Agenda item

Declarations of interest were made by Mr Michael Brown, Mr Paul King and Mr Paul Thomas. The Chair requested at the start of the item, for these Members leave the Council Chamber, in the interests of fairness and correct governance.

1.       The report was presented by the Head of Democratic Services, Joel Cook. The following key points were highlighted:

a)       It was reported that further engagement had taken place with the political Groups and interested Members. While most competing expressions of interest had been resolved through discussion, two appointments remained outstanding, namely the appointments to the Rochester Bridge Trust and the Gabriel Richards Charity.

b)       The Committee was advised that the report detailed those Members who had expressed an interest in the appointments and outlined the considerations normally taken into account when making appointments, including the proportional allocation of positions across political Groups. It was noted, however, that the determination of appointments remained a matter for the Committee.

c)       The Committee was further invited to note the appointments listed in Appendix 1 of the report, which had already been made under delegated authority. It was reported that the relevant organisations had been notified of those appointments and that the appointed Members had received information regarding their roles and responsibilities.

d)       During discussion, clarification was sought as to whether either of the outstanding appointments could be shared between two Members, either through a joint appointment arrangement or by dividing the term of office between them. The Committee was advised that the governance arrangements for appointments were determined by the respective outside bodies and were therefore outside the control of the County Council. It was noted that informal discussions could take place in individual cases, although Members were reminded that any alternative arrangements could have implications for future practice.

e)       The Committee discussed the factors that might be taken into account when determining the appointments. Reference was made to the guidance on proportionality and it was acknowledged that this should be an important consideration in reaching a decision.

f)        The Committee also considered whether the geographical location of the outside bodies and the electoral divisions represented by the interested Members were relevant factors. In relation to the Gabriel Richards Charity, it was noted that the charity was located in the Dover district area, and consideration was given to the proximity of the interested Members' divisions to the charity's area of operation. In relation to the Rochester Bridge Trust, discussion took place regarding the Trust's connection with the Medway area and whether representation from a Member with links to that locality would be advantageous.

g)       It was also noted that the Rochester Bridge Trust's activities extended beyond the management of a single bridge and included responsibility for other assets and operations which supported its charitable objectives. The Committee considered whether this wider geographical and operational remit should be reflected in the appointment    

f)        Following two separate votes by Committee Members, Mr Paul

King was appointed to the Gabriel Richards Charity and Mr Michael Brown was appointed to the Rochester Bridge Trust.

2.       a)       RESOLVED Members NOTED the appointments made to

                     various Outside Bodies (detailed in Appendix 1).

b)       RESOLVED Members appointed Mr Paul King to the Gabriel Richards Charity and Mr Michael Brown to the Rochester Bridge Trust.