Agenda item

(1)      Establishment of Committees

To make arrangements for the discharge of the non-executive functions of the County Council through the appointment of committees, appointing Members to those committees in accordance with the proportionality of the council and to agree their terms of reference.??

In order to hear and determine grievances raised by the Chief Executive and Chief Officers and also grievances made against the Chief Executive and Chief Officers, the Council must appoint a Grievance Committee.?

In order to clarify roles and responsibilities and comply with the Council’s legal obligations, it is necessary to make consequential amendments to the Terms of Reference to the Staff and Appointments Committee and the Employment (Appeals) Committee (see pages 57- 68 and APPENDIX A to the rear of the agenda).?

(2)      Appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs

To appoint Chairs and Vice Chairs to the following Committees and Working Groups:

Corporate Services and Economic Growth OSC         

Family and Children’s Services OSC     

Communities and Place OSC                                     

Health and Wellbeing OSC

Audit Committee (Chair is a non-Councillor)

County Emergency Committee

Dismissal Advisory Committee

Disputes Panel - Fire and Rescue Service?

Employment (Appeals) Committee?

Governing Body of Netherton Park?(Vice Chair is a Trustee Manager)

Health and Well-being Board?(Vice Chair is a Board Representative)

Joint Consultative Committee?(Chair is a TU Representative)

Licensing Committee

Licensing and Regulatory Committee

Local Area Councils: 

Ashington and Blyth; Castle Morpeth; Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley; North Northumberland; Tynedale.

Petitions Committee

Staff and Appointments Committee

Standards Committee (Chair is a non-Councillor)

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education?(Vice Chair is a faith representative)

Strategic Planning Committee?

Climate Change Working Group

Constitution Working Group??

Food Poverty Working Group??

Local Area Councils’ Chairs Briefing?

Local Plan Working Group?

Member Services Working Group?

Northumberland Cycling and Walking Board?

Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting Group?

Town and Parish Council Liaison Working Group?

VCS Liaison Group?

(1)      Establishment of Committees

Council was asked to make arrangements for the discharge of the non-executive functions of the County Council through the appointment of committees, appointing members to those committees in accordance with the proportionality of the Council and to agree their terms of reference.??

In order to hear and determine grievances raised by the Chief Executive and Chief Officers and also grievances made against the Chief Executive and Chief Officers, the Council was required to appoint a Grievance Committee.?

In order to clarify roles and responsibilities and comply with the Council’s legal obligations, it was necessary to make consequential amendments to the Terms of Reference to the Staff and Appointments Committee and the Employment (Appeals) Committee.

An updated document reflecting Group wishes regarding appointments had been circulated in the chamber.

Councillor Ferguson referred to the number of times the word “should” was used in the terms of reference of the Grievance Committee. He asked that this be reviewed as it left things open to interpretation, and that the word “will” should be substituted. The Monitoring Officer advised that the words used reflected the JNC process. However, if an individual did not feel that they wanted to go down that route, there was the filter process with the Director of HR available.

Councillor Dale sought reassurance that there would be no overlap of membership between the dismissal advisory committee and the employment appeals committee, and other committees where this was an issue. The Monitoring Officer replied that it was noted in the report that there should not be an overlap.

Councillor Dickinson commented that there had still been no proper response regarding the consultation with staff on this as had been raised in the Constitution Working Group, and the report now referred to it not being needed. If national guidance was being followed, he queried what had changed. The Monitoring Officer replied that page 68 of the position statement advised that this was not a change in terms and conditions therefore it didn’t require formal consultation. However, the HR Director would informally consult with any officers who were affected and the report set out the process of notification.

Councillor Hill asked for the rationale for four members of the Cabinet to be on the Grievance Committee as she felt it should be the opposite. Councillor Wearmouth responded that the members who were put on was a decision for each Group. The Monitoring Officer reminded members that the Grievance Committee of five members was new and would be established on the proportionality agreed by Council in March. The inclusion of four Cabinet members referred to the Employment Appeals Committee of five members, which was drawn from a pool of 20 members, also proportionally representative, and it was that overall pool which included the four Cabinet members as previously agreed by Council. It was up to Council if it wished to change that.

It was RESOLVED by show of hands that:-

(a)      the committees, numbers of members of committees and chairs of committees set out in Appendix A be appointed;

(b)      approval be given to the appointment of the Grievance Committee and its terms of reference, and the consequential amendments to the Terms of Reference to the Staff and Appointments Committee and the Employment (Appeals) Committee set out in Appendix B;

(c)      ungrouped members be appointed to committees of the Council as detailed in Appendix A; and

(d)      authority be delegated to the Monitoring Officer to appoint members of committees on the nomination of their respective Group Leader.

(2)      Appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs

RESOLVED that Chairs and Vice Chairs be appointed to Committees and Working Groups as follows:

Corporate Services and Economic Growth OSC - D. Bawn/L. Dunn 

Family and Children’s Services OSC – W. Daley/R. Dodd

Communities and Place OSC – J. Reid/M. Mather                                     

Health and Wellbeing OSC – V. Jones/K.Nisbet

Audit Committee (Chair is a non-Councillor) – S. Watson/D. Towns

County Emergency Committee – C. Horncastle/G. Sanderson

Dismissal Advisory Committee -G. Sanderson/R. Wearmouth

Disputes Panel - Fire and Rescue Service – G. Sanderson/.B. Flux

Employment (Appeals) Committee? - D. Towns

Governing Body of Netherton Park?(Vice Chair is a Trustee Manager) – L. Darwin/Trustee manager

Health and Well-being Board?(Vice Chair is a Board Representative) – P. Ezhilchelvan

Joint Consultative Committee?(Chair is a TU Representative) – B. Flux/P. Judd

Licensing Committee – I. Hutchinson/C. Humphrey

Licensing and Regulatory Committee – I. Hutchinson/C. Humphrey

Local Area Councils:

Ashington and Blyth – L. Grimshaw, D. Carr, B. Gallacher

Castle Morpeth – J. Beynon, D. Towns, J. Foster

Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley – M. Swinburn, S. Lee, R. Wilczek

North Northumberland – G. Castle, S. Bridgett, C. Hardy

Tynedale - T. Cessford, D. Kennedy, A. Scott

Petitions Committee – R. Dodd/B. Flux

Staff and Appointments Committee – G. Sanderson/R. Wearmouth

Standards Committee (Chair is a non-Councillor) – J. Jackson/B. Flux

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education?(Vice Chair is a faith representative) – G. Renner Thompson/Faith rep

Strategic Planning Committee – T. Thorne/M. Robinson

Climate Change Working Group – G. Sanderson/N. Morphet

Constitution Working Group – B. Flux/?TBC

Food Poverty Working Group?- ?W. Pattison/W. Daley

Local Area Councils’ Chairs Briefing – G. Castle/?TBC

Local Plan Working Group - ?L. Darwin/A. Wallace

Member Services Working Group? - A. Sharp/E. Chicken

Northumberland Cycling and Walking Board - ?J. Riddle/TBC

Safeguarding and Corporate Parenting Group? -R. Dodd/C. Ball

Town and Parish Council Liaison Working Group – I. Hunter/?K. Parry

VCS Liaison Group - ?P. Ezhilchelvan/V. Jones