Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

It was proposed by Councillor S J Conboy, seconded by Councillor T D Sanderson and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED

that Councillor M J Burke be elected Chair of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Burke made the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 29thMarch 2023.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 29th March 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive from Members declarations as to disclosable pecuniary, other registerable and non - registerable interests in relation to any Agenda item. See Notes below.

No declarations were received.

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

It was proposed by Councillor S J Conboy, seconded by Councillor T D Sanderson and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED

that Councillor S R McAdam be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor McAdam made the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Councillor N Wells, Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee to present a report outlining a proposal to amend the Council’s Constitution to reflect the new role responsibilities of the Assistant Deputy Executive Leader.

(The report was considered and endorsed by the Corporate Governance Committee at their meeting on 26th April 2023).

Councillor N Wells, Chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, presented a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) seeking approval of a variation to Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution.

The Council were reminded that the revised Scheme of Members Allowances which had been approved on 29th March 2023 made provision for a Special Responsibility Allowance payable to the role of Assistant Deputy Executive Leader. A role which had been created by the Joint Administration at the start of the Municipal Year in 2022/23 but had not been remunerated. As this post did not currently exist within the Council’s Constitution it was necessary to update the Constitution to reflect this role.

Having noted that the proposal had been endorsed by the Corporate Governance Committee at their meeting on 26th April 2023 and it having been duly moved and seconded, it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that the proposed variation to Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution as outlined in Appendix B of the report now submitted be approved; and

(b)  that the necessary amendments be made to the Council’s Constitution.

The Executive Leader to announce the names of a maximum of eight other Councillors who shall be Members of the Cabinet, including the name of the Deputy Leader and the Assistant Deputy Executive Leader.

The Executive Leader, Councillor S J Conboy announced that she had appointed Councillors T D Sanderson, S Wakeford, L Davenport- Ray, M A Hassall, S W Ferguson, S L Taylor, B A Mickelburgh and Councillor B M Pitt to join her as Members of the Cabinet for the ensuing of the Municipal Year. She also announced that Councillor T D Sanderson would be appointed Deputy Executive Leader and Councillor S Wakeford would be appointed Assistant Deputy Executive Leader.

To consider a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager on the representation of political groups on Committees, 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 Elections and Democratic Services Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) relating to the principles and proportionality to be applied to the appointment of Committees and 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 District Council Committees and Panels to political groups and non-aligned Members be determined as set out in the report now submitted.

To appoint to:

Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth)   12 Members.

Overview and Scrutiny Panel

(Environment, Communities & Partnerships)   12 Members.

RESOLVED

that the following Members be appointed to the Overview and Scrutiny Panels for the ensuing Municipal Year:-

To appoint to:-

Development Management Committee    16 Members

(to include 1 Member of the Cabinet).

Corporate Governance Committee  12 Members.

Licensing Committee  12 Members

(to include 1 Member of the Cabinet).

Licensing & Protection Committee  12 Members

    (to include 1 Member of the Cabinet).

Employment Committee  8 Members

(to include 1 Member of the Cabinet)

Senior Officers Committee   5 Members

(4 Members of the Council and the relevant Executive Councillor in relation to the post to be filled).

Appeals Sub-Group   15 Members

(a pool of Members from which the Elections and Democratic Services Manager is authorised to convene a meeting of the Appeals Sub Committee comprising up to 5 members [excluding Members of the Employment Committee and the Senior Officers Committee to determine appeals under the Council’s disciplinary and appeals procedure).

RESOLVED

a)  that Members be appointed to serve on the Corporate Governance, Development Management, Employment, Licensing and Protection, Licensing and Senior Officers Committees for the ensuing Municipal Year as follows:-

Corporate Governance Committee (12)

Councillors A M Blackwell, E R Butler, J Clarke, J A Gray, J E Harvey, P J Hodgson-Jones, S A Howell, A R Jennings, P Kadewere, T D Sanderson, I P Taylor and N Wells

Development Management Committee (16)

Councillors R J Brereton, E R Butler, S J Corney, L Davenport-Ray, D B Dew, I D Gardener, K P Gulson, P A Jordan, S R McAdam, D L Mickelburgh, S Mokbul, J Neish, T D Sanderson, R A Slade, C H Tevlin, S Wakeford and this includes the Executive Councillor Member with appropriate portfolio responsibilities in an ex officio capacity.

