Agenda item

The Panel considered a report of the Monitoring Officer which sought approval for the appointment of two independent co-opted Members to the Panel (for copy see file of Minutes).

Councillor Armstrong informed the Panel that the current independent co-opted Members had been regular attendees at both Panel meetings and at events arranged by the Panel and had been committed to and supportive of the Panel.  He moved that the current independent co-opted Members be appointed for a further two years.  This was seconded by Councillor Jones.

Councillor Boyes informed the Panel that he was an advocate for staggered terms of appointment to avoid the Panel losing such experienced Members at the same time in the future.  This was supported by Councillor Hopgood who informed the Panel that such a problem had recently been experienced at the County Council’s Audit Committee which had lost two knowledgeable and long serving co-opted Members.  Councillor Hopgood proposed that the current independent co-opted Members be re-appointed, one for a two-year tenure and one for a four-year tenure.

The Monitoring Officer sought clarity on whether Councillors Boyes and Hopgood were proposing re-appointment for a two year period, then to be followed by appointments for a two-year and four-year period.  Councillor Hopgood replied that he proposal was to reappoint one of the existing Members for a two-year period and the other for a four-year period.  The Monitoring Officer replied that this proposal would need to be undertaken through a recruitment process.

Councillor Allen proposed that the Panel reappoint both of the current independent co-opted Members for a period of two years from 1 May 2017 and then subsequent appointments be made for two and four year periods.

Resolved:

(i)              That the current independent co-opted Members be reappointed for a period of two years to 30 April 2019;

(ii)             That from 1 May 2019 one independent co-opted Member be appointed for a period of two years and one independent co-opted Member be appointed for a period of four years.

Mr Cooke and Mr Dodwell re-joined the meeting.  Councillor Allen placed on record to them both the thanks of the Panel for their contribution and commitment to the work of the Panel.

The Chairman of the meeting was of the opinion that the following item of business was of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration because of the need to keep the Panel informed of recent assessments by HMIC Inspectorate of Constabulary.