Agenda item

It was noted that at this stage in the meeting that the Chairman left the meeting room and that the Vice-Chairman took the Chair for this item.

The Council considered a report setting out proposals for changes to the terms of reference for the Licensing Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee and the Licensing (Miscellaneous) Sub-Committee, amendments to the Council Procedure Rules in respect of Members’ Questions on Notice; and a proposal for the Chairman’s allowance to be increased.

Councillor K. May presented the report and proposed the recommendations. Councillor S. Baxter seconded the recommendations.

The report detailed the background to recommendations agreed at a meeting of the Constitution Review Working Group (CRWG) held on 31^st July 2024.

Licensing Committee and Licensing Sub-Committees

Licensing Sub-Committees considered issues relating to the Gambling Act 2005 and the Licensing Act 2003. Licensing Sub-Committee hearings were mainly held in the day, with the membership comprising of four members of the Licensing Committee.

During the 2023/24 municipal year, some difficulties were experienced in terms of organising hearings of the Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing (Miscellaneous) Sub-Committee. In particular, there were challenges in terms of the availability of Members to participate in these hearings. Group Leaders had been kept informed of the difficulties that had occurred during the 2023/24 municipal year.

The CRWG had noted that Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing (Miscellaneous) Sub-Committee hearings were held during the day. This arrangement was in place as sometimes applicants and objectors could arrange to have legal representation at the hearings and this would cost them more if the meetings were held outside of standard working hours.

Some options available to the Council that could address challenges experienced in terms of organising Licensing Sub-Committee meetings had been considered at the CRWG meeting, as detailed in the report.  The Chairman of the Licensing Committee was also consulted with.

Based on the information provided, the CRWG proposed to update the terms of reference for the Licensing Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing (Miscellaneous) Sub-Committee in accordance with the options they had endorsed.

Supplementary Questions at Council

At the meeting of the CRWG held on 31^st August 2023, Members agreed to launch a trial arrangement whereby Councillors who had submitted Questions on Notice for consideration at Council meetings could ask up to one supplementary question at the meeting. The supplementary question had to be based on the original question that was asked or the answer that had been provided to that question.

The CRWG reviewed the outcomes of this trial at the meeting of the group held on 31^st July 2024. There had been general consensus amongst Members that the trial had worked well and that it would be reasonable for this to become a permanent arrangement at Council meetings.

The Chairman’s Allowance

The Chairman of the Council had a civic role at the authority, chairing meetings of full Council and taking part in civic engagements on behalf of the authority.

The allowance paid to the Chairman of the Council had not been increased since 2013. Therefore, group leaders had suggested that a review of this allowance would be timely and that the matter be referred to the CRWG for consideration.

The CRWG concluded that an increase to the Chairman’s allowance was due, given the time that had elapsed since the last review, and that the proposed change should be backdated to apply from 1^st April 2024.

RESOLVED that 

1)          the changes to the terms of reference for the Licensing Committee, the Licensing Sub-Committee and the Licensing (Miscellaneous) Sub-Committee be approved;

2)          the Council Procedure Rules in respect of Members’ Questions on Notice be amended to enable Councillors to ask up to one supplementary question, which must be based on the original question, or the answer provided to that question;

3)          the Chairman’s allowance be increased to a multiplier of one of the Members’ basic allowance, currently at £5,518; and

4)          the updated allowance for the Chairman to be backdated to apply from 1^st April 2024.

(Prior to consideration of this item, the Chairman declared a pecuniary interest in respect of the proposals pertaining to the Chairman’s allowance detailed in the recommendations from the Constitution review Working Group.  She was not present during the debate in respect of this matter nor did she vote thereon.)