The Council was asked to endorse the nominations of the Liberal Democrat Group to replace Councillor Longley (on Committees, Working Parties and Outside Bodies) and Councillor Betson (on the Audit Committee and Scrutiny Bodies).  The Council was also  asked to endorse the nominations of the Independent Group to replace Councillor Ward on the Development Control Committee and Councillors Aylen and Velmurugan on the Public Transport and Buses Working Party.  In addition, the Council was asked to appoint to the position of Chairman of the Audit Committee.

In response to questions on the rules governing the appointments on working parties, Members were advised of:

(a) The legal requirement (contained in S.15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989), which stipulates that places on Committees must be allocated to political groups on the basis of the proportionality rules. 

(b)  The legal requirement (contained in S.16 of the 1989 Act) which places a duty on a local authority to give effect to the wishes of political groups in making appointments to positions allocated to them; and

(c) The Council’s Constitution which applies these same requirements to appointments to working parties.  Therefore a motion not to give effect to the wishes of a political group in respect of a place allocated to them was not possible.

Resolved:

That the following appointments and changes be made to committees, working parties, and other bodies, subject to the replacement of Councillor Cox with Councillor Aylen on the Public Transport and Buses Working Party:

Scrutiny Bodies:

People Scrutiny Committee – Cllr Crystall

People Scrutiny Committee Programme Working Party – Cllr Cystall

LSCB Scrutiny Panel – Cllr Crystall

Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Cllr Crystall

(It was noted that Mr Vincent Copeland is no longer the Roman Catholic Diocese representative on the People Scrutiny Committee).

Committees

Audit Committee – Cllr Ayling (Chairman)

Appointments & Disciplinary Committee – Cllr Betson

Health & Wellbeing Board – Cllr Betson

Cabinet Committee – Cllr Betson

Development Control Committee – Cllr Ward

Working Parties

Biodiversity & Environmental Awareness Working Party – Cllr Betson

Cultural, Tourism and Events Working Party – Cllr Betson

Grants Strategy Working Party – Cllr Betson

Traffic and Parking Working Party – Cllr Betson

Performance Related Pay Panel – Cllr Betson

Member Advisory Forum (re: trading companies) – Cllr Betson

London Southend Airport Monitoring Working Party – Cllr Betson

People Management, Accommodation and Digital Strategy Working Party – Cllr Mulroney

Rochford and Southend-on-Sea Area Action Plan Committee – Cllr Betson

Southend Business and Tourism Partnership – Cllr Betson

Public Transport & Buses Working Party – Councillor Woodley (Chairman) and Councillor Assenheim

Outside Bodies

Southend Business Improvement District Committee (relevant Executive Councillor) – Cllr Betson

Southend Business Partnership Executive Committee (relevant Executive Councillor) – Cllr Betson

Southend Pier Museum Trust (relevant Executive Councillor) – Cllr Betson

Community Safety Partnership Priority Leadership Group – Cllr Betson

East of England LGA Local Government Employers Panel – Cllr Betson

Enterprise Priority Leadership Group – Cllr Betson

Key Cities – Cllr Betson

Local Government Association General Assembly – Cllr Betson

London Southend Airport Consultative Committee – Cllr Betson

PSP Southend LLP – Cllr Betson

Southend-on-Sea Arts Council – Cllr Betson

Southend-on-Sea Forum Management Ltd – Cllr Betson

*In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 40.2 the following Members had their vote recorded against the action of the Independent Group to replace Councillor Aylen on the Public Transport and Buses Working Party:

Cllrs Arscott, Aylen, Buckley, Butler, Byford, Courtenay, Cox, Davidson, Evans, Flewitt, Folkard, D Garston, J Garston, Habermel, Hadley, Holland, Jarvis, Lamb, McGlone, Phillips, Robertson, Salter, Walker and Waterworth.