Employment Committee (8)

Councillors A M Blackwell, S Cawley, C M Gleadow, M A Hassall, P A Jordan, D N Keane, J E Kerr and R J West and includes the Executive Councillor Member with appropriate portfolio responsibilities in an ex officio capacity.

Licensing and Protection Committee (12)

Councillors B S Banks, M L Beuttell, S Bywater, J Clarke, A Costello, S J Criswell, S W Ferguson, S A Howell, P A Jordan, P Kadewere, D Terry, C H Tevlin and includes the Executive Councillor Member with appropriate portfolio responsibilities in an ex officio capacity.

Licensing Committee (12)

Councillors B S Banks, M L Beuttell, S Bywater, J Clarke, A Costello, S J Criswell, S W Ferguson, S A Howell, P A Jordan, P Kadewere, D Terry, C H Tevlin and includes the Executive Councillor Member with appropriate portfolio responsibilities in an ex officio capacity.

Senior Officers Committee (4)

Councillors M L Beuttell, S Cawley, P A Jordan and T D Sanderson.

b)  that the following Members be nominated from which the Elections and Democratic Services Manager be authorised when necessary, to convene a meeting of the Appeals Sub-Group in include up to five Members (excluding Members of the Employment Committee) to determine appeals under the Council’s disciplinary and appeals procedures –

Councillors B S Banks, A M Blackwell, S Bywater, S Corney, A E Costello, S Criswell, L Davenport-Ray, S W Ferguson, N J Hunt, D N Keane, P J Hodgson-Jones, T D Sanderson, D J Shaw, C H Tevlin and S Wakeford.

To consider a report requesting the Council to make appointments to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for the 2023/24 Municipal Year (TO FOLLOW).

With the assistance of a report by the Interim Managing Director (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), Council were invited to make appointments / nominations to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.

Following the publication of the Agenda papers, Council were advised that notification had been received from the CPCA regarding changes to the membership of political parties which had resulted in changes to the composition of the Audit and Governance Committee. Whilst there was no impact in Huntingdonshire, a revised Appendix 2 had been tabled for all Members information and attention.

Whereupon it was

RESOLVED

(a)  that Councillor S J Conboy, Executive Leader of Council be appointed to act as the Council's appointee to the Combined Authority and Councillor T D Sanderson be appointed as the substitute member.

(b)  that Councillors M A Hassall and J Neish be nominated to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, with Councillors S J Corney and B A Mickelburgh nominated as substitutes;

(c)  that Councillor S Corney be nominated to the Audit and Governance Committee, with Councillor M L Beuttell as the substitute member; and

(d)   that the Managing Director be authorised to make any amendments to the appointments to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Audit and Governance Committee in consultation with the Political Group Leaders, if the Political Balance is amended by the Combined Authority between now and the next Council meeting.

Councillor S J Conboy, Executive Leader to present a report seeking the appointment of a Deputy Electoral Registration Officer will full powers for Huntingdonshire.

With the assistance of a report by the Elections and Democratic Services Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Executive Leader presented a proposal seeking approval of the appointment of a Deputy Electoral Registration Officer with full powers for Huntingdonshire.

Council were advised that the implementation of the Elections Act 2022 had placed further obligations on the Council’s Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and was likely to increase demand for urgent decisions, some of which have strict legislative deadlines. Members were advised that Electoral Commission guidance recommends appointing a Deputy who can carry out these duties should the ERO be unable to act. The appointment of a Deputy was a decision for full Council.

Whereupon having been duly proposed and seconded, it was

RESOLVED

a)  that Lisa Jablonska, Elections and Democratic Services Manager, be appointed Deputy Electoral Registration Officer with full powers; and

b)  that authority be delegated to the Electoral Registration Officer to revoke or vary appointments of Deputy Electoral Registration Officers as appropriate.

The meeting ended at 7.15 pm