Minutes:
The City Solicitor advised the Council that, in accordance the meeting which had taken place with Party Group Leaders earlier that day, he had drawn up the following Convention to outline the continuation of decision making during the Covid 19 outbreak. He presented it for the Council’s consideration:
“In accordance with Standing Order 41 and paragraph 2.3 of the Scheme of Delegation the Chief Executive undertakes to exercise her powers in the following way and subject to the considerations set out below.
All Standing Committees will be suspended until Party Group Leaders or a majority thereof agree that the normal governance procedures may be resumed.
In any case the Chief Executive reserves the right not to exercise her delegated authority and to require a decision to be taken by committee.
In exercising delegated authority the Chief Executive is not required to but may consult Party Group Leaders. This may be in the form of a collective meeting or by remote means including email, teleconferencing and telephone. In taking decisions the Chief Executive will have regard to party group strengths. On all matters relating to Planning and Licensing the Chief Executive will consult the Director of Planning and Place and the City Solicitor prior to exercising delegated authority.
All decisions will be reported to Members.
Business to be transacted through the operation of delegated authority will be published to Committee Members as per the usual procedures. Members of those Committees will be required to liaise with their Party Group Leader before the decision date. Rules established under the 2014 Act relating to Call-In will continue to apply unless suspended. Any decision by the Chief Executive to suspend Call-In will be taken having regard to the views of Party Group Leaders and the City Solicitor.
The decisions which may be made through the use of delegated authority exclude all or any matters which are required to be considered by the Council and any matter in which third parties have a statutory right to make oral representation before Committee or Council.
Contentious business meetings would be held with Party Group Leaders, or their nominee, to consider significant or politically sensitive decisions.
In the event that the Chief Executive is not content to exercise her authority, and believes that the decision should be made by a Committee, that the Council agrees to delegate authority to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to exercise that function.”
Amendment
Moved by Councillor Beattie,
Seconded by Councillor McLaughlin and
Resolved - that, in the fourth paragraph, the word “will” be replaced with “shall” and that the sentence would read as follows:
“In taking decisions the Chief Executive shall have regard to party group strengths.”
Amendment
Moved by Councillor Long
Seconded by Councillor McDonough-Brown and
Resolved - that, the last line be altered to read:
“that the Council agrees that a Special Meeting of the Council be called to exercise that function.”
Accordingly, the motion, as amended, was put to the Council in the following form and agreed:
“In accordance with Standing Order 41 and paragraph 2.3 of the Scheme of Delegation the Chief Executive undertakes to exercise her powers in the following way and subject to the considerations set out below.
All Standing Committees will be suspended until Party Group Leaders or a majority thereof agree that the normal governance procedures may be resumed.
In any case the Chief Executive reserves the right not to exercise her delegated authority and to require a decision to be taken by committee.
In exercising delegated authority the Chief Executive is not required to but may consult Party Group Leaders. This may be in the form of a collective meeting or by remote means including email, teleconferencing and telephone. In taking decisions the Chief Executive shall have regard to party group strengths. On all matters relating to Planning and Licensing the Chief Executive will consult the Director of Planning and Place and the City Solicitor prior to exercising delegated authority.
All decisions will be reported to Members.
Business to be transacted through the operation of delegated authority will be published to Committee Members as per the usual procedures. Members of those Committees will be required to liaise with their Party Group Leader before the decision date. Rules established under the 2014 Act relating to Call-In will continue to apply unless suspended. Any decision by the Chief Executive to suspend Call-In will be taken having regard to the views of Party Group Leaders and the City Solicitor.
The decisions which may be made through the use of delegated authority exclude all or any matters which are required to be considered by the Council and any matter in which third parties have a statutory right to make oral representation before Committee or Council.
Contentious business meetings would be held with Party Group Leaders, or their nominee, to consider significant or politically sensitive decisions.
In the event that the Chief Executive is not content to exercise her authority, and believes that the decision should be made by a Committee, that the Council agrees that a Special Meeting of the Council be called to exercise that function.”
Proposal
Moved by Councillor Lyons
Seconded by Councillor de Faoite and
Resolved – That this Council:
· Considers the criteria outlined in Standing Order 41 has been satisfied;
· Authorises officers to place any Council asset or resource at the disposal of the Chief Medical Officer for the purposes of mitigating the Covd-19 virus; and
· Calls for the establishment, by the Executive, of an Emergency Financial Assistance to Local Authorities Fund (i.e. a Bellwin Scheme)