Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Chief Executive.

Council considered a report of the Chief Executive which advised Council of the calculations relating to the allocation of seats in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Council’s agreed protocol, following the recent resignation of a Councillor. 

Members questioned why the report had been put before Council when a by-election was due very shortly and asked whether the Council Business Committee could consider amending the constitution to enable any future adjustments to the allocation of seats which become necessary because of a vacancy to be determined after the by-election had been held.  The Monitoring Officer agreed to draft a report to the next meeting of the Council Business Committee. 

It was reported that, as a result of the re-calculation, some adjustments were necessary to the Overview and Scrutiny grouping.  The Green party were required to pass a seat on the Budget and Performance Panel to the Conservative group.  The Labour group would have four members on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee instead of five and five Members on the Budget and Performance Panel instead of four.  The Conservative group would have three members on each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Budget and Performance Panel.

Councillor Barry proposed, seconded by Councillor Charles:

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Resolved:

(1)     That in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act, 1989 and Part 4 of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations, 1990, the City Council approves the calculations and allocation of seats set out in Appendices B and C of the report.

(2)     That the adjustments required to the Overview and Scrutiny Grouping of committees, detailed in paragraph 3 and Appendix C of the report, be approved with Councillor Hamilton-Cox passing up a seat on the Budget and Performance Panel, Councillor Reynolds passing up a seat on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and taking a seat on the Budget and Performance Panel, and Councillor Mace taking a seat on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.