Issue - meetings

Councillor M J Burke, Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee to present a report seeking the re-appointment of a Lead Independent Person for a further two-year period to 1st April 2028 without the need for further ratification in each year by the Council at its Annual Meeting.

(The report was considered by the Corporate Governance Committee at their meeting on 28th January 2026 who recommended that Council should approve the proposed appointment and amendment).

In conjunction with a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager & Deputy Monitoring Officer (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), Councillor M J Burke, Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, presented to Members the Appointment of Lead Independent Person report for the Council’s consideration and approval.

Councillor Hodgson-Jones, in addressing the chamber, noted that there remained a vacancy for the Deputy Independent Person and that having discussed the matter at the Corporate Governance Committee meeting, he was minded to strongly recommend that the recruitment process to fulfil this vacancy be undertaken.

Having noted that the report had been endorsed by the Corporate Governance Committee at their meeting on the 28th January 2026, and having been duly proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED

that for the purposes of Section of 28 of the Localism Act 2011, the re-appointment of Gillian Holmes to the post of Lead Independent Person for a further two-year period to 1st April 2028 and without the need for further ratification in each year by the Council at its Annual Meeting be approved.