RESOLVED – That Councillor M Lawton be elected Chair of the Authority for the ensuing municipal year.

RESOLVED – That Councillor R Wraith be appointed Vice-Chair of the Authority for the ensuing municipal year.

A report of the Clerk and Treasurer was submitted, which reported on the membership of the Authority.

The current membership of the Authority was as follows:-

Councillor Lawton expressed his thanks to the former Members of the Authority for their sterling work; and he also welcomed the new Members to the Authority.

RESOLVED – That the position be noted.

A report of the Clerk and Treasurer was submitted providing Members with options to consider regarding the rearrangement of Authority meeting structures and decision-making procedures.

The Authority had operated using different governance structures over the years, but none had proved to be wholly satisfactory.  The current arrangement was for the Authority to deal solely with strategic policy issues, and the two Boards to deal with the technical and detailed issues.  Members discussed in detail the various proposed options for the rearrangement of the meeting structure. 

Members commented that the agendas for the Boards tended to be too long, in comparison to the Authority agendas, and suggested agendas be split for greater focus.  Members suggested in order to utilise their time, training sessions be held on the same day as meetings.

Members requested officers to take away the suggestions raised; and for a meeting schedule to be produced with additional meeting dates, to incorporate presentations on investment issues or LGPS matters; to be brought to an additional meeting of the Authority on 26 July 2012.

RESOLVED – That an additional meeting of the Authority be held on 26 July 2012.

A report of the Clerk and Treasurer was submitted, in order to consider the appointment of Boards, Committee and Chairs for 2012/13.

RESOLVED – That the following Boards and Committee be appointed for 2012/13.

A report of the Clerk and Treasurer was submitted to seek approval to proposed amendments to the Authority’s Contract Standing Orders.

In April 2012 Members were advised that officers intended to carry out a comprehensive review of the Authority’s Contract Standing Orders in due course. However, in the interim it had become clear that some clarification of the wording affecting professional contracts associated with investment property construction and refurbishment projects was necessary.

RESOLVED – That the Authority agreed to approve the amendments to the Authority’s Contract Standing Orders as follows:

i)        Re-wording of exemptions (CSO 5.3).

ii)        Re-wording of reporting requirements stemming from exemption changes (CSOs 5.3 and 11.2).

A report of the Clerk and Treasurer was submitted in order to consider the appointment of representatives of the Authority to answer questions raised in meetings of the District Councils and to feedback District Council pensions’ issues at each meeting of the Pensions Authority.

RESOLVED – That the Authority nominates the following Members to answer questions at District Councils under Section 41 of the Local Government Act, 1985 as follows: