This title is no longer available. A new edition is in production, and is due for publication in January 2008.

The definitive guide to the law and practice of local authority meetings.

Previous editions of this work have established ‘Knowles’ as the authority on the law and practice of local authority meetings and decision-making.

This book comprises an analysis of:

• the framework within which local authority meetings are held
• the rights and duties of members, officers and the public at such meetings
• the practical conduct of such meetings.

This new edition of Knowles on Local Authority Meetings encompasses the changes resulting from modernisation, the new cabinet system and scrutiny, standards committees, the Standards board for England and delegation to individual members. It also deals with access to information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The new edition has been updated to include the following significant developments:

• the introduction of Executive Government
• the new ethical framework
• the implications of the Human Rights Act on local authority decision-making
• new statute and case law

Featured throughout are relevant case histories and illustrations of model documents and procedures. Appendices providing reference to key codes, notices and regulations are also included.

Hardback •  ISBN: 9781860722110 •   384 pages • Published July 2005 • £79.95

Contents
Preface
Table of cases
Table of statutes
Table of statutory instruments
Table of abbreviations
  
PART ONE: GENERAL PRINCIPLES
  
1, Current framework   
    Local government structure
    Local authority meetings
    Decision-making
    Conduct of local authority business
    New executive arrangements under the Local Govenrment Act 2000
    The executive arrangement models
    The ethical framework
    The modernisation agenda and community leadership
  
2. Standing orders
    Statutory provisions
    Procedural considerations
    Content
   
3. Admission of press and public
    Introduction
    Admission of the public
    Admission of Press representatives
    Other considerations
    Practical considerations
    Access to information
    Recent developments
    
4. Local authority membership
    Election of councillors
    Rights, duties and obligations
    Co-option
    Representation on other local authorities and public bodies
    Defamatory statements in council and committee
    Committee chairmanship
    Failure to attend meetings
    Political group meetings
    
5. The role of officers
    Introduction
    Member-officer relationship
    Liability of officers
    Proper officer
    Committee officers
    Officers at meetings
    
PART TWO: COUNCIL MEETINGS
   
6. Preliminaries
    Notice and summons
    Council meeting agenda
    Postponement and adjournment
   
7. Conduct
    General character of proceedings
    The chairman
    Vice-chairman
    Who presides?
    Powers and duties of person presiding
    Quorum
    Question time
    Petitions and deputations
    Minority party business
    Motions
    Amendments
    Order of debate
    Consideration of committee reports
    Rescission of resolutions
    Voting
    Preservation of order
    Duration of council meeting
    Transaction of special business
    Political organisation of council business
    
8. Council minutes
    General consideration
    Form
    Authorising the common seal
    Indexing
    Authentication of minutes
    Inspection of minutes
   
PART THREE: COMMITTEE PRACTICE
  
9. The committee system
    Introduction
    What is a committee?
    Committee structure
    Types of committees
    Constitution of committees
    Terms of reference
    Delegation to committees
    Handling urgent business
    Sub-committees
    Working parties
   
10. Work before meetings
    General considerations
    Convening committee meetings
    Committee agenda
    Dispatch of committee papers
    Pre-committee/cabinet briefings
    Final preparations for meeting
   
11. Work at meetings
    Introduction
    Record of attendance
    Election of committee chairman
    Quorum
    Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting
    Recording the proceedings
    Voting
    Reference-up of committee decisions
    Duration of committee meetings
    Conclusion of meeting
   
12.Work after meetings
    Introduction
    Matters requiring immediate action
    Preparation of minutes
    Form
    Reporting upwards
    Other work involved
    Indexing
   
PART FOUR: MISCELLANEOUS MEETINGS
   
13. Meetings for special purposes
    Introduction
    Joint committees
    Joint boards
    Statutory meetings to consider officers’ reports
    Judicial and quasi-judicial business
    Disciplinary action against the head of the paid service, monitoing officer or chief finance officer
    Staff consultative committees
    Safety committees
    Staff selection panels
    Staff appeals tribunals
    Standards committee
    Meetings of governing bodies
    Appeals against school admission decisions
    School parents’ meetings
    Appeals against pupils’ exclusion
    School organisation committees
    Chief executive’s management team
    Election meetings
    Public inquiries
   
14. Meetings of other public bodies
    Introduction
    Statutory joint committees
    Police authorities
   
Appendices

About the author
Stephen Taylor: Stephen Taylor is the Director of Law and Corporate Governance, and Monitoring Officer, of Swindon Borough Council.

Deborah Upton: Deborah Upton is a Solicitor and Assistant Director of Finance and Corporate Services at Medway Council.

Ben Davies: Ben Davies is a solicitor at Wragge and Co, specialising in Local Government