Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Policy, Communications and Governance relating to the Review of Outside Bodies.

It was noted that the report followed a culmination of work to review all the outside bodies that Councillors were appointed to.  The Outside Bodies Working Group had met on 24 July 2017 and had made suggested recommendations which were set out in the Appendix to the report.

Following a suggestion from a Member the Committee reviewed all the outside bodies that met ‘no’ under the following criterion:-

1.  Is this an appointment to a strategic body and/or is there a statutory requirement?

2.  Does the Council provide funding to this body – is it of a significant level, is a member appointment essential to oversee the funding?

3.  Is there a legal requirement for a council appointment if a charitable trust?

The results of the exercise were as follows:-

Collis Millennium Green Trust – Recommended that this is added to recommendation 4 for deletion:

Voting:  For:  4  Against: 1  Abstentions: 4

Kent Community Rail Partnership – Recommended that this is added to recommendation 4 for deletion:

Voting:  For:  6  Against:  0  Abstentions:  3

Kent Downs AONB Joint Advisory Committee – Recommended that this be deferred following further investigation:

Voting:  For:  unanimous

Maidstone Area Arts Partnership – Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 2:

Voting:  For:  4  Against:  3  Abstentions: 2

Maidstone Cycling Forum – Recommended that this be retained on recommendation 2.

Voting:  For:  5  Against:  4  Abstentions: 0

Maidstone Mind - Recommended to be deferred following further investigation:

Voting:  For:  unanimous

Maidstone Sea Cadets – Recommended that this be retained on recommendation 2.

Voting:  For:  unanimous

Maidstone Street Pastors-  Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 1.

Voting:  For:  7  Against: 2  Abstentions:  0

Maidstone Beauvais Twinning Association – Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 2.

Voting:  For:  6  Against: 3  Abstentions:  0

Medway Valley Line Steering Group – Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 2. However, the motion was lost and is therefore recommended to be on the list of deletions under recommendation 4.

Voting:  For:  1  Against:  6  Abstentions: 2

Quality Bus Partnership–  Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 2. However, the motion was lost and is therefore recommended to be on the list of deletions under recommendation 4.

Voting:  For:  2  Against:  5  Abstentions: 2

Relief in Need Charities – Recommended that this be retained under recommendation 1.

Voting:  For:  8  Against:  1  Abstentions: 0

South East Rail Passenger Group – Recommended that this be  retained on recommendation 2:

Voting:  For:  5  Against:  4  Abstentions:  0

Upper Medway Internal Drainage Board – Recommended that this be retained on recommendation 2:

Voting:  For:  8  Against:  0  Abstentions:  1

Vinters Valley Park Trust – Recommended that this be retained on recommendation 2:

Voting:  For:  7  Against:  1  Abstentions:  1

RESOLVED: 

1.  That the decision on the following outside bodies be deferred
  pending further investigation:-

  Maidstone Mind
   Kent Downs AONB Joint Advisory Committee

RESOLVED to Recommend to Council that:-

1.  The following outside bodies be retained and appointed by the Democracy Committee:-

Allington Millennium Green Trust – Allington Ward Member
Headcorn Aerodrome Consultative Committee – Headcorn Ward Member

Howard de Walden Centre – East and North Ward Members
Hayle Park Nature Reserve – South Ward Member
Maidstone Street Pastors – High Street Ward Member
Relief in Need Charity
Kent and Medway Crime Panel – Leader automatic appointment
Kent and Medway Economic Partnership – Leader automatic appointment
West Kent Health and Wellbeing Board – Leader automatic appointment

2.  The following outside bodies be retained but appointed by the relevant Committees as listed:-

Action with Communities in Rural Kent – CHE Committee
Age UK – CHE Committee
Bentlif Wing Trust – HCL Committee
Brenchley Charity Trust – HCL Committee
Citizens Advice Bureau – CHE Committee

Cutbush and Corrall – CHE Committee

KCC Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee – CHE Committee (Chairman automatically appointed)

Local Government Association General Assembly – P&R Committee to appoint non-Voting Member (Leader automatically appointed as voting Member)

Maidstone Area Arts Partnership – HCL Committee

Maidstone Beauvais Twinning Association – HCL Committee

Maidstone Cycling Forum – SPS&T Committee

Maidstone Mediation – CHE Committee
Maidstone Sea Cadets – HCL Committee

One Maidstone – P&R Committee

PATROLAJC – SPS&T Committee

Relate West and Mid Kent – CHE Committee

Rochester Bridge Trust – SPS&T Committee

South East Employers – Employment Committee

South East Rail Passenger Group – SPS&T Committee

Upper Medway Internal Drainage Group – SPS&T Committee

Vinters Valley Park Trust – CHE Committee

3.  That each outside body representative reports to the appointing Committee at least on an annual basis.

4.  That the following organisations be deleted from the Council’s list of outside bodies:-

Collis Millennium Green Trust 
KCC Youth and Community Charity 
KCC Youth and Community Management Committee 
Kent Community Rail Partnership 

Kent County Playing Fields Association 
Maidstone YMCA 

Medway Valley Line Steering Group 
Mid Kent Downs Steering Group

Quality Bus Partnership 

5.  That the Monitoring Officer be delegated to make the necessary changes to the Constitution.

6.  That the removal of funding for the Mid Kent Downs Countryside Project be referred to Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee for reconsideration.