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 (2022/23). 

 

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. Committee.

It 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.

It also covered the councillor appointments to committees, panels, forums, joint bodies and outside bodies together with the appointment of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of committees.

The Monitoring Officer outlined a number of changes to membership of the Panels, Forums and Joint Bodies largely as a result of changes within Cabinet. Specifically that Cllr Arnott will be taking on the Strategic Planning portfolio and becoming Chair of Strategic Planning Committee, and Cllr Ledger will be taking on the Sustainable Homes & Communities portfolio. If approved, Cllr Allen will become Chair of Scrutiny Committee and Cllr Whibley will be replaced on the Poverty Working Panel by Cllr Armstrong to ensure it is cross-party.

There were eleven 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 A Recommendation 2, and invited comments.

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

 

RESOLVED;

That Council agreed to the convening of the Independent Remuneration Panel to review the Members Allowance Scheme and delegated authority to the Strategic Lead Governance & Licensing to progress arrangements including recruitment of panel members as necessary.

 

The Chair then moved to PART B RECOMMENDATION 3.

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 4,

 

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

RESOLVED;

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

 

Democratic Alliance Group	23 members	39%	44 Seats
Conservative Group	22 members	37%	42 Seats
The Independents	5 members	8%	9 Seats
Independent Progressive Group	3 members	5%	6 Seats
Cranbrook Voice	3 members	5%	6 Seats
Labour Group	2 members	3%	4 Seats
Independent (Independent)	2 members	3%	0 Seats
TOTALS	60 members	100%	111 Seats

 

 

The Chair moved to PART C RECOMMENDATION 5,

 

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

 

RESOLVED;

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

 

 

 

The Chair moved to PART D RECOMMENDATION 6.

 

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

 

RESOLVED;

That Council, agreed the makeup of the advisory Panels, Forums and Joint Bodies as set out in Appendix 2 with the amendments identified by the Monitoring Officer and with delegated authority given to the Monitoring Officer to make any consequential changes arising from the additional Assistant Sustainable Homes & Communities Portfolio Holder Post.

 

The Chair moved to PART E RECOMMENDATION 7.

Following a vote the recommendation was carried by a majority of those present. It was noted that one of the Independent Community Representatives’ names had been misspelt and it should be Rob Robinson.

 

RESOLVED;

That Council, agreed 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 8.

The Monitoring Officer advised of one vacancy on the Planning Committee that members needed to vote on. Following a vote between Cllr Bruce and Cllr Rylance, it was confirmed that Cllr Rylance would take the seat.

 

Members were asked to approve the appointments of Councillors to committees as set out in the table in Appendix 3 with Cllr Rylance added to the Planning Committee.

 

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

 

RESOLVED;

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

 

The Chair moved to PART G RECOMMENDATION 9

Members were asked to approve the appointments of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the committees as set out in Appendix 4 with Cllr Arnott replacing Cllr Ledger as the Chair of Strategic Planning Committee.

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

 

RESOLVED;

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

 

The Chair moved to PART H RECOMMENDATION 10

The Monitoring Officer advised of one vacancy on the Recycling and Waste Partnership Board that members needed to vote on. Following a vote between Cllr Bonetta and Cllr Kemp, it was confirmed that Cllr Kemp would take the seat.

 

Members were asked to approve the appointments for the various positions on the Panels, Forums and Joint Bodies as detailed in the document at Appendix 5 with the additional change identified by the Monitoring Officer and Cllr Kemp added to the Recycling and Waste Partnership Board.

 

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

 

 

RESOLVED;

That Council agreed on the appointments for the various positions on the panels, forums and joint bodies as detailed in the document at Appendix 5, following the addition of Cllr Kemp being made to membership of the Recycling and Waste Partnership Board and Cllr Armstrong replacing Cllr Whibley on the Poverty Working Panel.

 

The Chair moved to PART I RECOMMENDATION 11

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

 

RESOLVED;

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