It was moved by Councillor Sharpe and seconded by Councillor Bell:

“That Councillor Kareen Hastrick be elected Chairman for the Municipal Year 2015/16”.

The motion on being put to the meeting was declared to be CARRIED.

RESOLVED –

that Councillor Kareen Hastrick be elected Chairman for the Municipal Year 2015/16.

The Chairman made and delivered the declaration of acceptance of office according to law. 

It was moved by the Chairman and seconded by Councillor Sharpe:

“That Councillor Darren Walford be elected Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year 2015/16.” 

The motion on being put to the meeting was declared to be CARRIED.

RESOLVED –

that Councillor Darren Walford be elected Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year 2015/16.

The Managing Director then confirmed the appointment of Tanya Walford as the Vice Chairman’s Consort.

                   The Chairman congratulated all councillors who had been re-elected and welcomed the new councillors, Councillors Favour Ewudo, Michael Haley, Anne Rindl, Tony Rogers, Sean Silver, Linda Topping and Mark Whitman.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Silver and Shah.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2015 to be submitted and signed. 

(All minutes are published on the Council’s website)

Copies of the minutes of this meeting are usually available seven working days following the meeting and can be found on the Council's website.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2015 were submitted and signed.

Scrutiny Annual Survey

The Chairman reminded Members to complete the scrutiny survey and informed them that the link thereto would be e-mailed again following the meeting.

Letter from Managing Director

The Chairman informed Members that the letter regarding their behaviour at Full Council had been re-circulated and that she would be taking a firm line on breaches of Council procedure rules.  She outlined a number of the rules governing Members’ conduct.          

No questions had been received.

Report of the Democratic Services Manager

The Democratic Services Manager reported receipt of notice under the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 and Council Procedure Rule 24.0 about the formation of political groups.  The political group details were as follows:

Liberal Democrat Group

Leader                                    Councillor Iain Sharpe

Deputy Leader                      Councillor Karen Collett

Group Secretary                    Councillor Peter Taylor

Group Members                    Councillors Bolton, I. Brown, J. Brown, Collett, Counter, Crout, Derbyshire, Hastrick, Hofman, Johnson, Martins, Rindl, Scudder, Sharpe, Taylor, Mayor Thornhill, Walford, Watkin and T Williams

Labour Group

Leader                                 Councillor Nigel Bell

Deputy Leader                     Councillor Jagtar Singh Dhindsa

Group Secretary                 Councillor Bilqees Mauthoor

Group Members    Councillors Bashir, Bell, Connal, Dhindsa,                Ewudo, Haley, Joynes, Khan, Mauthoor,          Mills,  Shah, Turmaine and S Williams

Conservative Group

Leader                                 Councillor Binita Mehta

Deputy Leader                   Councillor Sean Silver

Group Secretary               Councillor Tony Rogers

Group Members                Councillors Mehta, Rogers, Silver, Topping and

                                Whitman.

No petitions had been received.

There was no urgent business.

No motions had been submitted.

Report of the Mayor

Council received a report of the Mayor setting out details of the Deputy   Mayor, Members of the Cabinet and Portfolio Holders and their responsibilities. 

RESOLVED –

that the appointments made by the Mayor be noted.

Report of Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager informing Members that the Mayor had approved the Executive Scheme of Delegation with two changes from that currently set out in the Constitution.  It was noted that the Executive Scheme of Delegation as amended had been incorporated into the Constitution and was now on the website.

RESOLVED –

that the changed Executive Scheme of Delegation approved by the Mayor be noted.

Report of Head of Democracy and Governance

Council received a report of the Head of Democracy and Governance setting out the recommendations agreed by the Constitution Working Party at its meeting on 30 March 2015.

                   Members debated the report.

RESOLVED –

       1.         that for a Member to be appointed as a chair of either the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel, Budget Panel or Community Safety Partnership Task Group that Member must be a Member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

    2.         that for all matters falling within the terms of reference of the Property Investment Board the key decision and call in financial limit be £500,000 or more.

    3.         that the current Portfolio Holder call in limit of £10,000 be removed and that for all matters other than those within 2.2 the key decision and call in limit be £50,000 or more.

       4.         that Development Control Committee be renamed Development Management Committee.

