Report by Monitoring Officer.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report on changing the existing yearly cycle of setting Fees and Charges, which was coordinated as part of the annual budget setting process.  The report stated that Services may find it appropriate to recommend changes to Fees and Charges at different points in the year to enable them to be responsive to events as they occurred.  For the sake of efficiency, it was suggested that the Constitution should be clarified to confirm that whilst Fees and Charges would remain as an annual item at Budget Council, the Standing Committees would be able to make in-year changes to Fees and Charges within their terms of reference.  Policy Committee would also have a default power to be able to make in-year changes to Fees and Charges on behalf of the Standing Committees, for any charges across the Council. 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Terry and seconded by Councillor Leng and CARRIED:

Resolved –

(1)     That the proposed amendments to the Constitution to allow Policy Committee, or the other Standing Committees, to make in-year changes to Fees and Charges be agreed;

(2)     That the wording of paragraph 2.1.3 (A) (4) in the Budget and Policy Framework be changed, from:

“Changes to Fees and Charges” to:

“A review of Fees and Charges in the context of the Council’s overall Medium Term Financial Strategy, including any changes required”;

(3)     That the Terms of Reference for Policy Committee be amended at paragraph (5) (p.61 of the Constitution), the list of Key Decision areas, to add: “Changes to Fees and Charges”;

(4)     That the Terms of Reference for each of the other Standing Committees (the Adult Social Care, Children’s Services and Education Committee, the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure Committee and the Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport Committee) be amended, to add, before the Delegation to Officers: “Changes to Fees and Charges”;

(5)     That the Proper Officer Appointments section of Part 3 of the Constitution under the section of “Registration Services Act 1953” be amended as follows:

•           In the third box to remove the words, “(the Proper Officer is called the Superintendent Registrar)”, and

•           In the fourth box to delete the words, “Superintendent Registrar appointed by the Head of Community Services” and replace with the words, “Registration and Bereavement Services Manager”.