MKCC Executive Decisions, Buckinghamshire Council Key Appointments Post Local Elections, CiLCA 2025
Dear Colleagues
Happy Friday! Apologies for missing last week, a family emergency diverted my attention and I am still catching up. There was a lot going on during this time at both Authorities and I’m pleased that I was still able to attend the presentation by MKCC on proposed changes to Executive Decision Call In’s and to view the BC first Council meeting to welcome new councillors and political appointments. Although my attendance at each had to be cut short.
We’ll start with MKCC.
Following a peer review it was decided without consultation to remove the ability of T’s and P’s to “call in” executive decisions for review. This power has not been abused and on the occasions, it has been exercised over the last year, the call in has also been made by MK Ward Councillors. This facility is rare across Principal Authorities and MKCC determined that it would follow it’s peers. They additionally felt that it would be better to invite scrutiny earlier in the process, rather than wait and then mount a challenge on a decision already made. Ironic in the circumstances.
Our members feel strongly that MKCC should continue to rather lead it’s peers, demonstrating a stronger spirit of collaboration across local government authorities. Perhaps though, the most wounding of this decision has been the absence of consultation which was neither in the spirit, or the word of “Together we Can”. Further discussion is now ongoing the repair the damage to trust that has resulted.
Moving forward and for the purpose of clarity. A Chair of a Local Council does not have the authority nor may they be endowed with it, to undertake any action independently of a council resolution. This is the law, duties and powers are conferred on Councils as a corporate body not on individual Councillors. This is unlike officers who have statutory duties which they must undertake directly.
You will notice a change in wording on MKCC documents in the future referring to the Council, rather than the Chair(wo)man.
Should time frames be short and it is not possible to lawfully call a meeting to make a resolution, Councils could consider two options:
- appoint a sub-committee with appropriate terms of reference to call in decisions on behalf of the council. Generally sub-committees are not bound by the three day rule and may respond more quickly, check your standing orders on this one.
- delegate power to the Clerk to call in decisions, on the basis of being the lawful representative of the council. This can operate effectively as it did during covid, where the clerk contacts councillors, asks and records their opinion and acts in accordance with the majority view. Actions undertaken by the Clerk are then reported back at the next council meeting.
I hope one of these two options will support you in the immediate aftermath from this decision.
Next, to Buckinghamshire Council who welcomed new and returning councillors at the AGM this week. The following appointments were made, and I thank Rachael Shimmin for summarising them for me, it was hard to keep up!
On, Wednesday 21 May, Buckinghamshire Council welcomed all 97 elected members to the Annual General Meeting, during which several key political appointments were made. This included Leader of the Council, the Cabinet and representatives for our committees and outside bodies. The Council now operates as a Conservative led minority administration.
Please see details of key appointments below:
· Chairman of the Council: Cllr Sarfaraz Khan Raja, ward member for Terriers & Amersham Hill
· Vice Chairman of the Council: Cllr John Chilver, ward member for Horwood
· Leader of the Council: Cllr Steven Broadbent, ward member for Ridgeway East
· Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning: Cllr Peter Strachan, ward member for Wendover, Halton & Stoke Mandeville
· Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport: Cllr Thomas Broom, ward member for Gerrards Cross & Denham
· Cabinet Member for Education & Children’s Services: Cllr Adekunle Osibogun, ward member for Buckingham
· Cabinet Member for Community: Cllr Steve Bowles, ward member for Aston Clinton & Weston Turville
· Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing: Cllr Isobel Darby, ward member for Chalfont St Peter
· Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure: Cllr Peter Brazier, ward member for Ivinghoe
· Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change & Waste: Cllr Carl Jackson, ward member for Chalfont St Giles & Little Chalfont
· Cabinet Member for Housing & Regulatory Services: Cllr Mark Winn, ward member for Aylesbury East
· Cabinet Member for Resources: Cllr Robert Carington, ward member for Ridgeway West
Appointments to BC’s eight Community Boards, Deputy Cabinet Members, three Planning Committees and five Select Committees can be viewed online.
Work now begins in earnest to build effective communication links with the new teams, at least within Communities we know most of the key appointments.
In between all this excitement, our new cohort for CiLCA 2025 got underway on Wednesday tackling unit 1. Our mailbox has been brimming over with enquiries from new councillors and experienced clerks some of whom are managing entirely new councils! I’m hoping that the first of our Super Saturday Free Councillor Induction events, will help in getting our councillors up to speed in what it is we do, and, how we must go about it.
That leaves me to wish those of you not joining me tomorrow, a long and relaxing weekend. Lorraine and I look forward to talking with you soon.
Kind regards
Mel and Lorraine