Rotherham’s independent councillors get committee seats after all following a ‘grown-up’ discussion

As the Local Democracy Service reported a couple of weeks ago, when councillors were told to vote for the committees for the new municipal year at Rotherham town hall, Michael Bennett-Sylvester (Independent, Dalton & Thrybergh) was “trapped”.

Back then said he was unable to vote for four of the proposed chairs who were present at a CSE seminar in 2005 in Rotherham – and because of that he and all the other independent councillors lost their committee seats.

He said: “There are things that are unforgivable.

“Every so often you need to draw a line.

“I was caught in a trap.”

Independents were told they could only have their seats if they formed a group – with a leader.

They declined.

However, Cllr Bennett-Sylvester told the service today that after a “grown-up” discussion with the monitoring officer independent council members will not have to form a group to have those seats.

He said: “We’re back on!

“Next Wednesday there will be a new allocation of committee seats (at town hall).

“This vote next week won’t involve any chairmanships of any committees.

“We’re going to vote for allocation of seats for individual councillors.

“I’m looking forward to it. We’re back making noise for our communities.”