Agenda and minutes

The Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr J Inge, opened the meeting with Prayer.

(a)  Council Membership

  The Chairman congratulated those Members of the Council who had been returned for a further term of office at the District Council elections held on 3rd May 2007 and extended a warm welcome to the following newly elected Members –

  Mrs K E Cooper(St. Neots – Priory Park); 

  P H Dakers    (Fenstanton);

  Mrs P A Jordan (Brampton);

  Ms S Kemp   (Huntingdon North);

  L W McGuire   (Elton and Folksworth); and

  P K Ursell   (St. Neots – Eynesbury).

  Tributes also were paid to former Members, Mrs P J Longford and Ms M Wheeler, who had stood unsuccessfully for re-election.

To elect the Chairman of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

It was proposed by Councillor P L E Bucknell, seconded by Councillor J J Dutton and

RESOLVED

  that Councillor P A Swales be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Swales made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office and thanked Members for the honour conferred in electing him as Chairman of the District Council for a further term of office.

Councillor P A Swales in the Chair.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 18th April 2007.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 18th April 2007 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda item.  Please see Notes 1 and 2 below.

None were received.

To appoint the Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

It was proposed by the Chairman, Councillor P A Swales, seconded by Councillor D B Dew and

RESOLVED

  that Councillor J W Davies be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Davies made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office and expressed appreciation to Members for their confidence and for the honour which they had conferred on him.

To receive a report by the Returning Officer on the persons elected to the Office of District Councillor at the elections held on 3rd May 2007.

The report of the Returning Officer with regard to the County, District and Parish Council elections held on 3rd May 2007 was received and noted (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book).

The Returning Officer extended his appreciation to the candidates and their supporters for their co-operation and courtesy during the elections and paid particular tribute to the Elections Team for the contribution they had made to meeting the new challenges posed locally and nationally by recent changes in electoral practice.  Having commended the decision to defer the counting of votes to the day after the elections and indicated their desire for this practice to continue in future years, Members placed on record their appreciation to the Elections Team and to those that had been engaged in election duties over the period. 

To elect the Leader of the Council who shall be Chairman of the Cabinet for the ensuing Municipal Year.

It was proposed by Councillor C R Hyams, seconded by Councillor P L E Bucknell and

RESOLVED

  that Councillor I C Bates be elected Leader of the Council and Chairman of the Cabinet for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint the Deputy Leader of the Council who shall be Vice-Chairman of the Cabinet for the ensuing Municipal Year.

It was proposed by Councillor J J Dutton, seconded by Councillor A Hansard and

RESOLVED

  that Councillor L M Simpson be appointed Deputy Leader of the Council and Vice-Chairman of the Cabinet for the ensuing Municipal Year.

To appoint a maximum of eight Members to the Cabinet in addition to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman dealt with in Agenda Item Nos 6 and 7.

Members were informed by the Leader that the filling of a vacancy in the Membership of the Cabinet would be considered at a future meeting of the Council.

RESOLVED

  that, (in addition to the Leader and Deputy Leader), Councillors P L E Bucknell, A Hansard, C R Hyams, Mrs D C Reynolds and T V Rogers be appointed as Members of the Cabinet for the ensuing year.

To consider a report by the Head of Administration on the representation of political groups on Panels, etc in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the District Council's Constitution.

A report was submitted by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) relating to the principles of proportionality to be applied to the appointment of Panels in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and Part II of the Local Government Act 2000.  Whereupon, it was

RESOLVED

  that the allocation of seats on Panels to political groups and non-aligned Members be determined as set out in the report now submitted.

(a)  To consider a report by the Panel appointed to recommend the appointment of Independent Members to serve on the Standards Committee.

(b)  To note that Messrs G Watkins and D MacPherson representing town and parish councils in Huntingdonshire, have been nominated by the Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils to serve on the Standards Committee until May 2011.

Further to Minute No. 69 (b) of the meeting of the Council held on 18th April 2007, Councillor G S E Thorpe presented the report of the Panel appointed by the Council to consider candidates for appointment as Independent Members of the Standards Committee for a four year term commencing on 16th May 2007 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book).

In accordance with The Relevant Authorities (Standards Committee) Regulations 2001, vacancies in Membership of the Committee had been advertised in the local press and following interviews, the Panel had recommended that Mr D L Hall be re-appointed and that two other applicants be invited to serve as Independent Members.  On the recommendation of the Panel, the Council

RESOLVED

  that Mr D L Hall be re-appointed as an Independent Member of the Standards Committee and that Messrs P L Boothman of Buckley House, Thicket Road, Houghton and M Lynch of Bury Way, St. Ives also be invited to serve as Independent Members for a four year term commencing on 16th May 2007. 

It was noted that Messrs G Watkins and D Macpherson, representing Town and Parish Councils in Huntingdonshire, had been nominated by the Cambridgeshire Association of Local Councils to serve on the Standards Committee until May 2011.

To appoint Members to the Overview and Scrutiny Panels –

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the following Members be appointed to the Overview and Scrutiny Panels for the ensuing Municipal Year –

  (b)  that in the case of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Corporate and Strategic Framework) the remaining five Members of the Panel be appointed from amongst the membership of the remaining Overview and Scrutiny Panels on an ad-hoc basis by the Head of Administration after consultation with the Panel Chairmen, in accordance with the rules of proportionality and in the light of the subject matter to be discussed.

To appoint Members to the following Committees and Panels –

RESOLVED

  (a)  that Members be appointed to serve on the Standards and Licensing Committees and Employment, Development Control, Licensing & Protection, Corporate Governance, Elections and Appointment Panels for the ensuing Municipal Year as follows:-

Standards Committee (7)

J D Ablewhite, Mrs B E Boddington, P J Downes, R S Farrer, I R Muir, T D Sanderson and G S E Thorpe;

Employment Panel (8)

Mrs B E Boddington, J J Dutton, Mrs P A Jordan, I R Muir, R Powell, K Reynolds and T D Sanderson and one Member of the Cabinet in an ex-officio capacity with appropriate portfolio responsibility;

Development Control Panel (16)

Mrs M Banerjee, Mrs B E Boddington, E R Butler, D B Dew, J J Dutton, J D Fell, P G Mitchell, D J Priestman, C J Stephens, P A Swales, G S E Thorpe, R G Tuplin, P K Ursell, P R Ward, R J West and one Member of the Cabinet in an ex-officio capacity with appropriate portfolio responsibility;

Licensing and Protection Panel (12)

K M Baker, J T Bell, J J Dutton, R W J Eaton, R S Farrer, J D Fell, I R Muir, R Powell, J M Sadler, T D Sanderson, J S Watt and one Member of the Cabinet in an ex-officio capacity with appropriate portfolio responsibility;

Licensing Committee (12)

K M Baker, J T Bell, J J Dutton, R W J Eaton, R S Farrer, J D Fell, I R Muir, R Powell, J M Sadler, T D Sanderson, J S Watt and one Member of the Cabinet in an ex-officio capacity with appropriate portfolio responsibility;

Corporate Governance Panel (7)

K Churchill, P J Downes, J A Gray, T V Rogers, L M Simpson, C J Stephens and G S E Thorpe.

Appointments Panel (4)

M G Baker, K Reynolds, T V Rogers and L M Simpson together with the relevant Executive Councillor in relation to the post to be filled; and

Elections Panel (7)

P J Downes, J E Garner, A N Gilbert, D Harty, M F Newman, K Reynolds and G S E Thorpe;

  (b)  that the following Members be nominated from which number the Director of Central Services be authorised when necessary to convene a meeting of the Appeal Sub-Group to include up to five Members (excluding Members of the Employment Panel) to determine appeals under the Council’s Disciplinary and Appeals Procedures –

  J T Bell, Mrs B E Boddington, J W Davies, C R Hyams, L W McGuire, P G Mitchell, M F Newman, Mrs D C Reynolds, T V Rogers, G S E Thorpe, R G Tuplin and J S Watt.

The Chief Executive to report on absences of Members from meetings.

The Chief Executive reported that there were no absences of Members from meetings for consideration in accordance with Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972. 

The meeting concluded at 3pm.