In accordance with notice duly given under Procedure Rule 4, Councillor C Swain to move the following motion:
“I wish to put the following motion to Council to add a new sub-section (3) to Rule of Procedure 18 as follows:
‘Any working group established by Council, Committee or Sub-committee shall include members representing wards most affected by matters falling within the remit of that working group.’
Minutes:
The following motion proposed by Councillor C Swain and seconded by Councillor V J Bell, was received on 10 November 2019.
“I wish to put the following motion to Council to add a new sub-section (3) to Rule of Procedure 18 as follows:
‘Any working group established by Council, Committee or Sub-committee shall include members representing wards most affected by matters falling within the remit of that working group.’”
The Chairman advised the Council of the process for dealing with motions received and how in accordance with Procedure Rules the Council could refer a motion straight to a main Committee. The Chairman informed Members that he would be seeking for the Council to consider the motion.
Councillor Swain then provided background information regarding his motion, highlighting the benefits of having related Ward Members on Working Groups and the knowledge they could bring. He commented on the involvement of the Independent Councillors in current Working Groups and the frustrations this had caused. Councillor Swain then proposed that the motion be agreed by the Council and invited Members to support it.
In seconding the Motion, Councillor Bell referred to the experience that some Members had in specific areas and how this could benefit a Working Group and the Council as a whole.
The Leader of the Council responded to the Motion and advised that following discussions with the Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager, Minutes of Working Groups, once approved and provided they did not contain confidential information, would be published for the benefit of all Members. He drew Members’ attention to paragraph 4.2 of Section 1 of the Constitution and further commented on Working Groups not being politically aligned. He advised that he was unable to support the Motion given the practicalities of it and that Ward Members in some cases may not be part of awarding bodies. Councillor Fluker requested that it be recorded that he was very happy to meet with the Leader of the Opposition to discuss appointment of Members to Working Groups in February 2020, prior to the Statutory Annual Council meeting May 2020. The Leader of the Opposition welcomed this and confirmed he was happy to meet with the Leader of the Council.
Councillor Morris commented that it would be fantastic if the best people for the job were chosen and not because of political affiliation.
Councillor Swain summed up and requested that Members support his Motion.
In accordance with Procedure Rule No. 13 (3) Councillor C Morris requested a recorded vote. The Chairman then put the Motion to the Council and the voting was as follows:
For the recommendation:
Councillors M G Bassenger, B 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, W Stamp, J Stilts and C Swain.
Against the recommendation:
Councillors E L Bamford, Miss A M Beale, 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, M W Helm, A J Hull, C P Morley, R H Siddall, Mrs M E Thompson and Miss S White.
Abstention:
There were none.
The Motion was therefore declared as lost.
RESOLVED that the motion not be agreed.