The Director for Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer to submit a report which requests that the Council consider and determine  the allocation of seats on Committees and the Joint Staff Working Group for the period to the Annual Meeting in 2020 in accordance with the political balance rules set out in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, S15-17 (as amended).  The report requests the Council to consider

 

(a)    proposals of the political groups for  membership on each Committee and Working Group for the period to the Annual Meeting in 2020;

 

(b)    proposals for appointments to Committees and the Joint Staff Working Group for the period to the Annual Meeting in 2020;

 

(c)  nominations for the positions of Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees for the period to the Annual Meeting in 2020;

 

(d)  nominations for the membership of the Joint Staff Working Group for the period to the Annual Meeting in 2020

 

(To follow)

The Leader stated that the report presented set out the proposed membership of committees and the working group including the Chairs and Vice Chairs. It incorporated the allocations for both the Conservative Group and the Opposition Group; following consultation with the Group Leaders. The membership allocations were worked out in accordance with the political balance legislation which meant that the proportion of Councillors across the Council were reflected in each committee and the working group as set out at Appendix A.  Also included were  nominations for the Chairs and Vice Chairs at Appendix B.  He proposed the recommendations 2.1 to 2.5 as set out in the report.

 

Councillor Higgins seconded the motion and referred to the importance of scrutiny in the new governance arrangements and congratulated all appointees to their positions.

 

Councillor Evans stated that he had made a suggestion that at least one of the Chair and Vice Chair roles be allocated to the Opposition Group. 

 

The Leader responded that the Cabinet system was inclusive and he promised to consult with all Members.  He felt it was difficult to put new Councillors in positions of responsibility however the Conservatives had won the election with 22 seats and therefore would take the majority of leading roles on the Council.

 

Councillor Cumbers explained that she had 22 years experience on this Council and he had none and this was an inclusive Council which allowed all Members to be heard and she hoped that the Opposition Group would make a good contribution to scrutiny.  She also felt surprised at the request for a Chair/Vice Chair role by a newly elected Councillor and that positions of authority should be earned. 

 

Councillor Evans raised a point of order that he had served 20 years as a  Borough Councillor at another authority.  Therefore he had received extensive training and worked in a Leader and Cabinet model as the Leader of the Opposition and at that Council he had been fully engaged in the decision-making process and they did an excellent job together.

 

Councillor Cumbers responded that she had not meant he had ‘no experience’ but ‘no experience at this Council’.

 

On being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

RESOLVED that

 

(1)  the political balance calculation be approved as set out at paragraph 3.6 of the report as follows :-

 

Group Name	No of Cllrs in group	Percentage across the Council	Allocation of Seats over 4 Committees (38 seats)
			Decimal	Rounded no
Conservative	22	78.57%	29.86	30
Opposition	6	21.43%	8.14	8
Totals	28	100%	38 seats	38 seats

 

(2)  the allocation of committee seats to political groups be approved as set out in paragraph 3.7 of the report;

 

Group Name	Audit & Stand-ards	Plann-ing	Scrutiny	Employ- ment	TOTAL 38
Conservative	8	9	8	5	30
Opposition	2	2	2	2	8
Totals	10	11	10	7	38

 

(3)  the political balance and allocation of seats to the Joint Staff Working Group be approved as set out at paragraph 3.8 of the report as follows :-

 

Group Name	No of Cllrs in group	Percentage across the Council	Allocation of 7 Seats
			Decimal	Rounded no
Conservative	22	78.57%	5	5
Opposition	6	21.43%	2	2
Totals	28	100%	7 seats	7 seats

 

(4)  the appointments to Committees and Joint Staff Working Group be as set out at Appendix A of the report as follows :

 

Committee	Group Name		Councillor name
Audit and Standards   10 Members   Politically Balanced   8 Conservative 2 Opposition	Conservative		R. Bindloss
	Conservative		R. Browne
	Conservative		R. Child
	Conservative		R. de Burle
	Conservative		J. Douglas (C)
	Conservative		S. Lumley
	Conservative		R. Smedley
	Conservative		J. Wilkinson (VC)
	Opposition		A. Hewson
	Opposition		D. Pritchett
Employment  7 Members Politically Balanced 5 Conservative 2 Opposition    (Leader & Deputy Leader as Chair & Vice Chair)	Conservative		T. Bains
	Conservative		C. Fisher
	Conservative		A Freer-Jones
	Conservative		L. Higgins (C)
	Conservative		J. Orson (VC)
	Opposition		A Hewson
	Opposition		P. Wood
Planning   11 Members   Politically Balanced 9 Conservative 2 Opposition	Conservative		P. Chandler
	Conservative		P. Cumbers
	Conservative		J. Douglas
	Conservative		P. Faulkner
	Conservative		M. Glancy (C)
	Conservative		J. Illingworth
	Conservative		L. Higgins
	Conservative		P. Posnett MBE  (VC)
	Conservative		M. Steadman
	Opposition		E. Holmes
	Opposition		P. Wood
Scrutiny 10 Members   Politically balanced 8 Conservative 2 Opposition   (Must not include Leader or Cabinet Member)	Conservative		R. Bindloss (VC)
	Conservative		R. Browne
	Conservative		R. Child
	Conservative		P. Cumbers (C)
	Conservative		J. Douglas
	Conservative		C. Fisher
	Conservative		R. Smedley
	Conservative		J. Wilkinson
	Opposition		C. Evans
	Opposition		E. Holmes
Licensing   10 Members   Political balance not required		Conservative	P. Chandler (VC)
		Conservative	A Freer-Jones
		Conservative	M. Glancy
		Conservative	L. Higgins
		Conservative	S. Lumley (C)
		Conservative	P. Posnett MBE
		Conservative	M. Steadman
		Conservative	J. Wilkinson
		Opposition	S. Carter
		Opposition	D. Pritchett

3 out of the 10 Members may take part in Licensing Sub Committees

Joint Staff Working Group	Group Name	Councillor name
7 Members   Political Balance required: 5 Conservative 2  Opposition	Conservative	P. Cumbers
	Conservative	R. de Burle
	Conservative	A Freer-Jones
	Conservative	M. Graham MBE
	Conservative	J. Orson
	Opposition	S. Carter
	Opposition	C. Evans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5)  the appointments to Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees be as set out at Appendix B of the report as follows :-

 

Committee	Chair 2019 20	Vice-Chair 2019 20
Audit and Standards	J. Douglas	J. Wilkinson
*Employment	J. Orson Leader	L. Higgins Deputy Leader
Licensing	S. Lumley	P. Chandler
Planning	M. Glancy	P. Posnett MBE
Scrutiny	P. Cumbers	R. Bindloss

*The Leader and Deputy Leader are the Chair and Vice Chair of the Employment Committee

While holding the position of Mayor or Deputy Mayor, a Councillor will not also hold the position of leader of a political group, party whip or Chair or Vice Chair of a committee