Flintshire County Council

The meeting will consider how committee seats are shared between political groups, which must reflect each group's share of councillors. This follows a by-election win for Josh Swash, who has joined the Flintshire Peoples' Voice group, and the passing of Cllr Carberry, who was in the Labour group. The report also proposes that Reform UK fill the vacant chair of the Education and Youth Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1. Review of political balance on committees

   Proposed

   The report recommends that committee seats be shared as set out in Appendix 1, which it calls one possible lawful allocation. It also recommends that Reform UK appoint the vacant chair of the Education and Youth Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Any changes to nominees should be sent to the Democratic Services Manager as soon as possible.

   Why

   Overview and scrutiny committees check and question the council's work, and a chair leads each one. Under the law, seats must be shared so that each group's share of seats matches its share of councillors, as far as is practicable. The report says Reform UK has enough members to be entitled to a chair, so the vacancy is now open to it. Flintshire Peoples' Voice has proposed a different seat allocation (Appendix 2), but the report advises that this can only be adopted if no councillor votes against it.

   Based on the minutes, Review of Political Balance, Enc. 1, Enc. 2

Written by AI from the reports on the agenda, before the minutes are published. Reports say what council officers recommend; the meeting can decide differently. Once the minutes are out, this becomes a summary of what was decided.

1. 2

   Declarations of Interest

2. 3

   Urgent Matters as Agreed by the Chair

3. 4

   Review of Political Balance

   Part of an issue followed across 5 meetings

   Papers: Review of Political Balance, Enc. 1, Enc. 2

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.

• Mel Buckley, ChairLabourPresent
• Steve Copple, Vice-ChairIndependentSent apologies
• Adele Davies-Cooke, Committee MemberConservativePresent
• Alasdair Ibbotson, Committee MemberFlintshire People's VoicePresent
• Allan Marshall, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Andrew Parkhurst, Committee MemberLiberal DemocratPresent
• Andy Hughes, Committee MemberIndependentSent apologies
• Ant Turton, Committee MemberIndependentPresent