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Issue - meetings
Review of Allocation of Seats on Committees/Membership of Committees
Meeting: 27/02/2019 - Council (Item 126)
Additional documents:
- Appendix 1: Adjusted Allocation of Seats, item 126
PDF 27 KB View as HTML (126/2) 44 KB
- Appendix 2: Appointments to Committees, item 126
PDF 28 KB View as HTML (126/3) 273 KB
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Cox, seconded by Councillor Perry, that the recommendations set out in the report of the Head of Policy, Communications and Governance relating to the review which had been undertaken of the allocation of seats on Committees/membership of Committees be approved.
A Member referred to the proposal that the Employment Committee and the Urgency Committee should continue to be not politically balanced. He pointed out that Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 required any motion providing for exceptions to political balance requirements to be passed with no Member of the Council voting against. He had already provided written notice of his dissent to any proposal that the Urgency Committee should continue to be not politically balanced. Two other Members indicated their support for these sentiments.
The Chief Executive advised the Council that subsequent to the issue being raised previously, a commitment was given to undertake a review of the composition of Committees and the way in which political balance was achieved across the Council. This review was being undertaken by the Democracy Committee with a view to the points being addressed by the time of the Annual Meeting of the Council in May. However, the process had not yet been completed. If the Member continued to express dissent, then it would not be possible to make a decision on this matter, and the situation would revert to how it was before the meeting.
The meeting was then adjourned for fifteen minutes to enable Members to seek legal advice from the representative of the Head of Legal Partnership.
Following the adjournment, the Member confirmed that he would continue to vote against any proposal that the Urgency Committee should continue to be not politically balanced.
The Mayor advised Members that, in the circumstances, no further action could be taken on this item at this meeting.
Note: Councillors J and T Sams left the meeting during the adjournment (8.25 p.m.).