To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2021.

Decision

To approve as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2021.

The report of the City Solicitor is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the City Solicitor that detailed proposed changes to the remits of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees following consideration of a petition entitled “Respond to climate change with more democracy and more money” by the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee in February 2021.

Councillor Leese commented that the proposed terms of reference would not restrict all scrutiny committees to scrutinise climate change issues.  He added that the Climate Change Strategy applied to the whole city and would be subject to scrutiny by the Environment and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee and reminded the Committee that the powers of scrutiny to summon witnesses only applied to Executive Members and Officers of the Council.  Committees could invite external partners to attend but could not enforce them to attend

Councillor Leech commented that consideration should be given in the future to possible co-option of independent members on the Environment and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee in a similar vein to Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee.  The Committee was reminded that unless directed by statute, a co-optee would not have voting rights on any issues considered by a Scrutiny Committee.

Decision

The Committee:-

(1)       Recommend that Council agree the proposed changes to the remits of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

(2)       The Committee endorse the recommendation that Council;

·                Agree and adopt the proposed changes to the remits of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees as set out in Appendix 2 with immediate effect.

·                Authorise the City Solicitor to make any amendments to the Council’s Constitution that are consequential to the changes to the remits of the Council's Scrutiny Committees.

The report of the City Solicitor is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the City Solicitor that notified the Committee of vacancies on Ringway Parish Council and enabled the Committee to consider whether temporary appointments of parish councillors should be made.

Decision

The Committee;

(1)       Note that, as a result of failure to attend meetings, all five parish councillor positions on Ringway Parish Council have become vacant in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972.

(2)       Note that as a result Ringway Parish Council is currently unable to operate and discharge its statutory functions.

(3)       Note that notice of the parish councillor vacancies was published on 10 March 2021 and there was a 14 working day period from that date during which 10 local government electors for the parish could write to the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council triggering an election to fill the vacancies. 

(4)       Subject to no election having been triggered, make temporary appointments of parish councillors under Section 91 of the Local Government Act 1972, by way of an Order in the form contained in the Appendix to this report, with the persons being appointed being those who were elected at the 2018 ordinary election of parish councillors.

(5)       Subject to temporary appointments of parish councillors being agreed by the Committee, delegate to the City Solicitor the completion of any formalities relating to the execution of the necessary Order and the submission of two copies of the Order to the Secretary of State.

(6)       Note that once Ringway Parish Council is operative again; the City Solicitor will explore what advice or support can be offered to the parish council to help ensure that it is able to properly hold regular meetings in future.

(7)       Request that Woodhouse Park Ward Members be notified in relation to any future reports regarding Ringway Parish Council.