EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE |
1 February 2017 |
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Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting? |
Yes |
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Appointment of Sub-Committees |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Employment Committee |
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Lead Head of Service |
Angela Woodhouse, Head of Policy and Communications |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Caroline Matthews, Democratic Services Officer |
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Classification |
Public |
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Wards affected |
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This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee: |
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That
the Committee approves the membership of the Sub-Committees as set out in Section
2.2 of the report
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This report relates to the following corporate priorities: |
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· Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all - none · Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough - none |
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Timetable |
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Meeting |
Date |
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Employment Committee |
1 February 2017 |
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Appointment of Sub-Committees |
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1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 To appoint to the Committee’s various Sub-Committees as detailed in the body of the report.
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 Following the By-Election
held in September 2016 it was necessary to recalculate the distribution of seating
on Committees and Sub-Committees.
2.2 As a result of this, the allocation for the Sub-Committees for Employment Committee changed as follows:-
Old Appointment Sub-Committee – 2 x Con, 2 x Lib Dem, 1 x Ind
New Appointment Sub-Committee – 2 x Con, 2 x Lib Dem, 1 x Ind/UKIP
The Performance
Sub-Committee will stay the same as it consists of the Group Leaders of the 5
largest parties (not politically balanced). It is a decision for the committee
as to whether or not to include substitutes and if so in what form they will
take, i.e. it could include deputies of the Group Leaders.
Old Investigatory Sub-Committee – 2 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem
New Investigatory Sub-Committee – 1 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem, 1 x Ind/UKIP
Old Hearings Sub-Committee – 2 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem
New Hearings Sub-Committee – 1 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem, 1 x Ind/UKIP
Old Appeals Sub-Committee – 2 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem
New Appeals Sub-Committee – 1 x Con, 1 x Lib Dem, 1 x Ind/UKIP
2.3 Set out in Appendix ‘A’ are the various Sub-Committees that the Committee need to appoint to. It is possible to appoint a Sub-Committee which is not politically balanced so that Sub-Committees are made up from the members of the Employment Committee. The arrangements for such appointments are set out in paragraph 2.4 below.
2.4 Section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides for exceptions to the political balance requirements. In essence, the Committee can amend the political balance of a Sub-Committee provided that notice of the intention to give such consideration has been given to all Members of the Committee and when the alternative arrangements are put to the vote at the Committee, no members of the Committee votes against them. If the political balance of the Council were to change these arrangements would have to be reviewed.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 An alternative
would be to not appoint to any or all of the Sub-Committees but this is not
recommended as it would be going against the decision of Council as set out in
the Constitution.
3.2 The Committee may choose not to have politically balanced Sub-Committees and agree that they will be made up from members of the Employment Committee.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 To appoint to the Sub-Committees as set out in paragraph 2.2.
This would satisfy the correct allocation of seats.
4.2 The Director of Finance and Business Improvement held discussions
with the Group Leaders of both the Independent and UKIP political parties and
it was agreed that the Group Leader for the Independents would be appointed to
the Sub-Committees where indicated for the remainder of the municipal year and
next year the Group Leader for UKIP would be appointed.
5. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
5.1 Once the appointments are made, these will be held for the remainder of the municipal year.
6. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
Impact on Corporate Priorities |
There are no impacts on corporate priorities. |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Risk Management |
Failure to appoint to these Sub-Committees could create difficulties for the Council in undertaking these functions |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Financial |
There are no financial implications |
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Staffing |
There are no staffing implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Legal |
The recommended option relating to the appointment of the Sub-Committees will comply with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (the Act) and the Council’s Constitution. The Committee can decide to remove the need for political balance on the sub-committee’s using the procedure under section 17 of the Act as set out in the report. |
Interim Deputy Head of Legal Partnership |
Equality Impact Needs Assessment |
There are no implications arising from the report |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Environmental/Sustainable Development |
There are no environmental/sustainable development implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Community Safety |
There are no community safety implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Human Rights Act |
There are no human rights implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Procurement |
There are no procurement implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Asset Management |
There are no asset management implications |
Head of Policy and Communications |
7. REPORT APPENDICES
Appendix A
8. BACKGROUND PAPERS
None