Contact your Parish Council
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COUNCIL |
27 February 2019 |
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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 (Lead Officer) Debbie Snook, Democratic Services Officer (Report Author) |
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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 Leaders of the Conservative and Independent Groups with regard to the consequential and other changes to the membership of Committees be accepted.
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This report makes the following recommendations to Council: |
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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 Leaders of the Conservative and Independent Groups with regard to the consequential and other 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 |
27 February 2019 |
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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. Following the decision of Councillor Garland to leave the Conservative Group and join the Independent Group, a review has been undertaken of the allocation of seats on Committees.
1.2 The following adjustments are required to achieve political balance:
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Party |
Adjustment Required |
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Conservative |
-2 |
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Independent |
+2 |
1.3 The following adjustments have been proposed and accepted for submission to the Council:
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Audit, Governance and Standards Committee |
1 seat from Conservative to Independent |
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Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee |
1 seat from Conservative to Independent |
2. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
2.1 The allocation of seats on individual Committees which achieves political balance 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.
3. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 It is proposed that the Employment Committee and the Urgency Committee should continue to be not politically balanced, as, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the membership of these Committees must include the Leaders of the five largest Political Groups represented on the Council, and that the allocation of seats which now achieves each Political Group’s overall entitlement be as set out in Appendix 1. (These arrangements are currently under review and it is a recommendation of the Committee Structure Review that all Committees are politically proportionate).
3.2 The wishes of the Leaders of the Conservative and Independent Groups with regard to the consequential and other changes to the membership of Committees are set out in Appendix 2.
4. RISK
4.1 Following
the change in the composition of the Council arising from the decision of
Councillor Garland to leave the Conservative Group and join the Independent
Group, 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 The Leaders of the Conservative and Independent Groups 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 appropriate 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 allocation of seats and the appointment of councillors to committees is a statutory requirement, set out in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, section 15. The Council has a duty to allocate seats to certain committees and ensure that the allocation is proportional to the seats attained for the Council. The appointment to these committees should reflect the wishes of the political groups – Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 (as amended). |
Team Leader (Corporate Governance), MKLS |
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Privacy and Data Protection |
No specific issues arise. There are no specific privacy or data protection issues to address. |
Team Leader (Corporate Governance), MKLS |
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Equalities |
The review will ensure an equitable political representation in membership of Committees. |
Equalities and Corporate Policy Officer |
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Public Health |
We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Crime and Disorder |
No specific issues arise. |
Head of Policy, Communications and Governance |
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Procurement |
No specific issues arise. |
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