19 April 2011 - Agenda

                                                                                                   11 April 2011

Dear Sir/Madam

A Meeting of the Babergh District Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Corks Lane, Hadleigh on TUESDAY, 19 APRIL 2011 AT 9.30 A.M.

The proceedings will be opened with a short prayer for those Members who choose to participate.

Yours faithfully

Andrew Hunkin
Director of Corporate Services

ITEM

BUSINESS

                                                                         PART I 

	1	DECLARATION OF INTERESTS Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at this meeting.
	2	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive apologies for absence.
Paper K235	3	CHAIRMAN’S ANNOUNCEMENTS In addition to any announcements made at the meeting please see Paper K235 attached detailing events attended by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.
	4	TO RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF PETITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH COUNCIL PROCEDURE RULE NO. 13 In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 13, the Chief Executive will report the receipt of any petitions.  There can be no debate or comment upon these matters at the Council meeting.
	5	QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given no later than midday two working days before the day of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 14.
	6	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS The Chairman of the Council and the Chairmen of Committees and Sub-Committees to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District and which fall within the terms of reference of that Committee or Sub-Committee of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 15.4 (a) and (b).
Paper K236	7	ANNUAL REPORT OF STANDARDS COMMITTEE Report by the Standards Committee attached.
	8	MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEES FOR NEW TERM OF OFFICE (i)    Proposed arrangements for Appointing Ungrouped Members to Committees, etc:- The head of Corporate Services to report that at Annual Meeting on 19 May 2011 the Council will need to appoint Members to serve on Committees and outside bodies. It is necessary for machinery to be agreed to enable a draft list to be prepared for consideration at the Annual Meeting.  In this connection, as has happened previously, the Council is asked to agree to the draft list being compiled by the Chairman of the Council who remains in office in that capacity until the Annual Meeting. Details of this suggested procedure and timetable are set out below for consideration and it is RECOMMENDED that this be approved:- 5 May 2011 Election Day 6 May 2011 Councillors elected 6 May 2011 Director of Corporate Services to write to Councillors asking them to indicate: a)    which Committees, Task Groups and Panels etc. they wish to be considered to serve on b)    nominations for appointment on outside bodies 10 May 2011 Latest date for receipt of Members’ preferences and nominations 11 May 2011 Meeting with Group Leaders and Chariman of the Council to agree draft Committee, etc. lists 12 May 2011 Draft Committee etc. lists to be prepared for consideration by Council at the Annual Meeting 12 May 2011 Draft Committee etc. lists to be sent to all Members 19 May 2011 Annual Council Meeting

		(ii)    Proposed Arrangements for Appointing Members in Political Groupings to Committees etc. The Director of Corporate Services to report on the arrangements if two or more Members decide following the elections to form themselves into a political group or groups for Committee composition purposes under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.  In this situation those Members who had formed themselves into such a group(s) would not normally be allocated Committee seats in accordance with the arrangements referred to in (i) above. The normal procedure for such Members would be that at the Annual Meeting the Council would merely allocate the number of Committee seats for political group(s) according to the formula laid down in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.  This basically provides for Members of a political group to have the appropriate number of seats on Committee in proportion to their membership of the whole Council. Once the number of Committee seats has been allocated to the group(s), then the group(s) has to be given a period of time of up to 21 days (as provided for in the Act) in which to nominate the Members to serve on those Committees.
		However, the leaders of the Conservative, Lib-Dem and Independent Groups have been asked whether they would be agreeable to a much shorter period for submitting nominations (as happened at the time of the last election) as otherwise it would not be possible for any Committee meetings to be held until approximately 4 weeks after the Annual Meeting of the Council on 19 May 2011. On the basis that any political group leader(s) would agree to submit nominations for Committee seats at an earlier date to enable the business of the Council to be carried out expeditiously, the following arrangements are proposed:- 10 May 2011 Notice of formation of any political group(s) for Committee composition purposes to be delivered to the Director of Corporate Services if these are to take effect from the Annual Council Meeting. 11 May 2011 Meeting with Group Leaders (and Chairman of the Council if appropriate) to agree draft Committee, etc. lists. 19 May 2011 Annual Council Meeting.
		It is RECOMMENDED:- (1)    That the above procedures be approved (but accepting that any political groups are able to deliver nominations for allocated seats outside the timetable contained therein should they wish). This will enable the business of the Council to be carried out effectively without undue delays in the initial weeks following the election. (2)    Where the Council or any Committee has determined the allocation to different political groups of the seats on a body to which Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 applies, the Director of Corporate Services be delegated the power to make appointments to that body so as to give effect:- (a)    as soon as practicable after the determination, and (b)    if the vacancy subsequently occurs on that body, as soon as practicable after the occurrence of the vacancy About who is to be appointed to the seats on that body which are allocated to a particular political group as are expressed by that group.
For further information on any of the Part 1 items listed above, please contact Steve Ellwood on 01473 825876 or via email at committee.services@babergh.gov.uk