The Procedures Committee of Devon Council met on Thursday, 23 April 2026, to discuss several key governance matters. The committee approved revisions to the Audit Committee's terms of reference, agreed to allow named substitutes for council meetings, and updated the operating principles for the Locality Budget Scheme, including its name and carry-forward arrangements. Councillors also noted the restoration of their access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Audit Committee Terms of Reference

The committee endorsed proposed revisions to the Audit Committee's terms of reference, which will be recommended to the full Council for approval. These updates, based on a self-assessment against CIPFA's^[1] guidance, aim to strengthen the committee's governance, assurance, and audit oversight. Key changes include the annual approval of the Internal Audit Strategy and Charter, clarification of quoracy, explicit reporting lines, and the formalisation of an annual report requirement.

Use of Substitutes for Meetings

Devon County Council will now permit named substitutes for meetings, following a decision by the Procedures Committee. This change, which aligns the council with the practices of many other local authorities, aims to ensure meetings can maintain quorum and political proportionality, particularly for councillors with working or caring responsibilities. Substitutes will be named in advance and must have completed any mandatory training for regulatory or quasi-regulatory committees. Substitutions will not be permitted for certain bodies, including the Cabinet, Health and Wellbeing Board, and externally appointed bodies. The revised wording for the Constitution was approved.

Locality Budget Scheme Revisions

The operating principles of the Locality Budget Scheme have been updated, with the scheme to be renamed the Councillor Led Community Fund (CLCF) . The committee also agreed to a process for allocating funds during periods of member absence, which will transfer decision-making responsibility to the relevant Group Leader or the Leader of the Council after consultation.

Regarding the carry-forward of unspent funds, the committee recommended a full carry-forward for the 2025-2026 financial year into 2026-2027, acknowledging the learning curve for new councillors. For future years, a full carry-forward of remaining balances from the current year's allocation was approved. Minor administrative amendments to the scheme's constitutional wording were also endorsed.

Councillor Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme

The committee noted recent legislative changes that restore access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)^[2] for councillors in England on an opt-in basis from 11 May 2026. Historically, councillors had access to the LGPS from 2003, but this was removed in 2014. The restoration aims to support recruitment and retention in local government and promote diversity. The members' allowances scheme will be updated to reflect this change, and while the legislative change takes effect on 11 May 2026, the practicalities of opting in will be managed by Peninsular Pensions and payroll, with communications to follow.