Issue - meetings

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has notified the Council that it will conduct an electoral review of the Borough during 2020-2022.  The review process has now commenced. It would be preferable for the Council to put forward a single agreed submission and so this report seeks approval to appoint an Informal Working Party to prepare a recommendation to the Executive on the preferred size of the Council which is the first stage of the Commission’s review. The submission must be made by the end of February 2021 and therefore will need to be debated by Full Council no later than its February 2021 meeting.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive:

i.      Approve the setting up of an Informal Working Group of councillors, comprising two representatives from the three larger political Groups and one each from the two smaller political Groups, nominated by Group Leaders, together with one Independent Councillor.

ii.    Ask the Informal Working Group to bring forward recommendations (on the LGBCE ‘Size Submission’ document relating to the size of the Council from 2023) for consideration at the Executive’s February 2021 meeting at the latest so that the Executive can, in turn, make recommendations for the Full Council to debate at its February 2021 meeting.  

The Executive RESOLVED to:

i.      Approve the setting up of an Informal Working Group of councillors, comprising two representatives from the three larger political Groups and one each from the two smaller political Groups, nominated by Group Leaders, together with one Independent Councillor.

ii.    Ask the Informal Working Group to bring forward recommendations (on the LGBCE ‘Size Submission’ document relating to the size of the Council from 2023) for consideration at the Executive’s February 2021 meeting at the latest so that the Executive can, in turn, make recommendations for the Full Council to debate at its February 2021 meeting.  

Reason: to facilitate a cross-party approach to the Boundary Review submission and to ensure the deadline of the end of February 2021 is met.

[CUSTOMER SERVICES AND VALUE FOR MONEY OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE]

63.1    The Leader introduced the report proposing the establishment of a cross-party Member working group to lead the development of the council’s Size Submission document relating to the size of the council from 2023, as part of the Boundary Commission’s Electoral Review of Waverley. Whilst the Boundary Commission did not have to follow the council’s recommendation on council size, and there was an opportunity for independent submissions to be sent to the Commission, the Leader hoped that the cross-party approach would lead to agreement on a single Size Submission from the council.

63.2    Cllr Robert Knowles spoke to express his concern at the timing of the review, and the cost, given the government’s clear strategic intention to abolish district and borough councils. Whilst the Leader had some sympathy with this view, the Commissioner had been asked about this and it was understood that given the uncertain timing of any potential local government reorganisation in Surrey, the Electoral Review would continue as scheduled until such time that there was a definite reason to stop.

63.3    The Executive RESOLVED to:

i.     Approve the setting up of an Informal Working Group of councillors, comprising two representatives from the three larger political Groups and one each from the two smaller political Groups, nominated by Group Leaders, together with one Independent Councillor.

ii.    Ask the Informal Working Group to bring forward recommendations (on the LGBCE ‘Size Submission’ document relating to the size of the Council from 2023) for consideration at the Executive’s February 2021 meeting at the latest so that the Executive can, in turn, make recommendations for the Full Council to debate at its February 2021 meeting.