Agenda item

The Council was required annually to establish its committees, their size and terms of reference, and to appoint councillors to them in accordance with the rules on political balance. The Council also elected the chairmen and vice-chairmen of those committees.

Details of the proposed committees and their respective size and terms of reference for the municipal year 2024-25 were set out in the report submitted to the Council, including details of the numerical allocation of seats on the committees to the political groups.  The Supplementary Agenda Pack also included details of each group’s nominations to fill those seats (and substitutes where appropriate), together with the nominations for election of committee and sub-committee chairmen and vice-chairmen.

Upon the motion of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Julia McShane, and seconded by the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Tom Hunt, the Council:

RESOLVED:

(1)         That, for the 2024-25 municipal year, the Council agrees to appoint the committees referred to in the table set out in paragraph 6.2 of the report submitted to the Council, and agrees their respective size referred to therein and the proposed terms of reference, as indicated in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)         That the following numerical allocation of seats on committees to each political group on the Council, be approved for the 2024-25 municipal year:

(3)         That the nominations for membership of the committees and the joint committees for the 2024-25 municipal year be approved in accordance with the wishes of the political groupsas indicated below:

Corporate Governance and Standards Committee

Guildford and Waverley Joint Governance Committee

Guildford and Waverley Joint Senior Staff Committee

Councillor Philip Brooker

Councillor Julia McShane

Councillor Fiona White

Licensing Committee

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Resources

Planning Committee

(4)         That the designated chairs of the Licensing Sub-Committee and Licensing Regulatory Sub-Committee continue to be elected annually by the Council, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 2.4.6.

(5)         That the nominations for election of chairs and vice-chairs of committees and chairs of the Licensing sub-committees for the 2024-25 municipal year, as shown in the table below, be approved:

(6)         That the Council appoints Councillor Stephen Hives as Armed Forces Champion for 2024-25.

Reasons:

·      To comply with Council Procedure Rules 2.4.1 and 2.4.6 in respect of the appointment of committees and election of committee chairs and vice-chairs

·        To enable the Council to comply with its obligations under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in respect of the political proportionality on its committees.

Contested Election:

The Council was invited to vote on the contested election in respect of the vice-chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Resources.

The Council

RESOLVED: That Councillor Dominique Williams be elected vice-chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Resources for the 2024-25 municipal year.

Appointment of Councillor Champions – 2024-25

The Council was also invited to vote on the contested appointment of Councillor Champions for the 2024-25 municipal year. 

It was noted, however, that Councillor Honor Brooker had withdrawn her nomination in respect of the Older Persons Champion, Councillor de Contades had withdrawn his nomination in respect of the Historic Environment and Design Champion, and the Mayor had withdrawn her nomination in respect of Deputy Armed Forces Champion.

Consequently, the Council

RESOLVED:

(1)         That Councillor Richard Mills OBE be appointed as Historic Environment & Design Champion for 2024-25.

(2)         That Councillor Joanne Shaw be appointed as Older Persons’ Champion for 2024-25.

(3)         That Councillor Danielle Newson be appointed as Deputy Armed Forces Champion for 2024-25.