Decision

That the Chief Executive endorses and recommends the following:
(i) That City Council approves Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s participation in the North Staffordshire Joint Committee, pursuant to sections 101(5) and 102 of the Local Government Act 1972 and in accordance with the City Council’s Constitution and the Terms of Reference as attached at Appendix 1.
(ii) That City Council approves the proposed Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee for North Staffordshire as attached at Appendix 1.
(iii) That City Council agrees that, upon the (Structural Changes) Order for Staffordshire coming into force, the Joint Committee for North Staffordshire shall become and operate as the statutory Joint Committee established under the provisions of the Order, pursuant to sections 101(5) and 102 of the Local Government Act 1972, but subject to the final provisions of the Order and any amendments to the Terms of Reference necessary to comply with the statutory arrangements.
(iv) That City Council notes that the establishment of the Joint Committee under sections 101(5) and 102 of the Local Government Act 1972 does not, by this decision, involve the delegation of any executive or non-executive functions of Stoke-on-Trent City Council to the Joint Committee at this stage.
(v) That City Council appoints the Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Councillor Jane Ashworth OBE, Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, Councillor Sarah Hill and Councillor Ross Irving as Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s voting members on the Joint Committee.
(vi) That City Council appoints Councillor Duncan Walker, Councillor Chris Robinson, Councillor Andy Platt and Councillor Dave Evans to be the named substitutes on the Joint Committee, in accordance with the Terms of Reference.
(vii) That City Council authorises the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council, to agree any minor or technical amendments to the Terms of Reference which may be required to reflect the final arrangements agreed by the constituent councils or to ensure consistency with the (Structural Changes) Order upon commencement.
(viii) That City Council delegates to the Monitoring Officer the authority to make any necessary and consequential amendments to the Constitution which may be required as a result of this decision.
(ix) That City Council notes that the Joint committee is not subject to political balance requirements.

Reasons for the decision

To seek the endorsement and recommendation to City Council, from the Chief Executive, for Stoke-on-Trent City Council to participate in the proposed North Staffordshire Local Government Reorganisation Joint Committee and to approve the Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee.