Purpose

Stortford Fields Community Management Trust (SFCMT), established in July 2023, is the body which owns, manages and protects community buildings and spaces within this new community of Bishop’s Stortford. It is therefore in the council’s interest to be represented on the Trust. The Stortford Fields housing development is located within the Bishop’s Stortford North ward. Each of the three ward members regularly meets with officers about housing development in the area. It was in one of these meetings that Cllr Sarah Copley, the council’s current representative on the SFCMT, shared that she intended to stand down. As a result, Cllr Miriam Swainston put herself forward to be the council’s replacement representative.

Thus, this decision records the appointment of Cllr Miriam Swainston as the council’s nominated representative on the Stortford Fields Community Management Trust.

The appointment has been made by Jonathan Geall, Acting Monitoring Officer, in consultation with Cllr Ben Crystall, Leader of the Council, under authority delegated to the Monitoring Officer at paragraph 10.9.21 ‘To appoint members to represent the council on Outside Bodies, having first consulted the Leader of the Council’

Decision

Appointment of Cllr Miriam Swainston to be the council’s nominated representative on the Stortford Fields Community Management Trust, being an Outside Body, until any such time that a new representative is appointed.

Alternative options considered

Option 1 - Do not provide a replacement for Cllr Copley on the SFCMT. NOT RECOMMENDED because the SFCMT, established in July 2023, is the body which owns, manages and protects community buildings and spaces within this new community of Bishop’s Stortford. It is therefore in the council’s interest to be represented on the Trust.
Option 2 - Seek an alternative nominee. NOT RECOMMMENDED as it appears appropriate and beneficial to the council that one of the ward members sits on the SFCMT and Cllr Swainston is both a ward member and has put herself forward.
Option 3 - Appointment Cllr Swainston for the reasons laid out in this decision report.