Agenda item

To consider the recommendations from the meetings of the Cabinet held on 7th December 2011 and 4th January 2012 on the following items (the full Cabinet reports are enclosed for information at the back of the Council agenda book)

• Corporate Delegations in relation to Consultations (change to the Constitution)
• Treasury Management
• Homes Insulation Funding
• Anti-Bribery Policy and Officers’ Code of Conduct

(i)         CORPORATE DELEGATIONS IN RELATION TO CONSULTATIONS

            RESOLVED that the proposed changes to the Constitution with regard to Corporate Delegations in respect of consultations be approved; and accordingly the wording be amended to read as follows:

“1.1     Where the Council is asked to respond to a consultation on a matter for which the local authority has a responsibility or where it affects the District of Bromsgrove and where the time scales for responding permit then they shall be a matter for the full Council to consider.

1.2    In any event all consultations will pass automatically upon receipt to the Chief Executive’s Department and will either be managed in accordance with 1.1 above or where 1.1 does not apply will be passed to the Leader of the Council for comment and the relevant Head of Service or Director to provide a response as appropriate.

For the purposes of this delegation a consultation shall not be regarded as affecting the District of Bromsgrove if it relates to a national issue and would have no more effect on the District of Bromsgrove than it would on any other area; or

If it relates to actions taken by or statements made by a body or individual connected with the District, but those actions or statements are not specifically related to the District of Bromsgrove.”

(ii)        TREASURY MANAGEMENT

            RESOLVED that as set out in Minute 21/11 of the meeting of the Audit Board held on 15th December 2011, the maximum level of investment to be held within a single organisation (bank or building society), as detailed in the report be set at £3 million, subject to market conditions. 

(iii)       HOMES INSULATION FUNDING

The recommendations from the Cabinet were moved by Councillor C. B. Taylor and seconded by Councillor R. Hollingworth.

Councillor L. C. R. Mallett moved an amendment, seconded by Councillor P. M. McDonald that with regard to the use of funding remaining at 1st April 2012, priority should be given to extending the insulation offer to people on benefits or with disabilities (the Cabinet had agreed that it be extended to any District resident irrespective of age or status).

The Monitoring Officer advised that the above amendment related to a decision which had been taken by the Cabinet but that the Leader was happy for officers to be tasked to explore and negotiate with the County Council as to whether the above matter could be addressed. On this basis it was

RESOLVEDthat that the funding of £40,000 from Worcestershire County Council be incorporated into this Council’s “Energy Efficiency Grants Home Insulation Projects” budget and that the Capital Programme be amended accordingly.

(iv)      ANTI-BRIBERY POLICY AND OFFICERS’ CODE OF CONDUCT

During consideration of this item Councillor P. M. McDonald expressed the need for an open public register of officers’ declared interests. The Monitoring Officer undertook to take on board his comments and to report back to him in due course.

RESOLVED:  

            (a)       that the Anti-Bribery Policy attached at appendix 1 to the report            be approved, and

            (b)       that that the Officers’ Code of Conduct attached at appendix 2 to          the report be approved and included in the Council’s           Constitution.