Agenda item - Review of Political Balance and Appointment of Committees, Sub-Committees, Forums, Panels and Outside Bodies

9.1             The Mayor noted that the next item on the agenda concerned the review of the political balance and appointment of committees, sub-committees, forums and outside bodies.  He also noted that there was an amendment from the Conservative Group and invited Councillor G. Theobald to move the amendment.

9.2             Councillor G. Theobald moved the amendment and in so dong explained that the Conservative Group felt that the proposed allocations to the committees was not a reflection of the political balance of the council and therefore should be altered to provide a fairer split across the various committees.  He believed that the Policy & Resources Committee should have a membership of 12 which would be more appropriate.  However, the amendment sought to change the allocation of the Transport Committee to 4 Green, 4 Conservative and 2 Labour & Co-operative Members, with the Audit & Standards Committee being changed to a 4:2:2 split, in order to retain the overall number seats allocated to each Group.

9.3             Councillor Peltzer Dunn formally seconded the amendment and stated that the proposed allocations should reflect the overall position on the council and noted that the Green Group held the majority of Chairs and Deputy Chairs’ positions.  The amendment sought to reflect the allocations across the committees in a fair way and he hoped that it would be supported.

9.4             The Mayor stated that the matter had been fully discussed at the Working Group, Leaders Group and at Policy & Resources Committee and he felt that there was no need to debate it further.  He therefore noted that an amendment had been moved and put it to the vote which was lost.

9.5             The Mayor then put the recommendations as detailed in the report to the vote:

(i)           The allocation of seats as detailed in the report and in appendix 1 to the report be approved;

(ii)         For the municipal year 2012/2013 the following Committees and Sub?Committees be constituted and appointed to hold office until the next Annual Meeting of the Council and the number of Members and allocation of seats to the Party Groups (apart from co-opted Members) as detailed in appendix 1 to the report and as specified below be agreed:

(iii)       That the membership of the committees and sub-committees as detailed in appendix 2 to the report and set out below be agreed;

Policy & Resources Committee – Councillors J. Kitcat (Chair), Littman (Deputy Chair), Hamilton, Mitchell, A. Norman, Peltzer Dunn, Shanks, G. Theobald, Wakefield and West.

Adult Care & Health Committee – Councillors Jarrett (Chair), Jones (Deputy Chair), Barnett, Buckley, Marsh, Meadows, Mears, K. Norman, Powell and Turton.

Children & Young People Committee – Councillors Shanks (Chair), Buckley (Deputy Chair), Brown, Gilbey, A. Kitcat, Lepper, Pissaridou, Powell, Simson and Wealls.

Economic Development & Culture Committee – Councillors Bowden (Chair), Mac Cafferty (Deputy Chair), Brown, Fitch, Janio, A. Kitcat, Littman, Morgan, Smith and C. Theobald.

Environment & Sustainability Committee – Councillors West (Chair), Sykes (Deputy Chair), Cobb, Deane, Janio, Mitchell, Pissaridou, Summers, G. Theobald and Wakefield.

Housing Committee – Councillors Wakefield (Chair), Powell (Deputy Chair), Barnett, Davey, Duncan, Farrow, Fitch, Jarrett, Mears and Peltzer Dunn.

Transport Committee – Councillors Davey (Chair), Follett (Deputy Chair), Cox, Janio, Mitchell, Phillips, Robins, Summers, G. Theobald and West.

Audit & Standards Committee – (8 Councillors and 6 Independent Members) Councillors Hamilton (Chair – Audit), Duncan, Lepper, Follett, A. Norman, Smith, Sykes and Wealls.

Dr Wilkinson (Chair - Standards), Mr J Bustard, Mr P Cecil, Mr G Rhodes, Mr P Rose and 1 vacancy.

Licensing & Licensing (2003) Committee – Councillors Duncan (Chair), Deane (Deputy Chair), Buckley, Cobb, Gilbey, Hawtree, Hyde, Jones, Lepper, Marsh, Pidgeon, Rufus, Simson, C Theobald, and Turton.

Planning Committee – Councillors Hawtree (Chair), Summers (Deputy Chair), Carden, Cobb, Davey, Gilbey, Hamilton, Hyde, Jones, Mac Cafferty, C Theobald and Wells.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Councillors Morgan (Chair), Cox (Deputy Chair), Brown, Buckley, Farrow, Follett, Hawtree, Marsh, K. Norman and Phillips.

Health & Well Being Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Councillors Rufus (Chair), C Theobald (Deputy Chair), Bowden, Cox, Marsh, Robins, Sykes and Wealls.

Licensing 2003 Sub-Committee (3 from the parent committee with designated reps) – Councillors Duncan (Chair), Simson and Lepper.

Corporate Parenting Sub-Committee – Councillors Shanks (Chair), Rufus (Deputy Chair), Bennett, Gilbey and Hyde.

Personnel Appeals Sub-Committee – (3 from a pool of Members with designated reps) Councillors Powell, Cox and Marsh.

Housing Management Consultative Sub-Committee – Councillors Wakefield (Chair), Duncan, Farrow, Peltzer Dunn, Pidgeon, Randall, Robins, Summers and Wells.

Community Safety Forum – Councillors Duncan (Chair), Barnett, Bowden, Carden, MacCafferty, Meadows, Morgan, Pidgeon, Shanks and Simson.

Shadow Health & Wellbeing Board – Councillors Jarrett (Chair), Bennett, Duncan, Meadows, K. Norman, Shanks and Tuton.

(iv)    That in having regard to (iii) above, those Members listed as Chair and Deputy Chair of the respective Committees, Sub-Committees and Forums as detailed in appendix 2 to the report be agreed;

(iv)    (a) That with regard to (iii) above and subject to (b) and (c) below, all Members of the Council be appointed as Substitute Members of each Committee of the Council in accordance with Standing Orders.

         (b) That no Member may act as a Substitute Member of the Planning Committee or the Personnel Committee unless he/she has received the appropriate training to enable them to serve on the respective Committee.

         (c)  There are restrictions on membership of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees as set out in the Overview & Scrutiny Procedure rules.

(v)         That in having regard to (ii) above, an Urgency Sub-Committee for each Committee be approved in accordance with Procedure Rule 22; 

(vi)       That the appointments of representatives to the list of Outside Bodies as detailed in appendix 3 to the report and specified below be agreed:

7.2       The motion was carried.