To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the recommendations set out in the associated report.
Minutes:
Councillor Dawlings moved, and Councillor Scott seconded, the recommendations set out in papers tabled at the meeting and to be published as a supplement to the agenda.
Debate on the motion included consideration of the following points:
· Minority group leaders had not been consulted. Attempts had been made to contact the former Leader when he had been in office but no response had been received.
· It was against best practice for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be from the majority party.
· Councillor Dawlings on his appointment as leader of the Conservative group, but prior to his election as Leader of the Council, had written to each of the minority group leaders and had been told they did not wish to talk. The new Leader therefore had no choice but to put forward his own nominations for chairmen.
· A date for a meeting of the group leaders had been agreed and this had been cancelled by the minority groups.
· It would be disingenuous to suggest that the majority group had wilfully blocked the minority groups.
· The appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could be omitted from the appointments made at this meeting pending further consideration.
· The nominations for chairmen, as set out in the tabled papers, were for fair and competent members.
· A motion considered by the Full Council at a previous meeting regarding the chairmanship of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of a range of best practice recommendations had been referred by the Council to a cross-party working group for further consideration and as such did not form council procedure at this time.
· A separate motion to implement the aforementioned motion could not be raised at this time.
Councillor Everitt moved, and Councillor Rands seconded, an amendment to the effect that the relevant appointments be substituted with Councillor Pound as Chairman and Councillor Hayward as Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Debate on the amendment included consideration of the following points:
· It should be recognised that the Council was no longer under overall control.
· Minority parties had had the opportunity to put forward proposals in an orderly fashion but chose not to so the Council should proceed with the appointments as originally set out.
· Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the check on the executive and was particularly important that it should not be chaired by the majority party.
· It was best practice that the executive should not scrutinise itself.
Councillor Chapelard requested a recorded vote.
Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Hall (Christopher), Hayward, Hickey, Hill (Dianne), Knight, Lewis, Lidstone, Morton, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Rutland, Warne, Willis and Wormington. (24)
Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Allen, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Dawlings, Fairweather, Goodship, Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hills (Bill) Holden, March, McDermott, Ms Palmer, Roberts, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, White and Woodward. (24)
Members who abstained from voting: None.
Mayor’s casting vote against the amendment.
AMENDMENT NOT CARRIED
Debate returned to the original motion.
Debate on the motion included consideration of the following points:
· Changes to the appointment could be made at a later date.
· The appointments as a whole should be reviewed in the light of a new Mayor and Leader.
· All proposed appointees were men.
· The Cabinet would work with all parties, in good faith in the interests of residents.
Councillor Chapelard requested a recorded vote.
Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Allen, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Dawlings, Fairweather, Goodship, Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hills (Bill) Holden, March, McDermott, Ms Palmer, Roberts, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, White and Woodward. (24)
Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Hall (Christopher), Hayward, Hickey, Hill (Dianne), Knight, Lewis, Lidstone, Morton, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Rutland, Warne, Willis and Wormington. (24)
Members who abstained from voting: None.
Mayor’s casting vote for the motion.
RESOLVED –
1. That the allocation of seats to Committee, as set out at paragraph 2.9 of the report, be approved;
2. That the appointments to the Committees, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved; and
3. That the Chairmanships and Vice-Chairmanships of the Committees, as per the tabled report, be approved.
Supporting documents: