Issue - meetings

To submit the report of the Head of Democracy Services.

(a)   To adopt the list of committees and sub-committees to be established for the municipal year, as noted in the appendix to the report to the Council, and to adopt the allocation of seats in accordance with what is noted in the appendix.

(b)  To delegate the power to the Head of Democracy Services to make appointments to the committees based on political balance and in accordance with the wishes of the political groups.

(c)  To adopt the chairmanships of scrutiny committees on the basis of political balance, as follows:

Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee              Independent Group

Communities Scrutiny Committee                                 Plaid Cymru Group

Care Scrutiny Committee                                                Independent Group

The Head of Democratic Services presented a report on the annual review of the Council’s political balance.

The Head of Democratic Services noted that Councillor Freya Bentham, Member for Harlech / Talsarnau, had tendered her resignation since publishing the report, and he intended to report further on any change to the political balance as a consequence of this to the Council in July, after a by-election had been held.

He also acknowledged that the formula for allocating seats on committees was complicated, but this was a statutory system that was implemented consistently across Welsh Councils.  As such, the Democracy Team and the Communications Team were in the process of producing a short video to assist everyone to better understand the process.

RESOLVED

(a)     To adopt the list of committees and sub-committees to be established for the municipal year, as noted in the appendix to these minutes, and to adopt the allocation of seats in accordance with what is noted in the appendix.

(b)     To delegate the power to the Head of Democracy Services to make appointments to the committees based on political balance and in accordance with the wishes of the political groups.

(c)     To adopt the chairpersonships of the scrutiny committees on the basis of political balance, as follows:

Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee – Independent Group

Communities Scrutiny Committee – Plaid Cymru

Care Scrutiny Committee – Independent Group