Issue - meetings

Council considered a report which sought to appoint Members to the vacancies remaining on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following Annual Council on 9 May 2022.  The report also sought to elect a Vice-Chairman for the Committee, a position which had not been filled at the Annual Meeting.

The following nominations were made by the Leader and seconded: -

Committee Members         Councillors J Brockway, P Howitt-Cowan and J McNeill

Vice-Chairman                    Councillor R Patterson

There was heated political exchange across the Chamber, with both the Administration and Opposition expressing distain and apportioning blame to the other, as to why the Council found itself in the situation it did.

Councillor Anne Welburn, raised a Point of Information, advising the Chamber that the Leader of the Opposition had been gifted a Vice-Chairmanship.  This point was disputed.

The Leader of the Opposition was offered further opportunity to make nominations but declined to do so.

A Lincolnshire Independent Councillor, expressed concern that the Committee would lose its objectivity, in the absence of Opposition Members, and following clarification, gave indication he was willing to fill a vacancy if permissible.  The Monitoring Officer confirmed that to be the case and on that basis it was: -

RESOLVED that:-

(a)         Councillors J Brockway, C Darcel, P Howitt-Cowan and J McNeill be appointed to serve on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the 2022/23 Civic Year; and

(b)         Councillor R Patterson be appointed Vice- Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the 2022/23 Civic Year.