The Head of Law and Governance has submitted a report setting out a review the allocation of seats to political groups following notification of the formation of a new political group, the Independent Group.

Recommendations: that Council resolves to:

1.    Approve the revised allocations of seats to political groups as shown in Appendix 1 of the report;

2.    Approve the following changes to the membership of committees appointed at the Annual Council meeting in accordance with the wishes of political groups in view of the revised allocations: Cllr Latif to come off the Audit and Governance Committee, Cllr Lygo to come off the General Purposes Licensing Committee, and Cllr Smowton to come off the Standards Committee;

3.    Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to appoint members to the seats allocated to the Independent Group based on the wishes of that group, or if no nominations are received within 21 days, to appoint members to those seats based on the allocations agreed at the Annual Council meeting on 19 May 2021 and the wishes of political groups.

Council considered the report of the Head of Law and Governance setting out a review the allocation of seats to political groups following notification of the formation of a new political group, the Independent Group.

Cllr Brown, the Leader of the Council, introduced the report and proposed the recommendations.

The recommendations were agreed on being seconded and put to the vote.

Council resolved to 

1.    Approve the revised allocations of seats to political groups as shown in Appendix 1 of the report;

2.    Approve the following changes to the membership of committees appointed at the Annual Council meeting in accordance with the wishes of political groups in view of the revised allocations: Cllr Latif to come off the Audit and Governance Committee, Cllr Lygo to come off the General Purposes Licensing Committee, and Cllr Smowton to come off the Standards Committee;

Delegate authority to the Head of Law and Governance to appoint members to the seats allocated to the Independent Group based on the wishes of that group, or if no nominations are received within 21 days, to appoint members to those seats based on the allocations agreed at the Annual Council meeting on 19 May 2021 and the wishes of political groups.