Agenda and minutes

It was proposed by Councillor Ungar and seconded by Councillor Hearn:

“That Janet Doris Coles, a Councillor of this Borough be elected Mayor for the 2015/16 municipal year and until the election of Mayor at the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

It was accordingly:-

Resolved: That Janet Doris Coles, a Councillor of this Borough be elected Mayor for the 2015/16 municipal year and until the election of Mayor at the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

Councillor Coles then made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Mayor. In her speech of acceptance, the Mayor reported that her nominated charity for the 2015/16 year would be RNLI Eastbourne Lifeboats & The JPK Project

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2015 were presented and the Mayor was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

Apologies for absence were reported from Councillors Belsey, Blakebrough and Dow.

It was proposed by Councillor Swansborough and seconded by Councillor Miah:

“That James Robert Murray, a Councillor of this Borough be appointed Deputy Mayor for the 2015/16 municipal year and until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.”

It was accordingly:-

Resolved: That James Robert Murray, a Councillor of this Borough be appointed Deputy Mayor for the 2015/16 municipal year and until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

Councillor Murray then made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office as Deputy Mayor and announced that his Deputy Mayoress and Deputy Mayor’s Consorts for the year would be Emily Murray and Amber Donald respectively.

The Mayor reported that Ms Jill Rutherford would undertake the duty of Mayor’s Consort for the 2015/16 municipal year.

Notification of appointment.

The Mayor reported that the Reverend John Kimberley would be serving as the Mayor’s Chaplain for the 2015/16 municipal year.

(a) To receive the report of the Returning Officer.

(b) Welcome to newly elected Councillors:

Devonshire Ward: Councillor Steve Holt

Hampden Park Ward: Councillor Colin Swansborough

Meads Ward: Councillors Robert Smart and Kathy Smethers

Old Town Ward:  Councillor Jonathan Dow

Ratton Ward: Councillor Tony Freebody

St Anthony’s Ward: Councillor Dean Sabri

Sovereign Ward: Councillors Raymond Blakebrough and Penny di Cara

Upperton Ward: Councillors Sammy Choudhury, Pat Rodohan and Margaret Salsbury

(c) Return of re-elected Councillors:

Devonshire Ward: Councillors Margaret Bannister and Steve Wallis

Hampden Park Ward: Councillors Pat Hearn and Jim Murray

Langney Ward: Councillors Harun Miah, Alan Shuttleworth and Troy Tester

Meads Ward: Councillor Barry Taylor

Old Town Ward:  Councillors Janet Coles and John Ungar

Ratton Ward: Councillors Colin Belsey and Colin Murdoch

St Anthony’s Ward: Councillors Gill Mattock and David Tutt

Sovereign Ward: Councillor Gordon Jenkins

(d) ) Vote of thanks to outgoing Councillors (listed according to length of service). The following Councillors were either chose to retire or were unsuccessful at the elections (their terms of office ending on 11 May 2015):-

It was proposed by Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody, and;

Resolved: (1) That the Returning Officer’s report be noted and that the staff be thanked for their efforts in running the elections.

(2) That the following newly elected and returning councillors be welcomed onto the Council:

Devonshire Ward:

New – Councillor Steve Holt

Returning – Councillors Margaret Bannister and Steve Wallis

Hampden Park Ward:

New – Councillor Colin Swansborough

Returning – Councillors Pat Hearn and Jim Murray

Langney Ward:

Returning – Councillors Harun Miah, Alan Shuttleworth and Troy Tester

Meads Ward:

New – Councillors Robert Smart and Kathy Smethers

Returning – Councillor Barry Taylor

Old Town:

New – Councillor Jonathan Dow

Returning – Councillors Janet Coles and John Ungar

Ratton:

New – Councillor Tony Freebody

Returning – Councillors Colin Belsey and Colin Murdoch

St Anthony’s:

New – Councillor Dean Sabri

Returning – Councillors Gill Mattock and David Tutt

Sovereign:

New – Councillors Ray Blakebrough and Penny Di Cara

Returning – Councillor Gordon Jenkins

Upperton:

New – Councillors Sammy Choudhury, Pat Rodohan and Margaret Salsbury

(3) That a vote of thanks be extended to the following councillors who had chosen to retire or were not re-elected:

Mike Thompson – elected in 1996

Neil Stanley – elected in 1998

David Elkin – elected in 2000

Jon Harris – elected in 2000

Sandie Howlett – elected in 2002

Carolyn Heaps – elected in 2007

Alun Cooke – elected in 2011

Philip Ede – elected in 2011

Tom Liddiard – elected in 2011

Patrick Warner – elected in 2011

Annabelle West – elected in 2011

Caroline Ansell – elected in 2012

To receive nominations and vote thereon.

