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.

Members received the report on the appointment of committees for the 2021/2022 municipal year.  They considered the political membership of the Council and proposed membership of committees, which had changed as a result of the recent by elections.  Members noted that a review of the political balance calculations had been required in order to meet the requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the associated regulations.

The Council considered recommendations for the Shareholder’s Advisory Board to be disbanded and for the Executive to be requested to set up a Shareholder Committee comprising of the Deputy Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Council as substantive members and the Deputy Leader of the Principal Opposition Group as a co-opted member.

Members went on to consider the recommendations for committees to be reappointed according to their current terms of reference, with the exception of the transfer of responsibility for monitoring and commenting on the Council’s medium term financial strategy, financial outturn reports and any other overarching financial strategies from the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee to the Scrutiny Leadership Board.  It was also noted that the Scrutiny Leadership Board would undertake scrutiny work in relation to council companies following liaison with the proposed Shareholder Committee of the Executive.

Although not subject to political balance rules, it was recommended that appointments to the Licensing Committee would be on a politically balanced basis and that the Committee would also appoint the Public Protection Sub-Committee. 

Motion:  Councillor L Williams proposed (and Councillor Taylor seconded):

‘1.     To appoint the following Council committees, with powers and duties as set out in the Council’s Constitution.

·     Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee

·     Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee (subject to 2 below)

·     Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee

·     Audit Committee

·     Appeals Committee

·     Planning Committee

·     Standards Committee

·     Chief Officers Employment Committee.

2.      To appoint a Scrutiny Leadership Board, with the powers set out in the Council’s constitution with the addition of responsibility for:

·     scrutiny work to be undertaken in relation to council companies following liaison with the proposed Shareholder Committee of the Executive.

·     monitoring and commenting on the Council’s, medium term financial strategy, financial outturn reports and any other overarching financial strategies deemed appropriate (transfer of functions from Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee)

         The Board to continue to have an adjusted political balance membership of three Labour, four Conservative (to be made up of the Chairs, Vice Chairs of the three Scrutiny Committees and the Chair of the Audit Committee) and also to add the non-aligned Independent Member as Chair of the Committee in line with the recommendation of agenda item 7.

3.      To agree the political balance attached at Appendix 8(a) to the report and appointments to the above committees at Appendix 8(b).

4.      To reappoint the Licensing Committee with the powers and duties as set out in the Constitution (membership of thirteen and a composition of seven Labour, five Conservative and one Blackpool Independent).

5.      To request the Licensing Committee to re-appoint the Public Protection Sub-Committee, with the powers and duties, as set out in the Constitution including the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair.

6.      To agree that any membership changes to committees or sub-committees during the course of the Municipal Year be reported to the Director of Governance and Partnerships by the relevant Group Leader for implementation. 

7.      To agree to the memberships of the committees of the Council and their Chairs and Vice Chairs as set out in Appendix 8(b) of the report and that delegated authority is given to the committees themselves to determine changes to Chairs and Vice Chairs, in line with the principles set out in this report should the need arise for change during the municipal year.

8.      To agree that the Shareholder’s Advisory Board be disbanded and that the Executive be requested to set up a Shareholder Committee comprising of the Deputy Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Council as substantive members and the Deputy Leader of the Principal Opposition Group as a co-opted member.

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.