Additional information on being a Co-optee
Guidance notes
1. The Council is committed to ensuring that the principles of openness, transparency and accountability are upheld in conducting Council business, under the Local Government Act 2000.
2. In accordance with this, the Council’s Constitution makes explicit provision for the appointment of Co-optees to serve on Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
3. The application form should be completed in respect of an application to be appointed to an Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
4. Applications for appointment as a Co-optee will be considered in the first instance by a selection panel comprising of the Chair, Vice-Chair and one other Member of the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Recommendations for appointment will be considered by the full Committee.
5. The Council has adopted a Code of Conduct for Members and Co-opted Members. The aim of the Code is to promote high standards of conduct within the Council. You will be asked to declare that you agree to abide by the Code of Conduct and the Members’ Protocol. Please indicate on your application form (in section 7) if there is anything you’ve done which could affect the confidence of councillors and the public in your ability to contribute to the work of the Committee.
6. All applicants will be notified of the decision concerning their application at the earliest opportunity. The period of office will be until May 2010
Voting rights
Co-opted Members, with the exception of Statutory Education Co-optees, do not have the right to vote in Committee.
The Statutory Education Co-optees on the Education and Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, in accordance with the School Standards Framework Act 1998 and the Education Act 1996, have voting rights in relation to education matters.
Commitments
As a Co-opted Member you will be required to attend formal meetings of the Committees, which are held approximately six times a year with additional meetings as and when required. There may also be site visits and other evidence gathering sessions. You may also have the opportunity to contribute to smaller Task Groups investigating specific issues on a time-limited basis. It is clearly important to attend as many meetings as possible.
If you have any concerns or queries about the time commitments that will be expected of you please do not hesitate to contact the Team who will be happy to discuss this with you further.
Payments
An annual allowance of £300 is paid to Overview and Scrutiny co-optees. Payments are made monthly and are subject to tax.
Support
The Overview and Scrutiny Team will provide training and support. If you feel that you may need additional support to assist you in your role as a Co-opted Member, please do not hesitate to contact the Team who will be pleased to discuss your needs with you. We try to hold all our meetings in wheelchair accessible venues and can arrange for information to be made available in large print, other languages or various alternative formats.