Issue - meetings

To ask questions of Portfolio Holders. Members are reminded that questions must be submitted to the Chief Executive or to the Executive Head of Governance and Regulation by not later than noon on Friday 14 October 2016.

Cllr J G Ward asked the Leader of the Council whether a task & finish group should be set up to review the possible reduction in the number of Councillors from 60 to approximately 40.  The Leader replied that a Task & Finish Group would be constituted to examine the matter.

Question 1: from Cllr J G Ward to Cllr Rickman, Leader of the Council

“During 2013 and early 2014,  a Task & Finish Group of the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Panel, considered a proposal to reduce the number of Councillors from the current number of 60 to around 40.

The Task & Finish Group considered a number of options and eventually recommended a reduction. This Group’s recommendation was not accepted by the Panel or by the Full Council in April 2014. At the Full Council some members thought that as any change could not take effect until 2019, it was more appropriate to leave the decision on any reduction to the new Council (after the May 2015 election).

Even though there is uncertainty about Local Government in Hampshire, does the Leader consider that this aspect (i.e. a possible reduction of Members from 60 to 40) should now be reviewed and reconsidered, either by a Task & Finish Group set up by the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Panel or a Task & Finish Group set up directly by, and reporting to, the Cabinet?”

Answer:

The Leader of the Council replied that a Task & Finish Group would be constituted to review this matter.