Agenda item

To consider the attached report to appoint Committees of the Council.

Members received the report on the appointment of committees for the 2015/2016 municipal year.  As part of the report, they considered a review of the overview and scrutiny framework, and the proposal for two main scrutiny committees:  one focussed on resilient communities, including children and adult services and health, with the other based around tourism, the economy and jobs as well as scrutinising those responsibilities of the Leader of the Council.  Both scrutiny committees would have a greater focus on performance management in order to improve key outcomes and would also deal with any ‘call-in’ requests relating to their specific areas. 

The Council also considered the proposal for an Audit Committee with a core audit function as recommended by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, with the proposal for financial scrutiny to be undertaken by the Tourism, Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee.

In relation to other committees (namely the Planning Committee, Appeals Committee, Standards Committee and Chief Officers Employment Committee) it was recommended for these to be reappointed according to their current terms of reference.  There were no proposals to make changes to the Health and Wellbeing Board other than to reflect the proposed Cabinet Member responsibilities and the appointment of a new Chairman.

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.

Motion:  Councillor Blackburn proposed (and Councillor I Taylor seconded):

‘1.        To appoint two scrutiny committees namely:

·  Tourism, Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee

·  Resilient Communities Scrutiny Committee

          in line with the political balance calculations at Appendix 12(a), (membership of nine and with a composition of six Labour and three Conservative), with the powers and duties as set out at Appendix 12(b), subject to the responsibility for discharging the statutory functions in terms of crime and disorder scrutiny being assigned to the Tourism, Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee.

2.       That the Resilient Communities Scrutiny Committee also appoints the two diocesan co-opted representatives and the two governor co-opted representatives.

3.       That both scrutiny committees be assigned the power to deal with any ‘call-in’ requests initiated in line with Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution.

4.       That the Chairman position in both scrutiny committees be filled by a majority group councillor and the Vice Chairman/ Shadow Cabinet Member position be filled by an opposition councillor representative.

5.             To also appoint the following committees, in line with the political balance calculations and adjustments at Appendix 12(a) to the Council report.  These are:

·  Audit Committee (membership of nine and with a composition of six Labour and three Conservative), the revised purpose, powers and duties of this committee to be as set out in Appendix 12(c) to the Council report.

·  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).

6.             To agree that the powers and duties of the Appeals, Planning, Standards and Chief Officers Employment Committees remain as set out in the Council’s Constitution.

7.             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).

8.             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).

9.             To note the appointment of members to committees as set out in Appendix 12(d) to the Council report and thereafter any nominations or changes to nominations reported to the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services by the relevant Group Leader. 

10.         To agree to the appointment of the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen for those committees and the Health and Well Being Board as identified at Appendix 12(d) to the Council report based on the above recommendations.

11.         To confirm the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board as set out in Appendix 12(d) to the Council report.

12.         Subject to the appointment of the Cabinet Member, to note that in line with the provisions within the Constitution (set out at paragraph 6.1 of Article 7), that the Leader of the Council intends to appoint two non-Executive councillors to Cabinet Assistant posts and will inform the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services of those names in due course and any future changes to those appointments.

13.         To agree that the Director of Governance and Regulatory Services be authorised to amend the Constitution accordingly.’

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