Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Kate Gregory, Jo Robb, Leigh Rawlins, Andrea Powell, Tony Worgan, Denise Macdonald, Mike Giles, Maggie Filipova-Rivers, Sam-Casey-Rerhaye, David Turner, Tim Bearder, James Barlow, Georgina Heritage, Freddie Van Mierlo, Zia Mohammed, Robin Bennett, Pieter-Paul Barker, Sue Cooper, Ben Manning, and Sam James-Lawrie.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests and non-registrable interests or any conflicts of interest in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting. 

There were no declarations of interest.

Members of the public who wish to address Council on the agenda item for this meeting must register to do so in writing or by email to democratic.services@southandvale.gov.uk no later than 5.00pm on Tuesday 16 July 2024. 

There was no public participation.

To consider the report of the head of corporate services on the appointment of a monitoring officer, and electoral registration officer and a returning officer – attached.

Council considered the report on the Statutory Officer Appointments of Monitoring Officer, Electoral Registration Officer, and Returning Officer from the head of corporate services. The report outlined the recommendations from the Joint Staff Committee and requested that, if council were satisfied, for those recommendations for the posts to be approved.

Leader of the Council, Councillor David Rouane, introduced the report and highlighted that the Council had received a large number of applicants for the position of Monitoring Officer and had been through an extensive recruitment process. He indicated that the council had used independent consultants to sift through all the applications before then it was shortlisted by officers. After this, two candidates were then interviewed by the Joint Staff Committee. He confirmed that the recommendation from the committee was to appoint Nicholas Bennett as Monitoring Officer and Steven Corrigan as Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer.

Council discussed the recruitment process, noting that it had followed the Councils normal HR process and had been very through. Overall, Council was satisfied with the report and agreed with the recommendations from the Joint Staff Committee.

RESOLVED: That Council:

(a)      appoints Nicholas Bennett as Monitoring Officer for South Oxfordshire District Council with effect from them commencing their role as the councils’ Head of Legal and Democratic services,

(b)      in terms of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, appoints Steven Corrigan as the council’s Electoral Registration Officer with immediate effect and to designate Susan Baker as Deputy Electoral Registration Officer,

(c)      in terms of section 35 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 and all related legislation, appoints Steven Corrigan as the council’s Returning Officer with immediate effect, with authority to act in that capacity for elections to the council and all or any parish and town councils within the council’s area,

(d)      authorises the council’s Electoral Registration Officer to act in respect of all related electoral, poll or referendum duties, including in relation to county council elections, national, regional, and local polls, or referenda,

(e)      authorises the Monitoring Officer (currently an interim arrangement) to make any consequential changes required to the Constitution to reflect these changes.