Agenda and minutes

27/21 – APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTES: Notification had been received that Councillor Richard Cooper was to act as substitute for Councillor Tim Myatt, Councillor Sam Gibbs for Councillor John Ennis and Councillor Paul Haslam for Councillor Alex Raubitschek.   Apologies for absence had also been received from Councillors Nick Brown, Pauline McHardy and Norman Waller.

(5.30 pm)

Members to advise of any declarations of interest.

28/21 – DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

(5.31 pm)

of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 September 2021.

29/21 – MINUTES: The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 September 2021 were approved as a correct record.

(Five Members voted for the motion and there was one abstention.)

(5.31 pm)

To determine whether to exclude the press and public during the consideration of any exempt information items.

30/21 – EXEMPT INFORMATION: There was no exempt information.

(5.31 pm)

To consider any questions under Standing Order 27.

31/21 – PUBLIC ARRANGMENTS - QUESTIONS: There were no public questions to consider under Standing Order 27.

(5.31 pm)

The Head of Legal and Governance to submit a written report.

MATTERS TO BE REFERRED TO COUNCIL

32/21 – STATUTORY GUIDANCE ON SPECIAL SEVERANCE PAYMENTS: The Head of Legal Governance submitted a written report in relation to the New Best Value Statutory Guidance regarding Special Severance Payments which was attached at Appendix 1.  Special Severance Payments were defined as payments made to employees, officeholders, workers, contractors, and others outside of statutory, contractual or other requirements when leaving employment in public service.  The report had also been considered by the Audit and Governance Committee at its meeting held on 13 September 2021.

The Audit Completion report for the year ended March 2020 included a recommendation that the Council should consider updating its risk management arrangements for settlement agreements and in response to this the Audit and Governance Committee adopted the Statutory Guidance on 13 September. 

The draft guidance also stated that any Special Severance payments should be approved by the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader.  The Audit and Governance Committee had resolved that a recommendation be made to the General Purposes Committee that the constitution be amended to include delegation to the chief executive with the approval of the Leader, following completion of the pro-forma attached at appendix 2 and in consultation with the s151 officer, Monitoring Officer and a senior HR officer.  The guidance provided that full Council should have the opportunity to vote before large severance packages beyond £100k were approved and therefore the delegation to the Chief Executive only related to payments below £100k. 

RECOMMENDED (UNANIMOUSLY):

That the Constitution be amended to include a delegation to the Chief Executive Officer with the approval of the Leader to authorise Special Severance payments below £100k following receipt of the completed pro-forma report attached at Appendix 2 and in consultation with the s151 officer, Monitoring Officer and a senior HR officer.

(5.32 pm to 5.34 pm)

The Democratic Services Officer to submit a written report.

33/21 – DRAFT SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS – MAY 2022 to MARCH 2023: The

Head of Legal and Governance submitted a written report, attached to which at

Appendix A was a draft schedule of meetings from May 2020 to May 2021. As usual and wherever possible, meetings of the North Yorkshire County Council were taken into account to avoid clashes, as were other significant events such as party political conferences and the Great Yorkshire Show. Group Leaders and Chief Officers had been consulted on the draft schedule. Members were also requested to agree an amendment to dates of Cabinet meetings for the current municipal year.

RECOMMENDED (UNANIMOUSLY):

That     (1) the draft schedule of meetings for 2022 to 2023, as detailed at Appendix A, be approved; and

            (2) the amendment to the schedule of meetings for 2021 to 2022 as described in paragraph 5.7 be approved.

               (5.35 pm)