Issue - meetings

1. Appointment of Interim Section 151 Officer / Chief Financial Officer: To appoint an Interim Section 151 Officer / Chief Financial Officer.

2. Changes to Political Groups, Cabinet Portfolios and Appointments to Committees and Sub Bodies:  To note the changes to Political Groups as notified to the Chief Executive; to agree changes to Committee membership numbers resulting from the recent changes in political group composition; to agree changes to Cabinet portfolios.

Appointment of a Section 151 Officer/Chief Financial Officer

RESOLVED

1.      That Janice Willis be appointed to the post of Section 151 Officer / Chief Financial Officer on an interim basis for a period of 6 months, as described in the report, pending a permanent appointment.

2. That the procedures for appointment and termination of employment in Part 4 Section K of the Council’s Constitution be waived in this case having regard to the reasons given in paragraph 6.4 of the report.

Changes to Political Groups, Cabinet portfolios and Appointment to Committees and Sub Bodies

The Mayor agreed to admit the report as urgent business. The report could not be circulated earlier as information was awaited from Party Groups. The report was urgent to permit changes to be made to Committee Memberships.

RESOLVED

1. That the changes to Political Group composition be noted whereby on 18 January 2010 Councillor Haley resigned the Labour Whip and joined the Liberal Democrat Group, and on 2 February 2010 Councillor Thompson resigned from the Labour Group and announced he would sit as an Independent Councillor representing the Tottenham Hale Ward.
   
   
2. That the proposal for the allocation of Committee places as detailed in paragraph 8.8 of the report be agreed.
   
   
3. That the membership of the Pensions Committee and General Purposes Committee be each increased by one Liberal Democrat position in order to reflect proportionality in the overall number of seats on the Council (as detailed in paragraph 8.8of the report), and that Councillor Whyte be appointed to the Pensions Committee and to the General Purposes Committee.
   
   

4.      That the membership of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board be increased by one place (as detailed in paragraph 8.8 of the report) and that Councillor Thompson remain as an Independent Member.

5. That the membership of the Alexandra Palace and Park Panel be decreased by one Labour position in order to reflect proportionality in the overall number of seats on the Council.
   
   
6. That the resultant changes to Council body memberships as detailed in paragraphs 8.8, 8.11 & 8.12 of the report be agreed and that Councillor Jones replace Councillor Thompson on Pensions Committee and Councillor Peacock replace Councillor Thompson on Licensing Committee.
   
   
7. That the changes to Cabinet portfolios and reduction of one further Cabinet member, as detailed in paragraphs 8.13 & 8.14 and Appendix 1 of the report, be agreed and that Article 7.02 in Part 2 of the Constitution be suspended until the implementation of the new executive leadership arrangements, when the Leader will determine the number of Cabinet Members at a figure between  2 and 9.