Co-opted Members

Report: 17
Date: 1 May 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

The report reviews the arrangements for appointing co-opted members to the Board and invites the Board to make appointment for the new Authority year which starts with the Annual Meeting on 26 June.

A. Recommendation

That

1. the arrangements for the appointment of co-opted members be reviewed; and
2. if the Board wishes to continue to have co-opted members to submit the names of the members to be appointed for 2003/4 to the Annual Meeting of the Authority on 26 June.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The Authority at its meeting on 23 May 2002 established the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Board as part of the new committee structure. The anticipated membership of the Board made provision for co-opted members and the Authority agreed that the names of any co-optees to committees be approved by the full Authority. A process to identify co-opted members was identified at the inaugural meeting of the Board on 26 September 2002. At that time the Board agreed that a balance of co-optees in a personal capacity and representative capacity should be identified. These names were identified by a small group of members following that meeting and were ratified at the meeting of the Authority on 31 October.

2 The currently co-opted members of the Board are:

Lee Jasper

Policy Director for Equalities and Policing in the Mayor’s Office (the Authority agreed that a named deputy – Rosemary Emodi – be identified for those occasions when he was not able to attend)

Refugee Council

Alison Fenney

NSPCC

Jason Lever

Commission for Racial Equality

Martin Meredith

The Rev. Stephen Penrose

Nominated in a personal capacity in view of his work with the LGBT community.

3. Co-optees do not have a vote and their attendance does not count toward the quorum of the Committee. They are expected to abide by the Authority’s code of conduct for members in the same way as MPA members. The appointments are renewable annually although the membership of a co-opted member will deem to have lapsed if he or she misses three consecutive meetings.

4. The Board is asked to review its appointment of co-opted members. In particular, to consider whether there is a suitable balance between the appointed and the co-opted members. It is open to Board to appoint for a shorter fixed period - for example, to assist in a particular piece of work being carried out in accordance with the Board’s work plan. Members will also wish to consider whether there are areas which are not covered by the current co-opted members.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The appointment to the co-opted members to the Committee enables the Committee to appoint representatives from a range of groups including those under-represented amongst the membership of the Authority and traditionally discriminated against.

D. Financial implications

There are no direct financial implications.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: John Crompton, MPA Secretariat

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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