Local Government and Regeneration Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Official Report 337KB pdf

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Convener

The second item of business is to choose a convener. The Parliament has agreed that only members of the Scottish National Party are eligible for nomination as convener of the committee. That being the case, I seek nominations for the position of convener.

I nominate Joe FitzPatrick.

Are there any other nominations?

Members indicated disagreement.

Are you prepared to serve, Joe?

Joe FitzPatrick indicated agreement.

One nomination has been received. I therefore ask the committee to agree that Joe FitzPatrick MSP be chosen as convener of the committee.

Joe FitzPatrick was chosen as convener.

I congratulate Joe on his appointment and hand over the chair to him for the remainder of proceedings. Thank you, everyone.

Thank you. It is a real honour for me to have been asked to serve in this post on what is a very important committee in the Parliament. People have commented that, apart from me, all the members of the committee are from the new intake of MSPs. As a new convener, I am hoping that that will give me a little bit of leeway and that if I make any mistakes, you will not notice.

Despite the array of fresh faces on the committee, I know that members’ collective expertise, particularly with regard to local government and from work with previous MSPs, will serve us well as we take our work forward.