To exercise those powers reserved to Council at its Annual Meeting:

(a)   To make appointments to the positions of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmanships to committees and other offices.

(b)   To establish the allocation of seats to political groups based on proportionality as defined by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 giving effect also to Section 15(5)b of the Act which provides that where the majority of seats on an authority are held by one political group, that group shall have a majority on all bodies to which appointments are made.

(c)   To make arrangements for such appointments to committees and other bodies as may be necessary.

Please note that the Council may be asked under this item to approve alternative arrangements to strict political proportionality for appointments to Committees and other bodies in accordance with Regulation 20 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990.

The Leader presented the report and referred Members to the appendices which had been circulated immediately prior to the start of the meeting.

The proposed changes to some of the chairmanships were highlighted and a warm tribute was paid to both Councillors JK Swinburne and SJ Robertson who were standing down from chairing scrutiny committees for their leadership in challenging and sensitive areas.  Councillor WU Attfield’s work and wisdom was also acknowledged as she proposed to stand down from her Vice Chair’s position whilst remaining a member on a scrutiny committee.  In relation to the Standards Committee, in order to assist with the increasing demands on Members of this Committee, it was proposed to nominate two additional Members, Councillors JE Pemberton and AE Gray, who would be co-opted to fulfil the role as and when required.

In response to a question from Councillor MAF Hubbard who sought clarification of those positions which required the suspension of proportionality rules, the Leader stated that discussions had been held with group leaders at their meeting on 7 May 2009.  The Leader advised Council that the Strategic Monitoring Committee was not proportionate as it provided a greater number of seats to parties outside the administration and stated that should there be a need to comply with strict proportionality this situation would change. 

Councillor GFM Dawe, Leader of the Alliance Group advised Council that neither he nor the Labour Group Leader had been present at the group leaders meeting mentioned.  He therefore considered that there had not been an open discussion and stated that he would vote to reject the recommendations.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor TM James, reminded Council that the partial suspension of the rules on proportionality had been in place and supported over several administrations and, by gifting a greater proportion of posts to opposition groups, the Council was well regarded.  He expressed the view that Council needed to retain consistency of committee membership as far as was possible for the duration of a four-year term.  Councillor James also stated that whilst it may have been beneficial had the appendices been circulated a day or two earlier, it was unlikely that earlier circulation would have made a difference to the debate.

Councillor MD Lloyd Hayes stated that she would oppose the recommendations.  She was concerned that the Alliance Group was not represented on the Strategic Monitoring Committee and additionally informed Council that she would be seeking membership of a scrutiny committee other than Adult Social Care and Health, on which she had served for nine years.

Councillor AM Toon stated that there was a perception that the Alliance Group was cut out of positions within the authority and requested that an alternative process of arranging appointments to offices be considered.

The Chairman called for a vote on the recommendations, which was not supported nem com and therefore not approved.  Councillors GFM Dawe and MD Lloyd Hayes requested that their votes against the recommendations be formally noted in the minutes.

Following the rejection of the recommendations, the Leader stated that he regretted the fact that there had been formal objection to the proposed arrangements, which had sought changes to three offices.  It was proposed that the group leaders meet to consider the options and potential consequences, which in broad terms would be a variation of past proposals which would require a partial suspension of the rules of proportionality, or the need to appoint to offices on a the basis of strict proportionality, for ratification at the July 2009 Council meeting.

RESOLVED (unanimously) THAT:

(a)               Council delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the political group leaders to consider and make appointments to all relevant offices and that the appointees be authorised to fulfil their roles until the Council meeting on 24 July 2009;

(b) the Chief Executive be requested to exercise his delegated powers to make, (if required) following consultation with the political group leaders, any adjustment to the number and allocation of seats to give effect to the rules on proportionality and to make appointments, as necessary, in accordance with the nominations of the political group leaders; and,

(b)              at the July Council meeting, the Council be asked to confirm the appointments.