Report of the Monitoring Officer

The Fire Authority received the report of the Monitoring Officer (MO) seeking to secure political balance on Panels in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 and agree the resultant membership to the Panels of the Fire Authority. (Copy in Minute Book)

The Fire Authority was required to keep under review the allocations of seats on Committees and other bodies to ensure, so far as practicable, that they reflected the political groups on the Authority.  The rules governing this representation were outlined in the report.

There are four political groups on the Fire Authority: Conservative, Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat.  Following the East Sussex County Council Elections on 6 May 2021, the Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties now had equal representation on the Fire Authority.

The Panels are the Authority’s committees set up in accordance with Standing Order 41 and their terms of reference are shown in the Constitution.  The size of each Panel is not constituted and could be agreed by the Fire Authority.  To ensure that each Panel was properly representative of the overall membership of the Fire Authority it was agreed that the size of each Panel be reduced to 6 Members from the current 7, enabling each Panel, apart from the Principal Officers Appointments Panel, to become an exactly proportionate replica of one third of the Fire Authority.

The Membership of each Panel was confirmed to the meeting, and it was agreed that the Authority would elect a Chairperson of each Panel at this meeting.

Councillor Maples was nominated as Chairperson of the Scrutiny & Audit Panel by Cllr Powell, seconded by Cllr Evans.  The nomination was uncontested and passed by the Authority.

Councillor Peltzer Dunn was nominated as Chairperson of the Policy & Resources Panel by Cllr Galley, seconded by Cllr Powell.  The nomination was uncontested and passed by the Authority.

Councillor Geary was nominated as Chairperson of the Human Resources Panel by Cllr Galley, seconded by Cllr Azad.  The nomination was uncontested and passed by the Authority.

Councillor Lambert was nominated as Chairperson of the Urgency Panel by Cllr Galley, seconded by Cllr Peltzer Dunn.  The nomination was uncontested and passed by the Authority.

Councillor Tutt was nominated as Chairperson of the Pensions Board by Cllr Lambert, seconded by Cllr Galley.  The nomination was uncontested and passed by the Authority.

The Authority agreed that Councillor Galley would remain as Chairperson of the Principal Officer Appointments Panel.

The Authority also agreed to the appointment of the following Member Lead roles:

Health & Safety – Cllr Maples

Assurance & Peer Review – Cllr Redstone

Inclusion & Diversity – Cllrs Powell and Evans

IT – Cllr Tutt

Estates – Cllr Peltzer Dunn

It was proposed that an additional Lead Member role of Environment & Sustainability be created.  There was a discussion during which the Authority considered some concerns and potential benefits surrounding the creation of an additional lead.  The predominant opinion from those present was that a Lead Member in this subject would be in line with the direction being taken by neighbouring authorities and that they may be a useful political consultee and spokesperson for future decisions. 

The Authority agreed to create the additional role of Lead Member for Environment & Sustainability and to the appointment of Cllr West to the role.

RESOLVED – That the Fire Authority:

       i.          confirmed the Panel arrangements and political representation as set out in the Report;

      ii.          agreed (with no Member voting against) that the political balance provisions should not apply to the membership of the Principal Officer Appointments Panel; and

     iii.          appointed the following Members to the role of Panel Chairperson - Cllr Maples (Scrutiny & Audit), Cllr Peltzer Dunn (Policy & Resources), Cllr Geary (Human Resources), Cllr Lambert (Urgency), Cllr Tutt (Pension Board) and Cllr Galley (Principal Officer Appointments Panel) in accordance with Standing Order 41.13.