Agenda item

a)  Election of Chairman

b)  Election of Vice-Chairman

Nominations were sought for Chairman.  Councillor Fran Wilson proposed Councillor Harwood as Chairman.

It was suggested to the Committee that the election of Chairman should be deferred. Councillor de Wiggondene then moved the following motion:

1.  That the appointment of a Chairman of the Committee for the municipal year be deferred

2.  That a Chairman be appointed for the meeting

3.  That the Council be recommended to delete the third paragraph of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 7 the effect of which is to remove the requirement that the Chairman of the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee should come from a political group not represented on the executive, except where all groups are represented on the executive

4.  That the Standards Committee be asked to evaluate the proposed recommendation to change the constitution set out in (3) above and submit their views to Council.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Paine who explained that his reasons for this were to ensure that the best Chairman was elected and the current arrangements prevented five Members of the Committee from being considered for this role.  He explained that the role of Chairman was a role for backbenchers; the opposition formed the Shadow Cabinet and were not considered backbenchers and so an appointment of a Chairman from the opposition would provide a conflict of interests.

Councillor Fran Wilson told the Committee that it was standard good practice for the Chairman of the primary scrutiny committee not to be a member of the executive administration and explained that at an earlier juncture it had been agreed by all parties that Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee should be chaired by the opposition.  Councillor Wilson informed Members that when the Liberal Democrats had been the administrating party this was something they had fully supported.  She told the Committee that she saw the motion proposed as a backwards move and asked that it was noted that it was something she was completely opposed to.

Councillor Harwood proposed an amendment to the motion that a Chairman be selected from the opposition and continue in the role until such time the current arrangements could be challenged and explored at the Standards Committee and Full Council.

The Head of Change and Scrutiny clarified the procedures in relation to the constitution informing Members that if they were unable to appoint a Chairman they could not continue the Meeting. 

Councillor Wilson seconded Councillor Harwood’s amendment.

The Committee were asked to vote on the amendment, the amendment was not carried. 

The Committee was asked to vote on the substantive motion.  Five Members voted in favour of the motion and Three Members voted against this. The motion was carried. Councillors Wilson, Pickett and Harwood asked that their vote ‘against’ the motion be noted.

The Head of Change and Scrutiny in accordance with the motion requested nominations for a Chairman for the meeting.  Councillor Paine proposed Councillor Gooch as temporary Chairman, seconded by Councillor Gibson. This was approved. It was at this point in the meeting that Councillors Fran Wilson, Pickett and Harwood left the meeting.

Councillor Paine was then nominated as Vice-Chairman by Councillor Gibson and this was seconded by Councillor Barned and approved by the Committee.

In the absence of the newly appointed Chairman, Councillor Paine took the Chair and concluded the discussion that had surrounded the election process by telling Members it would be a debate for full council.

Resolved: That

a)  The appointment of a Chairman of the Committee for the municipal year be deferred;

b)  A Chairman be appointed for the meeting;

c)  The Council be recommended to delete the third paragraph of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 7 the effect of which is to remove the requirement that the Chairman of the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee should come from a political group not represented on the executive, except where all groups are represented on the executive;

d)  The Standards Committee be asked to evaluate the proposed recommendation to change the constitution set out in (3) above and submit their views to Council;

e)  Councillor Gooch be appointed as Chairman for the meeting; and

f)  Councillor Paine be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the meeting.