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Issue - meetings

Recommendations from the Constitution Working Group

 

 

Meeting: 01/10/2025 - Council (Item 37)

37 Recommendations from the Constitution Working Group pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Purpose

To present Council with recommendations arising from meeting of the Constitution Working Group held on 17 September 2025.

 

Recommendations     

That Council resolves to:

1.         Approve the updated Part 4G: Other Miscellaneous Functions (Annex A)

2.         Approve the updated Part 4F: Functions in relation to Planning

3.         Approve the updated rules for taking part in planning committees.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Alaric Smith, the Executive Member for Finance and the Chair of the Constitution Working Group, introduced the report. The purpose of the item was to present technical updates to the Constitution, including:

  •  
  • Asset delegations
  • Planning enforcement delegations
  • New public speaking rules for planning committees

 

Councillor Smith stated that he considered the updates routine and noncontroversial.

 

Members asked the following question;

 

  • The new rules required speakers to be registered objectors. Some members questioned whether by disqualifying some members of the public the change would open the Council up to legal challenge. The Director of Governance and Regulatory Services explained that there was no risk of this, as there was no right to speak for members of the public. It was also explained that members of the public would be able to make representations through late submissions and that this practice happened at other councils.

 

Councillor Michelle Mead seconded the proposal.

 

Voting record – For 40, against 0, abstentions 0

 

 Resolved: That Council

1.  Approved the updated Part 4G: Other Miscellaneous Functions (Annex A)

2.  Approved the updated Part 4F: Functions in relation to Planning

3.  Approved the updated rules for taking part in planning committees.

 

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