Issue - meetings

Report by Director for Law & Governance (CC11).

The Council is required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis and then in any circumstances set out in Regulations under the 1989 Act. Following the May 2021 elections and the subsequent formation of political groups on the Council, the political balance was formally reviewed at the Annual Council Meeting on the 18 May.  Since that time, Cllr Mark Cherry has been confirmed as the duly elected member for the Banbury Ruscote Division. As a result, the Monitoring Officer has formally received notification from Cllr Cherry and from the Leader of the Labour & Co-operative Party Group, that Cllr Cherry has become a member of that Group. 

Following the addition to the Labour & Co-operative Party Group, a further review of political balance now needs to occur to reflect the relative proportion of each Group with regards to seats on the Council, and given that more than a month has elapsed since the last review of political balance. This review also reflects that the Conservative-Independent Alliance Group now has one fewer member than previously.

The Council is RECOMMENDED:

(a)       to note the revised political balance on committees shown in Annex 2 to the report;

(b)       to make the consequential appointments to the Committees named in paragraph 11 and as listed in paragraph 13 and Annex 3 (to follow), to give effect to the wishes of the respective Group Leaders.

Recommendations Agreed nem con.

The Council was required by the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 to review the political balance on its committees on an annual basis and then in any circumstances set out in Regulations under the 1989 Act. Following the May 2021 elections and the subsequent formation of political groups on the Council, the political balance was formally reviewed at the Annual Council Meeting on the 18 May.  Since that time, Cllr Mark Cherry had been confirmed as the duly elected member for the Banbury Ruscote Division. As a result, the Monitoring Officer has formally received notification from Cllr Cherry and from the Leader of the Labour & Co-operative Party Group, that Cllr Cherry has become a member of that Group. 

Following the addition to the Labour & Co-operative Party Group, The Council had before it a report which set out a further review of political balance now needed to occur to reflect the relative proportion of each Group with regards to seats on the Council and given that more than a month had elapsed since the last review of political balance. The review also reflected that the Conservative-Independent Alliance Group now had one fewer member than previously.

RESOLVED: (on a Motion by Councillor John Howson, seconded by Councillor Susanna Pressel and carried nem con)

(a)       to note the revised political balance on committees shown in Annex 2 to the report;

(b)       to make the consequential appointments to the Committees named in paragraph 11 and as listed in paragraph 13 and Annex 3 (to follow), to give effect to the wishes of the respective Group Leaders.