Issue - meetings

Having re-appointed the Committees, the report under consideration sought to appoint Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen to each of the Committees and for Council to re-affirm the normal commencement time for each meeting.

The report also sought to reduce the number of Vice-Chairmanships to one per Committee, in line with the ethos of the motion passed earlier in the meeting.

Nominations had been printed in the published report, and the Chairman advised that a counter nomination had been received for the position of Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.   The counter-nomination was verbally withdrawn from the meeting. 

Having sought additional counter nominations, but with none being made, the Chairman indicated that if Members were content the recommendations would be taken en-bloc.  Members indicated their contentment to the process but there was a request made for a recorded vote which was duly supported by a second member. 

As such, the recommendations were put en-bloc to a recorded vote, with votes being cast as follows: -

For:    Councillors Barrett, Bennett, Bierley, Boles, Bridgwood, Brockway, Bunney, Carless, Darcel, Duguid, Flear, Fleetwood, Howitt-Cowan, Key, Lawrence, Lee, Morris, Palmer, Pilgrim, Rodgers, Smith, Snee J, Snee M, Swift and Westley. (25)

Against:       Councillors Dobbie and Hague (2)

Abstentions: Councillor Velan (1)

With a total of 25 votes cast in favour, 2 votes against, and 1 abstention the recommendations were declared CARRIED and as such it was:

RESOLVED that:

(a)    the number of Vice-Chairmanships be reduced to one per committee;

(b)    the following persons be appointed as Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, for the remainder of 2025/2026 Civic Year to the following Committees:

(c)    the normal commencement time for each of the Committees be as set out in the table at (b) above.

Having re-appointed the Committees, the report under consideration sought to appoint Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen to each of the Committees and for Council to re-affirm the normal commencement time for each meeting.

Members noted that no nominations had been included in the report and as such the Chairman advised he would take nominations, any counter nominations and hold a vote for each position in turn, with the exception of those highlighted in the report.

Therefore, nominations were sought for the position of Vice-Chairman of the Chief Officer Employment Committee.

In response to a Member’s Point of Information, Officers confirmed that if no nominations were made and no positions appointed to, each Committee would need to, when it met, appoint a Chairman for the meeting only.  The Committee not having a Chairman, would not prevent the Committee’s from meeting, and as such this was a matter for Member decision.

Nominations were sought for the position of Vice-Chairman of the Chief Officer Employment Committee, with the following nominations being proposed and seconded: -

·       Councillor Lesley Rollings

·       Councillor John Barrett

Another Member supported the notion of deferring appointments given the Council would most likely need to revisit these matters at its next meeting.  However, with formal nominations made and not withdrawn the Chairman advised the Chamber they would now need to vote on the matter.

On moving to the vote, a request for a recorded vote was made and duly seconded. As such the motion was put to a recorded vote, with votes being cast as follows: -

Votes for Cllr Rollings: Councillors Darcel, Dobbie, Hague, Howitt-Cowan, Rollings, Velan and Young (7)

Votes for Cllr Barrett: Councillors Barrett, Bierley, Bridgwood, Brockway, Brown, Carless, Duguid, Lawrence, Lee, McGhee, Morris, Palmer, Pilgrim and Rodgers (14)

Abstentions: Councillors Bennett, Boles, Bunney, Flear, Key, Mullally, Snee J, Snee, M Westley (9)

With a total of 7 votes cast for Councillor Rollings, 14 votes cast for Councillor Barrett and 9 abstentions, Councillor Barrett was declared APPOINTED.

Arising from political exchange the newly notified Leader of the Opposition confirmed her previous stance on the number of Vice-Chairmen and that in her view each Committee should only have need for one.  The Chairman in bringing order advised Members that reducing the number of positions was not within the gift of Members this evening and would require a motion with notice to Council.

Moving to the next position to be appointed to, again Members expressed support for the notion to defer, with several Members informally supporting calls for a deferral and becoming frustrated by the procedure.

Having sought advice the Chairman advised the Chamber that if nominations for positions were made, seconded and not withdrawn, they would have to be put to the vote, alternatively, noting the mood and appetite of the Chamber, a Member could choose to move a formal procedural motion to defer the appointments to the next meeting.

A procedural motion to defer the appointments was duly made and seconded and on being put to the vote was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28