The Monitoring Officer presented a report, the purpose of which, was to:

• advise Council of the outcome of the political balance of the Authority resulting from changes to the membership of political groups;
• seek approval of the revised political balance;
• approve the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with political balance rules, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and approve the changes to the membership of the Committees as outlined in paragraph 4.1 of the report.

She explained that, there had been a recent change to the membership of political groups, whereby Councillor C Webster had left the Conservative Group to join the Independent Alliance Group. 

The change outlined in paragraph 3.2 of the report, had therefore affected the political balance on Committees.

In view of the contents detailed within paragraph 3.3 (of the report),   changes to Committee memberships were now required, as follows:-

1.    Town and Community Council Forum – Conservative Group to lose a seat, Independent Alliance Group to gain a seat.

2.    Development Control Committee – Councillor M Hughes to lose a seat, Independent Alliance Group to gain a seat.

3.    Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 – Conservative Group to lose a seat, Councillor M Hughes to gain a seat.

4.    Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 – Councillor JH Tildesley to lose a seat, Independent Alliance Group to gain a seat

The Monitoring Officer verbally advised Members that aside of the above, a further change was also required, namely to add a member of the Conservative Group to the membership of the Development Control Committee.

Following the review of political balance as suggested above, the membership of committees would be updated, to reflect the composition of Council Committees accordingly. The updated political balance figures accounting for these changes, was shown at Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED:                              That Council:-

(1)      Noted the outcome of the political balance of the Authority resulting from changes to the membership of political groups;

(2)    Approved the revised political balance (of the Council);

(3)    Approved the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with political balance rules, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and the resulting changes to the membership of the Committees as outlined in paragraph 4.1 of the report, through the following named Councillor nominations:-

·         Town and Community Council Forum – Conservative group to lose a seat (former member Councillor C Webster) and Councillor C Webster, Independent Alliance group to gain this seat;

·         Development Control Committee – Councillor M Hughes, Independent to lose a seat and Councillor C Webster, Independent Alliance group to gain this seat. That a seat is also gained on this Committee by Councillor S Vidal, Conservative group;

·         Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 – Conservative to lose a seat (former member Councillor C Webster) and Councillor M Hughes, Independent to gain this seat, and

·         Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 – Councillor JH Tildesley, Independent to lose a seat and Councillor C Webster, Independent Alliance group to gain this seat.