To receive any disclosures of interest from councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

There were none.

To consider the establishment of the Committee System Working Group with the Terms of Reference as set out in the report, and to agree the membership of the group.

The Committee considered a report seeking to establish a Committee System Working Group (CSWG) to monitor whether the Committee system was meeting the objectives set by the Council. .

No agreement had been reached by the Committee on the composition of the CSWG at their previous meeting on 28 July 2021. The Monitoring Officer had requested comments from the political group leaders on the options available and reported the feedback received to the Committee

It was proposed by Cllr Smith-Ainsley that the Terms of Reference should be as recommended and membership should consist of all group leaders and independent members, which would allow the independent Green councillor to be part of the working group.  This was seconded by Cllr Rybinski. 

An amendment was proposed by Cllr Beardsmore to allow one additional nominated Conservative councillor to the working group to make it slightly more equitable in terms of political representation of the Council but not too unwieldy.  This was seconded by Cllr Boughtflower and agreed unanimously.

Councillor Grant asked if substitutes could be used if members were unable to attend the working group meetings.  The Monitoring Officer advised that the Deputy Group Leader had been permitted to attend in place of a Group Leader previously if necessary.

The Committee resolved:

1.    To establish a Committee System Working Group (CSWG) with the terms of reference as set out in Appendix A.

2.    Membership of the CSWG to be Group Leaders, the Independent Green councillor and one additional named Conservative member.   Deputy Group Leaders would be allowed to substitute for Group Leaders if necessary, the Conservative Group to nominate a representative in place of the Deputy Group Leader.