Agenda item

Establishment of Committees and other Constitutional Issues 2010-11

Minutes:

Report:  See supplemental agenda 2, pages 1-27 and yellow paper circulated at the meeting

 

The report had not been circulated five clear business days in advance of the meeting. The report was accepted by the Mayor as late and urgent because the constitution states that only council assembly can consider these constitutional issues.  Any delay in considering these important issues on 19 May 2010 would lead to the council being unable to fully exercise its statutory responsibilities and duties as reserved to each of the committees.  Notice of this report was given on the order of business for the annual meeting which was issued on Tuesday 11 May 2010.

 

The Mayor stated that in accordance with council assembly procedure rule 2.10(2), this being an officer report, the recommendations set out in the report were deemed to have been moved and were subject to amendment only. He announced that he intended to consider each recommendation where a decision was needed separately.

 

The Mayor moved recommendation 2 - to agree the size and composition of regulatory and other committees, including appointments, planning, disciplinary appeals, audit and governance and corporate parenting committee. The motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The Mayor moved recommendations 3 & 4 - on the establishment of the licensing committee and sub-committee. The motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The Mayor moved recommendation 5 - appointment of chairs and vice chairs of other committees.

 

The Mayor announced that he had received two further nominations to those listed on the yellow papers circulated at the meeting – Councillor Toby Eckersley for vice chair of the audit and governance committee and Councillor Lisa Rajan for vice chair of the corporate parenting committee.

 

The nominations for chair and vice chairs were put to the vote and declared to be carried.  The Mayor stated that vacant positions would be dealt with at the first meeting of the relevant committee.

 

The Mayor moved recommendation 6 - to establish the standards committee. The motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The Mayor moved recommendation 9 - to establish the constitutional steering panel. The Mayor announced he had received one amendment to recommendation 9.  Councillor Nick Dolezal, seconded by Councillor Peter John, moved Amendment B.  Following debate (Councillor Mark Gettleson), Amendment B was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The Mayor moved recommendation 10 and stated that one nomination had been received for the position of chair of the constitutional steering panel, Councillor Nick Dolezal.  No further nominations were forthcoming, therefore the nomination was put to the vote and council assembly appointed Councillor Nick Dolezal as chair of the constitutional steering panel.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and was declared to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.

That the size and composition of the other council ordinary committees including appointments, planning, disciplinary appeals, audit and governance and corporate parenting committee be agreed as set out below:

 

Committee

Total

Lib Dem

Lab

Con

Committee 1

Appointments Committee

7

 

3

 

4

 

0

 

Committee 2

Planning Committee

7

 

3

 

4

 

0

 

Committee 3

Disciplinary Appeals Committee

9

 

4

 

5

 

0

 

Committee 4

Audit and Governance Committee

5

 

1

 

3

 

1

 

Committee 5

Corporate Parenting Committee

7

 

3

 

4

 

0

 

Total

35

 

14

 

20

 

1

 

 

2.

That a licensing committee with a total of 15 seats with the following allocation of seats be established:

 

  • 6 Liberal Democrat
  • 8 Labour
  • 1 Conservative. 

 

 

3.

That a licensing sub-committee be appointed with delegated authority to hear license applications including Licensing Act 2003, Gambling Act 2005, street trading and other licensing responsibilities granted by statute.  The sub-committee to include all members of the licensing committee with a quorum of three members.

 

 

4.

That the chairs and vice chairs for the following committees be appointed as set out below:

 

Planning Committee

Councillor Althea Smith – Chair

Councillor Stephen Govier – Vice chair

 

Licensing Committee

Councillor Lorraine Lauder – Chair

 

Appointments Committee

Councillor Peter John - Chair

Councillor Ian Wingfield – Vice chair

 

Disciplinary Appeal Committee

Councillor Sunil Chopra – Chair

 

Audit and Governance Committee

Councillor Renata Hamvas – Chair

Councillor Toby Eckersley – Vice chair

 

Corporate Parenting Committee.

Councillor Catherine McDonald – Chair

Councillor Lisa Rajan – Vice chair

 

Note: The following outstanding appointments will be referred to the first meeting of the respective committee in the 2010-11 municipal year:

 

Vice chairs of licensing committee and disciplinary appeals committee.

 

 

5.

That a standards committee with a total of 6 seats with the following allocation of seats be established:

 

  • Liberal Democrats 2 places
  • Labour 3 places
  • Conservatives 1 place.

 

 

6.

That it be noted that political groups are entitled to nominate reserves equivalent to the number of places on the standards committee.

 

 

7.

That it be noted that the election of chair and vice chair of the standards committee takes place at its first meeting.

 

 

8.

That a constitutional steering panel comprising of the whips of each political group represented on the council and 1 other Labour Group member (or each members’ nominated reserve) with the terms of reference set out in paragraphs 56 and 57 of the report be agreed.  This provides a total number of members on the constitutional steering panel of 4, with the numbers of each group as follows:

 

·  Labour 2

·  Liberal Democrat 1

·  Conservatives 1.

 

 

9.

That Councillor Nick Dolezal be appoint as the chair of constitutional steering panel.

 

 

10.

That the role of the urgency committee between a municipal election and the annual meeting of council assembly be reviewed in light of the post-election period in 2010 and the new executive arrangements.  Officers will report to the constitutional steering panel with proposals on future urgency arrangements. 

 

 

11.

That the amended calendar of council meetings for 2010-11 be noted.

 

Supporting documents: