Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Courtenay (substitute: Councillor Folkard), O’Connor (substitute: Councillor Sam Allen) and Murphy (no substitute).

No interests were declared at the meeting.

Executive Director (Strategy and Change)

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director (Strategy & Change) that presented the first draft Part 1 (Summary and Explanation and Public Participation) and Part 2 (The Council) of a new proposed Constitution for Southend on Sea City Council.  Copies of these were attached to the submitted report at Appendices C, D and E.

The Committee was informed that the documents were in an initial draft from and would be amended to reflect the processes and procedures at Southend on Sea City Council.  Any typographical errors etc. would also be picked up at that stage.

The Committee welcomed the first draft documents and discussed them in detail and asked a variety of questions.  The Committee also made numerous comments and identified a number of suggested revisions and possible alternative wording to various sections. These were duly noted and would be incorporated where appropriate and necessary for consideration by the Committee at its next meeting.

Resolved:-

1. That, subject to the comments made at the meeting, the first draft Part 1 (Summary and Explanation and Public Participation) of a new proposed constitution for Southend-on-Sea City Council as set out in Appendix D to the submitted report be noted and that officers make any amendments and/or additions as appropriate based on those comments to be drafted for further review at the next meeting of Committee taking place on 10 September 2024.

2. That, with the exception of Section 5 (Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules) and subject to the comments made at the meeting, the first draft Part 2 (The Council) of a new proposed constitution for Southend-on-Sea City Council as set out in Appendix E to the submitted report be noted and that officers make any amendments and/or additions as appropriate based on those comments to be drafted for further review at the next meeting of Committee taking place on 10 September 2024.

3. That consideration of the initial draft of section 5 (The Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules) of (Part 2 (The Council) be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee taking place on 10^th September 2024.

4. That officers bring the first drafts of the new proposed constitution as described in Part 3 (Committees) and Part 4 (The Executive and Joint Arrangements) of the work programme for consideration by Committee to its next meeting to be held on 10 September 2024.