The General Purposes Committee of Wandsworth Council met on Thursday 23 November 2017 and approved revisions to the Council's Standing Orders. These revisions aim to ensure the continued functioning of regulatory committees, clarify arrangements for the sealing of documents, and formalise the delegation of legal services functions.

Revisions to Standing Orders

The committee approved recommendations to revise certain Standing Orders of the Council. These changes are intended to address practical issues arising from the timing of local elections and the operational requirements of shared legal services.

One key amendment concerns Standing Order No. 52. Previously, the membership of regulatory and other committees lapsed between the last ordinary meeting of the Council before local elections and the Annual General Meeting. This created an interregnum of up to 10 weeks during which crucial functions, such as those of the Planning Applications Committee and the Licensing Sub-Committee, could not be exercised. The proposed revision will allow these committees, including the Planning Applications Committee, Licensing Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee, Audit Committee, Joint Pensions Committee, Richmond and Wandsworth Joint Staffing Committee, and Joint Regulatory Services Committee, to continue to operate through this period. This is particularly important for the Licensing Sub-Committee, which may need to convene urgently to address temporary event notices and other reviews within statutory timescales, and for the Planning Applications Committee to avoid unacceptable delays in processing planning applications. The report noted that this change aligns with modern expectations that council functions, especially quasi-judicial ones, should continue uninterrupted.

Another amendment addresses Standing Order No. 81, which governs the sealing of documents. The changes clarify the roles of senior officers, specifically the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) and Heads of Support and Member Services, and Governance, in the custody and use of the Council's common seal. These adjustments reflect the transfer of responsibilities from previous roles and ensure clarity in the process.

Finally, the committee approved revisions to the Scheme of Delegations to the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance) concerning Legal Services. These changes formalise the relationship with the South London Legal Partnership (SLLP), a shared service arrangement between Merton, Richmond, and Wandsworth Councils. The Council will delegate its Legal Services matters to Merton Council, which will then formally delegate these powers to their Head of Legal Services to be exercised by the SLLP. This reflects the operational changes following Wandsworth's legal services staff transferring to Merton as the host of the SLLP. The revised delegations ensure that the Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Performance), acting as the Monitoring Officer, can continue to take necessary actions, including instructing legal counsel and participating in legal proceedings, with the proviso that such actions are exercisable by the Head of the SLLP.

The committee resolved to recommend these changes to the Council for approval.

The meeting was attended by Councillor Mrs. Hampton (Deputy Chairman) and Councillors Carpenter, Daley, Dawson, Gibbons, Heaster, Martin D. Johnson, Macdonald, Senior, and Thom. Councillor Kim Caddy, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Business Development, was also in attendance. Apologies were received from Councillor Peterkin and Councillor McDonnell. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 28th September 2017 were confirmed and signed. No declarations of interest were made by members. The meeting concluded at 21:14:35.