Decision details

The Executive agreed the recommendations as outlined above namely:

1. To amend decision 2 of EX22/2020  to read “as an emergency measure, to delegate all urgent Executive decision making to the Chief Executive and the Council’s Directors (as appropriate), in relation to their areas of responsibility. This decision making to be in response to issues caused directly or indirectly from the Coronavirus pandemic and would protect citizens in regard to public safety. This delegation to only be used after consultation with the Leader of the Council and the relevant Cabinet Member(s) and only when other forms of decision making are not available.”

2. To note that Executive meetings can now take place virtually subject to the revised procedure rules approved at the Council meeting on 11 May 2020 and where possible this should be preferred course of approval for key decisions.

3. To note that the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council and the Extended Corporate Leadership Team will continue to hold regular conference calls with the three Opposition Group Leaders (Councillor Mrs Callow has had and will have a dual role in this as Lead Scrutiny Member), to brief them on the current situation affecting the Council and any decisions taken or likely to be taken, seeking their views as appropriate.

4. To note that the Council at its meeting on 11 May 2020 agreed to delegate Council functions in this regard to the Chief Executive and also agreed to continue with the conference calls with the Group Leaders and MPs and that this would be reviewed at the next formal Council meeting (20 July 2020). It is recommended that these Executive delegations be reviewed again at the next Executive meeting on 13 July 2020. It may be that at that juncture then normal decision making processes may be reverted to or a timetable put in place for such a reversion.