Issue details

The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, permits authorities to dispense with the requirement to hold an annual meeting this municipal year and to allow appointments which normally would have been made at the annual meeting to continue until the next annual meeting of the authority or until such time as the authority may determine.

Council Standing Order 6 authorises the proper officer (Chief Executive) to give notice of the time and place of any meeting and Standing Order 5 provides that the times and places of meetings will be determined by the proper officer and notified in the summons for the meeting.  The Delegation Rules contain a power for the Chief Executive to exercise any power or function, which is in law capable of delegation, in any emergency threatening life, limb or substantial damage to property within the District.  The Chief Executive is required to consult with the Leader and the exercise of the power is limited to the minimum necessary to deal with the emergency and shall be reported to the next meeting of Cabinet or Council, whichever is first.

In view of the fact that the Council meeting in April was cancelled due to the Covid 19 emergency and the last Council meeting was in February, there is a need for the Council meeting to concentrate its focus on key priorities. The Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader, Chairman of the Council, and the other Group Leaders, has agreed to convene an ordinary meeting of the Council on Thursday 21 May 2020, in place of the Annual Meeting originally scheduled for that date.  This decision will be reported to the Council meeting.