Contact your Parish Council
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COUNCIL |
28 February 2018 |
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REVIEW OF ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON COMMITTEES/MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Council |
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Lead Head of Service |
Angela Woodhouse, Head of Policy, Communications and Governance
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Sam Bailey, Democratic and Administration Services Manager Debbie Snook, Democratic Services Officer
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Classification |
Public
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Wards affected |
All |
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Executive Summary |
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A review has been undertaken of the allocation of seats on Committees. The Council is asked to agree that the allocation of seats on Committees be as set out in Appendix 1 to this report and that the wishes of the Group Leaders with regard to the consequential changes to the membership of Committees be accepted.
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This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee: |
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1. That the allocation of seats on Committees be as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.
2. That the wishes of the Group Leaders with regard to the consequential changes to the membership of Committees, as set out in Appendix 2 to this report, be accepted.
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Timetable |
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Meeting |
Date |
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Council |
28 February 2018 |
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REVIEW OF ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON COMMITTEES/MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES |
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1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.1 The Council has a
statutory requirement under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to ensure
political proportionality in the membership of Committees. Since a Councillor
has been temporarily suspended from the Liberal Democrat Party, and therefore
can no longer be a member of the Liberal Democrat Group, it is necessary to
undertake a review of the allocation of seats on Committees.
1.2 Due to the political balance on the Council, and the requirement to ensure overall political proportionality on the Council, a seat will need to be left vacant on Planning Committee. This is due to the way in which the political balance affects the un-rounded seat allocations. As the seats cannot be rounded up fairly, a seat will need to be left vacant to ensure proportionality. The Group Leaders have agreed that this seat should be on Planning Committee. Please see the table below for un-rounded seat allocations:
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Party |
Number of seats on Council |
Number of seats on Committees (unrounded) |
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LD |
22 |
44.4 |
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Con |
22 |
44.4 |
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UKIP |
4 |
8.07 |
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IND |
4 |
8.07 |
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LAB |
2 |
4.04 |
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Cllr Webb |
1 |
2.02 |
2. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
2.1 The allocation of seats on individual Committees which now achieves each Political Group’s overall entitlement is set out in Appendix 1.
2.2 Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides for exceptions to the political balance requirements. Essentially, the Council can amend the political balance of a Committee provided that notice of the intention to give such consideration has been given to all Members of the Council and that when the alternative arrangements are put to the vote at the Council meeting, no Member of the Council votes against them.
2.3 The wishes of the Group Leaders with regard to the consequential changes to the membership of Committees are set out in Appendix 2.
3 PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 It is proposed that the Employment Committee and the Urgency Committee only are not politically balanced, and that the allocation of seats on individual Committees, which achieves each Political Group’s overall entitlement be as set out in Appendix 1.
3.2 The wishes of the Group Leaders with regard to the consequential changes to the membership of Committees are set out in Appendix 2.
4. RISK
4.1 The review of the allocation of seats on Committees will ensure an appropriate political balance in membership of Committees.
5. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
5.1 Group Leaders have been consulted on the allocation of seats on Committees and the adjustments required.
6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
6.1 Once the allocation of seats has been decided upon, there is a duty to give effect to the allocation by making appointments to them in accordance with the wishes of the Group Leaders on behalf of their respective Political Groups.
7. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
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Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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Impact on Corporate Priorities |
There are no direct impacts on corporate priorities arising from this, but the Committees when in place discharge the functions delegated to them having regard where appropriate to the Council’s strategic objectives. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Risk Management |
See section 4 above. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Financial |
The Committees appointed having regard to the political balance requirements form part of the original plan for the committee system of governance and as such there are no additional financial implications. |
Section 151 Officer |
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Staffing |
There are no staffing implications |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Legal |
The legal implications are set out in the body of the report. |
Legal Team |
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Privacy and Data Protection |
No specific issues arise. |
Legal Team |
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Equalities |
No specific issues arise. |
Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer |
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Crime and Disorder |
No specific issues arise.
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Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Procurement |
No specific issues arise.
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Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
8. REPORT APPENDICES
· Appendix 1: Review of Allocation of Seats on Committees
· Appendix 2: Membership of Committees
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
None