Agenda item

Agenda item

Council Chairman

Report of Head of Democracy and Governance

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Head of Democracy and Governancefor the Working Party to consider options for how the Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Council was selected.  The report also contained additions for the role and function of the Chairman for the Working Party to consider including in the constitution.

 

The Head of Democracy and Governance introduced the report and explained that the council currently selected the next Vice Chairman/Chairman by the length of service.  However, the number of members with a long service record was decreasing and those with long service were either not willing to take on the role of Chairman or had done it previously.  Secondly, there were suggestions about expanding the role of the Chairman more formally within the constitution and including how they were selected.

 

The Working Party commented that a number of different systems had been used in the past at Watford Borough Council to select the Chairman.  The consensus was to continue with the same selection process as was currently in place.

 

With regards to the additional roles and functions, the following were set out in the report:

 

“The Chairman and Vice Chairman when undertaking their civic and ceremonial roles should not:

 

·       Bring the Council into disrepute through abuse of office

·       Challenge the democratic mandate of the majority party when exercising the casting vote at Council meetings

·       Attend any function or otherwise give support to any organisation or person, whose objectives are contrary to law and/or council policy

·       Solicit engagements or visits at home or abroad or otherwise procure favours by virtue of office.

·       Overspend their budget

·       Use their position for party political purposes, including seeking their own re-election.”

 

Councillor Sharpe proposed striking out the second bullet point as in the circumstances of a tied vote it would be unreasonable to expect a minority group Chairman to vote a certain way.  He continued that whoever had been Chairman had given up controversial political roles.  The role of Chairman had also never gone to anyone who was standing for parliament or for elected mayor in Watford.  Therefore, he proposed to add to the last bullet point:

 

and avoid controversial political roles such as chairing major committees, standing for parliamentary and mayoral elections in Watford.”

 

With regards to chairing major committees the examples given were Development Management Committee and Licensing Committee.

 

In response to questions the Head of Democracy and Governance confirmed that the Chairman received an allowance and also had a budget for hospitality and events, depending on the Chairman’s aspirations for the year.  Although it was self-evident, to put it down in the constitution made it clear to the person taking on the role and the public what was being expected.

 

With regards to accepting engagements, it was commented that generally engagements came through the civic officer who would advise the Chairman on whether it was appropriate to attend.  It was also explained that a weekly diary of engagements was released by the civic office so that the Chairman and Vice Chairman were aware of what was coming up.

 

There was discussion within the Working Party on the proposed amendment to the bullet points and some members felt that the conditions were unnecessary and that candidates for political roles were not decided in May but much later in the year.  It was also commented that to try to use the position of Chairman politically would result in the Chairman looking foolish.

 

The Head of Democracy and Governance explained that it was not currently part of the constitution regarding not chairing any major committee when holding the role of Council Chairman; however, this had been practice in the past.  The Chairman could not be on the Cabinet.

 

There was further discussion on members not behaving politically when accepting the role as Chairman of the Council.  It was felt that keeping the two separate was a mechanism for protecting the chairmanship from suspicion or taint by party politics.

 

Councillor Sharpe proposed the motion that:

 

·       The seniority practice is continued for selection of Chairman and Vice Chairman.

·       The second bullet point in the proposed additions to the constitution is deleted

·       That the additional wording as shown above is added to the final bullet point.

On being put to a vote the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1. That the current practice for selection of Chairman/Vice Chairman is continued using the seniority scheme.

 

2. That the following be proposed to Council to be added to the constitution:

“The Chairman and Vice Chairman when undertaking their civic and ceremonial roles should not:

 

·       Bring the Council into disrepute through abuse of office

·       Attend any function or otherwise give support to any organisation or person, whose objectives are contrary to law and/or council policy

·       Solicit engagements or visits at home or abroad or otherwise procure favours by virtue of office.

·       Overspend their budget

·       Use their position for party political purposes, including seeking their own re-election and avoid controversial political roles such as chairing major committees, standing for parliamentary and mayoral elections in Watford.”

 

Supporting documents:

 

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