Issue - meetings

Following a change in the political balance on the Council, to receive a report from the Corporate Director Finance & Resources reviewing (under Section 15 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989) the allocation of seats on Council Committees and other relevant bodies.

(Agenda republished to include the attached report on 7 November 2025)

Following the change agreed in the order of the agenda, the Mayor then invited Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) to introduce a report from the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources which fulfilled the Council’s duty to review and determine the representation of different political groups on the Council’s ordinary Committees following a change in balance between the political groups on the Council.  Members were advised that the report reflected a recent change in political balance on the Council following the resignation of a member of the Labour Group and that individual having joined the Conservative Group.  In presenting the report, members noted the impact outlined in terms of the existing allocation of seats on those ordinary committees of the Council to which the political balance rules applied, based on the revised overall composition of political groups.

As no other members indicated that they wished to speak on the item and the Leader of the Council advised he did not wish to exercise any right of reply, the Mayor moved straight on to put the recommendations to the vote which were declared CARRIED.

It was therefore RESOLVED:

(1)       To agree the size of each committee, which remained unchanged from the previous review undertaken at the Council meeting in July 2025.

(2)       To confirm (where the rules of political balance apply) the allocation of seats on committees to each of the Council’s political groups as set out in the report.

(3)       To make appointments, where identified as required, to those committees giving effect to the wishes of the political group allocated the seats; and

(4)       To note that the political balance on sub-committees would be reviewed at the first available meeting of the General Purposes Committee and the Licensing Committee.