governance presented a report on the Calendar of Council Meetings for 2018/19.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that it considered the Council’s Calendar of Meetings each year prior to its final approval by the Council. The Calendar had developed over time to meet the changing needs of the authority and, where possible, meetings of a Committee had been standardised on a particular night of the week for consistency. There were no radical changes proposed for the Calendar at this stage, although the dates of some meetings had been adjusted to allow for bank holidays, religious festivals and pre-booked Member training sessions. The Constitution Working Group was currently reviewing how the Council delivered its planning service and there was the possibility of some changes to the current structure.

The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the Local Plan was currently at the Regulation 19 stage, and it would impact upon the Council when it was finally approved. A full review was being undertaken by the Constitution Working Group and changes could be implemented during the municipal year. Cllr Murray commented that any changes should not happen during the middle of a municipal year; however, the Portfolio Holder reiterated that Members might have to adapt to a new way of working and/or the Planning Committees themselves might have to change, e.g. the District Development Management Committee might have to meet more regularly than it does currently.

Cllr Mohindra enquired as to whether the number of meetings that the Council webcasted could be increased, and include the Select Committees in particular. The Portfolio Holder reminded the Cabinet that the Council was committed to webcast as many of its meetings as possible, and the list of meetings regularly webcast was kept under review. Cllr Brookes highlighted that the proposed Calendar for December 2018 currently contained meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Area Planning Sub-Committee South and the Council all in the week before Christmas. The Portfolio Holder sympathised but highlighted that the day which Christmas fell on changed each year and there was a need to keep the Council running right up until the Christmas break.

Decision:

(1)        That, as attached at Appendix 1 of the report, the draft Calendar of Council Meetings for 2018/19 be recommended to the Council for adoption.

Reasons for Decision:

To review the proposed Calendar of Meetings for 2018/19, prior to its final adoption by the Council.

Other Options Considered and Rejected:

To vary the individual frequencies of meetings although, in practice, additional meetings were added as and when issues dictated. Similarly, meetings could be cancelled if there was a lack of business.