Issue - meetings

To appoint Members to serve on Committees, as required by Procedure Rule 17.  (Report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance on the nominations of the Leader of the Council and the Opposition Leader to the places allocated to their respective groups copy to follow).

The Council considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance, circulated prior to the meeting.

Councillor R G Boyce raised a Point of Order and advised that in relation to Area Planning Committees he wished to raise an issue and refer to a statute.

The Chairman handed over to the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance who proceeded to report that taking into consideration the table set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report there was also a need to consider Principle C regarding political balance of Committees.  Principle C required the Council to review not only political balance within each Committee but across all seats available for allocation.  The report detailed four seats to be allocated by the Council, however taking into consideration Principle C, two of these four seats had to be allocated to the Democratic Alliance Group (DAG). 

Councillor M F L Durham raised a Point of Order that the Leader of the DAG should have the opportunity to select which Committees the additional two seats for his party would be on.  In response, the Lead Legal Specialist and Monitoring Officer advised that this was a Council decision because the split in relation to which two Committees the DAG should sit on was equally tied.

Councillor E L Bamford proposed that the DAG be allocated a seat on the Performance Governance & Audit Committee (PGA) and Overview & Scrutiny Committee (O&S).  This was duly seconded.

The Leader of the DAG advised that he had chosen the Performance Governance & Audit Committee and Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Leader of the Council proposed that the DAG be allocated a seat on the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Investigating & Disciplinary Panel (I&D).

Councillor Mrs P A Channer raised a point of order that this wasn’t a matter for the Council and felt that the issue was not covered by the constitution.  She outlined how the Leader of the DAG was being given the opportunity to allocate onto the additional seats identified.

The Leader referred to the legal advice provided and urged the Council to make a decision on this.  At this point and in accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) the Leader requested a recorded vote.  This was duly seconded.

The Chairman advised that he would take the proposal in the name of Councillor Bamford first.  Councillor Bamford clarified she was proposing that the seat on PGA and O&S be allocated to the DAG as per the Leader of that Group’s request. 

There was further discussion and the Lead Legal Specialist and Monitoring Officer provided additional advice. 

The Chairman then put the proposal of Councillor Bamford and the voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors E L Bamford, Miss A M Beale, R G Boyce, Mrs P A Channer, M F L Durham, Mrs J L Fleming, A S Fluker, M W Helm, A L Hull, J V Keyes, C P Morley, Mrs M E Thompson and Miss S White.

Against the recommendation:

Councillors M G  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16

To appoint Members to serve on Committees.  (Report of the Head of Paid Service on the nominations of the Leader of the Council and the Opposition Leader to the places allocated to their respective groups copy to follow).

The Council considered the report of the Head of Paid Service, circulated prior to the meeting.

Following the Officers’ presentation of the report and in accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) Councillor C Morris requested a recorded vote. 

Chairman put the three recommendations as set out in the report and voting was as follows:

For the recommendation:

Councillors E L Bamford, R G Boyce, Mrs P A Channer, R P F Dewick, M F L Durham, Mrs J L Fleming, A S Fluker, B E Harker, A J Hull, K W Jarvis, J V Keyes, C P Morley, R H Siddall, Mrs M E Thompson and Miss S White.

Against the recommendation:

Councillors M G Bassenger, M S Beale, V J Bell, M R Edwards, M S Heard, K M H Lagan, C Mayes, C Morris, S P Nunn, N G F Shaughnessy, N Skeens, W Stamp, J Stilts and C Swain.

Abstention:

There were none.

The Chairman declared that the recommendations were agreed with the exception of the appointment of Councillor C Morris to the Strategy and Resources Committee. 

Following a request from the Chairman, the Senior Legal Specialist advised that the suggested appointment of Councillor Morris (as per paragraph 4.3 of the report) to the Strategy and Resources Committee required a unanimous decision by the Council.  It was explained that according to regulations and following the result of the recorded vote Councillor Morris was not able to sit on the Strategy and Resources Committee and therefore the Independent Group were able to nominate another Member to sit on that Committee.

At this point Councillor Morris requested that it be recorded that he was an elected representative who was not allowed to speak at or sit on a Committee.  He also asked why his request for a question under Rule 6 had been denied.

The Chairman advised that he was dealing with the matter of appointments to Committees and again referred to the Senior Legal Specialist who clarified that as the motion had been passed those Members (barring Councillor Morris) had been appointed to sit on the respective Committees.

The Chairman then asked Councillor M S Heard, Leader of the Opposition, if he wished to make a further nomination to the Strategy and Resources Committee.  In response, Councillor Heard proposed that Councillor C Swain be nominated to this Committee.  The Chairman put the proposal to the Council and this was duly agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)              that the Council notes the nominations of the Leader of the Conservative Group and the Leader of the Independent Group to the places allocated to their respective Groups;

(ii)            that the Council ratifies the existing arrangements for the District Planning Committees and Area Planning Committees (minus ex-officio membership) for the remainder of the current municipal year;

(iii)          that subject to Councillor C Swain being added to the Membership of the Strategy and Resources Committee, the Council agrees the membership of the following Committees of the Council for the remainder of the current municipal year:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 448

To appoint Members to serve on Committees, as required by Procedure Rule 17.  (Report of the Head of Paid Service on the nominations of the Leader of the Council and the Opposition Leader to the places allocated to their respective groups copy to follow).

The Council considered the report of the Head of Paid Service, circulated prior to the meeting.

RESOLVED

(i)              that the Council notes the nominations of the Leader of the Conservative Group and the Leader of the Independent Group to the places allocated to their respective;

(ii)            that accordingly, the membership of the Committees of the Council as set out below be agreed:

In accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20