Meeting documents

To agree the Minutes of the previous meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Governance & Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 10 December 2014, were agreed by the Committee and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillor N Rose declared a personal interest in Minute No.  - Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places, due to his role as a trustee of Ballinger War Memorial Hall.

Members are asked to consider the attached Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places and recommend to Full Council for approval.

At a meeting of the Committee held on 10 December 2014, a report was considered which informed members of the requirement to review UK Parliamentary polling districts and polling places.  The Electoral and Administration Act 2013 required that the compulsory review take place between 1 October 2013 and 31 January 2015 (inclusive).

A further report was presented to the Committee for consideration following the completion of the consultation process and the responses received.  The consultation period had ended on 9 January 2015 following which 4 email responses had been received.

Based on a full review of polling stations carried out by the Polling Station Inspectors at the European Parliamentary Elections and the Election Team staff during 2014; and the results of the consultation process, the Committee was invited to consider 2 proposals for change of polling station locations. 

Members supported the proposed changes, and in particular the change to use Great Hivings Church Hall instead of Little Spring School which avoided closure of the school on Thursday 7 May 2015 and future elections.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL:-

That a new Polling District and Polling Places Order be made to incorporate the following changes and that the Order take effect on 26 February 2015:-

i)             To designate Little Chalfont Library as the polling place for polling district ‘KB’; and

ii)            To designate Great Hivings Church Hall as the polling place for polling district ‘W’.

Members are asked to comment on the attached draft Member Induction Programme 2015.

Consideration was given to the report which provided members with an overview of the proposed Member Induction Programme for 2015.

Members were advised that all Councillors were to receive a welcome pack at the Count Centre on Friday 8 May.  An outline of the Councillor Induction Programme was presented to Members which was designed to assist all new and returning Councillors gain knowledge, information and understanding of the Council.

The content of the report was considered in detail and the Committee discussed the relevant topics and timing of development sessions for newly elected members and re-elected members.  The view was also expressed that opportunities should be sought to have joint briefing sessions with South Bucks DC members on common issues or topics.

RESOLVED:

That the content of the report was noted.

Consideration was given to a report which provided members with an update on the progress of changes to the format for full Council meetings as previously considered by the Governance and Electoral Arrangements Committee.

At a previous meeting of the Governance & Electoral Arrangements Committee held on 10 December 2014, a mock Council Agenda was considered.  The Committee discussed the structure of future Council Agendas and it was agreed that Council Procedure Rules be amended to reflect the proposed changes.

The Committee considered in detail the timing and order of business for ordinary council meetings as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report.  Members were advised of the new items included in the order of business and agreed the following order of business:-

1)        elect a person to preside if either the Chairman and Vice-Chairman is not present;

2)        deal with any item required by statute to be dealt with before any other  item;

3)        to approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the last meeting of the Council;

4)        receive any declarations of interest from members arising out of any item set out in the summons convening the meeting;

5)        receive any announcements from the Chairman, Cabinet Leader or Head of the Paid Service;

6)        dispose of any business carried over from a previous meeting;

7)        to receive a presentation from relevant individual, organisation including Thames Valley Police as applicable and agreed, in advance of the meeting, by the Chairman on a subject area relevant to the work of the Council or pertinent to a current issue for the Council.  It is not necessary for a schedule of speakers for the municipal year as it may be appropriate to invite specific speakers on topical issues arising during the year;

8)        receive and consider the reports and recommendations of Committees of the Council in date order of the meeting.  A Minute Pack of the full set of meetings be made available separately for members’ information;

9)        receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet and receive questions and answers on any of those minutes and recommendations in accordance with Rule 8 of  these Procedural Rules;

10)     receive and consider any reports from the Cabinet Leader, Cabinet Members or Chairman of a Committee and receive questions and answers on any of those reports in accordance with Rule 9.1 of these Procedural Rules;

11)     to receive questions and answers of the Cabinet Leader, Cabinet Members or Chairman of a Committee asked under Rule 9.2 of the Council Procedural Rules;

12)     to receive questions without notice from any member of the Council to the Cabinet Leader, individual Cabinet Members or Committee Chairmen in accordance with Rule 9.1 of the Council Procedure Rules;

13)     to receive petitions and/or deputations from members of the public including provisions allowing members to ask questions of clarification at the discretion of the Chairman and restrictions on deputations covering the same subject or by the same speakers;

14)     receive any reports about and receive questions and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.