Constitution and Governance Committee - 31 March 2026

The Constitution and Governance Committee met on 31 March 2026 after the original 10 March date was postponed to avoid a conflict with Councillor Towill’s funeral. The Chair recorded formal thanks to Councillor Towill for his long‑service and confirmed that Councillor Cole wishes to be addressed as “Chair”. No declarations of interest were made. The Committee approved the minutes of its 6 January 2026 meeting, which were signed by the Chairman.

The Service Director‑ Resources and Performance presented a review of the Financial Governance Framework and the Financial Approvals Process in light of the updated Leader’s Scheme of Delegation and the introduction of Individual Decision Days (IDDs). The Committee resolved to recommend to Council the approval of the proposed changes to the Financial Governance Framework and the Financial Approvals Process, and to note the accompanying amendments to the Financial Procedure Rules approved by the Section 151 Officer. The Group Manager (Assurance) reported on revisions to the Code of Practice for property and asset decisions, clarifying decision‑making thresholds (£1 million for disposals/acquisitions, £250 000 for leasehold properties) and confirming that decisions taken on IDDs are published and can be called‑in unless exempted. Members raised concerns about the timing of information on property movements and the inclusion of social‑value considerations; officers explained that local Members are briefed before meetings and that social value is being incorporated into the Corporate Asset Management Strategy approved in March 2026.

A separate item addressed the boundary review affecting the village of Paul. The Committee resolved, on motion of Councillor Thomas and seconded by Councillor Garrigan, to rename St Buryan, Lamorna and Paul Parish Council to St Buryan and Lamorna Parish Council, reflecting the fact that the village of Paul has been part of the Parish of Penzance for many years and no assets are being transferred. The Democratic Lead and Statutory Scrutiny Officer presented a draft update to the Member‑Officer protocol to align it with the Local Government Association’s best‑practice guidance. Key changes include the seven principles of public life, clearer role definitions, an informal resolution route, and expanded sections on communication standards, training, and monitoring. The “no surprises” principle was reaffirmed as both a policy and cultural expectation, with breaches to be reported via Casework Assist and overseen by the Chief Executive.

Finally, the Committee considered the annual Member Development Plan and the Scrutiny Protocol. It was agreed to remove the mandatory e‑learning requirement from the Member Development Strategy, while retaining the modules for voluntary use and continuing to make them available online. Adjustments to the All‑Member Briefing schedule and the inclusion of brief subject‑matter explanations were discussed. The Scrutiny Protocol was updated to distinguish between “participating observers” and “witnesses” for Task‑and‑Finish reviews, and paragraph 5.4.7 was amended as recommended. The report also highlighted that, as of 28 March 2026, urgency was had been used ten times and no call‑ins had occurred in the current quadrennial, indicating a low level of post‑decision scrutiny. All resolutions were formally recorded and forwarded for Council approval.