Meeting: Governance Committee
Date: 28 September 2023
Title: Appointments to Outside Bodies
By: Assistant Chief Executive
Purpose of Report: To enable the Committee to consider the appointments of members to outside bodies on which the County Council is represented following the by-elections in July and August 2023.
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RECOMMENDATION
(1) The Governance Committee is recommended to recommend to County Council:
(a) the allocation to political and independent groups of places on the East Sussex Fire Authority and the appointment of twelve councillors to the Authority;
(b) the allocation to political and independent groups of places on the Conservators of Ashdown Forest and the appointment of representatives to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
(2) The Governance Committee is recommended to agree on the appointment of Cllr Julia Hilton as a second representative on the Police and Crime Panel for a one year period.
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1. Background Information
1.2 The County Council is invited to appoint members (in some cases non-county
councillors are eligible) to serve on a wide range of outside bodies. Appointments are
normally made for the lifetime of the County Council. In the case of appointments being
made now the term will be to the date of the annual council meeting in the next County Council full election year unless otherwise indicated, although in most cases it is open to the County Council to change its representation at any time by resolution.
1.3 In appointing members to some outside bodies, places on committees must be allocated to political groups in proportion to the number of seats on the Council held by each group, unless there is agreement, without dissent, that the provisions of the Act should not be applied.
1.4 The political balance provisions apply to the East Sussex Fire Authority and the Conservators of Ashdown Forest. The table in Appendix 1 has been compiled following consultation with the Group Leaders and shows the revised allocation of seats for 2023/24 following the by-elections in July and August 2023. The Independent Group are entitled to an additional place on the East Sussex Fire Authority and the Green Group are entitled to a place on the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
1.5 In addition to a representative from each authority in Sussex, the Constitution of the Police and Crime Panel allows for additional local authority members to be appointed to address any imbalance in political proportionality. Any such appointments will be for a one-year period. Due to the need to appoint to the additional pace ahead of the PCP meeting on 22 September the Governance Committee delegated authority to its Chair to appoint to the place. In order to achieve political proportionality, it was proposed by West Sussex County Council, who support the Panel, that for 2023/24 East Sussex County Council appoint a Green as a second representative. The Chair of the Governance Committee appointed Cllr Hilton. as the Council’s second representative on the Police and Crime Panel. The Committee is recommended to confirm this appointment.
1.6 Following the Committee’s meeting, the party group leaders and independent members will be asked to let the Assistant Chief Executive have nominations to fill the allocated places on outside bodies covered in this report provisionally allocated to their group. The nominations received will be circulated to members of the County Council on the day of the 10 October council meeting, for approval by the Council.
PHILIP BAKER
Assistant Chief Executive
Contact officer: Georgina Seligmann
Telephone: 01273 4823555
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Appointments made in 2021 or as updated |
Appointment requirements
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East Sussex Fire Authority |
Cllr Azad Cllr C Dowling Cllr Galley Cllr Geary Cllr Lambert Cllr Maples Cllr Marlow-Eastwood Cllr Osborne Cllr Redstone Cllr Scott Cllr Tutt Vacancy |
Responsibility for the Fire Service in East Sussex rests with East Sussex Fire Authority. The Authority has 12 members of the County Council and 6 members of Brighton & Hove City Council. The political balance provisions apply to appointments to the Authority and the entitlement of each group will be as set out below:
Conservative – 6 Liberal Democrat – 3 Labour – 1 Green - 1 Independent Democrat - 1 Independent – 0
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Conservators of Ashdown Forest
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Cllr Howell Mr A Reid Mrs R St Pierre Mr R Stogdon Mrs S Tidy Mrs E Rimington-Drury Mr J Squire Ms F Thomas |
The County Council appoints eight of the 15 Conservators. The Council representatives do not have to be Councillors. Of the remaining seven, two are appointed by Wealden District Council and five are elected by the commoners. In addition, the Chairman of the County Council serves on the Conservators to represent the County Council as Lord of the Manor. It is the duty of the Conservators to regulate and manage the Forest as an amenity and place of resort subject to the existing rights of common, to protect the Forest from encroachments and to conserve it as a quiet and natural area of outstanding beauty. The political balance provisions apply to the County Council’s appointments to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
Subject to the agreement of the County Council the entitlement of appointments to each group is: Conservative 4; Liberal Democrat 2; Labour 1, Green 1
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Police and Crime Panel |
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the Constitution of the Police and Crime Panel allows for additional local authority members to be appointed to address any imbalance in political proportionality. Any such appointments will be for a one year period. In order to achieve political proportionality it is proposed by West Sussex County Council, which provides democratic services support to the Panel, that for 2023/24 East Sussex County Councils each appoint a Green as a second representative.
Green 1
Cllr Julia Hilton |