Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources updating Members on the commencing Boundary Commission review and seeking establishment of a Member Working Group to support the process.

The Assistant Director – Programmes, Performance and Governance presented the report advising that the Boundary Commission was due to review electoral boundaries and Member numbers in the Maldon District, for the first time since 2000. The Council was required to submit estimated polling district figures and Member numbers required for effective governance to the Boundary Commission to inform the proposals that they will put out for public consultation.

The report requested that a Working Group be established along with delegation to the Assistant Director to submit the required information in consultation with the Working Group. In addition to this Working Group an officer group had been established to help inform this work and the project.

Members were advised that the Boundary Commission would be giving a presentation to all Members on Tuesday 12 November 2024 at 6pm and be available to answer any queries on the review.

The Chairperson moved the recommendations set out in the report. The Leader of the Council proposed that recommendation (i) be amended to allow the appointment of nine Members, politically balanced. He then suggested that each political group appoint two representatives along with one non-aligned Member. This amendment was duly seconded and agreed.

The Chairperson then moved recommendation (ii) as set out in the report and this was duly agreed.

Nominations were then sought from each of the Group Leaders for the Working Group and the following agreed:

The Leader of the Council proposed that Councillor A M Lay be appointed as the non-aligned Member on the Working Group. This was duly seconded and agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)             That a Member Boundary Review Working Group is established, politically balanced, and the following Members are appointed to the Working Group:

(ii)            That submission of Maldon polling growth estimates and the suggested profile are delegated to the Assistant Director of Programmes, Performance and Governance, in Consultation with the Member Boundary Review Working Group.