Issue - meetings
Recommendations from the Constitution Working Group
Meeting: 18/01/2023 - Council (Item 45)
45 Recommendations of the Constitution Working Group 
PDF 88 KB
Purpose:
To consider proposals from the Constitution Working Group for amendments to the West Oxfordshire District Council Constitution to adopt a new Glossary, Summary & Explanation, Articles, Functions of Responsibility, Standards Sub-Committee Procedure Rules and Monitoring Officer Protocol.
Recommendations:
Council is recommended to resolve to:
- Approve the Glossary at Annex A to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Approve the Summary & Explanation at Annex B to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Approve the Articles at Annex C to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Approve the Functions of Responsibility at Annex D to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Approve the Standards Sub-Committee Procedure Rules at Annex E to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Approve the Monitoring Officer Protocol at Annex F to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
- Note the amendments made to the Constitution under delegated authority by the Monitoring Officer as summarised at paragraph 2.7 of this report.
Additional documents:
- Annex A to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 50 KB
- Annex B to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 51 KB
- Annex C to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 156 KB
- Annex D to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 309 KB
- Annex E to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 76 KB
- Annex F to Council report 18 Jan 23, item 45
PDF 222 KB
Minutes:
In the absence of Councillor Ted Fenton, who was not in attendance at the meeting, Councillor Michele Mead introduced the report. The report was to consider proposals from the Constitution Working Group for amendments to the West Oxfordshire District Council Constitution to adopt a new Glossary, Summary & Explanation, Articles, Functions of Responsibility, Standards Sub-Committee Procedure Rules and Monitoring Officer Protocol.
In debate, it was highlighted that Members were encouraged to stand when speaking in meetings if they were comfortable to do so, but are not obliged to – this will make them more visible to others, and would be of assistance to meeting attendees with disabilities.
The work of the Constitution Working Group will mean that the Constitution, as a formal document, would remain ‘fluid’, and that there is no target end date formally set for the work to come to an end. Work will continue on this and Members will be advised accordingly should any further changed be required.
Consultation would take place with appropriate senior officers and group leaders as and when required when constitution changes are proposed.
Councillor Owen Collins rose, on a point of order, to remind colleagues that a change was implemented within the Constitution to refer to others with non-gender specific titles, such as Chair and Leader. Councillor Collins stated that there had been several instances of this not happening during the meeting, and encouraged colleagues to follow best practise.
Councillor Mead proposed that Council accept the recommendations put forward by the Constitution Working Group. This was seconded by Councillor Julian Cooper, and was unanimously agreed by Council.
Council Resolved to:
1. Approve the Glossary at Annex A to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
2. Approve the Summary & Explanation at Annex B to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
3. Approve the Articles at Annex C to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
4. Approve the Functions of Responsibility at Annex D to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
5. Approve the Standards Sub-Committee Procedure Rules at Annex E to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
6. Approve the Monitoring Officer Protocol at Annex F to this report and formally adopt it as part of the Council’s Constitution from 19th January 2023;
7. Note the amendments made to the Constitution under delegated authority by the Monitoring Officer as summarised at paragraph 2.7 of this report.