(i)            that Councillor Maddison be removed from the position of Member Champion for Culture; and

(ii)          that the Leader of the Council asks all Members for expressions of interest in undertaking the role.

To acknowledge and respond to the recommendation of the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee held on 11 February 2025.  In recognition of Councillor Maddison’s behaviour at Council on 27 February 2025, the Cabinet considers removal from the position of Member Champion for Culture to be the most appropriate course of action.

An alternative option would have been to suspend Councillor Maddison from the position of Member Champion for Culture in accordance with the recommendation of the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee, however, in light of Councillor Maddison’s behaviour at Council on 27 February 2025, the Cabinet discounted this option.

This decision will come into force and may be implemented on 4 April 2025 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

Member Champions are elected members who act as an advocate or spokesperson for a specific area of the Council’s business.  The main responsibility of each Member Champion is to encourage communication and positive action over the issue they represent.

At the Cabinet meeting on 19 September 2023, the Cabinet appointed Councillor Maddison as the Member Champion to champion key aspects of the Council’s work in respect of Culture.

Subsequently, on 11 February 2025 the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee considered a complaint that Councillor Maddison had breached the Code of Conduct for Members.  In their determination, the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee made a recommendation to the Leader of the Council in respect of Councillor Maddison’s appointment as the Member Champion for Culture.

At the Cabinet meeting, Councillor David Thomas proposed and Councillor Chris Lewis seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously, as set out above.

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