Political Proportionality Report

SUMMARY

1. To agree a new scheme on the political proportionality for Committees following the resignation of Mr Bartlett, Mr Yates and Miss Humby from the Island First Group but not joining any other party.

OPTIONS

2. The legislation requires that the Council review the representation of different political groups on Committees/Panels following a number of events, one of which is when there has been a change to a political group.

BACKGROUND

3. The political make up of the Council is now:

Island First:	24
Conservatives:	13
Labour:	3
Mrs Foster (True Isle of Wight Independent):	1
Mr Buckle:	1
Mr Mazillius:	1
Mr Bowker:	1
Mrs Lawson:	1
Mr Bartlett:	1
Mr Yates:	1
Miss Humby	1

4. I have received notices that Mr Bartlett, Mr Yates and Miss Humby have resigned from the Island First Group. I attach at appendix A the necessary calculation for the different size of Committees.

5. The legislation also requires that the total of all the seats on the Committees of the Council must also be in proportion to the proportions on the Council as a whole. The effect of the changes are as follows:

Island First:	Six less on seats across all Committees (Except Standards and HR Committees)
Conservatives:	No Change
Labour:	No Change
Mr Bartlett:	To have two seats as decided by Council
Mr Yates:	To have two seats as decided by Council
Miss Humby:	To have two seats as decided by Council

6. The various changes required have been discussed with the affected Group and the individuals concerned. The suggested changes are detailed in Appendix 2, these are suggestions are made following Council’s usual practice of trying to avoid displacing current sitting members when re-allocating the seats on a political proportionate basis. However Mr Bartlett has indicated that in addition to the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee he would rather sit on the Adult Services Select Committee than the Licensing Panel. This could only be achieved if Council reallocated one of the seats on this Committee currently allocated to any of the other Groups – thus displacing a sitting member.

RECOMMENDATIONS

THAT Council approve the political distribution for Committees as set out in Appendix A.

THAT the distribution of seats across the Committees be as set out in Appendix B and that the various seats be filled in accordance with the wishes of the various Groups.

THAT the Council considers making the following appointments:

Mr Bartlett to the Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services Select Committee and as a Deputy to the Licensing Committee.

Mr Yates to the Development Control Committee and the Resources Select Committee.

Miss Humby to the Licensing and Fire and Public Safety Select Committee.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Letters from Mr Bartlett, Mr Yates and Miss Humby dated 14 and 27 August and 3 September 2004.

Contact Point : Chris Mathews, ( 823280, e-mail: chris.mathews@iow.gov.uk

M J A FISHER

Chief Executive Officer

Revised Sept 2004 Appendix A

IWC

COMMITTEES/PANEL

READY RECKONER

No of Seats	Island 1st	Cons.	Lab.	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H
3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4	2	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5	3	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
6	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7	4	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8	4	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
9	5	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
10	5	3	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
11	6	3	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
12	6	4	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
13	7	4	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
14	8	4	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
15	8	5	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
16	9	5	1	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
17	9	5	2	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*	1*
18	9	5	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
19	10	5	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
20	10	6	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
21	11	6	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
22	12	6	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
23	12	7	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
24	13	7	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+
25	13	8	2	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+	1+

Appendix B

Sept 2004

PROPORTIONALITY ACROSS COMMITTEES

	Total No. of Seats	Island First	Con.	Labour	Mrs Foster	Mr Buckle	Mr Mazillius	Mr Bowker	Mrs Lawson	Mr Bartlett	Mr Yates	Miss Humby
Executive (NOT Proportionate)	10	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Licensing	10(+4)	6	4	1+		1*				1		1
Development Control	14(+6)	10	6	1	1				1		1
Regulatory Appeals Committee	15	8	4	1		1*	1
Childrens Services	9	5$	3	1
Adult and Community Services	9	5	2	1			1
Environment, Transport etc	9	5	3	0				1#
Economic Development etc	9	4	2	1				1		1
Resources	9	4	2	1					1		1
Fire and Public Safety	9	4	3	0	1							1
Standards	2(+3)	3	1	1
HR Committee	4	2	1

* allocated to Mr Buckle but not filled by the Council.

+ filled by Mr Mazillius on behalf of the Labour Group.

$ a seat filled by Mr Mazillius on behalf of the Island First Group.

#allocated to Mr Bowker but not filled at his request.