Agenda item

Political Group Leadership, Committee Proportionality and Appointment of Members to Committees and other bodies

Report of the Monitoring Officer

 

Purpose of Report

 

To seek the confirmation of Council of the Calendar of Meetings for 2021/2022.

 

Recommendations

 

1.1.       To approve the Calendar of Meetings for 2021/22.

Minutes:

The Chairman advised Council that an up-to-date list of committee appointments had been placed on desks.

 

The Leader of the Council presented a report which sought to advise of the names of the Leaders and Deputy Leaders of the political groups and to confirm appointments to committee places and additional appointments contained within the report.

 

Councillor Brown seconded the report.

 

Councillor G Eales congratulated the Leader on his appointment and expressed his disappointment that there were no opposition members on the Children’s Trust and hoped that further discussions would take place in respect of this. He further expressed concern over the Leader managing 2 portfolios, stating that regeneration should be a focus. Accommodation should be a priority so that sums of money did not continually need to be spent hiring venues for council meetings.

 

Councillor Beardsworth commented that the council must not forget past mistakes to ensure that they would not be made again in the future. She noted the hard work of officers during the pandemic and their work in setting up the new authority and expressed her gratitude in respect of this. She hoped that all members could work together for the benefit of their communities.

 

Councillor Meredith congratulated the Leader on his appointment and also expressed disappointment that there were no opposition members on the Children’s Trust; he believed that backbench councillors should have been given the opportunity to be on the Trust. Councillor Meredith also stated his concern that there were no councillors on the Corporate Parenting Board.

 

Councillor Nunn commented that constitutional matters prevented opposition members from sitting on the Children’s Board but asked members to judge him on what he had done recently to try to make it happen and hoped that all councillors were comfortable with what the Children’s Trust was doing presently. Regular meetings with opposition members in respect of the Children’s Trust had been agreed. The Leader advised of more work around the Cabinet but gave his assurance that Economic Regeneration and Development would not be a “poor relation”.

 

In response to a question around opposition membership on the South Northamptonshire Local Area Planning Committee, the Monitoring Officer advised that this seat would rotate annually between the Liberal Democrat Group and Independent councillors, with the Liberal Democrats taking the seat for 2021-22.

 

Upon a vote, the recommendations contained within the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Council:

 

i)       Received the names of the Leaders and Deputy Leaders of the political groups as set out at Appendix A of the report.

 

ii)     Agreed to constitute and decide on the allocation of places on committees between the political groups in accordance with the political balance requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as set out at paragraph 3.11.1 of the report.

 

iii)    Agreed to appoint Members to the various Committees as set out at Appendix A of the report.

 

iv)   Agreed to appoint Members to the various joint Committees as set out at Appendix A of the report.

 

v)     Agreed that the appointments to the Local Area Planning Committees are not politically balanced as they fall within the political balance exemption for area committees; but should reflect the political makeup of the relevant area.

 

vi)   Agreed that, the appointment to outside bodies is delegated to the Chief Executive, West Northamptonshire Council.

 

vii)  Confirmed the appointment of Committee Chairs, Deputy Chairs and members.

 

viii)Noted the members of the Executive set out at Appendix A of the report.

Supporting documents: