Agenda item

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Executive which sought (1) the appointment of Conveners and Vice-Conveners to the Council’s committees; (2) approval for the composition and membership of those committees; (3) agreement on the payment of senior allowances and a committee diary for the period July 2012 to June 2013; and (4) a view on whether a review of the committee Orders of Reference and Standing Orders was required.

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(i)                 agree the composition of the committees listed at paragraph 5.1 of the report, agree to increase the size of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee to 19 (plus seven external members), and appoint members to those committees on the basis of the agreed compositions;

(ii)               appoint a Convener and Vice-Convener to each of the committees listed at paragraph 5.1 of the report;

(iii)             agree the composition of the Urgent Business Committee and appoint members to this committee on the basis of this composition;

(iv)             determine whether it wishes to review the committee Orders of Reference and Standing Orders appended to the report; and if so, instruct officers to report with these revisions to the Council at its meeting on 27 June;

(v)               agree the payment of senior councillor allowances in accordance with the guidance set out at paragraph 7.3 of the report;

(vi)             agree the appointment of external members to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee as set out at paragraph 8.1 of the report and authorise that committee to accept the appointment of the second teacher representative as set out in paragraph 8.2 of the report;

(vii)           approve the diary of meetings for July 2012 to June 2013, subject to any modifications as determined by the Council; and

(viii)         approve option 3 for checking members under the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, and determine whether to establish a pool of substitutes for the Social Care and Wellbeing and Education, Culture and Sport Committees; and agree to check external members as outlined in paragraph 10.7 of the report, and make budgetary provision for this purpose.

Councillor Crockett moved, seconded by Councillor Boulton:-

            That the Council -

(i)                 agree the composition of the committees listed at paragraph 5.1 of the report, agree to increase the size of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee to 19 (plus seven external members) and increase the size of the Development Management Sub Committee to 13 (5 Labour members, 5 SNP members 1 Liberal Democrat member, 1 Conservative member and 1 Independent member), appoint members to these committees on the basis of the agreed compositions, as appended, and request Group Leaders to provide nominations to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services in early course;

(ii)               appoint a Convener and Vice-Convener to each of the committees listed at paragraph 5.1 of the report, as appended;

(iii)             agree the composition of the Urgent Business Committee on the basis of 5 Labour members, 5 SNP members, 1 Liberal Democrat member, 1 Conservative member and 1 Independent member;

(iv)              agree that no review of the committee Orders of Reference and Standing Orders was required at this time;

(v)                agree the payment of senior councillor allowances, in accordance with the guidance set out in paragraph 7.3 of the report, as appended;

(vi)              agree the appointment of external members to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee, as set out in paragraph 8.1 of the report, and authorise that committee to accept the appointment of the second teacher representative as set out at paragraph 8.2 of the report;

(vii)            approve the diary of meetings for July 2012 to June 2013, subject to any modifications as determined by the Council;

(viii)          approve option 3 for checking members under the PVG scheme, agreeing that all 43 elected members be checked and agreeing to check external members as outlined in paragraph 10.7 of the report, and budgetary provision for this purpose.

Senior Councillors

Councillor McCaig moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Jackie Dunbar:-

That the Council disband the Corporate Policy and Performance Committee and allocate its remit to the Finance and Resources Committee.

Councillor Malone moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Delaney:-

That the Chief Executive consider the committee structure over the recess and report back on options to reduce the number of committees by one.

During the course of his summing up, Councillor McCaig agreed to withdraw his amendment in support of the amendment by Councillor Malone and this was accepted. Councillor McCaig added that the previous administration had taken a voluntary 5% reduction in terms of senior councillor allowances and stated that he would continue this practice.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Boulton, Carle, Cooney, Crockett, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Finlayson, Forsyth, Graham, Grant, Ironside CBE, Laing, Lawrence, Malik, Milne, Jean Morrison MBE, Nathan Morrison, Taylor, Thomson and Young.

For the amendment  (20)  -  Councillors Blackman, Cameron, Corall, Cormie, Delaney, Dickson, Jackie Dunbar, Greig, Jaffrey, Kiddie, MacGregor, McCaig, Malone, May, Noble, Samarai, Jennifer Stewart, Sandy Stuart, Townson and Yuill.

The Council resolved:-

(i)                 to adopt the motion; and

(ii)               to agree that Councillor McCaig be Convener of the Audit and Risk Committee and Councillor Malone be Vice-Convener.