Hampshire County Council Item 9

20 May 2004

Proportionality and Appointments

Report of the Chief Executive

Contact: David Hinxman, Head of Democratic Services; ext: 7339,

e-mail:[email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report concerns various matters relating to proportionality and appointments which require the approval of the County Council.

2. Proportionality

2.1 Part 1 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires the County Council each year to review proportionality on committees. The existing proportionality arrangements are as follows. The full proportionality table is appended to this report:-

3. Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees

3.1 Standing Order 34 (b) requires the Council, at its Annual Meeting to appoint the Chairman and a Vice-Chairman for every committee of the Council, all of whom shall be members of the Council. The existing arrangements are:

4. Thames Region Flood Defence Committee

4.1 This is an outside body on which the County Council rotates representation with Swindon and Oxfordshire. The Council's next period of office is from 1 June 2004 to 31 May 2005. Councillor P. R. C. Hutcheson represented the County Council during its previous period of entitlement which ended on 31 May 2001 and his reappointment is recommended.

5. Final Accounts - Approval Arrangements

5.1 Regulations require the Final Accounts for 2003/04 to be approved by 31 August
2004; those for 2004/05 to be approved by 31 July 2005 and subsequent years to

be approved by 30 June. Previously there has been sufficient time to take the Final

Accounts to the full Council in September, the due date having been set at

30 September each year. For the approval of the 2003/04 Final Accounts, the target is the County Council meeting on 22 July but there is a risk that a robust set of accounts

might not be available at that time given the significant step change required by the Regulations.

5.2 The Regulations do, however, enable the function of approving the Final Accounts to be delegated to a committee. The Final Accounts may not be approved by the Executive. In the circumstances, it is suggested that a small group of leading members (3:1:1) including each of the political group leaders be appointed to agree the Statement of Accounts in the event that the target date of the County Council meeting on 22 July cannot be achieved. Given the changes required to the timetable next year and the year after and in subsequent years the County Council might wish to make this fall-back arrangement permanent.

6. Chichester Harbour Conservancy

6.1 It is necessary for the Council to review representation in line with the requirements of the Chichester Harbour Conservancy Act 1971 and to realign with the established cycle under the Act. In 2001 appointments were made for 4 years rather than 3 years as the Act requires but the rolling 3 year period from the introduction of the Act required 3 year appointments from 2002. Members appointed now, therefore, will need to be on the basis that they will be regarded as having resigned their appointments as of 30 June 2005. Proportionality rules apply, namely 3:1:0.

RECOMMENDATION

1. That the proportionality table appended to the report be approved;

2. That chairmen and vice-chairmen of committees and advisory panels be appointed.

3. That, subject to any changes which the County Council may wish to make,

Councillor P. R. C. Hutcheson be appointed to represent the County Council on the Thames Region Flood Defence Committee until the 31 May 2005.

4. That a committee of five members be appointed (3:1:1 on current proportionality) to approve the County Council's Statement of Accounts should it not prove possible to complete the Statement for submission to the County Council.

5. That appointments to the Chichester Harbour Conservancy Board be reviewed in accordance with the requirements set out in paragraph 6.1 above.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

None.

Appendix 1

Hampshire County Council - 20 May 2004 - Proportionality table

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