Agenda item - CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL - PROPOSED GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

CENTRAL BEDFORDSHIRE COUNCIL - PROPOSED GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

Meeting of COUNCIL, Thursday, 10 April 2008 7.00 p.m. (Item 6.)

To invite the Council to approve the draft Constitution and make appointments to various Committees required for the new Shadow Authority.

(Report of the Proper Officer of Mid Bedfordshire District Council attached - pages 8.1 to 8.8)

Minutes:

The Shadow Council received and considered the report of the Proper Officer of Mid Bedfordshire District Council asking it to approve the draft Constitution and make appointments to various committees required for the new Shadow Authority.

Recommendation 1 contained in the report was moved and seconded:-

"1. that the draft Constitution for the Shadow Authority, circulated separately, be approved and adopted for the period to 1 April 2009."

As an amendment to the Motion, it was moved and duly seconded:-

"That recommendation 1 be amended by the addition of the following words after "1 April 2009":-

", subject to the amendment of the relevant Rules of Procedure to provide for public participation in meetings of the Shadow Council, its Committees and the Shadow Executive on the basis of the following general principles:-

(a)	A period of up to 15 minutes being allowed for public questions/comments and responses at the beginning of the meeting;
(b)	Questions/statements to be relevant to the powers and duties of the Shadow Council;
(c)	The order of speaking to be in the order in which requests are received;
(d)	Each speaker having up to 3 minutes in which to speak;
(e)	Where a speaker wishes to speak on an item which is included on the agenda, the Chairman of the relevant body having the authority to take the public participation at the relevant point on the agenda rather than during the 15 minute public participation slot at the beginning of the meeting."

Following a detailed debate, upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

As a further amendment to the Motion, it was moved and duly seconded:-

"That the recommendation 1 be amended by the addition of the following words after "1 April 2009":-

", subject to the amendment of the Council Rules of Procedure by:-

(a)

The deletion of Rules 21.4 and 21.5 and their replacement with the following revised Rule 21.4:-

21.4

Every Member of the Shadow Council shall have the right to attend meetings of a Committee or the Shadow Executive. Such a Member shall be entitled to speak once on any item and may, with the prior consent of the person presiding, contribute further, but shall not vote."

Following a detailed debate, upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.

The Shadow Council then received and considered a supplementary report that set out nominations for committee seats and Chairmanships/Vice-Chairmanships for the coming year. The report also set out for Members' information, notification of the appointment of the four group leaders upon the Shadow Council. Appended to the report, at Appendix "A", were nominations of the groups for places on committees and at Appendix "B", nominations received for Chairmanships/Vice-Chairmanships of committees.

In considering this item, the Leader of the Shadow Council referred to the implications of the existing vacancy on the Council and the late indication of a Councillor to join the Independent Group whose Leader was currently unavailable. The implications of the possible revision in the size of the Independent Group, together with any revisions required as a result of the Flitwick East By-Election to be held on 1 May 2008, would be addressed, if necessary, at the subsequent meeting of the Shadow Council.

RESOLVED

1.	that the draft Constitution for the Shadow Authority, circulated separately, be approved and adopted for the period to 1 April 2009.
2.	that the following committees be established, with the appointment of Members to these committees as set out in Appendix "A" to these minutes:-
	(a)	Scrutiny Committee	12 Members	4 each from BCC, MBDC and SBDC and in accordance with the rules relating to political proportionality (9 Conservative, 2 Liberal Democrat and one Labour member)
	(b)	General Purposes Committee	9 Members	3 each from BCC, MBDC and SBDC and in accordance with the rules relating to political proportionality (6 Conservative, 2 Liberal Democrat and one Independent member)
	(c)	Standards Committee	19 Members drawn from the existing Standards Committees of the constituent authorities	MBDC	Council Representatives	4
					Independent persons	3
				SBDC	Council Representatives	3
					Independent persons	3
				BCC	Council Representatives	3
					Independent persons	3
	(d)	Appointments and Appeals Committee	4 Members	The Leader (or her nominee), Deputy Leader (or his nominee), 1 Conservative representative of Bedfordshire County Council (or nominee) and 1 Liberal Democrat representative (or nominee).
3.	that the Council appoints Cllrs P Staples and A R Bastable as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the Scrutiny Committee; and Cllrs Mrs J G Lawrence and T Green as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the General Purposes Committee.
4.	that the provisional dates and times of the Shadow Council and Scrutiny Committee, for the period to 1 April 2009, as set out in paragraphs 5, 6 and 13 respectively of the report of the Proper Officer, be approved.

Supporting documents: