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

“That Councillor George Derbyshire be elected Chairman for the Municipal Year 2014/15”.

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

RESOLVED –

that Councillor George Derbyshire be elected Chairman for the Municipal Year 2014/15.

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 Kareen Hastrick be elected Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year 2014/15.” 

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

RESOLVED –

that Councillor Kareen Hastrick be elected Vice Chairman for the Municipal Year 2014/15.

The Managing Director then confirmed the appointment of Mrs Elaine Derbyshire as the Chairman’s Consort.

The Chairman congratulated all councillors who had been re-elected and welcomed the new councillors, Councillors Sohail Bashir, Stephen Bolton, Bilqees Mauthoor, Binita Mehta and Seamus Williams.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Hofman.

There were no disclosures of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2014 to be submitted and signed. 

(All minutes are published on the Council’s website – http://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=268)

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2014 were submitted and signed.

Past Mayor Derrick Coleshill          

The Chairman informed Council that Mr Derrick Coleshill, who had been Mayor of Watford Borough Council from 1976 to 1977, had passed away on 20 May 2014.  He reported that, on behalf of the Council, he had sent condolences to the family.

Council observed a minute’s silence in memory of Mr Coleshill.

New Arrival

The Chairman asked Council to join him in congratulating Councillor Turmaine on the birth of his daughter Coralie Ann on 15 April 2014.

Neighbourhood Forum Annual Reports

The Chairman reminded Council that the Neighbourhood Forum Annual Reports needed to be forwarded to Democratic Services by 1 July 2014.

Pat Thornton

The Chairman informed Council that Pat Thornton, the Democratic Services Manager, would be retiring on 30 June 2014 after 24 years service. 

Mayor Thornhill said that Pat had been a true servant to the Council and the town.  She, along with her husband who had also worked in Democratic Services in the past, epitomised all that was good in local government workers.  As Pat was in Democratic Services, all Councillors knew her worth.  Democratic Services was the unsung hero of the Council as people took it for granted that everything was done on time and efficiently.  Pat was always attentive to detail.

The Mayor said that Pat would be hard to replace but with Caroline’s appointment democracy was in good hands.  She added that Pat would be missed but she deserved her retirement.

Councillor Bell said that the Labour Group would also miss Pat’s pleasant and efficient way of working.  He wished her a long and happy retirement.

Pat Thornton thanked Mayor Thornhill and Councillor Bell for their kind words and gifts.  She wished everyone the very best for the future.

No questions had been received.

No petitions had been received.

There was no urgent business.

No motions had been submitted.

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 Jeffree

Group Members        Councillors Aron, Bolton, I. Brown, J. Brown, Collett, Counter, Crout, Derbyshire, Greenslade, Hastrick, Hofman, Jeffree, Johnson, Lynch, Martins, McLeod, Saffery, 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 Anne Joynes

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

Other Members

Councillor Ian Brandon (Green)

Councillor Binita Mehta (Conservative)

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. 

It was noted that Councillor Watkin’s address was incorrect and should have read –

“27 Elizabeth Court, 170 Hempstead Road, Watford, WD17 4LR”

RESOLVED –

1.      that the appointments made by the Mayor be noted.

2.      that the Members’ remuneration budget be increased by £10,815.

Report of the 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 no changes from that currently set out in the Constitution

RESOLVED –

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

Report of the Democratic Services Manager

PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS – 2014/15

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager and the programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the Municipal Year 2014/15, 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 –

·               Monday 23 June 2014 – the Extraordinary Development Control Committee had been cancelled

·               Wednesday 16 July 2014 – the Extraordinary Development Control Committee had been cancelled

·               Monday 8 September 2014 – Licensing Committee had been moved to Tuesday 16 September 2014

RESOLVED –

that the timetable of meetings for 2014/15 circulated separately be adopted subject to the amendments reported at the meeting.

Report of the Head of Democracy & 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 29 May 2014.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the Council’s Petition Scheme be amended to make it clear that the 30 signatures required before a petition can be presented to either Cabinet or Council be from residents of the Borough of Watford and that the deadline for receipt of any petition to be considered at a meeting of Cabinet or Council be 7 clear days before the date of the meeting.

2.      that Rule 2 (h) of the Budget and Policy Procedure Rules be amended to read as follows:

          The Council shall, at that meeting, make its final decision on the matter on the basis of a two-thirds majority.  If the Council does not agree its original decision or any amendment thereto by a two-thirds majority the motion originally proposed by the Mayor at the original meeting will be deemed to be carried.  The decision shall be made public in accordance with Article 4 and shall be implemented immediately.

3.      that membership of the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel be agreed at Annual Council and that the Chair of the Panel also be appointed at Annual Council.

4.      that the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel’s membership be increased from 5 members to 7 and that it meet at least 6 times per year.

5.      that the Chair of the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel be remunerated at the same level as the Chair of Budget Panel namely Band 2a.

6.      that it be specified in the Constitution that members of the Cabinet are excluded from membership of Audit Committee.

7.      that it be noted that the Elected Mayor is not counted for the purpose of the political balance calculation and is therefore precluded from appointment to any politically balanced committee.

8.      That a new paragraph be added to the Officer Code of Conduct in the Constitution as follows;

          Conflicts of Interest

          Members of staff, their close family and friends may apply for any of the services offered by the Council in the same way as other members of the public.

          If you work in a service that receives applications from the public and either you personally or you become aware that a member of your family or a friend of yours makes an application for the service that you would normally process you must immediately notify your line manager and you must not have any further involvement in dealing with the application without the express authorisation from your Head of Service. You must also complete the notification of potential conflict of interest form available from the intranet. If you are aware that either you, a member of your family or a friend of yours is on a waiting list to receive a service you must renew your form on an annual basis as long as that person remains on the list.

          If you are the person with the delegated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Report of the 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.

          Budget Panel – Chair

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

          On being put to Council this appointment was AGREED.

          Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Vice-Chair

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

          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.

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 the 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.

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 the Democratic Services Manager

Council received a report of the Democratic Services Manager setting out details of a review of the current payments for telephone and Broadband and the proposals to replace the payments with a standard communication allowance for all councillors.

RESOLVED –

that the current payments for telephone lines and Broadband be replaced with a standard communications allowance of £12 per month for all councillors and that the Members’ Allowances Scheme be amended to take account of these changes.

Report of the Head of Human Resources

Council received a report of the Head of Human Resources setting out an overview of the revised Local Government Pension Scheme Employer Discretions which were required to comply with the new Local Government Pension Scheme under the LGPS 2014 regulations.  It was noted that the revised discretions had to be published by 1 July 2014.

RESOLVED –

that the revised Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Employer Discretions as set out in the report be adopted.

Report of the Member Development and Civic Officer

Council received a report of the Member Development and Civic Officer.  A summary of the assessments submitted for 2013/14 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 Council notes the summary of the Members’ self assessments for 2013/14.