Issue - meetings

Following the decision by the Cabinet to establish the positions of Assistant Cabinet Members, Councillor G J Bull, Executive Leader to present a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager inviting the Council to approve the necessary variations to the Council’s Constitution.

(The recommendations were endorsed by the Corporate Governance Committee at their meeting on 26th July 2018).

In conjunction with Item No. 16 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 21st June 2018 and Item No. 20 of the Corporate Governance Committee held on 26th July 2018, consideration was given to a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). Councillor G J Bull reported that the introduction of Assistant Cabinet Members would allow an opportunity for new Members on the Council to develop further and provide support for the existing Cabinet Members with larger portfolios following the reduction in the number of Members in the Cabinet.

Councillor Bull moved the recommendations and was duly seconded by Councillor R Fuller.

Councillor B S Chapman questioned the legality of taking the decision as his understanding was that any changes to the Constitution had to be reported back to the following meeting of the Council. Councillor Chapman was requested to provide reference in the Council’s Constitution to reflect his understanding. With this in mind, the meeting was adjourned to enable clarification to be sought.

At 8.50pm the meeting was adjourned.

At 9.05pm the meeting resumed.

The Monitoring Officer, Mr T Lewis, confirmed that in the absence of no apparent discrepancy as highlighted by Councillor Chapman the process being followed was correct and in accordance with the Council’s Constitution. Whereupon, it having been previously moved and seconded, the Council

RESOLVED

that amendment of Article 7 of the District Council’s Constitution as outlined in paragraph 3.3 of the report now submitted be approved to reflect the incorporation of Assistant Cabinet Members as attached to the Officer’s report.

The Executive Leader, Councillor G J Bull, announced that he had appointed Councillor D N Keane as Assistant Cabinet Member for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To consider amendments to the Council’s Constitution to reflect the new role and responsibilities of Assistant Cabinet Members.

Following the approval by the Cabinet at their meeting on 21 June 2018 regarding the creation of Assistant Cabinet Members to be appointed as non-executive members (Minute No. 16 of the Cabinet meeting refers), the Corporate Governance Committee received a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) to amend the Council’s Constitution to reflect the new role and responsibilities.

In response to a question it was explained that although the Role Description appended to the submitted report did not include a maximum number of Assistant Cabinet Members that could be appointed, it was the understanding that initially not all Cabinet Members would be allocated an Assistant.

The Committee expressed concern that should an Assistant Cabinet Member be assigned to each Cabinet Member, this would reduce the Members available to be appointed to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee given that members of the Cabinet and Assistant Cabinet Members were precluded from sitting on the Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and that in accordance with the Constitution every Member must be appointed to serve on a minimum of one Committee or the Cabinet.  Whereupon the Committee,

RESOLVED

  i.  to endorse a variation to Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution as outlined in paragraph of the submitted report; and

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL

  ii.  that the necessary variation be made to the Council’s Constitution.

To consider a proposal for the creation of the role of Assistant Cabinet Members.

(Executive Councillor: Cllr G J Bull)

Approve the appointment of Assistant Cabinet Members as considered necessary and appropriate, in accordance with the role description attached as an Appendix to the report now submitted; and

RECOMMENDS THAT THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE:

amend Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution to reflect the incorporation of Assistant Cabinet Members.

The Cabinet received a report by the Managing Director (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the creation of Assistant Cabinet Members.

In presenting the report the Executive Leader explained that, given the size of the Cabinet and the wide remit of the Portfolios, Assistant Cabinet Members, if considered necessary and appropriate, could be appointed as non-executive Members to advise and support Cabinet Members in their roles.

The Cabinet,

RESOLVED

to approve the appointment of Assistant Cabinet Members as considered necessary and appropriate, in accordance with the role description attached as an Appendix to the submitted report; and

RECOMMENDS THAT THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE:

amend Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution to reflect the incorporation of Assistant Cabinet Members.