Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 21st October 2021 and matters arising pdf icon PDF 318 KB

Minutes:

Order: Minutes agreed.

2.

Conference Attendance and Reports pdf icon PDF 619 KB

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, AILG October Seminar. Sligo Park Hotel, County Sligo.

2nd October 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, Irish Public Bodies Members Engagement Forum. Athlone, County Westmeath. 8th October 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, LAMA Autumn Seminar. Sligo Park Hotel, County Sligo.

3rd – 5th November 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, AILG November Seminar. Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, County Galway. 6th November 2021.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Order: Reports and attendance at the following conferences were noted and agreed:

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, AILG October Seminar. Sligo Park Hotel, County Sligo.

2nd October 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, Irish Public Bodies Members Engagement Forum. Athlone, County Westmeath. 8th October 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, LAMA Autumn Seminar. Sligo Park Hotel, County Sligo.

3rd – 5th November 2021.

 

·         Cllr. Danny Byrne, AILG November Seminar. Clayton Hotel, Ballybrit, County Galway. 6th November 2021.

 

3.

New Scheme of Vouched Expenses for Councillors pdf icon PDF 620 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Manager reported that the regulations detailing how the new vouched scheme of expenses would be implemented had now been issued by the Department. There would be an interim period from 1st July – 31st December 2021 where Members would have the choice between the existing scheme or the new vouched scheme. From January 2022 the new vouched scheme would be mandatory for all Members. There would a requirement on Members to retain and submit documentation relating to their expenses under the new scheme. A workshop for Local Authority administrative staff on the vouched expenses scheme has been organised for 14th December. Following the workshop information sessions would be organised by the Chief Executive’s Office to brief the Members on the impact of the changes and the new requirements. The Manager also reported that from January the SPC Chair allowance would be taxed.   

 

Order: Noted.

4.

International Cities Friendship Agreements

Minutes:

The Manager reported that the City Council had received a growing number of requests for friendship agreements with other international cities. There is no existing criteria in place for evaluating such requests and it would be beneficial if a policy could be established to manage such agreements.

 

The Members suggested looking towards the existing Twinning Agreements policy as a basis for responding to friendship requests. The Lord Mayor said that any request should be evaluated in the context of benefit to the city and its alignment with existing council policy.

 

Order: It was agreed to bring a report on the matter to the January meeting of the Protocol Committee.   

5.

Review of Comments made against Council Officials at May City Council meeting

Minutes:

Order: The Members accepted the report of the Chief Executive into the allegations and were satisfied that council officials had not misled the elected representatives. The Manager would recirculate the report to the Committee Members and would write to the officials involved to inform them that the report had been accepted.

6.

Councillor Training Programme 2022 pdf icon PDF 411 KB

Minutes:

Order: Agreed and recommend to Council.

7.

City Hall Illumination

Minutes:

Order: The City Hall Illumination Policy as amended was agreed.

7a)

Review and Update of Illumination Policy

Minutes:

The Members were happy to approve the amended policy for lighting up City Hall as presented at the October meeting. However, they also requested the Manager to prepare a report on the current policy in relation to the illumination of public infrastructure across the City Council. The report to examine issues such as the criteria and authority for approval, communication to Councillors and cost implications.  

 

Order: The City Hall Illumination Policy as amended was agreed and the Manager to prepare a report on Illumination Policy across the City Council.

7b)

City Hall illumination Requests for the Month of December

·         World Aids Day, 1st December 2021

 

·         Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3rd December 2021

Minutes:

According to the City Hall Illuminations Policy it is only permissible for City Hall to be illuminated in support of one cause per month. The Members considered the cause of International Day of Persons with Disabilities to be extremely important and fully supported the awareness campaign. However, a request to illuminate City Hall in support of Worlds Aids Day on 1st December had already been submitted. Consequently, the Committee decided that they would support World Aids Day for illumination for the month of December.

 

As an acknowledgement of the importance of the issue the Members did agree illuminate City Hall in December 2022 in support of International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Lord Mayor also confirmed that she would be placing a purple candle in the window of the Mansion House to support International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December 2021.

 

Order: City Hall to be illuminated in red on 1st December 2021 in support of World Aids Day.

8.

Proposed Deadline for submission of Questions and Motions to the January City Council meeting - Friday 17th December 2021

Minutes:

Order: Deadline of 17th December 2021 agreed.

9.

Manager's Report

Minutes:

The Manager informed the Committee that the second legal opinion on the Section 140 motion in relation to the lands at O’Devaney Gardens would be issued in advance of the December Council meeting and that the issue would be listed on the Council agenda for decision.

Order: Noted.

 

The Manager gave an update on the issue of Planning Information Meetings (PIM) which was raised previously by Cllr. Joe Costello. The Assistant Chief Executive, Richard Shakespeare provided a report on the matter which would be circulated to Members after the meeting. The Manager also confirmed that the granting of a PIM to another councillor in Cllr. Costello’s area was contrary to the agreed criteria and that staff in the planning Department had been reminded of the existing policy. The Members reiterated their opposition to the PIM policy and requested it be rescinded and also for Mr. Shakespeare to attend the next meeting of the Committee to clarify his position on the matter.

Order: Noted.  

 

10.

A.O.B.

Minutes:

The Chair of the Committee asked Members to consider if it was necessary to agree a policy on the use of backgrounds by Councillors during online meetings. The Members felt that there was no current necessity but that it would be kept under review.

Order: Noted.

 

Members requested that all online Council meetings including Area and SPC’s meeting should be held using Zoom as it was more user friendly and les problematic than Teams.

Order: The Manager to raise the issue with the administrators of the Area and SPC Committees.

 

Following a query at a recent SPC meeting the Manager confirmed that Non-Councillor SPC Members are entitled to vote on issues raised at such meetings.

Order: Noted.

 

Due to time restrictions at the Monthly Council meeting the Members suggested that congratulations and best wishes should limited to the Lord Mayor only.

Order: Noted.

 

The Chair, on behalf of the Committee extended condolences to the Manager, Ruth Dowling on the recent passing of her mother.

Order: Noted.

11.

Proposed Date of next meeting: 23rd December 2021 or 6th January 2022

Minutes:

Order: The date of the next meeting was agreed for 23rd December 2021.