Agenda item

To consider the report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations – attached.

Steven Corrigan and Mark Stone left the meeting during consideration of this item as the report included recommendations to appoint them to positions within the council.

Council considered the revised report of the deputy chief executive – transformation and operations, on the appointment of a monitoring officer, an interim monitoring officer, electoral registration officer and deputy electoral registration officer and a returning officer.

Councillor Smith, Leader of the council, noted that this meeting was Margaret Reed’s final Council meeting prior to her retirement. On behalf of councillors, Councillor Smith thanked her for her many years of service to the council and Vale residents. Although due to retire in 2020, Margaret had agreed to stay on for a further year to assist the council with its response to the Covid pandemic. She thanked Margaret for her support, advice and approachable manner and wished her a well-earned retirement. Council showed its appreciation with a round of applause.  

RESOLVED: to

1.    appoint Patrick Arran as the council’s monitoring officer with effect from his taking up his role as the councils’ head of legal and democratic;

2.    appoint Steven Corrigan, Democratic Services Manager, as the council’s monitoring officer, on an interim basis, with effect from 16 July 2021 until Patrick Arran becomes monitoring officer when he takes up his role;

3.    in terms of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, to appoint Mark Stone as the council’s electoral registration officer with effect from 16 July 2021 and agree to continue the designation of Steven Corrigan as deputy electoral registration officer;

4.    that in terms of section 35 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation to appoint Mark Stone as the council’s returning officer with effect from 16 July 2021, with authority to act in that capacity for elections to the council and all or any parish and town councils within the council’s area;

5.    authorise the council’s electoral registration officer to act in respect of all related electoral, poll or referendum duties, including in relation to county council elections, and national, regional and local polls or referendums;

6.    agree that in relation to the conduct of local authority elections and polls, and elections to the United Kingdom Parliament, and all other electoral duties where the council is entitled by law to do so, the council shall take out and maintain in force insurance indemnifying the council and the returning officer against legal expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the defence of any proceedings brought against the council or the returning officer and/or the cost of holding another election in the event of the original election being declared invalid (provided that such proceedings or invalidation are the result of the accidental contravention of the Representation of the People Acts or other legislation governing the electoral process, or accidental breach of any ministerial or other duty by the returning officer or any other person employed by or officially acting for him in connection with the election or poll);

7.    agree that in the event of such insurance carrying an 'excess' clause by which an initial portion of risk is not insured, the council will indemnify the returning officer up to the value of such excess.

8.    authorise the monitoring officer to make any consequential changes required to the Constitution to reflect these changes.