The eighth item requiring approval was in relation to a report of the Director of Law and Governance and the appointment of a Member to a vacant Committee place following the decision of the Independent Group to forgo that place on the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee and to disapply the requirement for political proportionality of Regulatory Licensing Panels.

On a motion by Councillor Andrew Hodson, seconded by Councillor Chris Jones it was,

Resolved - That:

(1) The vacant position on the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee be:

(a) allocated to the Conservative Group; and

(b) the monitoring officer as proper officer be authorised to carry out the wishes of the Leader of that Group in allocating a Member to membership of the Committee with effect from the date at which the proper officer is advised of the name of that Member

(2) The terms of reference of the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee be amended so as to provide that the sub-committees forming Licensing Panels (Regulatory) will be:

(a) exempt from political balance requirements; but

(b) not formed solely by members of one Group, so as to read at Part 3(b) of the Constitution: 11.4 Licensing Panels (Regulatory) Page 141 Agenda Item 5h Sub-Committees of between three (3) and five (5) members of the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee, which shall consist of members of more than one political group but shall otherwise not be subject to political balance (Council minute [30] 2021/22 refers), with responsibility for the Council’s functions to deal with applications, determinations and reviews of licences or registrations, and any related matter, in respect of any licensed activity that is the responsibility of the Authority (other than under the Licensing Act 2003 or the Gambling Act 2005).