Agenda and minutes

Councillor Church to propose and Councillor Beardsworth to second: “That Councillor Marianne Taylor be elected Mayor of the Borough of Northampton for the ensuing year.”

After election the Mayor will make the declaration of acceptance of office.

The Mayor’s Serjeant will invest the Mayor’s consort (Mr Martin Taylor) with his chain of office.

The Mayor will thank the Council for her election.

Councillor Church proposed and Councillor Beardsworth seconded “That Councillor Marianne Taylor be elected Mayor of the Borough of Northampton for the ensuing year.”

The motion was carried and Councillor M. Taylor was appointed 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 B Hoare to propose and Councillor Palethorpe to second: “That the thanks of the Council be given to Councillor Michael Hill and Mrs Margaret Hill for the able and courteous manner in which they have discharged their duties as Mayor and Mayoress during their term of office.”

Councillor B. Hoare proposed and Councillor Palethorpe seconded “That the thanks of the Council be given to Councillor Michael Hill and Mrs Margaret Hill for the able and courteous manner in which they have discharged their duties as Mayor and Mayoress during their term of office.”

The motion was carried.

Councillor Malpas to propose and Councillor Davies to second: “That Councillor Jamie William Lane be appointed to the office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year.”

After appointment the Deputy Mayor will make the declaration of acceptance of office.

The Mayor’s Serjeant will invest the Deputy Mayor’s consort (Mrs Victoria McKee) with her badge of office.

Councillor Malpas proposed and Councillor Davies Seconded “That Councillor Jamie William Lane be appointed to the office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year.”

The motion was carried and Councillor J. Lane 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 S Chaudhury, de Cruz, M. Hoare, C. Lill, J. Lill, Simpson and Wilson.

To record the long service of the following employees;

25 years : M. Cumbleton,K. Holmes, G. Hunt, J. Longhurst, F. McGown, C. Martin, C. Porter, K. Smith- Whelan, and R. Williamson.

35 years: K. Sawyer

The long service of those employees shown in paragraph 5 of the agenda was noted with appreciation.

Councillor Yates to propose and Councillor Meredith to second:

“That Councillor Brian Hoare be appointed Leader of the Council and  Councillor Paul Varnsverry be appointed Deputy Leader of the Council.”

Councillor Yates proposed and Councillor Meredith seconded “That Councillors B. Hoare and P.D Varnsverry be appointed Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council respectively for the ensuing year.”

The motion was carried.

Councillor Hadland  to propose and Councillor Caswell to second:

“That Councillor Palethorpe be appointed Leader of the Opposition and Councillor Larratt be appointed Deputy Leader of the Opposition.”

Councillor Hadland proposed and Councillor Caswell seconded “That Councillor Palethorpe be appointed Leader of the Opposition and Councillor Larratt be appointed Deputy Leader of the Opposition.”

The motion was carried.

Councillor  Scott to propose and Councillor Davies to second:

“That Councillor Mason be appointed Leader of the Labour Group and Councillor I Choudary be appointed Deputy Leader of the Labour Group.”

Councillor Scott proposed and Councillor Davies seconded “That Councillor Mason be appointed Leader of the Labour Group and Councillor I Choudary be appointed Deputy Leader of the Labour Group.”

The motion was carried.

Councillor Mildren to propose and Councillor Hawkins to second:

“That Councillor Clarke be appointed Leader of the Independent Group and Councillor Hawkins be appointed Deputy Leader of the Independent Group.”

Councillor Mildren proposed and Councillor Hawkins seconded “That Councillor Clarke be appointed Leader of the Independent Group and Councillor Hawkins be appointed Deputy Leader of the Independent Group.”

The motion was carried.

To record the following appointments to the Cabinet for 2010-11:

Councillor B. Hoare- Partnerships and Improvement

Councillor P. D. Varnsverry- Community Engagement

Councillor Beardsworth- Housing

Councillor Church- Planning and Regeneration

Councillor Crake- Environment

Councillor B. Markham- Performance and Support

Councillor Perkins- Finance

At this juncture the Council meeting will adjourn to 6.30pm on 24 May 2010.

RESOLVED: That the Leader of the Council, Councillor B Hoare, be the Chair of Cabinet and that the Cabinet members be Councillors Beardsworth, Church, Crake, B. Markham, Perkins and P.D. Varnsverry.

