Issue - meetings

To present the report of the Interim Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

It was resolved to recommend to the Council -

·        The adoption of the changes to the Constitution outlined in the report.

·        That the Council agree to make the recommended changes and delegate to the Monitoring Officer the power to make the changes to the Constitution as recommended together with any ancillary or consequential changes arising.

The report of the Acting Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer regarding proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution as a result of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 was presented for consideration. The Executive was asked to recommend the changes to the Full Council meeting immediately afterwards.

Councillor Dafydd Rhys Thomas, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business presented the report summarising what the proposed changes entailed and the importance of the Constitution in providing a framework for the Council’s decision-making, and he commended the changes to the Executive.

The Executive was advised by the Legal Services Manager that the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 introduced changes to the terms of reference of some committees mainly the Governance and Audit and Standards Committees. The Constitution has been amended to reflect these changes and the main changes relating to the Standards and Governance and Audit Committees are set out at Appendices 1 and 2 of the report.

In addition, the recent boundary review will result in an increase in the number of councillors on the Council from 30 to 35 after the elections meaning that the size of some committees will need to be increased. It is proposed that where there is a choice, seats on committees are increased in proportion to the increase in the total number of elected members rounded up where necessary. These changes were outlined in the table within the report.

It was resolved to recommend to the Council -

·         The adoption of the changes to the Constitution outlined in the report.

·         That the Council agree to make the recommended changes and delegate to the Monitoring Officer the power to make the changes to the Constitution as recommended together with any ancillary or consequential changes arising.