The Constitution Committee of Gloucestershire Council was scheduled to meet on Monday 27 April 2026 to discuss proposed changes to the council's whistleblowing policy, review arrangements for handling motions, and consider the appointment of a new member to the Independent Remuneration Panel. The meeting's agenda also included standard items such as apologies for absence, the approval of previous minutes, and public and members' questions.

Update to Whistleblowing Policy

The committee was scheduled to note a decision made by the Monitoring Officer, Rob Ayliffe, regarding an update to the council's Whistleblowing Policy. This update was proposed to include a specific reference to sexual harassment, aligning with changes to the Employment Rights Act 2025. The report indicated that disclosures related to sexual harassment are now recognised as protected disclosures, offering whistleblowers legal protections against retaliation. The policy, which already provided assurances of protection beyond legal requirements, was to be amended to explicitly reflect this legislative change. This update was supported by Human Resources colleagues and the Audit and Governance Committee.

Review of Motion Arrangements

The committee was set to review the current arrangements for determining the order of motions debated at Council meetings. These arrangements, agreed in July 2025, involve a rotation system where motions are included on the agenda, rotating between political groups. The report highlighted that the sample size of meetings reviewed was small, and the full rotation of groups having the opportunity for their motion to be first on the list had not yet occurred. The recommendation was to continue with the current arrangements to allow for a complete rotation, with a further discussion planned for October 2026.

Independent Remuneration Panel Member Appointment

Consideration was scheduled for the process of appointing a new member to the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP). The IRP is responsible for reviewing members' allowances. The report outlined that one panel member's term had expired, and three members remained for continuity. To consider the applications received for the vacant position, it was proposed that a selection panel be formed, comprising one member from the Liberal Democrat, Reform, and Green groups on the committee, along with the Head of Democratic Services and the Chair of the IRP in advisory roles. The committee was asked to delegate authority to this selection panel to make the appointment.

Proposed Changes to the Pension Committee's Terms of Reference

The committee was scheduled to consider proposed changes to the Terms of Reference of the Pensions Committee. These changes were intended to reflect government-led shifts in Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) investment pooling and the fund's transition from Brunel Pension Partnership to LGPS Central. The report clarified that these changes would not affect employees' pensions but could impact the 240 employers contributing to the fund. It was noted that Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) had to select a new LGPS investment pool as Brunel would cease to operate. The report also addressed concerns about public consultation, stating that the government had led a national consultation on the matter. The Constitution Committee's role was to decide whether to support these proposed changes to the Pensions Committee's Terms of Reference, which would then be integrated into the Council's constitution.

Proposed Changes to the Constitution Relating to the Appeals Committee and Associated Changes

The committee was also scheduled to reconsider and recommend to the full Council the adoption of consequential changes related to the disciplinary appeal process for the Chief Executive, Statutory Officers, and other Chief Officers. These changes, which had been omitted from original recommendations in 2021, included amendments to the Officer Employment Procedure Rules and the Appointments Committee's Terms of Reference. The report also touched upon the suspension process, explaining it as a last resort and a complex procedure, with a flowchart for the disciplinary procedure to be shared.