Issue - meetings
The Localism Act - Changes to Access to Information Rules
Meeting: 07/11/2012 - Cabinet (Item 79)
79 The Localism Act - Changes to Access to Information Rules 
PDF 65 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Cabinet considered a report on proposed changes to the Council’s Access to Information Rules within the Council’s Constitution in view of the need to comply with recent Regulations issued under the Localism Act.
It was reported that the main changes were in relation to arrangements in respect of the Cabinet. Whilst it was no longer a requirement to produce a Forward Plan of Key Decisions published 4 months in advance it was intended to continue to maintain a Work Programme looking ahead to the next 4 months in order to maintain a transparent approach and to assist with agenda planning.
It was noted that the Regulations had introduced a new requirement that executive decisions delegated to officers be recorded and published and that it was proposed that the cut off point for this be set at £50,000 bearing in mind that all expenditure over £500 is already published. Attention was drawn to paragraph 19.2 of the procedure rules attached as an appendix to the report where the cut off figure needed to be amended.
The Cabinet also considered the proposal in the report that the tape recording of meetings be discontinued. It was noted that there was no requirement in the Regulations to record meetings and the cessation of the practice would result in a saving of officer time and resources.
It was also drawn to Members’ attention that there was a drafting error in the report which made reference to the members of Overview and Scrutiny having the right of access to documents in draft form. In fact the exemption of documents in draft form had been maintained in the new Regulations.
For the purposes of clarity Officers undertook to provide a revised version of the Rules to be submitted to Council.
Following discussion it was
RECOMMENDED:
(a) that the revised Access to Information Rules be approved for inclusion in the Council’s constitution; and
(b) that the proposal to discontinue recording meetings of the Council, Cabinet and Committees be noted.