Agenda item

Review of Deputy Chairmen

Report of the Town Clerk.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk reviewing the effectiveness of having three Deputy Chairmen and the process for electing them.

 

A Member suggested that rather than having three deputies consideration should be given to appointing one Deputy Chairman and two Vice Chairmen. He felt that this would provide greater clarity in terms of who was covering the statutory role. Several Members supported his suggestion. In answer to a question the Member clarified that, similar to current practice, the role of Deputy Chairman should be rotated amongst the three members elected.

 

A Member sought the Chairman’s views on the appointments. He advised that it had not worked as well as anticipated. He questioned the merits of seeking to allocate portfolios as it could be perceived as a cabinet and reminded the Committee that there were some activities that the Chairman of Policy could not delegate. He concluded by stating that how it could work going forward would be a matter for the incoming Chairman.

 

Reference was made to the two stage process for the election of the three office holders in the final year of a Chairman’s term of office, and it was agreed that all the appointments should now be made at one meeting.

 

RESOLVED – That:-

 

1.       approval be given to the appointment of one Deputy Chairman and two Vice Chairmen and to the Chairman, in consultation with the three appointees,  deciding which of them would exercise the formal responsibilities of Deputy Chairman for the coming year;

 

2.       the election of the three office holders in the final year of a Chairman’s term of office now take place at one meeting (the first meeting) every  year; and

 

3.       Standing Orders be amended to reflect these changes.

 

Supporting documents: