Council to Discuss Senior Management Structures in Secret ‘Part 2’ Meeting

Councillors will tomorrow meet to discuss senior management structures at Wrexham Council – however the meeting will not be open to members of the public or press.

The meeting will cover a ‘Review of the Authority’s Constitution – Updating the Code of Conduct for Members’, which is open to the press and public and will be viewable on webcast.

Also up for discussion at tomorrow’s meeting is ‘Senior Management Structures and Design Principles’ which is ‘To consider the report of the Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service’. This part of the meeting however is covered by Part 2, meaning press and public are excluded from both attending the meeting and watching it via webcast.

A note on the Wrexham Council website states: “In considering whether to exclude the press and public from the next part of the meeting Members are asked to consider the following factors when determining the public interest test.

“Agenda Item 6 – Not for publication by virtue of Paragraphs 12 and 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended). The Proper Officer has determined in considering this report that Paragraphs 12 and 15 should apply. His view on the public interest test was that to make this information public under paragraph 12, would disclose personal data relating to individuals which would contravene the principles of the Data Protection Act and for the exemption under Paragraph 15, would prejudice the discussion in relation to labour relations to the disadvantage of the authority and inhabitants of its area. On that basis he feels that the public interest in maintaining the exemptions outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information at this time.

It is, therefore, recommended that the press and public be excluded from the Meeting during consideration of the following item as it is likely that, if they were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12 and 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).”

The restriction on reporting and exclusion of members of the public is standard as it is likely the report will contain references to individuals and their pay. However we did query with Wrexham Council as to if there was any indication as to what the meeting was about – however were directed back to the meeting agenda and the comments featured above.

You can not read the PDF of the agenda item as there isn’t one available, however you can read more about the Review of the Authority’s Constitution – Updating the Code of Conduct for
Members here.

For those interested in attending the first part of tomorrow’s meeting it is taking place at the Guildhall at 4pm. The meeting is also set to be webcast live on the Wrexham Council website.