Report of Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager and the programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the Municipal Year 2015/16, which had been printed separately. All Members had been consulted on the dates. 

It was noted that since the publication of the timetable the following amendments had been made –

·              The Council meeting on 22 July 2015 had been cancelled and replaced by a meeting on 24 June 2015; this was originally listed as an extraordinary meeting the day before.

·              The Council meeting on 11 November 2015 had been cancelled and replaced by a meeting on 21 October 2015.

·              Licensing Committee had moved from 24 to 23 June 2015.

·              Planning Policy Advisory Group originally scheduled for 3 June had been cancelled.

RESOLVED –

that the timetable of meetings for 2015/16 circulated separately be adopted subject to the amendments reported at the meeting.

Report of Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager requesting

a)      that Council unanimously agrees that the Standards Committee is not politically balanced;

b)      that Council agrees the establishment of politically balanced committees as set out in paragraph 3.1 of the report;

c)      that Council agrees the establishment of non politically balanced committees as set out in paragraph 3.1.2 of the report;

d)      that Council agrees the appointment of Members to politically balanced committees as set out in paragraph 3.2.1 of the report.

e)      that Council agrees appointments to non politically balanced committees as set out in paragraphs 3.4 of the report.

f)       that Council appoints Chairs and Vice-Chairs to committees listed in paragraphs 3.1 and 3.1.2 of the report.

            Member Development Group

The Chairman informed Members that there had been an under subscription of three seats on the Group.  She asked for any nominations for the remaining seats.

Councillor Topping was nominated and then seconded by Councillor Mehta.

On being put to Council this was AGREED.

Major Projects Board

The Chairman informed Members that there had been an over subscription of one seat on the Board.  Originally, there had been an over subscription of two and in order to reduce this the Conservative Group had withdrawn one name.  She explained that there should be representatives from each group on this Board and asked whether there were any further nominations to be withdrawn.

Councillor Mauthoor withdrew her name as a nomination.       

Budget Panel – Chair

Councillor Bashir nominated Councillor Khan as Chair of Budget Panel, which was seconded by Councillor Joynes.

 On being put to Council this appointment was AGREED.

 Budget Panel – Vice-Chair

  Councillor Dhindsa nominated Councillor Joynes as Vice-Chair of Budget Panel, which was seconded by Councillor S. Williams.

On being put to Council this appointment was AGREED.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Vice-Chair

Councillor Khan nominated Councillor Dhindsa as Vice-Chair of the  Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which was seconded by Councillor Bashir.

On being put to Council this appointment was AGREED.

RESOLVED –

1.       that Council unanimously agrees that the Standards Committee is not politically balanced.

2.       that the establishment of politically balanced committees be agreed as set out in the report.

3.       that the establishment of non politically balanced committees be agreed as set out in the report and as agreed at the meeting.

4.      that the appointment of members to the politically balanced committees, as set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes, be agreed.

5.      that the appointment of members to the non-politically balanced committees, as set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes, be agreed.

             6.   that the Chairs and Vice-Chairs to the politically balanced and      non politically balanced committees, as set out in Appendix 2 to these minutes, be agreed.

Report of Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager including nominations to Council appointments on outside bodies.  Details of the Mayor’s appointments were circulated prior to the meeting.

Members debated the report.

RESOLVED –

1.         that Council appoints as its representatives on outside bodies those people listed in Appendix 3 to these minutes;

2.         that Council notes the appointments made by the Mayor to those organisations listed in Appendix 4 to these minutes. 

Report of Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager that outlined a Members’ Performance Scheme; a key part of this involved Members completing self assessments.  A summary of the assessments submitted for 2014/15 had been circulated separately.  It was noted that all self-assessments would be published on the councillors’ pages on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED –

that the Council notes the summary of the Members’ self assessments for 2014/15.

Report of Head of Human Resources

Council received a report of the Head of Human Resources providing an overview of the Chief Officer Pay Policy; that sought to ensure the Council was able to attract, recruit, retain and engage the right people in order to achieve its objectives.  It was noted that the Localism Act 2011 required the Council to publish its position in relation to specific areas of chief officer pay.

Members debated the report.

RESOLVED –

                   that Council approve the Chief Officer Pay Policy.