Issue - meetings

(a)       That the seats on Committees be allocated in accordance with political balance as shown in Appendix A; and

(b)       That any changes to nominees be notified to the Democratic Services Manager as soon as possible.

The Chief Officer (Governance) introduced the report and explained that the Council was required under the Political Balance Rules contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as amended, to review the Council’s political balance calculations following the by-election in Penyffordd on 7^th October 2021.

The new Councillor in that ward, alongside Councillor Cindy Hinds as the other ward Member, was in the Labour Group, whereas the previous incumbent was a member of the New Independent Group.  The calculated entitlement to seats indicated that the Labour Group would gain two places and the New Independent Group would lose two places.  It was possible to accommodate those changes without impacting other groups.

The Council’s political groups and the number of Members on each was as follows:

The political balance calculation was appended to the report.  It was one possible lawful allocation and other possible allocations may exist.

During the review of the Committee structure in 2019, Group Leaders, on behalf of their Members, agreed that it was preferable and beneficial to try and allocate seats in line with Councillors’ areas of interest if possible.  Where it was possible within the rules, the allocation of seats was therefore influenced by known areas of interest/preference.

The Labour Group’s entitlement to an additional seat on the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee was clear from the calculations.  The issues arose with the second seat.  On this occasion, the apparent entitlement to seats would suggest that the New Independent Group should lose a seat on the Governance and Audit Committee to the Labour Group.  However, that seat was occupied by a Councillor with long experience and a keen interest in the work of that Committee.  In order to fulfil the aspiration to allocate seats based on interest, it was suggested that the Labour Group should instead be allocated an extra seat on the Education, Culture and Youth Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  That would result in that group being slightly “over-represented” on that Committee but it was a possible lawful allocation of seats.

As there was a possible allocation that would comply with both rules iii and iv, the legislation required that the recommended allocation could only be approved if no Councillor voted against it.

The recommendations in the report were moved by Councillor Ian Roberts and seconded by Councillor Peers.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the seats on Committees be allocated in accordance with political balance as shown in Appendix A; and

(b)       That any changes to nominees be notified to the Democratic Services Manager as soon as possible.