Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Reading

Contact: Michael Popham, Democratic Services Manager  Email: michael.popham@reading.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

ELECTION OF MAYOR

1.       The retiring Mayor will announce that the first item of business is the election of the Mayor.

2.       The retiring Mayor will invite nominations. If there is more than one nomination a ballot will take place. The retiring Mayor will then announce the result.

3.       The retiring Mayor will ask the newly-elected Mayor to make the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office. The new Mayor will then read the statutory declaration and sign it. The declaration will be witnessed by the Chief Executive.

4.       The newly elected Mayor will take the chair.

Minutes:

The first business to be transacted being the election of the Mayor, it was moved by Councillor Pearce and seconded by Councillor McEwan and CARRIED:

 

That Councillor Woodward be elected Mayor of this Borough.

 

No other candidate having been nominated, Councillor Woodward was duly declared elected.

 

2.

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY MAYOR

5.       The newly-elected Mayor will proceed with Item 2 on the Agenda and ask for nominations for Deputy Mayor and a seconder. If there is more than one nomination a ballot will take place. The newly-elected Mayor will then announce the result.

6.       The newly-elected Mayor and the newly-appointed Deputy Mayor will retire to an adjoining room, where they will robe.

7.       All will STAND while the procession leaves the Auditorium.

8.       There will be an interval while the Mayoral party changes robes.

…………………….

9.       The Mace Bearer will announce the return of the Mayoral party.

10.     On the return of the newly-elected Mayor, Members of the Council will STAND in their places, and WILL REMAIN STANDING until the newly-elected Mayor has received the Mace.

11.     The newly-elected Mayor will receive the Mace from the outgoing Mayor, who will repeat the customary words.

12.     All will then be SEATED.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Stanford-Beale and seconded by Councillor Robinson and CARRIED:

 

“That Councillor Stevens be appointed Deputy Mayor of this Borough.”

 

3.

ADDRESS OF NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR

13.     The newly-elected Mayor will address the Council.

Minutes:

Councillor Woodward addressed the Council.

 

4.

MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING ON 26 MARCH 2019 pdf icon PDF 99 KB

14.     The Mayor will sign the Minutes, with the agreement of the Council.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

 

5.

VOTE OF THANKS TO COUNCILLOR D EDWARDS AND MR A EDWARDS

15.     The vote of thanks will be moved and seconded.

16.     Councillor D Edwards and Mr A Edwards to receive past Mayors’ badges, presented by the Mayor.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Ennis and seconded by Councillor Brock and CARRIED:

 

“That the Council record their sincere appreciation of the ability, courtesy and diligence with which Councillor Edwards has discharged her duties attached to the office of Mayor since 23 May 2018. They also record their grateful thanks to Mr A Edwards for the support and assistance he rendered in the capacity of Mayor’s escort throughout his term of office.”

 

6.

ADDRESS BY RETIRING MAYOR

17.     Councillor D Edwards will address the Council.

Minutes:

Councillor D Edwards addressed the Council.

 

7.

REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS HELD ON 2 MAY 2019 pdf icon PDF 28 KB

18.     Monitoring Officer to report.

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report on the results of the Municipal Elections held on 2 May 2019. He also reported that all those elected had signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

8.

APPOINTMENT OF LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

19.     A motion will be moved at the meeting.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Lovelock and seconded by Councillor Page and CARRIED:

 

“That Councillor Brock be appointed Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2019/20.”

 

9.

REPORT ON CONSTITUTION; POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL AND COMMITTEES; SCHEME OF MEMBERS' ALLOWANCES; AND DELEGATIONS pdf icon PDF 87 KB

20.     Monitoring Officer to report. The Council will consider a motion, moved by the Leader of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report making recommendations for the Municipal Year 2019/20 to:

 

(1)           appoint the Committees of the Council: the allocation of seats between Groups has to be calculated in accordance with Sections 15-17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and details have been circulated to Group Leaders before the meeting;

(2)     appoint a local Standards Committee for the authority;

(3)     agree the powers and duties of committees, sub-committees, partnerships and consultative Working Parties (Appendices A, B and C);

(4)     agree changes to the Constitution

·                Part 4 – Officer Employment Procedure Rules (Appendix D)

·                Part 5 – Planning Code of Conduct (Appendix E)

 

(5)     agree the general dispensation granted to all Members as set out in para. 2.17 below.

(6)     amend the Council’s scheme of Councillors’ Allowances, and confirm those Councillors who meet the definition of Members having significant responsibilities in relation to the discharge of the Council’s functions in terms of entitlement to Special Responsibility Allowance at Tier 3 for the remainder of the financial year 2019/20;

(7)     re-establish the Remuneration Panel for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

 

The Constitution for the authority will be amended in the light of these changes and published on the Council’s website.

