Committee details

PURPOSE OF COMMITTEE

Subject to relevant legislation, to deal with items of business of an urgent nature that cannot wait for the next meeting of Council or the appropriate committee or sub committee.

REMIT OF COMMITTEE

1. Subject to 1.5 below, to exercise all functions of the Council, or the committee or sub committee which would otherwise have dealt with the matter.

PROCESS

1.1         A meeting of the Committee will be called by the Chief Officer – Governance:

1.1.1     on the instruction of the Chief Executive where the Chief Executive and the Convener are satisfied that the relevant business is urgent, or

1.1.2     in terms of Standing Order 34.2 (Referrals).

1.2         The Chief Officer - Governance may subject to the Convener’s approval add further matters to the agenda of a meeting already called only where the Chief Executive and the Convener are satisfied that the matters are urgent.

1.3         The reason(s) for urgency must, where possible, be clearly stated in any report to the Urgent Business Committee.  Where this is not possible (e.g. due to the matter being referred to the Committee under Standing Order 34.2), the reason(s) for urgency must be stated at the start of the meeting.

1.4         Before considering any item of business, the Committee will determine whether the item is urgent and requires to be considered, and if it does, the special circumstances will be specified in the minute.  Before determining whether the item is urgent, members may ask questions of officers in relation to the reason(s) for urgency.

1.5         If the Committee resolves not to consider the matter, the item of business will be placed on the agenda for the next scheduled meeting of the Council, Committee or Sub Committee as appropriate.

1.6         The Committee cannot consider, in terms of Standing Order 5.3, any business relating to the removal of a member from office.