Agenda and minutes

1.1

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Baker, Julie Dore and Alan Law.

2.1

There were no declarations of interest made by Members of the Council.

3.1

RESOLVED: On the Motion of Councillor Tony Damms, seconded by Councillor Dianne Hurst, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 4 (Suspension and Amendment of Council Procedure Rules) and 11 (Motions which may be moved without notice):-

(a) Council Procedure Rule 17.5 be suspended to remove the 2 minute time limit on the speeches of the movers and seconders of amendments and a new time limit be set whereby a total of 20 minutes will be shared by the mover and seconder of each amendment, and all other speakers shall have 2 minutes;

(b) Council Procedure Rule 17.6 be suspended to remove the 25 minute time limit for the item of business; and

(c) Council Procedure Rules 17.7(d) and 17.12(a) be suspended to remove the right of reply for the mover of the motion.

3.2

It was formally moved by Councillor Tony Damms and formally seconded by Councillor Dianne Hurst, that the following recommendations made by the Cabinet at its meeting held on 17th March, 2021, arising from its consideration of a joint report of the Executive Director, People Services, and the Director of Legal and Governance, setting out a proposal to empower communities by shifting power from the Town Hall to communities in every part of the City, be approved:-

“RESOLVED: That the Council approves the establishment of seven Local Area Committees and approves the draft Area Committee Terms of Reference and Area Committee Procedure Rules attached to this report at Appendix 1 and 2 as changes to the Constitution, together with any minor consequential amendments, to take effect from the Annual Meeting of the Council”

3.3

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Bob Johnson, seconded by Councillor Paul Wood, as an amendment, that the recommendations of the Cabinet held on 17th March 2021, as relates to the Establishment of Local Area Committees, be approved with the addition of new paragraphs as follows:-

(b) notes that this Administration is revolutionising how citizens can influence the decisions that matter to communities, committing to a modern way of engaging, empowering and enabling residents to shape their local areas;

(c) notes that the new Local Area Committees will engage, enable, and empower communities across the city with increasing control over decision making, marking a major shift in power to communities with a rolling programme of devolution over the next 12 to 18 months;

(d) believes that this is far from a return to Community Assemblies, and that the new arrangements will go much further than they ever did in empowering committees and making the Council more accountable and closer to local needs;

(e) notes that the Committees will:-

(i) be the principal means by which the Council engages, empowers, enables, and seeks the active participation of all residents and community organisations on any topic of local interest;

(ii) actively utilise all available communication methods, including social media, improved local websites and blogs and where possible the use of virtual meeting technology;

(iii) provide a geographical framework that, over time, will be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.