Meeting documents

To receive members’ apologies.

Apologies were received from Councillor Martin Lovell, who was substituted by Councillor Emily Pearlstone, Councillor Simon Carswell, who was substituted by Councillor Heather Shearer, and Councillor Alex Wiltshire, who was substituted by Councillor Dixie Darch.

Details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils can be viewed on the Council Website

The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via request to the Democratic Service Team. Any new or updated declarations of interest will be received.

The Committee noted the details of the personal interests of all Councillors present already declared in relation to their membership of County, District, Town and Parish Councils.

There were no new declarations of interest made at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate.

The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 September 2022 were approved and signed as a correct record.

The Chair will allow members of the public to ask a question or make a statement about any matter on the agenda for this meeting. These questions may be taken during the meeting, when the relevant agenda item is considered, at the Chair’s discretion.

There were no questions asked, statements made or petitions presented.

To consider the work programme of the Committee.

This was a standing item for the Committee so that it could review and set its forward plan of work to support the delivery of the Council’s priorities.

The Committee discussed the items to be considered at the November 2022 meeting and the Monitoring Officer advised the Committee of two  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive PowerPoint presentation and verbal update

Public Participation – for information and reference, please see attached relevant extracts from: -

a)    Somerset County Council (2 documents) – pages 17 – 21;

b)    Buckinghamshire Council  - pages 23 – 37; and

c)    Wiltshire Council (2 documents) – pages 39 – 56.

The Committee considered a presentation from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Strategic Manager – Governance and Democratic Services, Scott Wooldridge, which outlined the approach and options to developing the section on Public Participation within the new Constitution for the new Somerset Council.

The following points were highlighted:

·         Timings of meetings:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To receive PowerPoint presentation and verbal update

Full Council Meeting Procedures – for information and reference, please see attached relevant extracts from: -

a)    Somerset County Council – pages 57 – 67;

b)    Buckinghamshire Council – pages – 69 – 92; and

c)    Wiltshire Council – pages 93 – 120.

The Committee considered a presentation from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Strategic Manager – Governance and Democratic Services, Scott Wooldridge, which outlined the approach and options to developing the section on Full Council Procedures within the new Constitution for the new Somerset Council.

The following points were highlighted:

·         Councillors queried  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To receive PowerPoint presentation and verbal update

The Committee considered a presentation from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Strategic Manager – Governance and Democratic Services, Scott Wooldridge, which outlined the approach and options for recruiting Independent Persons for the new Somerset Council.

The following points were highlighted:

·         Councillors queried why 3 had been chosen and not 5  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

The Monitoring Officer will provide information about the final stage of the review.

For context to this item, the ‘Easy read Guide to the 2023 Review’, published by the Boundary Commission for England, is attached. The full version of this Guide is available online here – Guide to the 2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies

The Committee considered a presentation from the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Strategic Manager – Governance and Democratic Services, Scott Wooldridge, which outlined the approach and options for the Parliamentary Constituencies Boundary Review 2023.

The following points were highlighted:

·         Concern was raised on how much influence a county submission would have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

The Chair may raise any items of urgent business.

There were no other items of business.