North Yorkshire Council
Standards and Governance Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 18 November 2024 commencing at 10.00 am.
Councillor Clive Pearson in the Chair, plus Councillors Melanie Davis, David Ireton, Nigel Knapton, Peter Wilkinson and George Jabbour.
In attendance remotely: Councillors Sam Cross, Heather Phillips, Monika Slater and Andy Solloway .
Officers present: Christine Phillipson, Principal Democratic Services Officer and
Kerry Russet, Head of Electoral Services.
Officer in attendance remotely; Jennifer Norton, Assistant Chief Executive, Legal Services.
Apologies: Councillor Nick Brown, with Councillor George Jabbour as substitute.
Independent persons Hilary Gilbertson, MBE and Roy Martin.
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Copies of all documents considered are in the Minute Book
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99 |
Welcome and Introductions
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100 |
Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Councillor Nick Brown with Councillor George Jabbour attending as substitute. Apologies were also received from Independent Persons Roy Martin and Hilary Gilbertson MBE.
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101 |
Minutes from the Meeting on 6th September 2024
The minutes of the meeting held on 6th September were agreed and signed as an accurate record.
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102 |
Declarations of Interest
There were none.
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103 |
Public Participation
There were no public questions or statements.
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104 |
Interim Polling District and Polling Place Review Final Proposals
Considered
The report of the Assistant Chief Executive, Legal and Democratic Services on the final recommendations for affected polling districts and polling places within the North Yorkshire Council area.
Local authorities are required to review their polling districts and polling places for UK parliamentary constituencies at least once every five years. Under the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, the compulsory review periods are now:
· The period of 16 months beginning with 1 October 2013, and · The period of 16 months beginning with 1 October of every fifth year after that.
The last compulsory review of all polling districts and polling places within North Yorkshire commenced in Autumn 2023 and final recommendations were agreed at Standards and Governance Committee on 13 December 2023.
A reminder of the rationale, consultation process and alternative options of the polling place review were discussed.
A verbal update was received on one pending recommendation within the report as follows:
The suggestion to use an alternative polling place for the polling districts of Harrogate Kingsley 2, which had been proposed to remain at the currently designated venue of Starbeck Methodist Church, and the Polling district of Harrogate Kingsley 1, which had been proposed to remain at the currently designated venue of Christ Church Parish Centre. The suggestion was that Station View sheltered housing scheme common room may be a more suitable and accessible location for voters in that area.
Electoral services visited the proposed alternative, but at the point of publishing the report, the findings of that site visit were not available, and it was agreed to provide a verbal update at the meeting, forming part of recommendations:
Following the site visit, Electoral services deemed the alternative to be suitable, and it is therefore proposed that the final recommendation to be that the polling place for Harrogate Kingsley 1 & 2 be designated as Station View sheltered housing common room.
It was moved by Councillor Ireton and seconded by Councillor Knapton that the final recommendations for polling districts and designated polling places as shown in appendices A and D be approved by the Committee.
Resolved
That the final recommendations for polling districts and designated polling places as shown in appendices A and D be approved by the Committee.
This was agreed unanimously.
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105 |
Urgent Business
The Chair advised that an additional meeting would be called to review the Complaints Procedure, this was an agenda item deferred from the September meeting. This meeting will be on Monday 6th January 2025 at 2pm in the Brierley Room at County Hall in Northallerton.
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106 |
Date of the Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on Monday 6th January 2025 at 2pm in the Brierley Room at County Hall in Northallerton. The subsequent meeting will then be on Friday 14th March 2025 at 10am.
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The meeting concluded at 10.13 am.