Agenda item

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic on the appointment to those committees required to be politically balanced together with the together with the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, the Licensing Acts Committee and joint committees.

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic on the appointment of those committees and joint committees which are required to be politically balanced; together with the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, Licensing Acts Committee, and appointments to joint bodies.

The chair referred to the recommendations set out in the report, and circulated at the meeting, which covered the committee appointments for the 2024/25 municipal council year.  

These recommendations were that Council:

1.             appoints the committees and panels for the 2024/25 year and allocate seats to each political group as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

2.             appoints councillors and substitutes to sit on the committees and panels as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting:

3.             appoints councillors to the Licensing Acts Committee as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

4.             appoints councillors to the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

5.             appoints chairs and vice-chairs as set out in the schedule circulated prior to the meeting;

6.             appoints all local members representing the wards covered by the relevant area committees to those committees for the 2024/25 municipal year – Abingdon and North East, Faringdon and Wantage; 

7.             appointsPaul Barrow as the council’s representative and Ron Batstone as substitute on the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

8.             appoints Neil Fawcett as the council’s representative and Helen Pighills as substitute on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel;

9.             appoints Emily Smith, Debby Hallett and Andy Cooke to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership Scrutiny Panel;

10.          authorises the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to any vacant committee or panel seat and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader.

A number of councillors expressed concern that the independent councillors had no representation on committees and spoke in support of the Council making such provision. Other councillors noted that, as set out in the report, non-group councillors were not automatically entitled to committee seats. Such provision required no councillor voting against such a proposal and this was not guaranteed.

RESOLVED: That for the 2024/25 municipal year to:

1.       appoint the following committees and panels for the 2024/25 municipal year and to appoint the membership, substitutes and chairs and vice-chairs as indicated to sit on them (see table below);

2.    appoints all local members representing the wards covered by the relevant area committees to those committees for the 2024/25 municipal year – Abingdon and North East, Faringdon and Wantage; 

3. appointsPaul Barrow as the council’s representative and Ron Batstone as substitute on the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;
4. appoints Neil Fawcett as the council’s representative and Helen Pighills as substitute on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel;
5. appoints Emily Smith, Debby Hallett and Andy Cooke to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership Scrutiny Panel;
6. authorises the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to any vacant committee or panel seat and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader.