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 considered a report on the appointment of committees for the 2022/2023 municipal year which had been proposed in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and associated regulations.

Members considered the recommendations for committees to be reappointed according to their current terms of reference. 

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

·           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 and for 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 10.

3.     To agree the political balance attached at Appendix 11(a) to the report and appointments to the above committees at Appendix 11(b) and to delegate authority to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee to confirm appointments to co-opted positions throughout the year.

4.     To reappoint the Licensing Committee with the powers and duties as set out in the Constitution (equating to a membership of 13 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 11(b) to 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 confirm the membership of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board as set out in Appendix 11(b) to the report.

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

Amendment:  Councillor T Williams then proposed (and Councillor Clapham seconded) the following amendment with regard to recommendation 7:

‘To agree to the memberships of the committees of the Council and their Chairs and Vice Chairs as set out in Appendix 11(b) of the report except for the appointment of the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Tourism, Economy and Communities, the Adult Social Care and Health and Children and Young People Scrutiny Committees, with these positions to appointed as follows:

Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee

Chair: Cllr G Walsh (Conservative), Vice Chair: Cllr F Jackson (Labour)

Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee

Chair: Cllr M Scott (Conservative), Vice Chair: Cllr K Critchley (Labour)

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

Chair: Cllr A Stansfield (Conservative), Vice Chair: Cllr P Burdess (Labour)

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’.

Discussion then took place on the amendment and a range of views was expressed in relation to the proposals.

Prior to voting, five members of the Council requested that the vote on the amendment be recorded.  The voting was as follows:

Recorded vote on the amendment:

For the amendment:

Councillors Baker, Cain, Clapham, D Coleman, G Coleman, Cox, Galley, B Mitchell, M Mitchell, Robertson, D Scott, Mrs Scott, R Scott, Sloman, Stansfield, Walsh, T Williams, Wilshaw – Total 18.

Against the motion:  Councillors Benson, Blackburn, Brookes, Burdess, Campbell, Collett, Critchley, Cross, Farrell, Hobson, Hugo, Hunter, Hutton, Jackson, Kirkland,  O’Hara, Owen, Smith, Taylor, L Williams - Total 20.

Abstentions:  None

Amendment lost:  The amendment was therefore lost.

Debate then took place on the original motion with members speaking for and against the proposals. 

Original motion carried:  The original motion was submitted to the Council and carried.