Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report setting out a proposal to reduce the volume of Committee papers with a view to achieving increased use of electronic access together with new arrangements for access to Council and Committee documents containing confidential or exempt information.  The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the Chief Executive would not make a decision on formal requests to receive paper copies but that such requests would just be noted in order to produce a definitive list.  The Head of E-Government and Customer Services responded to questions from Members.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       that, with effect from 1st October 2009, paper copies of agendas, reports and minutes be provided only for the Members of each Committee, the full Council meeting, potential public attendees at Council and Committee meetings, and for officer attendees on request, subject to the exclusion of those Members who opt to rely purely on electronic access;

(b)       that any Members who wish to rely purely on electronic access to Committee documents may do so on a voluntary basis by notifying the Chief Executive;

(c)        that, with effect from 1st October 2009, the electronic transmission of general Council correspondence including letters, decision notices, updates, the Forward Plan, notices of events and training sessions, etc., be confirmed as the standard method of delivery to Members, and that any Member who wishes to continue to receive paper copies be required to submit a formal request to the Chief Executive before this date requesting exemption from electronic delivery;

(d)       that, with effect from January 2010, the Council cease the twice-weekly post to those Members who voluntarily agree to collect post from their pigeonholes;

(e)       that the access to information procedures be amended with effect from 1st October 2009 as follows:

(i)         that access to reports and background information containing exempt information be restricted to Members of the Cabinet or relevant Committee and appropriate officers only;

(ii)        that attendance by a Member at a meeting of the Cabinet or Committee of which he/she is not a member following a resolution to exclude the public and press if the business to be transacted contains exempt information be permitted and that the Member be entitled to receive a copy of the exempt report and retain it;

(iii)       that any requests from other Members for access in accordance with Members’ statutory, constitutional and common law rights be considered on  a case by case basis by the Council’s Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Chairman of the relevant Committee;

(iv)       that, in the event of the Cabinet being required to make recommendations to the full Council on reports containing confidential or exempt information, the full report be included as part of the private agenda pack for the relevant meeting of the Council;

(v)        that the Monitoring Officer be designated in the Council’s Scheme of Delegation as the Proper Officer for the purposes of Section 100 of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) Regulations 2000; and

(f)         that the Council authorises the Monitoring Officer to make any necessary alterations to the Council’s Constitution arising from the above.