Issue - meetings

RESOLVED:

1.      That approval be granted in principle to the following changes to the officer scheme of delegation for incorporation into a revised scheme which will be recommended in due course to full Council: -

(i)  (a) Delegations should be granted further down the structure to a broadly similar level in all Directorates.

     (b) Each Director/Head of Service should be asked about the precise details of the delegations to specific officers which the he/she considers appropriate for their own Service.

     (c)There would be a presumption that the majority of delegated powers would be granted at service manager or team leader level.

(ii) The schedules of statutory delegated powers should be retained but in a much shorter form without a verbal description of every section in every Statute.

(iii) The Chief Executive should be granted all “non-executive” powers to make changes to the staff establishment for any number of posts but subject to retaining the requirement that all changes above 20 posts, or subject to objection from the employees’ side, must be authorised by the Cabinet Member or the full Cabinet.

(iv) (a) The existing Protocol for taking delegated decisions should be   retained but in a much simpler and clearer form.

      (b) For each decision there should be recorded:

(1) the officer taking  it;

(2) the substantive facts;

(3) the reasons for it;

(4) the expenditure authorised; and

(5) the date it was taken.

      (c) In addition, officers should always consider carefully whether there are any factors that make it advisable to consult their Cabinet Member(s) in advance.

      (d) There should be training for all decision-takers to ensure that these basic standards are met.

      (e) Each Directorate should continue to keep a comprehensive record of its decisions.

 (v) (a) Reporting to Members on the exercise of delegated powers should be improved and implemented more consistently.

       (b) To identify the decisions of “particular significance” that must be   reported individually, the following criteria should be used:

(1)  any expenditure of £50,000 or more;

(2) decisions with implications for policy development; and

(3) any decisions that are potentially sensitive for other reasons.

                  (c) In addition all decisions with a “local impact” should be reported to the relevant Ward Members.

      (d) A  “local impact” decision would be one involving:

(1) any enforcement action or prosecution affecting premises or residents in the Ward;

(2) any grant of a permission or licence (e.g. planning permission) affecting premises in the Ward;

(3) any initiative significantly affecting streets or open spaces in the Ward (e.g. a traffic calming scheme); and

(4) any expenditure within the Ward of £50,000 or more.

     (e) There should be training to ensure that reports are made regularly to the Cabinet and the relevant Committees.

2.      That the process and timetable for completing the revision of the officer scheme of delegation as set out in paragraph 6.6 of the report be noted.