Venue: THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, PATHFINDER HOUSE, ST MARYS STREET, HUNTINGDON
Contact: A Roberts, Democratic Services Officer, Tel No 01480 388009/e-mail: Anthony.Roberts@huntsdc.gov.uk
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To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on. Contact: A Roberts 388009 Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 13th December 2006 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
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MEMBERS' INTERESTS To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda item. Please see Notes 1 and 2 below. Minutes: Councillor L M Simpson declared a personal and prejudicial interest in first part of Minute No. 41 relating to the Code of Procurement by virtue of the fact that family member worked for a company that tendered for Council contracts and he withdrew from the meeting for the duration of the discussion and voting thereon. |
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ANNUAL AUDIT AND INSPECTION LETTER To consider the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter. Contact: S Couper 388103 Minutes: (Mr N Smith, the Council’s Relationship Manager for the Audit Commission and Mrs L Standford and Mr P Winrow of RSM Robson Rhodes LLP, the Council’s external auditors, were in attendance for the consideration of this item.)
The Panel gave consideration to the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). Mr Smith informed Members that the Council’s rate of improvement in priority areas matched that of other district councils. Mr Winrow drew Members’ attention to the fact that the Council had consistently exceeded the Audit Commissions criteria for “performing well”.
Following questions by Members, Mr Smith informed the Panel that the Use of Resources score compared performance against other local authorities. Having discussed the criteria for various elements of the Use of Resources assessment, the cost implications in seeking to achieve an improved score and arrangements for undertaking a further assessment in October 2007 based on the assessment of arrangements appertaining at 31st March 2007, the Panel registered their concerns at the absence of prior notice of the proposals given the likelihood that the performance criteria were likely to change. In response, Mr Winrow assured Members that these changes would be reflected in the next Letter. Whereupon, it was
RESOLVED
that the Annual Audit and Inspection Letter be received and noted. |
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REVIEW OF CONSTITUTION To consider a report by the Head of Administration reviewing the Constitution and containing suggested amendments. (TO FOLLOW). Contact: C Deller 388007 Minutes: By reference to a report by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel undertook a review of the Constitution. The Panel were reminded of the procedure for the review in which the Cabinet and all Panels had been offered the opportunity to comment collectively on the Constitution. Members also had been invited to submit comments individually and Chief Officers and Heads of Service similarly had been requested to highlight issues which had arisen based on practical experience of the operation of the Constitution.
The Panel considered a proposal to hold Council meetings at 5pm. In view of other demands on Councillors’ time during the evening and given the flexibility already contained in the Constitution to change meeting times, Members did not support this proposal.
The Panel also discussed a suggestion to formalise the procedure for amending a motion. On the understanding that provision was available in the Constitution to waive the procedure, which would allow motions to be moved arising from debate, it was agreed that the wording of an amendment should be made available in advance of a Council meeting.
With regard to planning applications considered to be “significant” departures from the Development Plan, the Panel was of the view that the discretion available to the Development Control Panel either to determine such applications by way of refusal or to recommend them for approval by full Council should be conditioned by way of a facility whereby on the receipt of a requisition by 9 Members within 7 working days of the outcome of the Panel's deliberations, the matter could be referred for decision by full Council.
In considering a proposal to introduce a public forum at Council meetings, the Panel were mindful that Members’ roles were to represent their constituents and that the implications of introducing public speaking at Development Control Panel meetings were not yet known. The Panel, therefore, did not support this proposal.
Having considered a proposal to establish a district youth forum and suggestions for the way it might operate, the Panel requested that the matter be referred to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery) to consider its practical and financial implications before a decision was taken.
A suggestion by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Service Delivery) that the consent of the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Panel should be obtained before a decision was taken on a report on a date earlier than that referred to in the Forward Plan was not supported on the grounds that it would introduce an excessive bureaucratic burden. Having considered other issues raised during the review process, the Panel agreed to
RECOMMEND
(a) that in Article 4 – The Full Council, the following words be added to Section 1 (a) – Policy Framework:-
“? Gambling Act – Statement of Principles”
and that the Statement of Licensing Policy in Section 1 (a) be reworded as –
“? Licensing Act – Statement of Licensing Policy”;
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INTERNAL AUDIT TERMS OF REFERENCE AND AUDIT STRATEGY To consider a report by the Audit and Risk Manager on revised terms of reference for Internal Audit and an Audit Strategy. Contact: D Harwood 388115 Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel considered a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which were attached revised Terms of Reference for Internal Audit and Audit Strategy. Having been informed of the arrangements that had been put in place to safeguard the independence of the Audit function, it was
RESOLVED
that the Internal Audit Service Terms of Reference and Internal Audit Strategy 2007 - 2010 appended to the report now submitted be approved. |
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To consider the interim Internal Audit Plan 2007/08. Contact: D Harwood 388115 Additional documents: Minutes: The Panel received a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to which was appended the interim Internal Audit and Assurance Plan for 2007/08. Having noted that the Plan took account of the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy, it was
RESOLVED
that the report be received and the Plan approved. |