Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Deputy Monitoring Officer (copy enclosed) which requested the appointment of Members to act as Champions for the duration of this term of office.

A copy of a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, on the appointment of champions, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

Council had been requested to appoint Members to act as Champions in the following areas for the duration of this term of office:-

·        Older People’s Champion

·        Homelessness Champion

·        Carer’s Champion

·        Learning Disabilities Champion

Welsh Government required the appointment of Champions in certain areas and the above identified roles had been formally recognised by the Council’s Constitution. 

The role of Champions in Denbighshire had evolved from the appointment of an ‘Older People’s Champion’ which emanated from the guidance in the Strategy for Older People issued by the Welsh Assembly, that every local authority in Wales should have such a Champion.  Denbighshire had since increased the range of Champions into other areas and when reviewing of its Constitution had, under paragraph 2.6 of Article 2, formally recognised the importance of the role of Champions in specific areas and included the role within the Constitution. 

The process of appointing Champions had been included in the report with Denbighshire’s approach having been to ensure the most appropriate Member be appointed to the respective Champion role.  A clear role description for Champions had been agreed and adopted and draft descriptions for the roles identified in the Constitution had been included as Appendices to the report.  The respective roles had been approved by Council on the 6^th November, 2012 with expressions of interest and CVs being requested for submission by the 16^th November 2012. 

Group Leaders had expressed their support for the appointment of the four Champions identified.  They also supported the view that the Corporate Governance Committee look in detail at whether it would be appropriate for Champions to be appointed in respect of other interests.  Concern had been expressed by SLT regarding the possibility for confusion and duplication between the roles of Champions and Lead Members where the issue to be championed fell within the remit of an individual Lead Member.

The following CVs of elected Members who wished to be considered for appointment had been circulated to Members:-

Councillor R.L. Feeley – Older People’s Champion.

Councillor J.R. Bartley – Learning disabilities Champion.

Councillor J.A. Davies – Carers Champion.

The HLDS explained that as a nomination had not been received for a Homelessness Champion, this appointment could be included in the report on the Future of Champions which would be submitted to the Corporate Governance Committee for consideration. 

Following consideration of the respective CV’s, it was:-

RESOLVED – that Council agrees the following appointments:-

(a)   Councillor R.L. Feeley  be appointed as the Older People’s Champion.

(b)   Councillor J.A. Davies be appointed as the Carer’s Champion.

(c)   Councillor J.R. Bartley be appointed as the Learning Disabilities Champion, and

(d)   the appointment of a Homeless Champion be included in the report to be submitted to the Corporate Governance Committee on the Future of Champions.