To receive a report from the Leader of the Council on the business of the cabinet and on matters that the leader considers should be drawn to the council’s attention. The leader shall have 10 minutes to make his announcements.
The opposition groups will have an opportunity to reply to the leader’s remarks. The opposition group leaders shall each have 5 minutes to respond after which the Leader of the Council will have a right of reply. Any right of reply will be for a maximum duration of 5 minutes.
Minutes:
The Leader gave his announcements and stated that in September 2019, the Council had resolved to look at the governance arrangements of the Council, including whether to retain the existing Cabinet arrangements or introduce a committee system, or other system. During discussions at the Governance Working Group, it was apparent that such a change could not be implemented prior to May 2021. At that time, with the agreement of my Group, I offered the opposition leaders a place on my Cabinet. I am pleased to say that that process is underway and I will let the Leaders of the Groups talk about it. It compromises no-one, and the one rule that is insisted upon is that any decision the Group leaders make at Cabinet, they continue to support outside of Cabinet. However, group leaders would not be not bound if they did not make that decision. We recognise the diversity of the group of Councillors we have now, and 15 months is a long time to wait, so I think this is a very good way forward, and I am happy with the way it has been received.
The Leader of the Green group responded and thanked the Leader for this offer. She advised she had discussed this with her group, and wished to accept a place on Cabinet. She stated that she would be responsible for the portfolio of Environment, which would include the responsibility of Air Quality, and she would chair the Climate and Ecological Emergency Working Group, She stated that she was pleased that Hythe would have a voice on Cabinet. She added that this was not a coalition, but power sharing, and was a temporary situation, as she still supported the implementation of a Committee system.
The Leader of the Labour Group responded and stated that the proposal was unique, and as the Labour Group worked with the party on a local and national level, he was still in consultation with the National Group on accepting a position on Cabinet. He was however watching with interest.
The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group responded and stated that in September, he had proposed that the Council move to a Committee system, because the current Cabinet arrangements did not include other groups. He felt it would be churlish to accept this offer, and added that the Committee system would still be the optimum preference, but he appreciated that this would be difficult to implement prior to 2021. He stated that the offer was ground breaking, and had not been done elsewhere in this format. He also added that it was not a coalition arrangement, and there would be times where the Cabinet Members disagreed, and times where they agreed and worked together. He stated that his portfolio would be Revenues and Benefits, and Anti-Fraud and Corruption, and he was keen to use the tools available within the benefits system to tackle homelessness.
Proposed by Councillor Monk,
Seconded by Councillor Mrs Hollingsbee; and
RESOLVED:
That the announcements of the Leader be noted.