The Devizes Area Board are scheduled to meet to elect a chair and vice-chair for the forthcoming year. They will also be asked to appoint a lead councillor to the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group.

Appointment of a Representative to the LHFIG

The Area Board are invited to appoint a lead councillor to the Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG). The LHFIG operates as an informal working group making recommendations to the Area Board for approval. The terms of reference (ToR) are set out in the report pack.

The terms of reference state that the LHFIG will normally be made up of:

• Members of the Area Board
• Town and Parish Council representatives
• Community / Stakeholder representatives

It is recommended that the groups do not normally consist of more than 10 representatives. Representatives should act as a conduit between their organisations and the LHFIGs by putting forward the views of the body they represent and providing feedback to its members regarding the work of the LHFIGs.

The group will normally be chaired by a Wiltshire councillor. The role of Chairman will be appointed to on an annual basis, at the first meeting of the LHFIG which falls after the Annual Council Meeting.

The LHFIGs have no formal decision-making authority on operational matters or budget expenditure but act as an informal discussion forum making recommendations to the Area Board. Recommendations must be agreed at a full LHFIG meeting before being brought to the next Area Board for approval.

The LHFIGs can make recommendations to the Area Board to determine priorities and levels of expenditure required for small-scale transport schemes in the community area. A discretionary highways budget has been allocated to the board by the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, Street Scene and Flooding. The funding allocation is a mixture of highways and council capital funding and can only be used to provide new and improved highway infrastructure. It is suitable for schemes that improve safety, increase accessibility and sustainability by promoting walking, cycling and public transport and improve traffic management.

The LHFIGs can fund pedestrian improvements, cycle improvements, bus infrastructure, traffic signing, new road markings, speed limits, waiting restrictions, footpath improvements, drainage and street lighting. They cannot fund routine maintenance, service subsidy, promotional campaigns, SID equipment or improvements for individuals and properties.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The agenda includes the election of a Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year. The report pack includes an extract from the constitution which describes the election of area board chairs procedure.

The Democratic Services representative will call for nominations for the position of Chairman of the Area Board and preside over the election. A Member’s nomination must be seconded to be valid. A Member shall not be nominated in their absence without their written consent.

In the event of only one valid nomination being received the person presiding will declare the nominated Member elected.

In the case of two valid nominations the Democratic Services representative will ask for a show of hands from those Members in favour of each Member and declare the candidate receiving the majority of votes of the Members present and voting, to be the winner.

In the case of an equality of votes for the two candidates, the Democratic Services representative shall draw lots, or an equivalent method to break the tie, to determine the winner of the election and then declare the result.

In the case of three or more valid nominations being made, the Democratic Services Representative will call for a show of hands for each of the candidates. The Democratic Services representative will then announce the candidate with the least number of votes and that candidate will be eliminated (in the case of a tie for the least number of votes, the Democratic Services representative shall draw lots or use an equivalent method to determine which candidate to be eliminated). A further vote shall be taken for the remaining candidates and after each vote the candidate with the least number of votes shall be eliminated until only two candidates remain and a final vote taken.

The newly elected Chairman of the Area Board shall then preside over the election of the Vice Chairman in the manner described above with the ability to use a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.

With the exception of an election year, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of an Area Board shall remain in post until their successors are appointed.