Agenda and minutes

To elect the Chair of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year.

The Director of Corporate Resources and Head of Paid Service sought nominations for the position of Chairman of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year.

The nomination of Councillor Tom Munro was moved by Councillor Sandra Peake and seconded by Councillor Deborah Watson. There were no other nominations.

The Director of Corporate Resources and Head of Paid Service took the nomination to a vote and reminded Members that because of COVID and social distancing guidelines, only Members present in the Council Chamber would be able to vote.

Moved by Cllr Sandra Peake, Seconded by Cllr Deborah Watson:

RESOLVED that Councillor Tom Munro be appointed Chairman of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year.

Having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and re-accepted the Chains of Office, Councillor Tom Munro was duly appointed and resumed to Chair the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dan Salt and Ross Walker.

Members should declare the existence and nature of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Statutory Interest as defined by the Members’ Code of Conduct in respect of:

a)  any business on the agenda

b)  any urgent additional items to be considered

c)  any matters arising out of those items

and if appropriate, withdraw from the meeting at the relevant time.

There were no declarations made at the meeting.

To appoint the Vice Chair of Council for the 2021/22 municipal year.

RESOLVED that Councillor Rita Turner be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year.

Having made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and re-accepted the Vice Chairman’s medallion, Councillor Rita Turner took the Vice Chairman’s seat.

To approve the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 14^th April 2021 and for the Chair to sign as a correct record.

embers gave consideration to the Minutes of the meeting held on 14^th April 2021 and considered that they reflected the meeting accurately.

Moved by by Cllr Tom Munro, Seconded by Cllr Ray Heffer: 

RESOLVED that the minutes of a meeting of Council held on 14^th April 2021 be approved as a true and correct record.

Report of the Monitoring Officer and Solicitor to the Council.

The Governance Manager presented a report seeking to establish the Council’s Committees and Advisory Groups for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

Councillor David Dixon referred to the report paragraph stating “in order to complete the 2020/21 work of the existing scrutiny committees, the Members who were appointed to the former committees will continue to meet informally for a period of 2 months in order to complete outstanding review work” and asked if these informal meetings would utilise the existing or new Scrutiny Committee memberships. The Governance Manager informed him that for these informal meetings, the Scrutiny Committee memberships would remain as appointed in May 2019.

Moved by Cllr Steve Fritchley, Seconded by Cllr Duncan McGregor:

(i) The Council’s Committees be established for the 2021/22 municipal year in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1(k) as set out in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2;

(ii) The size of the Committees as set out within Appendix 3 to the report be agreed for the 2021/22 municipal year in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1(k);

(iii) The Council agrees the allocation of seats of Committee is in accordance with the political balance rules (as set out in Appendix 3); 

(iv) Members appointed to scrutiny committees for the 2020/21 municipal year are approved to conclude their review work informally for a period of two months.

(v) Authority be delegated to the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council and relevant Committee Chair (when appointed) to make amendments to the terms of reference for Committees arising within the 2021/22 municipal year.

(Governance Manager)

Councillor Steve Fritchley (Leader of the Council) moved a motion without notice to adjourn the Annual Council at this point in the agenda and reconvene at 10am Wednesday 23^rd June 2021. He explained that if the motion was agreed, the remainder of agenda items would be considered on that date because it was hoped all Members would have the opportunity to attend and vote in person.

This motion was submitted in line with Part 4.1 (Council Procedure Rules) of the Constitution under section 11 (Motions and Amendments - Without Notice) and subsection (l) (to adjourn a meeting).

Moved by Cllr Steve Fritchley, Seconded by Cllr Duncan McGregor:

RESOLVED that this meeting of Annual Council adjourn to reconvene on 10am Wednesday 23^rd June 2021.

(Governance Manager)

The meeting concluded at 10:20 hours.

AT THIS POINT THE MEETING STOOD ADJOURNED UNTIL 10.00AM ON WEDNESDAY 23rd JUNE 2021.