Issue - meetings

(a)       That the draft Schedule of Meetings for 2024/25 be approved subject to the following changes:

·         To remove the requirement for committee meetings to be held on designated days.

·         To move the August dates for Planning Committee to the following week.

·         To change the start time of Planning Committee meetings to 1pm where there are no morning meetings scheduled.

·         To move the January and February 2025 dates of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee to the Friday mornings.

(b)       That the Democratic Services Manager be given delegated authority, in conjunction with the relevant Committee Chair, to amend the Schedule of Meetings in exceptional circumstances.

The Chief Officer (Governance) presented the schedule of meetings for 2024/25 following consultation.  There were a number of conventions which had been adopted to avoid meeting clashes and accommodate Members’ wishes where possible.  An additional recommendation for dates/times to be changed in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Democratic Services Manager in consultation with the Committee Chair would help to build in flexibility.

As Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Richard Lloyd requested that the site visits scheduled for 27 August and meeting on 28 August be moved to 2 September and 4 September respectively.  He also asked whether Planning Committee meetings could revert back to 1pm on days where there was no scheduled meeting in the morning.  He was seconded by Councillor Mike Peers.

Councillor Richard Jones asked that the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee meetings on 16 January and 13 February 2025 be moved to the following days (Friday mornings) due to other meetings scheduled in the afternoons.  He suggested that Members of that Committee may wish to consider regular Friday slots to avoid meeting clashes.

Other Members spoke in support of removing the convention to hold committee meetings on designated days which would allow flexibility to the diary.

The Chief Officer clarified the proposed changes which would be progressed by the Democratic Services Manager and team.

On that basis, the changes were put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the draft Schedule of Meetings for 2024/25 be approved subject to the following changes:

·         To remove the requirement for committee meetings to be held on designated days.

·         To move the August dates for Planning Committee to the following week.

·         To change the start time of Planning Committee meetings to 1pm where there are no morning meetings scheduled.

·         To move the January and February 2025 dates of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee to the Friday mornings.

(b)       That the Democratic Services Manager be given delegated authority, in conjunction with the relevant Committee Chair, to amend the Schedule of Meetings in exceptional circumstances.