The Council was requested to consider the report of the Director of Governance and Assurance on the appointment and constitution of the Council’s committees, including the appointment of Chairs to such committees.

It was then moved by Councillor Pat Hackett and seconded by Councillor Phil Gilchrist, that –

“ (i) That the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee:

(a) be treated as not needing to comply with the Political Balance Regulations; and

(b) be appointed as a ratio of Labour: 3, Conservative: 2, Liberal Democrat: 1, Green: 1 and Independent: 1

(c) Chaired by Cllr Tony Cox

(ii) That Council determines the number of Members and Membership to form the Committees, in accordance with the political proportionality rules and shared with Members, as:

Audit and Risk Management (5:4:1:1(Ind.)) – chaired by Cllr Jeff Green;

Employment and Appointments (5:4:1:1(Ind.))  - chair to be appointed by the Committee;

Licensing, Health & Safety and General Purposes (7:4:2:1:1) – chair to be appointed by the Committee;

Pensions (4:3:1:1(G)) - chaired by Cllr Pat Cleary;

Planning (7:4:2:1(G)) – chaired by Cllr Stuart Kelly;

Overview & Scrutiny: Business (7:5:1:1(Ind)) – chaired by Cllr Dave Mitchell; 

Overview & Scrutiny: Environment (7:5:1:1(G)) – chaired by Cllr Chris Blakeley; 

Overview & Scrutiny: Adult Social Care (7:5:1:1(Ind)) –

chaired by Cllr Moira McLaughlin;   

Overview & Scrutiny: Children and Families (7:5:1:1(G)) –

chaired by Cllr Wendy Clements; 

(iii) That this is subject to the Council charging the:

(a)  Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee to conduct a review of the governance arrangements of the Council, with the objective to produce, in September 2019, an interim report on options and preferred outline for further consideration; and

(b)  Business Overview & Scrutiny Committee conducting a review of the Council’s overview and scrutiny committee arrangements, in consultation with the Committee Chairs and group representatives, to consider the number of committees and their respective terms of reference to report back on suggested steps to improve the arrangement in sufficient time for them to be received and considered by the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee at its meeting in September.’

The Director of Governance and Assurance, in response to a Member’s question clarified that, in accordance with the Constitution, the appointment of Chairs to Committees could be undertaken by a committee at its first meeting, if it had not been done by the Council.

It was agreed that two separate votes would be taken on parts (i) and then on parts (ii) and (iii) of the motion.

A.Resolved (unanimously) –

(1)  That the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee:

(a) be treated as not needing to comply with the Political Balance Regulations; and

(b) be appointed as a ratio of Labour: 3, Conservative: 2, Liberal Democrat: 1, Green: 1 and Independent: 1

(c) Chaired by Cllr Tony Cox

B.Resolved (60:2) (Four abstentions) –

(2)  That Council determines the number of Members and Membership to form the Committees, in accordance with the political proportionality rules and shared with Members, as:

Audit and Risk Management (5:4:1:1(Ind.)) –

chaired by Cllr Jeff Green;

Employment and Appointments (5:4:1:1(Ind.)) –

chair to be appointed by the Committee;

Licensing, Health & Safety and General Purposes (7:4:2:1:1) –

chair to be appointed by the Committee;

Pensions (4:3:1:1(G)) - chaired by Cllr Pat Cleary;

Planning (7:4:2:1(G)) – chaired by Cllr Stuart Kelly;

Overview & Scrutiny: Business (7:5:1:1(Ind)) –

chaired by Cllr Dave Mitchell; 

Overview & Scrutiny: Environment (7:5:1:1(G)) –

chaired by Cllr Chris Blakeley; 

Overview & Scrutiny: Adult Social Care (7:5:1:1(Ind)) –

chaired by Cllr Moira McLaughlin; 

Overview & Scrutiny: Children and Families (7:5:1:1(G)) –

chaired by Cllr Wendy Clements; 

(3) That this is subject to the Council charging the:

(a)  Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee to conduct a review of the governance arrangements of the Council, with the objective to produce, in September 2019, an interim report on options and preferred outline for further consideration; and

(b)  Business Overview & Scrutiny Committee conducting a review of the Council’s overview and scrutiny committee arrangements, in consultation with the Committee Chairs and group representatives, to consider the number of committees and their respective terms of reference to report back on suggested steps to improve the arrangement in sufficient time for them to be received and considered by the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee at its meeting in September.