Issue - meetings

The Council is asked to consider a proposal to ensure representation of a political group at a Select Committee meeting, in the light of a report by the Governance Committee.

107.1The Council considered a proposal to ensure representation of a political group at a Select Committee meeting in the light of a report by the Governance Committee (pages 163 to 166).

107.2Resolved –

          That a system of formal substitutes be introduced for select committees, with one named member per political group for each committee, to be adopted with immediate effect, and that the required changes to the Constitution, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

Report by the Director of Law and Assurance.

At its last meeting, the Committee asked for a more detailed report to be prepared on substitution, with a view to considering whether to recommend the introduction of formal substitution on Select Committees.  The report sets out how to establish substitution and why substitution was previously abolished in 2005.  The Committee is asked to consider two possible approaches to ensuring representation of a political group at a Select Committee for recommendation to the County Council.

51.1   The Committee was reminded that at its last meeting it had asked for a more detailed report on substitution with a view to considering whether to recommend the a system to allow substitutes at select committee meetings. 

51.2   Members considered a report by the Director of Law and Assurance which set out why the previous system of substitutes on select committees had been abolished in 2005, how to establish substitution and also contained an option for presuming that a member could speak at a select committee if that member’s political group would otherwise be unrepresented (copy appended to the signed minutes).

51.3   The Committee considered the two possible approaches set out in section 2 of the report and supported the proposal set out in paragraph 2.2 that there should be a mechanism of formal substitution on select committees.

51.4   Members recommended that there should be one named substitute per political group for each select committee and that substitutes should automatically receive papers for each meeting, irrespective of whether they were likely to be called on to substitute.

51.5   Members noted that the Constitutional changes required to put the proposals into effect would be taken to the next meeting of the County Council in February for approval.  The Committee supported the introduction of the new system with immediate effect after the Council meeting and therefore asked that nominations for substitutes be sought for approval at the same meeting.

51.6  Resolved – That the County Council be recommended that a system of formal substitutes be introduced for select committees, with one named member per political group for each select committee, to be adopted with immediate effect.

Report by the Director of Law and Assurance.

Following a request from Mrs Mullins, the Committee is asked to consider whether it wishes to investigate the introduction of substitutes on Select Committees.

41.1   Following a request from Mrs Mullins, the Committee considered a report by the Director of Law and Assurance which asked whether it wished to investigate the reintroduction of substitutes on Select Committees (copy appended to the signed minutes).

41.2   Dr Walsh, the Group Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, welcomed the report and said the lack of substitutes was particularly acute for the smaller parties and their reintroduction would be a sensible and positive way forward.  He stressed, however, that there should be rules around the operation of substitutes including that notification of a substitution should be given to the chairman or clerk in advance. 

41.3   Mrs Mullins said that all members took their commitment to membership of select committees seriously and only missed a meeting when absolutely necessary.  When, on occasions, it happened, it was not good for democracy if a political party was not represented in scrutinising an issue.

41.4   The Committee noted that the County Council was out of line with neighbouring authorities in not having substitutes for select committees.  Concern was expressed that substitutes were sometimes unable to contribute effectively to meetings if they only attended occasionally.  It was felt that if they were reintroduced there would need to be named substitutes and clear rules on how the system would operate.

41.5   The Committee therefore requested a report be brought to the next meeting setting out the reasons for the previous abolition of substitutes on select committees and putting forward, for consideration, a proposal for their reintroduction.

41.6  Resolved – That proposals for the reintroduction of substitutes on select committee be brought to the next meeting.