Same chairman as last year?

Question

In our council, the Chairman (Mayor) is elected annually, as are all the chairs of council committees. Is it usual practice to allow the outgoing chairperson to  simply state they are willing to continue in the role for a further year and does this negate any possible nominations from the members? I tried to nominate somone who I thought would be a good chairman due to his relevant experience etc and was reprimanded for doing this as the outgoing chair had declared willing ness to act as chair again. Thanks everyone

Answer 1

Whilst I agree that in some councils this is what happens in practice and does depend upon what your standing orders state, this is not considered best practice.  The Local Government Act refers to electing a Chair annually at the Annual Council meeting.  This implies a vote which requires a nomination (and if appropriate a seconder) so I would argue that alternative nominations are absolutely possible.  Even if there aren't any alternative nominations, there should be a vote to re-elect the outgoing chair.

Comments

I apologise for the delay in replying. I thank everyone for their responses which are much appreciated. The annual town meeting took place and the Chair and Deputy Chair were elected according to procedure. The incident I described was in a sub-committee when I felt a particular councillor was well qualified for the Chairmanship, so I nominated him. It was apprent the Mayor and the Clewrk were not expecting this and had expected the outgoing Chair would be re-elected unopposed. It had a good outcome as my nominee was elected as Deputy Chair. There was a vote but it was moved to re-elect the oputgoing Chairperson for a second term.

Answer 2

You were reprimanded….

By who?

Comments

In a subsequent private meeting with the Mayor.

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Mayor, Chair, whatever....

No appointment to office provides that office holder any authority or status over that of a regular Cllr.
Your Mayor is simply not empowered to reprimand a Cllr.

Answer 3

As stated by DBW the chair has to be elected at the annual PC meeting because the chair is required to stand down at that meeting after their only duty of calling for the election of the vacant chair position. By definition they resign the position they were elected to hold for the year only. There is nothing wrong with them stating that they are prepared to be re- elected but will also require a seconder ( check your standing orders). In a lot of PC's there is a relief generally that someone wants to continue as chair as it is sometimes seen as a "poison chalice"

Comments

Thank you Mentorman.  These answers are interesting. But it is a bit like angels dancing on a pinhead. At what point has the outgoing Chair technically resigned? I presume only oonce the new Chair is elected - even if it is the same person as before? As a new Councillor I naively believed that the outgoing Chair was actually seeking nominations. In reality he expected to be re-elected unopposed.

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At the AGM all voted for positions become void ( committee members, vice chair etc)the only position held over from year is the chair who's only  duty is to chair the opening of the AGM and initiate the first agenda item which is the election of the chair for the year next yeat.