[Christine Brain]

Hi Esther,

Not sure if this helps, but at Forest Heath DC we recently set up a Task and Finish Research Group, which includes two co-opted Parish Councillors with non-voting rights.

Christine Brain

[Jackie Sayers]

You'd need to think about the effect on political balance. I know they wouldn't have a vote, but they could sway the balance of discussion.

[Esther Bell]

yeah, we did consider the political balance - but it was partly to do with this why we wondered if we could have co-opted Councillors - we have just reduced our committee sizes from 9 to 7 and it means that our independents won't have a seat so we were seeing if they could be co-opted...

However, I've just had a look at the Local government Act 2000 and it says..

(10) An overview and scrutiny committee of a local authority, or any sub-committee of such a committee, may include persons who are not members of the authority, but (subject to any provision made by or under paragraphs 7 to 9 of Schedule 1) any such persons are not entitled to vote at any meeting of such a committee or sub-committee on any question which falls to be decided at that meeting.

Which must mean that no, a Councillor can't be co-opted.