 

The powers and duties of the Committees and Sub-Committees were included in Appendices A and B. The terms of reference of Partnership and advisory and consultative bodies, and Member:Officer working groups, were included in Appendix C.

A.          Constitution

2.1         That the Constitution for the authority be amended to include the action set out below.

 

B.          General Reservation of Powers to the Council

2.2         That the following matters be reserved to the Council, in line with Article 4 of the Constitution, and any decisions of Committees in relation to them shall be submitted to the Council as recommendations:

(a)     changing the Constitution;

(b)     approving the authority’s budget, and any application to the Secretary of State in respect of any Housing Land Transfer;

(c)     Approving the authority’s budget strategy, including plans or strategies for:

o   The control of borrowing and investments

o   Capital expenditure

o   Determining the authority’s minimum revenue provision and agreeing the Council’s capital strategy and asset management plan;

The budget framework is as set out in Part 4 of the Constitution (subject to review);

(d)     agreeing and/or amending the terms of reference for committees appointed by the Council, deciding on their composition and making appointments to them;

(e)     making a Members’ allowances scheme under Article 2.5 of the Constitution;

(f)      changing the name of the area, conferring the title of freedom or freeman of the Borough;

(g)     (i)   confirming the appointment of the Head of Paid Service;

(ii)  confirming the dismissal of the Head of Paid Service, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer;

(h)     appointing the external auditors and agreeing the arrangements for their appointment;

(i)      making, amending, revoking, re-enacting or adopting bylaws and promoting or opposing the making of local legislation or personal Bills;

(j)      requesting a change to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LEADER & LEAD COUNCILLORS AND ALLOCATION OF PORTFOLIOS pdf icon PDF 15 KB

21.     The Council will consider a motion, moved by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Brock and seconded by Councillor Page and CARRIED:

 

Resolved –

 

(1)           That Councillor Page be appointed the Deputy Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2019-20;

 

(2)     That for the Municipal Year 2019-20, the following Councillors be appointed as Lead Councillors for the services listed below:

Adult Social Care

Councillor Jones

Children

Councillor Terry

Corporate and Consumer Services

Councillor Emberson

Culture, Heritage & Recreation

Councillor Rowland

Education

Councillor Pearce

Health, Wellbeing & Sport

Councillor Hoskin

Housing

Councillor Ennis

Neighbourhoods & Communities

Councillor James

Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport

Councillor Page

 

11.

APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES pdf icon PDF 82 KB

22.     The Council will consider a motion, moved by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Brock and seconded by Councillor Page and CARRIED:

 

Resolved –

 

(1)  That, subject to the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act, 1989, and Regulations made thereunder, the following Councillors be appointed to serve on Committees in the Municipal Year 2019/20:

Adult Social Care, Children’s Services & Education Committee (10:3:1:1)

 

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green Councillor

David Absolom

Ballsdon

O’Connell

White

Challenger

Grashoff

 

 

Hoskin

Robinson

 

 

Jones

 

 

 

Khan

 

 

 

McEwan

 

 

 

McKenna

 

 

 

Pearce

 

 

 

Sokale

 

 

 

Terry

 

 

 

 

Audit & Governance Committee (5:2:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Green Councillor

Davies

Stevens

Josh Williams

Edwards

Warman

 

Emberson

 

 

Gittings

 

 

McKenna

 

 

 

Health & Wellbeing Board

Leader of the Council

Lead Councillor for Health, Wellbeing and Sport

Lead Councillor for Adult Social Care

Lead Councillor for Children

Named Substitutes: Councillors David Absolom, McEwan and R Williams

Observers: Conservative and Liberal Democrat Group Spokespersons

 

Housing, Neighbourhoods & Leisure Committee (10:4:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green Councillor

Davies

Carnell

O’Connell

McGonigle

Ennis

Grashoff

 

 

Gittings

Manghnani

 

 

Hacker

R Singh

 

 

Hoskin

 

 

 

James

 

 

 

Leng

 

 

 

Lovelock

 

 

 

Rowland

 

 

 

R Williams

 

 

 

 

Licensing Applications Committee (7:3)

Labour Councillors

Conservative Councillors

Edwards

Carnell

Maskell

Grashoff

Page

Skeats

Rowland

 

D Singh

 

Woodward

 

James

 

 

Personnel Committee (4:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillor

Brock

Skeats

Emberson

 

Lovelock

 

Page

 

(or nominees)

 

Investigating & Disciplinary Committee (4:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Brock

Skeats

Emberson

 

Page

 

Terry

 

(or nominees)

 

Appeals Committee (4:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Ayub

Stevens

Edwards

 

Ennis

 

Lovelock

 

(or nominees)

 

Planning Applications Committee (9:3:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green

Councillor

Ennis

Carnell

Duveen

Josh Williams

Lovelock

Robinson

 

