Meeting documents

To receive member’s apologies.

Apologies were received from Cllr A Wiltshire (substituted by Cllr E Pearlstone), Cllr C Lawrence (substituted by Cllr M Wale) and Cllr D Johnson (substituted by Cllr D 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.

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

To note the minutes from the previous meeting of the Constitution and Governance Committee, circulated within the agenda.

The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 15 December 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.

Submissions had been received from 3 members of the public and were circulated in the supplementary agenda pack. The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting: -

1.    Mr Fletcher Robinson, on behalf of CPRE Somerset read out his statement in respect of agenda item 8 – planning functions and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider Report of the Monitoring Officer

The Committee considered a report by the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Scott Wooldridge which provided background and an update on the work on the Constitution for the new Somerset Council.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted the principles and approach to developing the proposed new Constitution and council decision making – accountability, transparency,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider report.

The Committee considered the report from the Scrutiny Manager, Jamie Jackson which presented the findings of the Scrutiny at Somerset Council Task and Finish Group which had been Chaired by Cllr Theo Butt Philip and Cllr Leigh Redman as Vice Chair.  The report outlined the recommendations from the Task and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider report.

The Committee considered a report from the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Scott Wooldridge and Melanie Wellman, Assistant Director and Monitoring Officer, Sedgemoor District Council which detailed the draft officer decision-making structure for the new Council and the Proposed Officer Scheme of Delegation (set out at Appendix 1) and the Statutory and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider report.

The Executive Lead Member for Local Government, Cllr Val Keitch introduced the item.

The Committee received a PowerPoint presentation and considered a report from Jan Stafford, the Council’s Interim Head of Customer and Transformation and Sara Skirton, Head of Corporate Services, Mendip District Council, on the proposed governance arrangements for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider report.

The Chair invited Cllr L Whetlor, Somerset West and Taunton Council to read out her statement to the Committee. The Chair also advised that Cllr Adam Boyden had asked to address the Committee on this item but he was unfortunately delayed. The Chair briefly summarised the concerns raised by Cllr  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider the work programme of the Committee.

This was a standing agenda 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 AGREED the work programme and items to be considered at the next meeting on 14 February 2023, beginning at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Chair may raise any items of urgent business.

There were no other items of business.