Issue - meetings

In accordance with Standing Order 29, Members are asked to note that the Mayor has called an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council in order to consider a report from the Corporate Director Finance & Resources detailing constitutional changes to the terms of reference of the Planning Committee (Part 4 of the Constitution) and the Members’ Allowance Scheme (Part 6 of the Constitution)

Members are asked to note this follows on from initial consideration of the proposals at the previous Council meeting on 14 September 2026.

(Agenda republihsed to included an updated version of the report and appendices on 7 October 2026)

In accordance with Standing Order 29, Members are asked to note that the Mayor has called an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council in order to consider a report from the Corporate Director Finance & Resources reviewing (under  Section 15 of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989) the representation of different political groups and allocation of seats on Council Committees and other relevant bodies following a change in the political balance on the Council.

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 change in political balance on the Council had involved five members resigning as members of the Labour Group to join the Green Party, leading to their formation as a new political group of Green councillors.

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.

The Mayor then opened the debate inviting other members to speak on the report, with the following contribution made.

In commenting on the nature of the meeting, Councillor Lorber highlighted his concern at the need to have convened an Extraordinary meeting for the purpose of confirming the outcome of the political balance review given the time and resource involved.  Given the concerns outlined, he felt these supported the need for a change in regulations enabling either a simpler process to be followed in seeking to approve the changes based on a process of consultation between the Groups or the meeting to be held online and hoped members would support the need for continued lobbying on such an approach.

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 and they were declared CARRIED.

It was therefore RESOLVED:

(1)       To agree the size of each committee, which it was noted had remained unchanged from the previous review undertaken at the Council meeting in November 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.

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

(5)       To note (given their size) the designation of the newly established group of Green councillors as the second Opposition Group on the Council for the purpose of the Members Allowance Scheme.