The meeting adjourned at 12.00 noon and reconvened at 18.30 on 24 May 2010.

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Councillor Perkins submitted a report that set out the recommendations of the Constitution Review Working Party in respect of Overview and Scrutiny arrangements, terms of reference for the Audit, General Purposes and Standards Committees and a Petitions scheme.  He noted that a further report on other aspects of the Constitution would be brought to Council at its meeting on 12 July 2010.  Councillor Palethorpe seconded the adoption of the report.

Councillor Clarke expressed some concern that the final working party recommendations in respect of Overview and Scrutiny did not fully reflect those made by Overview and Scrutiny itself and that the Constitution Review Working Party’s comments on civic matters had not been reflected in the final terms of reference for the General Purposes Committee.

Councillor Perkins commented that in respect of civic matters, he had been subsequently advised that these should be non- political and had therefore agreed to an amendment to the terms of reference of the General Purposes Committee. This, however, was on the basis that the matter could be further discussed by the Constitution Review Working Party.

RESOLVED:(1) That the revised Overview and Scrutiny Committee Article 6 set out as Appendix 2 of the report and the revised Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in Appendix 3 of the report be approved.

(2) That the revised terms of reference of the Standards Committee set out in Appendix 4 of the report, the revised terms of reference of the General Purposes Committee set out in Appendix 5 and the revised terms of reference of the Audit Committee set out in Appendix 6 be approved.

(3) That the information provided in respect of Neighbourhood Management arrangements be noted.

(4) That the Petitions scheme attached as Appendix 7 of the report be approved.

(5) That the Borough Solicitor be authorised to make the necessary amendments to the Constitution to reflect the changes in paragraphs 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 above and to make any typographical or other changes to the Constitution arising directly from the recommended changes.

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Councillor B Hoare submitted a report that sought Council’s approval to the number of group proportionality of seats on each Committee following the constitutional changes agreed by the Council.

Councillor Palethorpe seconded the adoption of the report.

RESOLVED:(1) That approval be given to the number of seats on each Committee as set out in the report.

(2) That the representation of political groups be as set out in the report.

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Councillor B Hoare submitted a report that set out the Meeting Cycle for 2010/11 and noted that the new Neighbourhood Management arrangements had been not included in the cycle so as to allow local decisions on dates of meetings and venues.  Councillor Perkins seconded adoption of the report.

RESOLVED:                        That the Meetings Cycle for 2010/11 be agreed.

The Mayor to propose: “That the Annual Meeting of the Council take place on 19th May 2011 and that the other meetings of the Council take place on 24 May, 12 July, 13 September, 25 October, 6 December 2010, 17 January, 28 February, and 14 March 2011.”

RESOLVED:That the Annual Meeting of Council take place on 19 May 2011 and that the other meetings of Council take place on 24 May, 12 July, 13 September, 25 October, 6 December 2010, 17 January, 28 February and 14 March 2011.

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Councillor B Hoare submitted a report in respect of the Appointments to Outside Bodies and referred to the revised appendix that had been circulated and in particular noted that in respect of the WNDC Northampton Planning Committee Councillor S Chaudhury’s status was as substitute.

RESOLVED:That the Appointments to Outside Bodies be as set out in the revised appendix as amended.

To consider the appointment of the following Councillors with whom consultations shall be held by the named Officer under the terms set out and delegated by the Council:

Community Enabling Fund Advisory Panel (Chief Executive)

Councillors J. Conroy, Flavell, I. Markham, Palethorpe, Scott and P.D. Varnsverry.

Markets Matters (Director of Environment and Culture)

Councillors Church, Flavell, Hadland, Scott, and Woods. (One vacancy) 

Councillor B Hoare noted that the consultation of the appointments for the Community Enabling Fund Advisory Panel would be Councillors J Conroy, Flavell, Garlick, Palethorpe, Scott and P D Varnsverry and for Markets matters would be Councillors Church, Flavell, Hadland, Scott and Woods (1 vacancy).

Councillor Perkins seconded adoption of the appointments.

RESOLVED:That the consultation appointments to the Community Enabling Fund Advisory Panel and Markets matters be as announced by the Leader of the Council.

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Councillor B Hoare submitted a report in respect of the detailed appointments to Committee for 2010/11.  Councillor Palethorpe seconded the adoption of the report.

RESOLVED:That the Appointments to Committees as set out in the report be accepted.