NAC 220518 Appointments to Committees (Final)
North Ayrshire Council · 18 May 2022
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 18 May 2022 North Ayrshire Council Title: Appointments to Committees Purpose: To seek the appointment of Members and, where appropriate, lay representatives, to committees of the Council in accordance with the Scheme of Administration, including consideration of the appointment of Chairs (and, where appropriate, Vice Chairs). Recommendation: That the Council agrees: (a) to note that all Elected Members are automatically members of the full Council and the Local Development Plan Committee; (b) to note that all Elected Members are members of the Locality Partnership which covers their respective ward; (c) to approve the appointment of Chairs (and, where appropriate, Vice Chairs) of committees of the Council; (d) to approve nominations to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet, Education Appeal Committee, Licensing Committee, Local Review Body, North Ayrshire Integration Joint Board, Planning Committee, Police and Fire and Rescue Committee and Staffing and Recruitment Committee; (e) to agree the following arrangements for the appointment to the Cabinet of additional Members when it considers Education Authority business:
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(i) to appoint Ms Elizabeth Turbet and Mr Andrew Bruce as the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Scotland representatives, respectively; (ii) to issue a public notice seeking nominations from church or denominational groups to fill the third Church representative position; (iii) to approve the appointment of Ms Jacqui MacKenzie as the non-voting representative, nominated by the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers; (iv) to appoint two non-voting representatives, to be drawn from a pool of Youth Council members on a meeting- by-meeting basis; and (v) to remit to Cabinet to agree such appointments (f) to approve the appointment of lay representatives to the Education Appeal Committee, as referred to in Section 2.10 below. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This report sets out the committee vacancies which require to be filled in terms of the Council’s Scheme of Administration, and invites the Council to approve appointments. 2. Background 2.1 The Council’s Scheme of Administration, which is presented for the Council’s approval elsewhere on the Agenda, provides for the establishment, terms of reference, and constitution of the Council and its committees. It also provides that all Chair and Vice Chair appointments should be made by the full Council; that the Leader and Depute Leader of the Council will fill the positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Cabinet; and that the Leader of the Council will Chair the Staffing and Recruitment Committee. 2.2 In terms of the Scheme of Administration, all Elected Members will automatically become members of the full Council and the Local Development Plan Committee. All Members are also members of the Locality Partnership for their respective area. There are six Locality Partnerships across North Ayrshire (i.e. Arran, Garnock Valley, Irvine, Kilwinning, North Coast and the Three Towns). 2.3 Members of the Staffing and Recruitment Committee/their named substitutes are automatically members of the Council’s First Tier Joint Consultative Committee. Staffing and Recruitment Members and Named Substitutes are also automatically appointed to the membership pool for the Appeals Committee. Committees 2.4 The Scheme of Administration details the composition of each committee and sets out the number of members to be appointed by the Administration, the main Opposition (being the largest party not forming part of the Council Administration), the second Opposition group and Independent Members. Nominations require to be sought for the following:
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• Audit and Scrutiny Committee • Ayrshire Regional Economic Joint Committee and Partnership Board • Ayrshire Shared Services Joint Committee • Cabinet • Education Appeal Committee (membership pool) • Licensing Committee • Local Review Body • North Ayrshire Integration Joint Board • Planning Committee • Police and Fire and Rescue Committee • Staffing and Recruitment Committee 2.5 In the event that the Administration and Opposition do not fill all of the committee vacancies which they are entitled to fill in terms of the Scheme of Administration, it is recommended that Council agree that they can do so by intimating appointments to the Chief Executive. This is in line with the provision in the Scheme of Administration which provides that, on resignation of one of their nominees from a Committee, a Political Group can appoint a replacement. Chair and Vice Chair 2.6 Nominations are also sought in respect of the Chair (and Vice Chair, if applicable) position on each of the committees established by the Council in the Scheme of Administration. These positions are to be filled from among the Members appointed to each committee and will run for the duration of the Administration. Lay Representatives on Cabinet 2.7 The Scheme of Administration provides for the following additional members of Cabinet which it meets to consider Education Authority business: (a) as voting members, three persons interested in the promotion of religious education, appointed in accordance with Section 124 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended by Section 31 of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, and as detailed in Annexation A to the Scheme of Administration; and (b) as non-voting members, (i) a representative of the professional teaching associations nominated by the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers, and (ii) two pupils representatives, being members of the Youth Council
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2.8 The Church representatives referred to above are specified in Section 124(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as: (a) one representative of the Church of Scotland, nominated in such a manner as may be determined by the General Assembly of the Church; (b) in the case of the education authority for each area, one representative of the Roman Catholic Church, nominated in such a manner as may be determined by the Scottish Hierarchy of the Church; and (c) one person in the selection of whom the authority shall have regard (taking account of the representation of churches under paragraphs (a) and (b) above to the comparative strength within their area of all the churches and denominational bodies having duly constituted charges or other regularly appointed places of worship there. 2.9 The Church of Scotland and Roman Catholic Church have nominated Mr Andrew Bruce and Ms Elizabeth Turbet to continue to serve as their representatives, respectively. A public advertisement is proposed to invite nominations for the third Church representative, albeit that the current representative, Mr Ian Haining, has also intimated a willingness to continue in the role. Education Appeal Committee Lay Representatives 2.10 The Education Appeal Committee, in addition to comprising a pool of Elected Members from which one is drawn for each hearing, also has a pool of lay representatives, two of whom sit on each hearing. The following experienced individuals have previously served on the committee and have indicated a willingness to continue in the role: Val Gibson Gloria Killin Jim Smith Ann Smyth Karen Wallace (available to serve from June 2022) 3. Proposals 3.1 The Council is invited: (a) to note that all Elected Members are automatically members of the full Council and the Local Development Plan Committee; (b) to note that all Elected Members are members of the Locality Partnership which covers their respective ward; (c) to approve the appointment of Chairs (and, where appropriate, Vice Chairs) of committees of the Council;
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(d) to approve nominations to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet, Education Appeal Committee, Licensing Committee, Local Review Body, North Ayrshire Integration Joint Board, Planning Committee, Police and Fire and Rescue Committee and Staffing and Recruitment Committee; (e) to agree the following arrangements for the appointment to the Cabinet of additional Members when it considers Education Authority business: (i) to appoint Ms Elizabeth Turbet and Mr Andrew Bruce as the Roman Catholic Church and Church of Scotland representatives, respectively (ii) to issue a public notice seeking nominations from church or denominational groups to fill the third Church representative position (iii) to approve the appointment of Ms Jacqui MacKenzie as the non-voting representative, nominated by the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers (iv) to appoint two non-voting representatives, to be drawn from a pool of Youth Council members on a meeting-by-meeting basis; and (v) to remit to Cabinet to agree such appointments; and (f) to approve the appointment of lay representatives to the Education Appeal Committee, as referred to in Section 2.10 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Human Resources 4.2 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Legal 4.3 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Key Priorities . 4.6 None arising from the recommendations of this report. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None arising from the recommendations of this report.
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5. Consultation 5.1 Political Groups are being consulted in terms of their nominations. Craig Hatton Chief Executive For further information please contact Melanie Anderson, Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services), on 01294 324131 Background Papers None