Agenda item

The Democratic Service Officer presented the report and highlighted some changes since publication, as follows:

·  Paragraph 2.4.6 – Kent Downs AONB Advisory Committee to be removed from the list as the Council currently had an obligation to administer its meetings and Vinters Valley Park Trust to be removed from the list as the Council was named as a trustee as part of the Charities Commission Scheme.

·  Update to Appendix B – the following organisations are supported by the Council through a legal agreement:

o  Bentliff Wing Trust – Trust Deed showing – the Mayor was ex-officio and two Council members as Nominative Trustees

o  Cutbush and Corrall – Charities Commission Scheme showing – 2 Council and 2 Public members with full responsibility as Committee Members

o  Howard de Walden Centre – Charities Commission Scheme showing – 2 Council Trustees

o  Rochester Bridges Trust – Charities Commission Nominated Member

o  Vinters Valley Trust – Charities Commission – 1 Council Trustee

Members were informed the content of the report was based on information available at the time of writing and may not reflect the historical reasons for Council support for each outside body.

During discussion the following points were raised by the Committee:

·  A request was made for the number of responses received for the survey of Councillors on outside bodies.

·  The number of vacancies for outside body membership was a concern, although it was not clear if this was due to Councillors’ other commitments.

·  For outside bodies where the decision was made to withdraw Council support (ie not nominate a Member to the outside body), Councillors could still be a member of an outside body as an individual, they just would not be nominated by the Council.

·  For outside bodies where the decision was made to withdraw Council support would be notified by letter with a date when support would be withdrawn to enable the outside body to make representation for the support to remain.

RESOLVED: 

1.  That the Committee recommends to Council that Maidstone Borough Council continues support for those outside bodies on which it has representation as a result of legislation, a previous agreement (eg named on a charity’s trust) and Kent wide protocol or stated in the Constitution.

2.  That formal involvement in the following outside bodies be ceased:

·  Kent County Council Youth Advisory Group

·  Kent County Council Youth and Community Charity

·  Kent Playing Fields Association

·  Maidstone Cycling Forum

·  Maidstone Street Pastors

·  Maidstone YMCA

·  Medway Valley Line Steering Group

·  PATROLAJC

·  Relate West and Mid Kent

3.  The Council be recommended to link the remaining outside bodies with the relevant Service Committee.

4.  That Council be recommended to change responsibility for agreeing appointments to outside bodies from the Democracy Committee to the relevant, linked, Service Committee.

5.  That Council be recommended to amend the terms of reference of the relevant Service Committees to reflect their responsibility for the appointment of Members to the relevant outside bodies.

6.  That Council be recommended to amend the terms of reference for the relevant Service Committees to contain a requirement for the outside body Members to report to the Service Committee on a regular basis, eg quarterly.

Voting:  For – 9  Against – 0  Abstentions – 0