Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Presentation by the Corporate Director of Children’s Services

Roger Luxton, Corporate Director of Children’s Services, gave a presentation on the Children and Young People’s Plan which is a new statutory responsibility, involving key partners, for the improvement in the welfare and well-being of children and young people.

Received a report summarising the Executive’s role and the major issues it has dealt with over the last municipal year.

Councillor Barnbrook asked the Leader of the Council, Councillor Fairbrass, why the revised version of the Council’s Constitution had only been received by Minority Group councillors on Tuesday 16 May.  This, he felt,  meant that Minority Group councillors were unable to make themselves aware of the relevant procedures to be followed such as raising questions to the Leader and General Questions.

Councillor Fairbrass responded that the proposed revised copy of the Council’s Constitution had been circulated to all councillors at the same time.  Also, that copies of the existing Constitution were available at any time.

Councillor Barnbrook asked how many cash incentives and Right to Buy discounts have been given to people outside the Borough as a percentage of cash incentives and Right to Buy discounts given to people from the Borough.

Councillor Fairbrass reminded Cllr Barnbrook that there must be written advance notice of any general question to the Chief Executive.

Received the annual report of the Ceremonial Council summarising the business dealt with including details of recipients of the Freedom of the Borough and the Borough Recognition Award.

Received the annual report of the Scrutiny Management Board outlining details of the work undertaken during the year, including reviews of services with bottom quartile Performance Indicators, monitoring Members’ role in Best Value Reviews and the work of various Scrutiny Panels.

Received the annual report of the Community Forums summarising the activities undertaken during the past year.  It was noted that as in previous years the main issues raised by the community have focused around street scene, the environment and community safety.

Received the annual report of the Standards Committee summarising the key issues dealt with during the year.  It was noted that the Committee has concentrated on reviewing all policies and procedures relating to ethical standards, and is particularly grateful to the two independent members for their valuable interest and support.

Received the annual report of the Development Control Board summarising the business of the Board and the key issues considered.

Received the annual report of the Personnel Board summarising the work carried out over the last municipal year.

Received a report summarising the remit of the Licensing and Regulatory Board and key issues dealt with during the year.

A copy of the revised Council Constitution will be circulated under separate cover

Received a report outlining proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution following an annual general review of the document and to reflect the recent reorganisation of the senior management structure.

The report also proposed the suspension of Community Forum meetings pending consideration of a review of Forums by the Executive.

Councillor Fairbrass proposed an amendment to paragraph 2.1 of Article 5A (page B29) by replacing “Seven Members” with “Eight Members”.  This was seconded by Councillor L Smith.

The amendment was agreed without going to a vote.

Councillor Barnbrook proposed an amendment to the Summary of the Council’s Constitution (Section 2, page A3) by inserting the words “including against the indigenous majority, and, while valuing everyone’s culture, to recognise the need to preserve the pre-eminence of traditional British culture and values” after the words “Promoting equal opportunities and celebrating diversity by reducing all types of discrimination”.  This was seconded by Councillor Bailey.

The amendment was lost.

Councillor Fairbrass asked that it be recorded that only one councillor voted for the amendment.

Agreed:

1.  the proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution, including the agreed amendment, and as such endorsed the entire document; and

2.  the suspension of Community Forum meetings, pending the outcome of the review to be considered by the Executive in due course.

Received a report seeking to appoint Members to the various elements of the political structure and other internal and external bodies for the coming municipal year.  Noted the political balance requirements and the number of seats to be offered for each meeting.

Agreed to:

1.  elect Councillor Fairbrass as Leader of the Council, and, as such, his appointment as the Chair of the Executive;

2.  elect Councillor L Smith as Deputy Leader of the Council, and, as such, his appointment as the Deputy Chair of the Executive;

3.  the membership of the various Council meetings as set out in Appendix A to these minutes;

4.  appoint the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the various Council meetings as set out in Appendix B to these minutes with the exception of Community Forums to be deferred pending the report on the review of Forums;

5.  that the non Executive / Scrutiny Management Board Member of the Audit Committee will be appointed as the Chair, the membership of this new Committee to be determined at the next Assembly meeting;

6.  appoint statutory Co-opted Members as set out in Appendix C to these minutes;

7.  appoint representatives on various internal and external bodies and partnerships as set out in Appendix D to these minutes; and

8.  Appoint Trustees of Local Charities as set out in Appendix E to these minutes.

Noted that Councillor Barnbrook has been elected by his group Leader of the Minority Group and Councillor Bailey as Deputy Leader of the Minority Group.

Councillor P Waker introduced the final report of the Partnership Working Policy Commission and highlighted its main recommendations.

Agreed, in order to develop partnership working and appropriate governance arrangements, the final report of the Policy Commission and its recommendations as set out in Section 11 of the main report.