Agenda

The nominations process approved at the Council meeting in February 2014 now provides:

Election of Chairman of the Council

The individual elected to the office of Chairman of Epping Forest District Council shall be elected on merit by the Council at its Annual meeting. Please also see provision (f) below.

Appointment of  Vice Chairman of Council

The appointment of the Vice Chairman of the Council shall be undertaken by the Council on the basis of merit in accordance with the following provisions:

(a)        nominees for the office of Vice-Chairman of the Council are required to submit a nomination form supported and signed by no fewer than 15 serving District Councillors on the date when the Appointments Panel holds its first meeting in any municipal year;

(b)        nominees for Vice Chairman of the Council may be a Councillor from any political group on the Council or any independent or unaffiliated Councillor;

(c)        the nomination of candidates for the position of Vice-Chairman and the expression of support for any nomination may be notified to the co?ordinating member by electronic mail;

(d)        all nominations shall be considered by the Appointments Panel for onward recommendation to the Annual Council meeting;

(e)        it is expected that the person appointed by the Council as Vice Chairman of the Council shall normally be elected as the Chairman of the Council for the following Council year;

(f)        If for any reason, a Vice Chairman is unable to be elected as Chairman of the Council following their year as Vice Chairman, the procedure outlined in (a) to (c) above shall also apply to the election of a new Chairman;

(g)        the Council may suspend the operation of the appointment process set out above at an Annual Council meeting.  A motion to that effect and giving reasons as to why this would be in the best interests of the Council may only be adopted if the equivalent of 65% of Council members present at the meeting vote in favour.

A Blank form is attached.

(1)        Leader of Council

Article 7 of the Constitution provide that at the annual meeting after the current leader completes his/her term that the Council reappoints a Leader for a four year term (or to the Annual Meeting after their normal retirement date).

This appointment can only be made by Council. Nominations for Leader are therefore required this year. (reference – Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 – section 67)

(2)        Leader Appointments

To report on the current position:

(a)        Cabinet Appointments;

(b)        Cabinet Portfolios and responsibilities

(c)        Cabinet Subcommittees and Appointments

Last years details are attached.

(a)        Nominations

To discuss and agree nominations to Committees, Sub-Committees and Panels. Schedules showing last years memberships and a version with those standing for election for completion/amendment of the required appointments is attached. A combined schedule will follow after the election.

(b)       Area Plans Sub-Committee South

To receive a report on the current position regarding members who wish to opt in to this Sub-Committee under the arrangements approved by the Council on 20 February 2007.

(c)        Overview and Scrutiny

Nominations to the new Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees and Task and Finish Panels are not required for the Annual Council Meeting. Nominations will be considered at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 9 June 2015.

A nomination form is attached.

Received nominations will be circulated separately.

To consider a draft Council seating plan. A new proposed layout will be circulated after the elections. Last years plan is attached for information which omits those not standing for re-election.

(a)       Outer North-East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has been extremely concerned by the recent report of the Care Quality Commission on its ‘inadequate’ judgement of the quality of care at Whipps Cross Hospital, particularly in terms of the implications of the findings of the Commission for the healthcare requirements of the Council’s residents in the south of the district.

Essex County Council has delegated its health scrutiny powers, in so far as they relate to the planning, provision and operation of health services in the outer north-east London area (and which impact on Essex residents in the west of the county who use those services), to an Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC). Essex County Council nominates one member to this body (County Councillor C. Pond).

Under the terms of reference of the JHOSC, this Council is entitled to nominate  one observing Member to the joint committee, although this opportunity doesn’t appear to have been taken up for some years. The Council’s most recently appointed representative was Councillor B. Sandler.

The JHOSC is already considering the report of the Care Quality Commission in respect of services provided at Whipps Cross Hospital and the detailed plans for improvementbeing implemented by Barts Health NHS Trust.Given the Commission’s unfavourable judgement of the quality of care at the hospital, theOverview and Scrutiny Committee considers that it would be appropriate to reinstate the appointment of a representative to the JHOSC from 2015/16.