Report by Monitoring Officer

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report seeking approval for the adoption of a revised Constitution for Reading Borough Council, which was appended to the report.  The overall objectives of the recommended changes to the Constitution wereto:

•               streamline and improve efficiency ofdecision-making;

•               simplify the Constitution and DelegationsRegister;

•               make the Constitution simple and easy to navigate;and

•               make the decision-making process easier to understand for officers, Councillors and members of thepublic.

The revised scheme of officer delegation set out those matters which were ‘reserved’ to Council or committees with officers being authorised to carry out all other functions. All ‘key decisions’ would be reserved to committees or Council.  A ‘key decision’ revenue limit would be up to £500k per annum for up to five years.  Rolling programmes of routine capital expenditure included on the capital programme, for instance housing and highways maintenance programmes, would no longer be defined as key decisions requiring Committee approval.  The report explained that irrespective of the ‘key decision’ limits, officers should always ask themselves, whether the decision would have a significant effect upon residents or communities before exercising a delegation.

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

Resolved –

(1)      That the revised Constitution for Reading Borough Council, as attached to the report, be adopted, in accordance with Section 9P of the Local Government Act 2000.

(2)      That the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to correct any minor typographical errors or inconsistent numbering or cross references which become evident in publishing the Constitution in its final form.

(3)      That the Monitoring Officer be asked to prepare a further report to Council in October 2023 to ensure that the aims of this review had been met and to present appropriate modifications or amendments if required.

(4)      That, in addition to (3) above, the Constitution be reviewed by the Audit & Governance Committee annually with any recommended changes arising from its review to be submitted to Council for determination.