Can a councillor be Chair or Vice Chair of more than one committee?

Question

We currently have 4 committees, which may soon be five. Is it acceptable for any councillor to be the Chair or Vice Chair of more than one of these committees?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes.  It is perfectly acceptable its up to the elected members to select the individual they think is best suited to chair each committee (sometimes that means an individual having multiple hats).  Personally I think it is healthy to encourage others to step forward and spread the workload out mind but really depends on people available (size of council and willing/able people).  Certainly no point putting people in position who incapable of chairing meeting (or little interest in committee itself) just simply dumped on it because they need someone to chair it and rest on it chairs of the other three.   Historically I gather the Council has always avoided Finance Chair been the Chair of Council (feeling is the separation of roles is healthy) but gather nothing preventing it should majority want that.

Comments

Thank you for the reply. Very much in line with my thinking.

Answer 2

yes - it can be hard to share the Load with limited numbers of councillors but each Committee must elect a chairperson - It can be any council member. it can really unlock some skills of your councillors .

Answer 3

Thank you to those who replied. I have another relevant question. Our council has been very lacking in not having a HR Committee. I'm pleased to say this is being addressed. But a suggestion has been put forward that the HR committee is married up with our current Governance Committee to become a new Governance & HR Committee. I find this a bit strange. Governance and HR are two separate issues. Both would need very different Terms of Reference. Has anyone come across this before? What do you think of the idea?