Venue: Committee Room 1, City Hall
Contact: Charlie Mason, Democratic Services Officer (01522 873533)
No. | Item |
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Confirmation of Minutes - 1 September 2014 Minutes: RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 September 2014 be confirmed. |
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Declarations of Interest Please note that, in accordance with the Members' Code of Conduct, when declaring interests members must disclose the existence and nature of the interest, and whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) or personal and/or pecuniary. Minutes: No declarations of interest were received. |
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Code of Conduct: Cases Review Minutes: The Legal and Democratic Services Manager:
a) presented a report containing information on recent cases relating to other local authorities' codes of conduct.
b) highlighted that members should identify any issues raised within the report as being relevant for further consideration with regard to their impact upon members.
c) invited members' questions and comments.
Members:
RESOLVED that the report be noted. |
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Changing the Timing of Meetings Minutes: The Legal and Democratic Services Manager:
a) presented a report in response to the Committee’s prior request to consider whether there was any link between the start time of a council’s meetings and the proportion of female councillors.
b) drew members’ attention to the statistics contained within the report, noting the limitations of the data and the need to consider a number of additional factors which could not be quantified in the report.
c) questioned whether the discrepancies between the current start times for meetings would justify a standardisation in the start time of meetings wherever appropriate.
d) highlighted the linked issue surrounding the attendance by officers at meetings, advising that, in order to maximise their efficiency, officers should seek to attend only the parts of a meeting which were relevant to their roles.
e) invited members’ questions and comments.
Members:
RESOLVED that the report be referred to the leaders of the Council’s respective political groups for further consideration. |
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Dispensations for Members Holding Licences to Occupy Land within the City Minutes: The Legal and Democratic Services Manager:
a) presented a report regarding a proposed dispensation to allow members with a disclosable pecuniary interest in their right to occupy land for one month or longer to take part in items of business concerning the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, or a plan or strategy comprising part of the Policy or Financial Framework.
b) advised that a recent meeting had become inquorate as a result of this matter.
c) highlighted the potential rationale for any such decision.
d) invited members’ questions and comments.
Members questioned whether any such dispensation would be specific to Lincoln.
The Legal and Democratic Services Manager responded that a dispensation would only be available to councillors acting in their role of a member of the City of Lincoln Council.
Members:
RESOLVED that:
a) the member had a disclosable pecuniary interest for any licence held (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the relevant authority for a month or longer; and
b) the nature of the business specifically related to the consideration of Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, or a plan or strategy comprising part of the Policy or Financial Framework.
Councillor Strengiel requested that his vote against the resolution be recorded. |
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Local Decision Making Minutes: The Democratic Services Officer:
a) presented a report regarding the options available to the Council for taking decisions at a local level.
b) summarised the process by which parish councils could be formed.
c) highlighted the Council’s existing neighbourhood boards which allowed local communities to communicate their views to Council representatives.
d) drew members’ attention to the opportunity to establish local area committees, to which powers could be delegated for exercising within specific geographical areas.
e) invited members’ questions and comments.
Members:
The Independent Person noted his role as the chair of his local parish council.
RESOLVED that:
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Local Democracy Week Review Minutes: The Democratic Services Officer:
a) presented a report regarding the Council’s approach to Local Democracy Week.
b) explained that the Council’s planned State of the City debate had been postponed.
c) noted that no feedback had been received from schools in relation to the circulated local democracy lesson plans.
d) requested guidance regarding the future approach towards engaging with local schools.
e) invited members’ questions and comments.
Members discussed the Rock Enrol programme, which was a scheme created to encourage young people to register to vote.
RESOLVED that:
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Work Programme Update Additional documents: Minutes: The Democratic Services Officer:
RESOLVED that the work programme be approved. |