Agenda item

To consider the following recommendations arising from the meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 4December 2023 and 29 January 2024:

4 December 2023

                 i.          Procurement Strategy

That the Procurement Strategy is approved and adopted by the Council.

29 January 2024

                ii.          Standards Procedures

That Council adopt:

a) The draft standards procedure at Annex 1.

b) The revisions to Part 2, Article 9 of the constitution at Annex 2.

               iii.          Recording of Private Meetings

That Council adopt:

a)The additional wording to the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations

b)The additional wording to the Member Code of Conduct detailed at Annex 2

Council considered a report setting out the recommendations arising from the meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 4^th December 2023 and 29^th January 2024.

Procurement Strategy

It was noted that Appendix C had been omitted from the Strategy and it was agreed that this would be added before the Strategy was published.

A motion to approve the Procurement Strategy was proposed by Councillor Keith Martin, seconded by Councillor Sarah Nelmes, put to the vote and, subject to the addition of Appendix C to the Strategy, passed by common assent.

Amendment to the Constitution in respect of the Standards Procedure

A motion to approve the proposed amendments to the Council’s Standards Procedure was proposed by councillor Sarah Nelmes, seconded by Councillor Keith Martin, put to the vote and carried by common assent.

Amendment to the Constitution in respect of the Recording of Private Meetings

Council was informed the recent recording of a private briefing without the consent of the attendees it was considered to be a clear breach of trust.  As such it was considered necessary to incorporate additional guidance into the Council’s Constitution to prevent a recurrence at a future date.  Assurance was also sought from the councillor in question as to whether all recordings of the briefing had been destroyed.

A motion to approve the proposed amendments to the Member/Officer Protocol and member Code of Conduct concerning the recording of private meetings was proposed by Councillor Keith Martin, seconded by Councillor Sarah Nelmes, put to the vote and carried by common assent.

RESOLVED that:

      i.        The Procurement Strategy by adopted.

     ii.        The Council’s Constitution concerning a revised Standards Procedure be updated.

    iii.        The proposed amendments to the Member/Officer Protocol and Member Code of Conduct for the Recording of Private Meetings be incorporated into the Council’s Constitution.

NOTE

Councillor Anne Winter left the meeting at 9.15pm and returned at 9.16pm.