 

McEwan

Stanford-Beale

 

 

McKenna

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

Rowland

 

 

 

D Singh

 

 

 

Sokale

 

 

 

R Williams

 

 

 

 

Policy Committee (10:4:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green Councillor

Brock

Skeats

Duveen

White

Emberson

Stevens

 

 

Ennis

Robinson

 

 

Hoskin

Warman

 

 

James

 

 

 

Jones

 

 

 

Rowland

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

Pearce

 

 

 

Terry

 

 

 

 

Standards Committee (5:2)

Labour Councillors

Conservative Councillors

Ayub

R Singh

Edwards

Warman

Gittings

 

Khan

 

Lovelock

 

(Together with the following independent member: Mrs T Barnes)

Named Substitutes (1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Ennis

Skeats

 

Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport Committee (9:3:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillors

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green Councillor

Debs Absolom

Carnell

Duveen

McGonigle

Ayub

Stanford-Beale

 

 

Barnett-Ward

Robinson

 

 

Challenger

 

 

 

Eden

 

 

 

Emberson

 

 

 

Maskell

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

R Williams

 

 

 

 

(2)     That the following Councillors be appointed to serve on other bodies in the Municipal Year 2019/20:

Access and Disabilities Working Group (3:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillor

Eden

Manghnani

Khan

 

R Williams

 

 

Adult Safeguarding Panel (3:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillor

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Edwards

Manghnani

O’Connell

Hoskin

 

 

Jones

 

 

 

Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (1:1:1)

Labour Councillor

Conservative

Councillor

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Green Councillor

James

R Singh

O’Connell

J Williams

Appeals Pool from which Members will be drawn to serve on the Curriculum Complaints Panel or the Removal of Early Years Providers Appeals Panel, as required by regulation.

Labour Councillors

Conservative Councillor

Liberal Democrat

Councillor

Davies

Stanford-Beale

O’Connell

Eden

Grashoff

 

Edwards

 

 

Hoskin

 

 

Khan

 

 

Lovelock

 

 

 

Arts & Heritage Forum (5:2)

Labour Councillors

Conservative Councillor

Ayub

Grashoff

Hacker

Manghnani

Rowland

 

R Williams

 

Challenger

 

Children’s Safeguarding Panel (3:1:1)

Labour Councillors

Conservative

Councillor

Liberal Democrat  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRS/VICE CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES pdf icon PDF 17 KB

23.     The Council will consider a motion, moved by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Brock and seconded by Councillor Page and CARRIED:

 

Resolved –

 

That the following be appointed Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the following Committees for the Municipal Year 2019/20:

Committee

Chair

Vice-Chair

Adult Social Care, Children’s Services & Education

Councillor David Absolom

Councillor McEwan

Audit & Governance

Councillor Stevens

Councillor Davies

Health & Wellbeing Board

Councillor Hoskin

Dr A Ciecierski

Housing, Neighbourhoods & Leisure

Councillor Davies

Councillor Lovelock

Licensing Applications

Councillor Edwards

Councillor Woodward

Planning Applications

Councillor McKenna

Councillor Sokale

Personnel

Councillor Emberson

Councillor Brock

Investigating & Disciplinary Committee

Councillor Brock

Councillor Page

Appeals Committee

Councillor Lovelock

Councillor Edwards

Policy

Councillor Brock

Councillor Page

Standards

Mrs T Barnes

Councillor Edwards

Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport

Councillor Debs Absolom

Councillor Barnett-Ward

 

13.

DATES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 2019/20

24.     The Mayor will move a motion setting the dates of Council Meetings for 2019/20.

…………………….

MEETINGS OF COMMITTEES

At the conclusion of the Council Meeting, the following meetings will take place:

(a)      A meeting of the Policy Committee. The Mayor will invite the Chair of the Committee to move a motion.

(b)      A meeting of the Licensing Applications Committee. The Mayor will invite the Chair of the Committee to move a motion.

(c)      A meeting of the Strategic Environment, Planning & Transport Committee. The Mayor will invite the Chair of the Committee to move a motion.

…………………….

EVERYONE WILL STAND AS THE MAYOR LEAVES THE AUDITORIUM.

The Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Retiring Mayor and Freemen will process out, passing by the Mayor’s Escort, Deputy Mayor’s Escort and Retiring Mayor’s Escort who will join the procession. The procession will leave by the Centre Doors. Councillors will follow the procession.

All guests will stay seated for a few minutes.

Minutes:

It was moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor and CARRIED:

 

Resolved –

 

That, before the day of the Annual Meeting in 2019, meetings of the Council be held at half-past six o’clock in the afternoon on 25 June and 15 October 2019, and 28 January, 25 February and 24 March 2020, unless the Mayor shall specify some other date and time.