Issue - meetings

The Scheme of Delegation to Officers was comprehensively reviewed and revised in 2017. Officers have been asked to propose revisions to the Scheme of Delegation, based on their experience of using the Scheme over the past 12 months.

The Standards Committee is asked to consider the proposed amendments and make recommendations to Council to approve the revised Scheme of Delegation.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Standards Committee endorses the proposed revisions to the Scheme of Delegation, and recommends that Version 5 of the Scheme of Delegation be approved by Council.

30.1     The Standards Committee reviewed the proposed changes to the Scheme of Delegation to Officers, which officers had requested in the light of experience since the revision of the Scheme in 2017. The Committee had reviewed the proposals at its meeting on 21 January 2019 and had been broadly supportive. However, there were three aspects of the proposed revisions on which the Committee had asked for further information.

30.2     New Paragraph 8A (Delegation to the Section 151 Officer) would avoid the need to take new or revise fees and charges to Council mid-year, such as the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) fee schedule that had been approved by Council in December 2018, and so avoid potential loss of income whilst waiting for Council approval. The delegation to the S151 Officer would be in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, and Council would still retain responsibility for approving the complete Schedule of Fees and Charges as part of the annual budget-setting. The Committee noted that setting of car parking charges was outside the scope of the Fees and Charges Schedule.

30.2     The Committee had asked for Officers to review the wording for the delegation to the Head of Customer and Corporate Service on administration of the Council’s estate and property portfolio, at Paragraph 17, as it did not reflect the role of the Investment Advisory Board in making recommendations to the Executive on acquisitions or disposals of land or property.

30.3     The Committee noted that a distinction had been made in the new proposals between administration of the Council’s ownership of land or property (in Paragraph 17A) and the Council’s other interests in land or property, such as easements or leases, that fell outside of the remit of the Investment Advisory Board (in Paragraph 17B).

30.4     The Committee suggested some further amendments to the wording, subject to which they were happy to recommend the revisions to Council. The Committee also noted that the Scheme would need to be updated to reflect the changes in responsibilities of the Senior Management Team with effect from 1 March 2019, and the opportunity would be taken to tidy up the numbering of the sections and paragraphs within the Scheme.

30.5     Subject to the further clarification of Paragraphs 17A and 17B, the Standards Committee RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to Council that the revised Scheme of Delegation to Officers (attached) be approved.