Agenda and minutes

Members are reminded that at the start of the meeting they should declare any known interests in any matter to be considered, and also during the meeting if it becomes apparent that they have an interest in the matters being discussed.

            The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

In accordance with Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chair determined that the following items be considered as matters of urgency for the reasons stated:

(a)       Police and Crime Commissioner Elections – to allow an application to be made to the Home Office before the specified 15^th August deadline; and

(b)       Housing Options Shadow Board - to avoid any unnecessary delay in the establishment  of the shadow board and the subsequent appointment of  tenant and independent members and in order that work can immediately start work on the corporate form of the new organisation and offer document for consultation in September. 

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd June 2011.

            Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd June 2011 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

See explanatory note below.  Please phone the Committee Officer whose name and number appears at the top of this agenda if you need further guidance.

No public questions were asked under Standing Order 28.

The Director of Law and Democratic Services submitted a report concerning the appointment of a further Director to the Board of Forward Swindon Ltd. It was noted that the Special Committee, at its meeting on 20^th April 2011, had appointed four new directors but it had been decided to withdraw one nomination whilst clarification was sought around possible conflicts of interest that could limit that individual’s ability to serve on the Board.  It was reported that those concerns had been resolved to the point where it was felt that the appointment could now be reconsidered.

            Resolved – (1) That, on behalf of the Council, Mr. James Lockhart, Whitmarsh Lockhart Chartered Surveyors and Valuers, be appointed as a further Non-Executive Director of Forward Swindon Ltd., for a term commencing on 5^th August 2011 and expiring on 18^th May 2012.

            (2) That it be noted that, in accordance with Minute 19 2010/11 of this Committee, the membership and structure of the Board of Forward Swindon Ltd. will be reviewed prior to 18^th May 2012. 

            (3) That members be provided with a copy of the terms of reference of the Swindon Investment Group (SWIG) for information.

The Special Committee is asked to note that the Council’s Liberal Democrat Group has indicated that it wishes to replace Councillor Nicky Sewell with Councillor Stan Pajak as a representative serving on the Council’s Planning Committee for the remainder of the 2011/12 Municipal Year. Councillor Pajak has attended Planning training in this Municipal Year. The Special Committee is asked to confirm this appointment.

The Committee was advised that Councillor Nicky Sewell had resigned her position as the Liberal Democrat Group’s representative on the Planning Committee, with the intention that she should be replaced by Councillor Stan Pajak. It was reported to the meeting that this position had changed since the agenda had been despatched and that Councillor Sewell had asked to retain her position on the Planning Committee.

Councillor Andy Harrison commented that this situation had arisen due to issues around the shift working patterns of both the aforementioned councillors, neither being able to guarantee their attendance at meetings, and also the Council’s restrictions on appointment of deputies for Planning Committee members. He advised that the Liberal Democrat Group had been independently advised that, in these circumstances, the only available option to ensure representation at Planning Committee meetings was for the group’s member representative to resign in advance of meetings he/she was unable to attend and for another group member to be appointed in his/her place.

Resolved – (1) That Councillor Nicky Sewell be re-appointed as the Liberal Democrat Group representative on the Council’s Planning Committee, with effect from 5^th August 2011, for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2011/12.

(2) That it be noted that a report on the issues around the appointment of deputies for Planning Committee members would be prepared for consideration by the Corporate Governance Review Working Party.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services seeking cross-party agreement on the support of an application to the Home Office for the Borough’s Returning Officer to be responsible for the overall conduct of the May 2011 Police and Crime Commissioner elections for Wiltshire and Swindon, subject to the enactment of those proposals in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill.

            Resolved – That the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised to submit an application to the Home Office to act as Police Area Returning Officer to be responsible for the overall conduct of the May 2012 election for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon.

The Committee received a report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services regarding the appointment of 4 members of the Council to serve on the Housing Options Shadow Board, in compliance with the Cabinet Decision, at its meeting on 13 July, that, subject to Ministerial approval and the confirmation of the Council , the Director of Housing, Leisure, Libraries and Culture be authorised to proceed to a tenant ballot on a large scale voluntary transfer of the Council’s Housing stock, and to establish a shadow board (Minute 15 refers). It was noted that Ministerial approval had been received.

            Resolved – That Councillors Brian Mattock, David Renard, Peter Heaton-Jones and Steve Allsopp be appointed as the Council’s representatives on the Housing Options Shadow Board.

Councillor Andy Harrison asked that his vote against the above decision of the Committee be recorded in the minutes.

(In accordance with the National Code of Local Government, Councillors Brian Mattock and David Renard made non-prejudicial declarations of interest in respect of this item.)