Agenda item

(a)     Committees for 2011/2012

 

(b)     The Allocation of Seats on Committees Between Political Groups and the Appointment of Members to Committees

 

(c)     The Appointment of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees

The Chief Executive submitted a report (previously circulated) which detailed the following:

 

A.   Committees for 2011-2012

 

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Council was requested to appoint the Committees as indicated in Annex A of the report.  

 

B.   The allocation of seats on Committees between political groups and the appointment of Members to Committees

 

       Ryedale District Council was to be treated as being divided into different political groups for the purposes of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989, because at least one political group had been constituted in the prescribed way.

 

       The Local Government & Housing Act 1989 required the distribution of seats on committees and sub-committees to be on the basis of political proportionality so far as ‘reasonably practicable’ unless different provision is made in such manner prescribed by regulations and without any Member voting against them.

 

The terms of reference of the Policy & Resources Committee, Commissioning Board, Licensing Committee, Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the Standards Committee were those as set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.

 

       Members then considered the recommendations in the report.

 

       Recommendation 1

 

       With reference to recommendation (1) it was moved and seconded that the Council’s Committees be those as specified in Annex A to the report.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

      

       Recommendation 2

 

With reference to recommendation (2) of the report it was moved and seconded that the size of the Council’s Committees be as specified in Annex A to the report.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

       Recommendation 3

 

With reference to recommendation (3) of the report, it was moved and seconded that the Council divide Committee seats between political groups in accordance with the allocation shown at annex A to the report. 

 

 

 

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Mrs Burr and seconded by Councillor Mrs Shields, that Annex A (part 1) of the report be amended as follows: the Liberal Democrat group be allocated one seat on Policy & Resources Committee and that the allocation of one seat on the Commissioning Board be deleted, and that the ungrouped Member be allocated a seat on the Commissioning Board and Licensing Committee, and that the allocation of one seat to the ungrouped Member on the Policy & Resources Committee be deleted.

 

Members requested that a recorded vote be undertaken.

 

Recorded vote:

 

For the amendment

Councillors Bailey, Mrs Burr, Clark, Mrs Cowling, Cussons, Mrs Frank, Fraser, Mrs Goodrick, Hawkins, Hicks, Hope, Ives, Knaggs, Mrs Knaggs, Maud, Raper, Richardson, Mrs Sanderson, Mrs Shields, Wainwright, Walker, Ward, Windress and Woodward (24)

 

Against the amendment

Councillor Andrews

 

Abstention

Councillor Arnold

 

The amendment was, therefore, carried.  Upon being put to the vote the motion as amended was carried.

 

 

Recommendation 4

 

Annex B, which set out the nominations to Committees received from the Conservative, Independent and Liberal Democrat Groups was circulated at the meeting.  The Liberal Group nominations were received and reported at the meeting.

 

The Liberal Group had been allocated 2 seats on the Planning Committee, Councillor Clark reported that the Liberal Group wished to make only one nomination to the Planning Committee.  It was moved by Councillor Clark that the unfilled seat be allocated to the ungrouped Member, Councillor Andrews.  The Council Solicitor reported that the allocation of seats to Committees had been awarded in accordance with political proportionality, therefore, an allocation could not be transferred and the unallocated seat would remain as a Liberal group vacancy.

 

It was moved and seconded that Annex B as circulated and amended at the meeting be approved.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.    

 

 

 

Recommendation 5

 

With reference to recommendation (5) of the report, it was moved and seconded that the Membership of the Licensing committee be the same as appointed to the Commissioning Board.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

Recommendation 6

           

With reference to recommendation (6) of the report, Members were reminded that the Annual Meeting of Council elected the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees, with the exception of the Standards Committee and the Licensing Committee.

 

It was recommended that the Standards Committee and the Licensing Committee appoint their own Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen at their next meetings in June 2011.

 

Nominations were then sought for the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees.

 

Recommendations 7 to 10

 

It was moved and seconded that recommendations (7) to (10) of the report be approved

 

Resolved

 

(a)  That the Council appoints those Committees indicated at annex A of the report

 

             (b)  That the size of Committees be as specified at Annex A of the report.

 

(c)   That the Council divides Committee seats between political groups as set out in Annex A to the report, subject to the Liberal Democrat group being allocated one seat on Policy & Resources Committee and their allocation of one seat Commissioning Board and Licensing Committee being deleted, and that the ungrouped Member be allocated a seat on the Commissioning Board and Licensing Committee, and that the allocation of one seat to the ungrouped Member on the Policy & Resources Committee being deleted.

 

(d)  That membership of Committees be as indicated at Annex A to these minutes.

 

(e) That the membership of the Licensing Committee be the same Members as appointed to the Commissioning Board.

 

             (f)    That, with the exception of the Standards Committee and the Licensing Committee Chairmen and Vice Chairmen, who were to be appointed at the respective Committee meetings in June, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees be appointed as follows:

 

                    Policy & Resources Committee

 

                   (i)      Chairman                     Councillor G Acomb

                   (ii)      Vice-Chairman           Councillor E T Legard

 

                   NB Councillor Clark recorded his vote against part (i) above

            

                    Commissioning Board

 

                    (i)      Chairman                    Councillor Mrs L Cowling

                    (ii)     Vice-Chairman           Councillor Mrs J Frank

 

                    Overview & Scrutiny Committee

 

                    (i)      Chairman                     Councillor C R Wainwright

                    (ii)     Vice-Chairman            Councillor Mrs E L Shields

 

                    Planning Committee

 

                    (i)      Chairman                     Councillor J R Raper

                    (ii)     Vice-Chairman            Councillor J Windress

 

            (g)  That Mrs Gill Baker, Mr Ian Hamilton and Mr Colin Langley      (Independent Members) be co-opted to the Standards                   Committee.

 

            (h)   That Mrs S Butler, Mr B Cole and Mr H Spencer (Parish Council Representatives) be co-opted to the Standards Committee.

 

            (i)    That the size and the terms of reference of the Policy & Resources Committee, Licensing Committee, Commissioning Board, Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Planning Committee and Standards Committee and the Scheme of Officer Delegation be those as set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution

           

            (j)    That the Chief Executive be authorised to make consequential amendments to the Constitution arising from the changes referred to above.