The report of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer, and the City Solicitor is now enclosed.

The Council considered the report of the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive & City Treasurer and the City Solicitor which set out proposals for the making of arrangements to ensure continuity of the Council’s decision-making functions during the COVID-19 outbreak, with the risks that might arise from Members and Officers being unable to participate in council business.

Decisions

The Council agrees:-

1.       That from 25 March 2020 until 26 November 2020, under the provisions of Sections 85(1) and Section 85(2A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the protection of the health of the residents of the city or the health of the individual member shall be an approved reason for the non-attendance of a Member at any meeting (including, in the case of members of the Executive, non-attendance at meetings of the Executive); and that for this approval Rule 25 of the Council Procedure Rules be suspended so that this may be rescinded or extended by the Council at any time before then.

2.       That the set of delegations set out in section 4 of the report be approved until 26 November 2020, and that for each of these, Rule 25 of the Council Procedure Rules be suspended so that it may be rescinded or extended by the Council at any time before then.

3.       That should an Officer declare an interest in any decision to be made under (2) above, then the delegated authority transfers as follows:

·                from Chief Executive to the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer,

·                from the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer to the City Solicitor.

4.       That in relation to scrutiny committee “call-in” the constitutional amendment proposed in section 6.3 of the report be approved until 26 November 2020, and that Rule 25 of the Council Procedure Rules be suspended so that this may be rescinded or extended by the Council at any time before then.

5.       That for urgent financial decisions the Council agree that until 26 November 2020 the provisions of Rule 6 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules be amended to include urgent decisions outside of the budget, including the use of the Council’s reserves, and that for this constitutional change, Rule 25 of the Council Procedure Rules be suspended so that it may be rescinded or extended by the Council at any time before then.

6.       That for urgent financial decisions the Council agree that until 26 November 2020, where this amended provision of Rule 6 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules is to be used to make an urgent change to the revenue or capital budget, that Rule 7 of the same rules be suspended, and that for this constitutional change Rule 25 of the Council Procedure Rules be suspended so that it may be rescinded or extended by the Council at any time before then.

7.       That all Chief Officers and Officers set out in Chapters 3A and 3B of Part 3, Section F of the Constitution that are already able to exercise delegated authority under the Constitution be required to nominate another officer or officers who are able to act on their behalf in their absence, and provide a copy of those nominations to the City Solicitor.