Agenda

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Reading, RG1 2LU

Contact: Simon Hill - Committee Services Email: (simon.hill@reading.gov.uk)  0118 9372303

Items
No. Item

MEETING CANCELLED

The Council has stopped public gatherings in line with yesterday’s instructions from the Government for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

 

This urgent meeting of the Policy Committee will therefore not be taking place.

 

[Update on 26 March 2020]

 

The recommendations for Items 2 and 3a were agreed under delegated powers by the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, and published in the Decision Book on 26 March 2020:

www.reading.gov.uk/decisionbooks

 

The questions submitted under Item 4 have been published below.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR URGENT MEETINGS OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE

(Text below retained for information only – this meeting has been cancelled due to the restriction on public gatherings)

 

In response to the Covid-19 situation the Monitoring Officer has invoked the urgency provisions of the Constitution at Section 7.7 that provide for a three-member meeting of Policy Committee to take decisions on behalf of the authority.

 

These provisions allow for the three-member Policy Committee to take urgent decisions on all functions of the authority, including on behalf of other Committees, and full Council.

 

This meeting is being convened at short notice under the Section 100B (3) (a) of the Local Government Act primarily to consider items of business that had been due to be determined at meetings that have been cancelled as a result of the Council’s response to the Covid-19 situation: Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport Committee (16 March 2020), Personnel Committee (18 March 2020) and Council (24 March 2020).

 

In line with the latest government advice the Council has closed the Civic Offices to the public and there will therefore be no public attendance or participation at this meeting.  It will be webcast for live and repeat viewing.

1.

Chair's Announcements

1a

Declarations of Interest

2.

Council Response to Coronavirus Pandemic pdf icon PDF 204 KB

In accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chair has agreed that this item of business can be considered as a matter of urgency, as it sets out the Council’s immediate response to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic.

Additional documents:

3.

Decision Book References

3a

Decision Book Procedure - Urgent Item pdf icon PDF 42 KB

In accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chair has agreed that this item of business can be considered as a matter of urgency, on the grounds that it will increase the flexibility in the Council’s decision-making processes by temporarily amending the Decision Book procedure in response to the current Covid-19 situation, and in anticipation that further restrictions on holding meetings could be imposed at any time.

4.

Petitions and Questions

Petitions and Questions submitted to the cancelled meetings of the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee and full Council will be responded to in writing and the responses published with this agenda.

 

Prior to the cancellation of this meeting the Chair also accepted an urgent Councillor question, which is published here.

Additional documents:

5.

Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee - 16 March 2020 pdf icon PDF 22 MB

To consider the agenda items for the cancelled meeting of the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee which had been due to take place on 16 March 2020, and take any decisions as required.

Additional documents:

6.

Council - 24 March 2020 pdf icon PDF 672 KB

To consider the agenda items for the cancelled meeting of full Council, which had been due to be held on 24 March 2020, and take any decisions as required.

7.

Personnel Committee - 18 March 2020 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To consider the public agenda items for the cancelled meeting of the Personnel Committee which had been due to be held on 18 March 2020, and take any decisions as required.

Items for Consideration in Closed Session

8.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

 

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

 

9.

Declarations of Interest for Closed Session Items

10.

Exempt item - Personnel Committee 18 March 2020