Agenda item - Review of Political Balance and Appointment of Committees and Outside Bodies 2023/24

10.1        The Mayor moved the recommendations as listed in the report of the Chief Executive which had been circulated as part of the addendum papers.

10.2        RESOLVED:

(1)             That the Council agrees the four Committees with their terms of reference as set out in Appendix 1 to replace the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee and the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee with immediate effect;

(2)             That the Council delegates power to the Chief Executive and the Executive Director for Governance, People and Resources, after consultation with the Leader and the Chair of the relevant Committee, to determine the frequency of the meetings and the meeting dates for the Committees set out at Appendix 1;

(3)             That the Council appoints/re-appoints its Committees with the sizes and allocation of seats between political groups as set out in Appendix 2 to the report;

(4)             That having received nominations to the Committees, Sub-Committees, Joint Committees and Area Panels, as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report, such nominations be agreed, and the Committee places filled accordingly;

(5)             That those Members listed as Chair, Deputy Chair and Opposition Spokesperson of the respective Committees and Sub- Committees in Appendix 3 be appointed to those positions;

(6)             That an Urgency Sub-Committee for each Committee be appointed, by that Committee, in accordance with Procedure Rule 22, such Committee being politically balanced but not to be included in the total number of seats for the purpose of allocating seats;

(7)             That having regard to 2.3. above, it be agreed that for the purpose of enabling meetings of the Personnel Sub-Committee Appeals Panel and Licensing Panels to be convened without disproportionate difficulty, the make-up of such panels need not be politically proportionate, and the Council further agrees:

(i)       Although the Panels have the Members referred to in Appendix 2 as their standing Members, the Council agrees that, where any of the 3 Members are not available:-

(a)      any Member of the Council who has received appropriate training shall be eligible to sit on the Personnel Appeal Panel; and

(b)      any Member of the Licensing Committee who has received the appropriate training shall be eligible to sit on the Licensing Panel

(ii)       That the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to set up the Panel(s) as and when needed with the permanent Members or, where any of them is not available, by including any other eligible Member of the Council or Committee as appropriate;

(iii)      The arrangements in this report are intended to operate as "alternative arrangements" pursuant to section 17 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989 and Regulation 20 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990.

(8)             That Council appoints Members/representatives to Outside Bodies and Partnerships as listed in Appendix 4 to the report;

(9)             That the Lead Members’ roles and designated Members listed against those roles as detailed in Appendix 5 to the report be noted;

(10)         That the Chief Executive and Executive Director, Governance, People & Resources be authorised to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the recommendations in this report and that the Executive Director Governance, People & Resources be authorised to amend and republish the Council’s constitutional documents to incorporate the changes.