Agenda item

Joint Report of the Director of Corporate Services and Director of Finance (DSFRA/18/12) attached.

(Councillors Saywell and Thomas each declared a personal, non-pecuniary interest [by virtue of their being appointed by the Authority as non-executive directors on the Board of Red One Ltd.] in the proposed granting of a dispensation by the Authority to enable those Members it appointed as non-executive directors on the Board of Red One Ltd to speak, but not propose motions or vote on, any items relating to Red One Ltd. coming before Authority meetings.  Councillors Saywell and Thomas also left the room during the vote on this matter).

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services (DSFRA/18/12) on the review of the Authority’s constitutional governance framework (Standing Orders, Financial Regulations etc.).  The documents remained by and large fit for purpose but had been updated, as necessary, to reflect the realignment of responsibilities following internal, structural changes or a change in external Treasury Management advice provision.  Two specific amendments were, however, proposed:

·         to Financial Regulations, to align procedures for reserves with those already in place for revenue budget virements;

·         to the Treasury Management Policy, to give effect to a recommendation made by the Devon Audit Partnership (following a recent internal audit) that explicit limits in relation to ‘dealing’ be detailed.

It was also proposed that the Authority grant a dispensation to those Members it appointed as non-executive directors on the Board of Red One Ltd. to enable these Members to speak, but not propose motions or vote on, issues relating to Red One Ltd. coming before Authority meetings.  In the absence of such a dispensation, such Members would (under the Authority’s Code of Conduct) be required to declare personal interests and leave the room during debates on such matters which it was felt was contrary to the rationale for making such appointments.

Councillor Coles MOVED, with Councillor Colthorpe seconding:

“that the relevant recommendation as set out in report DSFRA/18/12 be amended to add the words ‘…and leave the room during any vote on the issue’”.

This was put to the vote and declared CARRIED, whereupon Councillor Colthorpe MOVED, with Councillor Randall Johnson seconding, that the amended recommendations as set out in report DSFRA/18/12 be approved.  This was put to the vote and declared CARRIED whereupon it was

RESOLVED

(a)       that the Authority grants a dispensation to those Members it appoints as non-executive directors on the Board of Red One Ltd. to speak, but not propose motions or vote on and to leave the room during any vote on, any item on Red One Ltd. coming before any meeting of the Authority (or its Committees) for consideration;

(b)       that the proposed revisions to Financial Regulations and the Treasury Management Policy as identified in paragraphs 3.5 and 3.8 respectively of report DSFRA/18/12, be approved.

(c)       that the changes to Financial Regulations and the Treasury Management Policy (to reflect either internal structural changes or a change in external provider), as identified in paragraphs 3.4 and 3.7 of the report, be endorsed;

(d)       that the revisions to the Code of Conduct and Standing Orders to give effect to earlier decisions of the Authority, as identified in the report, be noted; and

(e)       that, subject to (a) to (d) above, the constitutional framework documents as listed in paragraph 1.1 of the report be endorsed.

(SEE ALSO MINUTES DSFRA/4 ABOVE AND DSFRA/6 BELOW)