Decision details

This report proposes changes to Standing Orders with Respect to Meetings contained in Part Four of the Constitution, following a review undertaken by the Head of Democratic Services, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and the Solicitor to the Council.

The Head of Democratic Services is undertaking a review of the Council`s Constitution. The first section to be considered for update is the Standing Orders with Respect to Meetings, as it has an effect on all of the Council’s committee and panel meetings.

The following key changes have been incorporated into the revised document:

(a)       all references to the Standards Committee have been removed and the Standing Orders updated to reflect the new standards arrangements;

(b)       additional and amended wording is highlighted in bold text and underlined (for ease of reference);

(c)       where applicable, cross-references to other parts of the Council’s Constitution have been entered;

(d)       spelling, typing and formatting errors have been corrected;

(e)       wording amended throughout to ensure the use of plain English; and

(f)        inclusion of a section on the recording of meetings by the media.

RESOLVED that the revised version of the Standing Orders with Respect to Meetings, as appended to the report, be adopted subject to the following amendments:

i.          the removal of the second paragraph at Standing Order 15.7; and

ii.         the removal of the words “of any member of the Council” at Standing Order 57.1.