Agenda and minutes

Councillor Larratt proposed and Councillor Wire seconded;- “That Councillor Colin Lill be elected Mayor of the Borough of Northampton for the ensuing year”.  The motion was carried and Councillor Colin Lill was then elected Mayor and accepted office by making and delivering to the Chief Executive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.  The Mayor then took the Chair. 

Councillor Crake proposed and Councillor Church seconded;- “That the thanks of the Council be given to Councillor S Beardsworth and Mr Mike Beardsworth for the able and courteous manner in which they have discharged their duties as Mayor and Consort during their term of office”.  The motion was carried.

That the appointment of the Mayor’s Chaplain, the Reverend Ted Hale, be noted.

Councillor Patterson proposed and Councillor Yates seconded: “That Councillor L Mason be appointed to the office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year”.  The motion was carried and Councillor L Mason was appointed Deputy Mayor and accepted office by making and delivering to the Chief Executive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Conroy, Hollis, Palethorpe and Simpson.

That the long service of those employees shown in paragraph 6 of the agenda be noted with appreciation.

Councillor Tavener proposed and Councillor Caswell seconded that Councillor Hadland and Councillor Palethorpe be appointed Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council respectively for the ensuing year.  The motion was carried.

Councillor Crake proposed and Councillor Allen seconded that Councillor Woods and Councillor Glynane be appointed Leader and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democratic group for the ensuing year.  The motion was carried.

Councillor Wire proposed and Councillor Roy seconded that Councillor Barron and Councillor Marriott be appointed Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour group for the ensuing year.  The motion was carried. 

That it be noted that the Annual Meeting of the Council be held on 24 May 2007 and the Other meetings of the Council be held on 26 June, 24 July, 28 September, 27 November 2006 and 22 January, 13 February (Budget), 26 February (Council Tax) and 26 March 2007.

Consideration was given to a report of the Solicitor to the Council, an amended version of which was circulated at the meeting, reviewing representation and allocation of seats on the Council’s committees taking into account legal requirements.

RESOLVED: (1) That Council approves the number of seats on each committee as outlined in the report.

                        (2)That approval be given to the political makeup of each committee as detailed. 

(3)   That the Leader and Deputy Leader appointments for the Council of each group as detailed above be reaffirmed, namely Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillors Hadland and Palethorpe; Leader and Deputy Leader of the main opposition group, Councillors Woods and Glynane; and Leader and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group, Councillors Barron and Marriott.

(4)    That a six member Cabinet be approved. 

(5)   That  an increase in the number of seats on the Standards Committee by two, making a total of ten be approved. 

(6)   That approval to the membership of the Cabinet and each committee as detailed in the report be approved.

The appointments to the Cabinet of Councillor Hadland (Leader), Councillor Palethorpe (Deputy Leader), Councillors Caswell, Flavell, Larratt and Miah be approved for 2006/07.

Consideration was given to a report of the Solicitor to the Council recommending appointments to outside bodies generally maintaining the status quo as detailed on the list attached to the report.

RESOLVED:That the appointment to outside bodies as detailed on the list attached to the report be approved with the proviso that with regard to Northampton Theatres Trust the three group leaders meet as soon as possible to determine the nominations to the Trust.