Agenda item

a)     Standards Committee – Annual report – Report No.1 – 2009/10

b)     The Cabinet – Report Nos. 1-3– 2009/10

c)      General Purposes Committee – Report No. 1– 2009/10

d)     Constitution review Working Group – Report No.2 – 2009/10

A revised Appendix B was tabled in relation to the registration of gifts and hospitality detailed in the Standards Committee report.

STANDARDS COMMITTEE – ANNUAL REPORT – REPORT NO.1 2009/10

The Chair of the Standards Committee presented the Annual report of the Committee for 2008/09.

RESOLVED:

That Standards Committee Annual report be endorsed.

CABINET REPORTS 1, 2 & 3  2009/10

The Leader gave a brief resume of the reports of Cabinet which were before the meeting for consideration. Members questioned details of the reports and the Leader responded accordingly.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet reports nos. 1, 2 & 3 be received and that the following recommendations be agreed:

1.      That the draft Housing Strategy as set out in the Appendix to report number 2 be approved and authority to make amendments required be delegated to the Director of Urban Environment in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing.

2.      That the proposed delegation to the Director of the Children and Young People’s Service in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People of authority to agree the final version of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Plan and Implementation Plan Local Area Agreement for submission to the Department of Children, Families and Schools be endorsed.

GENERAL PURPOSE COMMITTEE REPORT NO 1  2009/10

The Chair moved the report and recommendations.

RESOLVED:

That the General Purposes Committee report no. 1 be received and the following recommendations agreed:

1.      That Full Council agree revise the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (TMSS) to include the Clydesdale Bank as a permitted institution for investment purposes on the same terms as the other institutions already on the approved list, i.e. a maximum exposure of £20m and a duration of up to 12 months.

2.      That the proposed use of the following treasury management actions which are already approved or contained within the TMSS be noted:

a)         The Council’s Treasury Management advisors will be asked to identify a minimum of two and a maximum of four AAAm Money Market Funds allowing total investments of up to £10m in accordance with the current TMSS.

b)         Investments will be made of up to £10m in bonds issued by the European Investment Bank with redemptions due in December 2010 and March 2011.

c)         The premature repayment of Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) loans of up to £25m will be made on favourable terms as approved by the Chief Financial Officer.

d)         The use of available cash balances to fund, in the short or medium term, a number of approved capital schemes in 2009/10.

CONSTITUTION REVIEW WORKING GROUP REPORT NO 2  2009/10

Councillor Reith in moving the report and recommendations spoke to the tabled reasoning for adopting the Leadership model, as follows:

“The indirectly elected Leader model is considered more likely than the alternative to assist in securing continuous improvement in the manner of exercising the local authority's functions having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. This option is most likely to maintain the democratic accountability of the Council Administration to the various communities represented by local ward councillors. It is also the option supported by the majority of respondents to the stage one consultation.

An indirectly elected Leader would be very likely to share the political priorities and objectives of the majority on the full Council. This would facilitate the adoption and amendment of the budget and policy framework and assist in avoiding undue conflicts between the Cabinet and the non-executive and regulatory bodies of the Council. On the other hand a directly elected Mayor may not share the political priorities and objectives of the majority on the full Council with the consequence that there would be greater risks of disruption to the effective exercise of the local authority's functions."

RESOLVED:

1.      That Proposals for the Leadership Model, set out in Appendix 3 to Annex A of the report, be approved, subject to the outcome of the second stage of public consultation, and be advertised in accordance with the legislation.

2.      That the publicity for the public consultation accords with the proposals contained in paragraph 2.7 of the report.

3.      That the outcomes of the public consultation be reported to Members as detailed in paragraph 2.8 of the report.

4.      That the reference to there being “9” other Councillors as Cabinet Members in Article 7.02 of the Constitution be suspended until the 14 December meeting of the full Council.