Issue - meetings

To make any changes to the membership of scrutiny and other committees on the nomination of political groups and to note any changes to the Cabinet made by the Leader of the Council.

Report by the Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

Council is RECOMMENDED to:

a)           appoint a Member to the current vacant position on the Planning and Regulation Committee;

b)           delegate to all council committees the authority to appoint to its vacant committee seats in accordance with legislation.

RESOLVED (with 2 abstentions and no Member voting against):

·       to appoint Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak to the vacant position on the Planning and Regulation Committee in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, Regulation 15;

·       to agree, with no votes against, to vary the political proportionality on the Committee in accordance with Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

·       to delegate to all council committees the authority to appoint to its vacant committee seats in accordance with legislation if a political group fails to make a nomination.

Council was asked to consider a report regarding the current vacancy on the Planning and Regulation Committee and also addressing any similar vacancies in the future.

The Liberal Democrat group was entitled to seven of the twelve positions on the Planning and Regulation Committee.  However, only six Members had been appointed by the political group leader leaving one vacancy on the committee.  Under the legislation, it fell to Council to fill the current vacancy.

The report also proposed that Council delegate to all council committees the authority to appoint to its future vacant committee seats in the event that a political group has not expressed its wishes in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Councillor Lugova moved the recommendations in the report and nominated Councillor Gawrysiak for the vacant position on the Planning and Regulation Committee.  Councillor Worgan seconded the recommendations and the nomination.

The Chair explained that, because Councillor Gawrysiak was not a member of the Liberal Democrat group, Council would also have to approve the resulting variation of the political balance on the Committee with no votes against in accordance with Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.  The Chair also clarified that any abstentions on this vote would not count as votes against.

Following discussion, the proposal to appoint Councillor Gawrysiak and vary the political balance on the Committee was put to a vote and approved with 2 abstentions and no votes against.

Recommendation b) was put to a vote and approved unanimously.

RESOLVED (with 2 abstentions and no Member voting against):

·       to appoint Councillor Stefan Gawrysiak to the vacant position on the Planning and Regulation Committee in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, Regulation 15;

·       to agree, with no votes against, to vary the political proportionality on the Committee in accordance with Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

·       to delegate to all council committees the authority to appoint to its vacant committee seats in accordance with legislation if a political group fails to make a nomination.