Issue - meetings

(a)       That the proposals be noted;

(b)       That the draft responses to the consultation be agreed subject to the above amendments; and

(c)        That the Democracy and Governance Manager investigates the wording of the Bill and if appropriate include Councillor Carver’s point in the response to question 7.   

The Democracy and Governance Manager introduced a report to inform of the contents of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Bill which was published at the end of November 2012 and to  agree any response to consultation on it.  He provided background information and advised that attached at Appendix 2 to the report was a copy of a draft consultation response for Members’ consideration.

                        Councillor C.S. Carver referred to the provisions in Part 5 of the Bill relating to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and sought clarification around the proposed requirement that local authorities publish information relating to all payments made to Members by other public bodies.  The Democracy and Governance Manager agreed to investigate the proposed wording in the Bill and if appropriate include Councillor Carver’s point in the consultation response.   

During discussion the Committee agreed the draft response to the consultation subject to the following amendments:

Question 4:    The response to be strengthened to reflect the views expressed by the Committee that these provisions should only apply to community reviews commencing after the Bill receives Royal Assent.  

            Question 6:    The response to be No.

Question 7     The response to be No and first sentence deleted.  The response may require amending to incorporate Councillor Carver’s above point.

            Question 9:    The response to be No and reworded.

            Questions 10 and 11:  The responses to be No to both questions.

            Question 12:  The response to be Yes.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the proposals be noted;

(b)       That the draft responses to the consultation be agreed subject to the above amendments; and

(c)        That the Democracy and Governance Manager investigates the wording of the Bill and if appropriate include Councillor Carver’s point in the response to question 7.