(Note: The Leader is to be appointed to a 4-year term of office in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.)

It was proposed by Councillor Mattock, seconded by Councillor Tester, and;

Resolved: (By 15 votes to 0) That Councillor David Tutt be elected as Leader of the Council and Chairman of the Cabinet for the 4-year term of office until May 2019.

Leader of the Council to report:

(a) The names of those Councillors to serve on the Cabinet and the Councillor appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council (and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet) and to note the respective areas of responsibility for each member of the Cabinet.

(b) That the terms of reference and constitution of the Cabinet be as set out in the Council’s Constitution. 

(c) That delegations to individual Cabinet members in respect of executive functions have not been made at this time.

Councillor Tutt reported the following:

(a) That the names of those Councillors to serve on the Cabinet and the Councillor appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council (and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet), be as shown on the schedule attached to these minutes for the 2015/16 municipal year, and that the respective areas of responsibility for each member of the Cabinet be noted.

(b) That the terms of reference and constitution of the Cabinet be as set out in the Council’s Constitution. 

(c) That delegations to individual Cabinet members in respect of executive functions have not been made at this time.

(1) To agree the proposed number and allocation of seats, receive nominations and vote thereon.  Please see reports 10(a) and 10(b) referred to below

(2) To confirm the continuation of the following bodies with terms of reference as set out in the Council’s Constitution that have a fixed membership or to which members are appointed by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or relevant Head of Service as the need arises:

Equality Steering Group

Council Panels

Recruitment Panels

Task Groups

Project Boards

(3) That the existing independent persons (Mr Allen Gales and Mr Trevor Elliott) be re-appointed under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 and continue to hold office for the period up to the annual meeting May 2016.

The Council noted the report of the Senior Local Democracy Officer on political balance and allocation of seats.  As a result of this, together with consultation with Group Leaders, a proposed schedule of nominations was circulated with the agenda. 

Following a proposal from Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody, it was:

Resolved: (1) That the proposed number and allocation of seats and nominations as set out on the schedule attached to these minutes be approved.

(2) That the continuation of the following bodies be confirmed with terms of reference as set out in the Council’s Constitution, and that they have a fixed membership to which members are appointed by the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive or relevant Senior Head of Service as the need arises:

Equality Steering Group, Council Panels, Recruitment Panels, Task Groups and Project Boards

(3) That the existing independent persons (Mr Allen Gales and Mr Trevor Elliott) appointed under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011, continue to hold office for the period up to May 2016.

The calendar was last approved by Council on 18 February 2015.  It is subject to the following change:

·         Cabinet 1 June 2015 (instead of 3 June)

(The following information was given in the report to Council last February.

·         The practice of holding both the Spring ordinary meeting on the same evening as the annual meeting is continued and it is proposed that this also be the arrangement in 2016

·         There is no longer a Council meeting in September.  The lack of business typically a feature of this meeting in past years means that this meeting has not been included in the calendar.

·         The dates of the May 2015 Planning Committee and Conservation Area Advisory Group meetings have been moved forward one week into June so that they fall after the annual meeting.)

Following a proposal from Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody, it was:

Resolved: That the programme of meetings for all bodies in the Council structure in the municipal year 2015/16 be confirmed in accordance with the schedule circulated with the agenda.  

Council to approve the delegation of non-executive functions, including terms of reference, to Committees, Sub-Committees, other Council bodies as set out in the relevant sections of the Council’s Constitution.

Following a proposal from Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody, it was:

Resolved: That the delegation of non-executive functions, including terms of reference, to Committees, Sub-Committees, and other Council bodies as set out in the relevant sections of the Council’s Constitution be approved.

The Council is required each year to approve the scheme of delegations to officers and proper officer functions as set out in the relevant sections of the Council’s Constitution.

The Council considered a report of the Senior Head of Corporate Development and Governance highlighting specific amendments to the scheme of delegations to officers. Council also considered a report of the Chief Executive on the appointment to the statutory post of Monitoring Officer.

It was proposed by Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Freebody, and;

Resolved: (1) That the delegation of functions to Officers as set out in the Scheme of Delegation to Officers and the Proper Officer List, and incorporating the proposed amendments set out in the report, be approved.

(2) That the designation of monitoring officer be held by Peter Finnis, the Council’s Senior Head of Corporate Development and Governance.

Following a proposal from Councillor Tutt, seconded by Councillor Mattock, it was:

Resolved: (1) That in the case of the one contested nomination, namely in respect of the representation on the Trees Community Centre Management Committee, the approved nominations are Councillors Choudhury, Hearn and Murdoch.

(2) That all the remaining appointments of Members to serve on outside bodies be approved in accordance with the names listed on the schedule attached to these minutes.