Agenda item

To receive a report on the political balance of the Council and to appoint to Council Committees/Panels/Boards in accordance with the Groups’ wishes as set out in Appendix 1.

Further information relating to the nominations will be circulated before or at the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION That Council:

1)       having reviewed the representation of the political groups on the Council, confirms that it has 31 Conservative Group Members, 18 Liberal Democrat Group Members, 3 Labour Group Members, and 2 Independent Group Members;

2)       approves the appointment and composition of Committees and Boards as set out in Para 2.1;

3)       approves the allocation of seats on Committees and Boards on the basis that, of the 89 seats (as set out in Para 3.6), 53 be allocated to the Conservative Group 28 be allocated to the Liberal Democrat Group, 5 be allocated to the Labour Group and 3 be allocated to the Independent Group;

4)       approves the proposals submitted by the respective Group Leaders and that those Members be appointed to the Committees and Boards as set out in

Appendix 1 (to follow);

5)       agrees that the second part of procedure rule 4.2.1.1r) and procedure rule 4.2.26 continues to be suspended and for the 2021/22 Municipal Year enabling the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of those Council Committees etc, set out in Appendix 1A to be appointed as stated;

6)       agrees that the principles of proportionality be applied when Members are appointed to Sub Committees, Panels or Working Groups;

7)       notes the appointment of the Independent Persons to assist the work of the Standards Committee and the co-opted Parish/Town Council Representatives as set out in Appendix 1;

8)       notes the elected Member representatives on the Wokingham Borough Wellbeing Board, as set out in Appendix 1, as nominated by the Leader of Council in accordance with Section 194 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The Council considered a report on the political balance of the Council and the appointment to the Council’s Committees and Boards, in accordance with the wishes of the Groups.

The report set out a number of recommendations which Members were asked to consider.

Rachel Burgess requested a separate vote on recommendation 5. Councillor Burgess felt that Committee Chairs and Vice-Chairs should be selected by the Committees themselves at their first meeting.

Imogen Shepherd-Dubey raised a point of order under Section 4.2.13.13 of the Constitution. Councillor Shepherd-Dubey queried the appointment of Daniel Sergeant as Chairman of the Audit Committee whilst acting as a Non-Executive Director of Berry Brook Homes and Wokingham Housing Ltd. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that the proposal would not create a prejudicial situation. John Kaiser subsequently confirmed that Councillor Sergeant would not continue in the Non-Executive Director roles.

It was proposed by John Halsall and seconded by John Kaiser that the recommendations in the report be agreed.

Upon being put to the vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That

1)         having reviewed the representation of the political groups on the Council, it be confirmed that it has 31 Conservative Group Members, 18 Liberal Democrat Group Members, 3 Labour Group Members, and 2 Independent Group Members;

2)        the appointment and composition of Committees and Boards as set out in Para 2.1 be approved;

3)        the allocation of seats on Committees and Boards be approved on the basis that, of the 91 seats (as set out in Para 3.4), 53 be allocated to the Conservative Group 30 be allocated to the Liberal Democrat Group, 5 be allocated to the Labour Group and 3 be allocated to the Independent Group;

4)        the proposals submitted by the respective Group Leaders and that those Members be appointed to the Committees and Boards as set out in Appendix 1 be approved;

5)        it be agreed that the second part of procedure rule 4.2.1.1r) and procedure rule 4.2.26 continue to be suspended and for the 2021/22 Municipal Year, enabling the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of those Council Committees etc, set out in Appendix 1A to be appointed as stated;

6)        it be agreed that the principles of proportionality be applied when Members are appointed to Sub Committees, Panels or Working Groups;

7)        the appointment of the Independent Persons to assist the work of the Standards Committee and the co-opted Parish/Town Council Representatives as set out in Appendix 1 be noted;

8)        the elected Member representatives on the Wokingham Borough Wellbeing Board, as set out in Appendix 1, as nominated by the Leader of Council in accordance with Section 194 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 be noted;

9)         Council approves any deemed absence for the purposes of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 (‘the 6 month attendance rule’), for any Member who has joined the meeting by remote means.