Agenda item

The Council will be asked to consider the appointment of its committees, in accordance with the Council's Constitution and the Local Government Act 1972.

The Council received the report on the appointment of committees for the 2017/ 2018 municipal year.  As part of the report, Members considered proposals to combine the scrutiny of the portfolio areas in relation to adult services and health,  in line with the Government’s health and social care integration agenda.

Members also considered the appointment of an appropriately qualified independent co-opted member to the Audit Committee to serve on the committee with non-voting rights.

With regard to other committees (namely the Appeals Committee, Planning Committee, Standards Committee, Chief Officers Employment Committee and Licensing) it was recommended for those to be reappointed according to their current powers and duties. 

A full schedule of committees was submitted to the Council based upon the political balance calculations and which contained the notified names of committee members, Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship nominees.   The Leader of the Council advised members of a proposed change to the nominations since publication of the list of nominees, in that Councillor D Coleman was proposed as Vice-Chairman of the Appeals Committee and Councillor Humphreys was proposed as Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor Cain seconded):

‘1.   To appoint the following Council committees, in line with the political balance calculations and adjustments at Appendix 11(a) and to agree that the powers and duties remain as set out in the Council’s Constitution:

·           Audit Committee (membership of ten and with a composition of six Labour, three Conservative plus one co-opted member)

·           Appeals Committee (membership of seven and with a composition of five Labour and two Conservative).

·           Planning Committee (membership of seven and with a composition of five Labour and two Conservative).

·           Standards Committee (membership of seven and with a composition of five Labour and two Conservative).

·           Chief Officers Employment Committee (membership of seven and with a composition of five Labour and two Conservative).

2.    That the Independent Remuneration Panel be asked to consider a suitable allowance for an independent member of the Audit Committee and report back to Council accordingly.

3.    That in relation to scrutiny:

(i)        To appoint the following committees, in line with the political balance calculations and adjustments at Appendix 11(a) and the revised responsibilities for functions set out in Appendix 11(b):

·      Tourism, Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee (membership of nine and with a composition of six Labour and three Conservative)

·      Resilient Communities and Children’s Scrutiny Committee (membership of nine and with a composition of six Labour and three Conservative). 

·      Adults Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee (membership of nine with a composition of six Labour and three Conservative)

(ii)      To appoint two diocesan co-opted representatives and the two governor co-opted representatives to the Resilient Communities and Children’s Scrutiny Committee

(iii)    To agree that all three scrutiny committees are assigned the power to deal with any ‘call-in’ requests initiated in line with Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution

(iv)    To agree that the Chairman position in all three scrutiny committees is filled by a majority group councillor and the Vice Chairman position is filled by an opposition councillor representative.

4.    That the Licensing Committee also be re-appointed with the powers and duties as set out in the Constitution (membership of fifteen and a composition of ten Labour and five Conservative).

5.    That the Licensing Committee be requested to re-appoint the Public Protection Sub-Committee, with the powers and duties, as set out in the Constitution (membership of seven and with a composition of five Labour and two Conservative).

6.    To note the appointment of members to committees as set out in Appendix 11(c) (subject to the proposed changes reported to the meeting by the Leader of the Council) and thereafter any nominations or changes to nominations reported to the Director of Governance and Partnerships by the relevant Group Leader. 

7.    To agree to the appointment of the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen for those committees and the Health and Wellbeing Board as identified at Appendix 11(c) based on the above recommendations.

8.    To confirm the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board as set out in Appendix 11(c).

9.    To agree that the Director of Governance and Partnerships be authorised to amend the Constitution accordingly.

Motion carried:  The motion was submitted to the Council and carried.