Agenda item

The Chair invited Members to consider a report by the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer to enable the Council to formalise its governance arrangements for the remainder of the civic year, following the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, and the reversion to the pre-existing legal position that requires the Annual Meeting to be held between March – May each year and EDDC’s Constitutional requirements as to the matters to be dealt with at the Annual Meeting.

The report recommended changes to the Constitution, sought confirmation of the Committees and their size and terms of reference and agreement to the scheme of delegations. There is a specific requirement to agree the composition of the Standards Committee and Housing Review Board and to confirm the appointment of two new Independent Persons and a new Independent Representative on the Standards Committee.

It also dealt with the allocation of seats on overview,regulatoryand other committees to differentpolitical groupsof seats in accordancewith thepolitical balanceof the Council. It also sought to agree the makeup of the advisory panels and forums and joint bodies.

 

There were ten recommendations contained within the report and the Chair stated that he would move the recommendations one by one from the Chair, inviting comments and agreement.

 

The Chair moved to PART A Recommendation 1, and invited comments.

There were no comments and following a vote, the recommendation was carried by the majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council approved the amended Constitution to determine the committee structure, their size and terms of reference and the scheme of delegations.

 

The Chair then moved to PART B RECOMMENDATION 2.

There were no comments and following a vote, the recommendation was carried by the majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council confirmed the Conservative Group as the formal opposition.

 

 

The Chair now moved to PART C RECOMMENDATION 3,

 

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by the majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council approves the allocation to different political groups of seats on the overview, regulatory and other committees as follows;

 

Democratic Alliance Group	24 members	40.68%	45 Seats
Conservative Group	21 members	35.60%	40 Seats
The Independents	6 members	10.17%	12 Seats
Independent Progressive Group	4 members	6.78%	8 Seats
Cranbrook Voice	3 members	5.08%	6 Seats
Independent	1 members	1.69%	0 Seats
TOTALS	59	100%	111
Vacancy	1

 

 

The Chair moved to PART C RECOMMENDATION 4,

 

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by the majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council approves theallocationofseatson individual overview, scrutiny,regulatoryand other committees as set out in Appendix 1.                                                                                     

 

 

 

The Chair moved to PART D RECOMMENDATION 5.

 

Following a vote the recommendations were carried by a majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council, agrees the makeup of the advisory Panels, Forums and Joint Bodies as set out in Appendix 2.

 

The Chair moved to PART E RECOMMENDATION 6.

Following a vote the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council, agrees the Membership of the Standards Committee and Housing Review Board (as detailed in Part E of the report).

 

The Chair moved to PART F RECOMMENDATION 7.

The Monitoring Officer advised of one amendment to be made to the information as set out in the table in Appendix 3, specifically, that Councillor Andrew Colman would be replaced by Councillor Steve Gazzard as a member of the Planning Committee.

 

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present.

 

 

RESOLVED;

That Council approves the appointments of Councillors to committees as set out in the table in Appendix 3, following the amendment being made to membership of the Planning Committee, as stated above.

 

The Chair moved to PART G RECOMMENDATION 8

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council approves the appointments of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the committees as set out inAppendix 4.

 

The Chair moved to PART H RECOMMENDATION 9

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council agrees on the appointments for the various positions on the panels, forums and joint bodies as detailed in the document at Appendix 5.

 

The Chair moved to PART I RECOMMENDATION 10

Following a vote, the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council agrees on the appointments for the various positions on the outside bodies as detailed in the document at Appendix 6.