Meeting documents

Annual Council
Tuesday, 16 May 2006

annual council

MINUTES of the Annual Meeting of Swale Borough Council held in the Council Chamber, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne on Tuesday 16th May 2006 from 7:52 pm to 9:27 pm.

Present: Councillor Mulhern (Mayor), Councillor John Morris (Vice-Chairman), Councillors Dave Banks, Barnicott, Bobbin, Chris Boden, Bowles, Simon Clark, Christine Coles, Jackie Constable, Mike Cosgrove, Adrian Crowther, Stuart Davidson, Cindy Davis, John Disney, Mark Ellen, Fentiman, Sue Gent, Martin Goodhew, Fiona Gowdy, Brenda Hammond, Harrison, Jordan, Gerry Lewin, Elvina Lowe, Prescott, Gareth Randall, Jennie Ronan, David Simmons, Brenda Simpson, Ben Stokes, Manuella Tomes, Roger Truelove, Anita Walker, Ghlin Whelan, Alan Willicombe, Jean Willicombe, Woodland, Worrall and John Wright.

Officers Present: Mrs Bescoby, Messrs Bilsborough, Milne, Radford and Russell.

Apologies: Councillors Mike Brown, David Garside, Sandra Garside, Mike Haywood, Manning, Kenneth Pugh and Tovey.

1  

election of the mayor

Councillor Brenda Simpson proposed and Councillor Sue Gent seconded that Councillor John Morris be elected Mayor for the municipal year 2006/2007.

Upon being put to the vote and agreed, Councillor John Morris made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and gave thanks for his election as Mayor for the forthcoming year. The Chief Executive placed the badge of office on the Mayors and Mayoress' chains of office. The Mayor presented the Mayoress, his wife Mrs Ann Morris, with flowers.

RESOLVED:

(1) That Councillor John Morris be elected as Mayor for the Borough of Swale for the municipal year 2006/2007.
 
2  

the forthcoming mayoral year

The Mayor advised that 50% of his charity would support the charity 'Improvement of facilities for cancer patients and their relatives at the Jefferson Day Suite at Maidstone Hospital' and the other 50% would be divided between three charities in the Borough, one each in Sheppey, Sittingbourne and Faversham. The charity in Sheppey would be SSAFA Forces Help and he welcomed suggestions for charities in Faversham and Sheppey from Councillors Bowles and Elvina Lowe. He advised that it would be his Golden wedding anniversary in December and that there would be a big celebration.

 
3  

vote of thanks to the retiring mayor

Councillor Mike Cosgrove proposed and Councillor Bowles seconded a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor for his hard work during the mayoral year. The Mayor presented the retiring Mayor with mementos of his term of office and his past Mayors' badge and the retiring Mayor made a speech in response. In doing so, he reflected on his year as Mayor and thanked the Mayor's PA, the Mayor's Chauffeur, his Chaplain and Cadet and presented them with gifts. He also thanked his employer for allowing him time off work and wished the Mayor and Mayoress good luck in their mayoral year.

 
4  

election of the deputy mayor

Councillor Barnicott proposed and Councillor Fentiman seconded that Councillor Adrian Crowther be elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Swale for the municipal year 2006/2007.

Upon being put to the vote and agreed, Councillor Adrian Crowther made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office. The Chief Executive presented the Deputy Mayor with his badge of office and Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Pamela Berry, with her badge of office and flowers.

RESOLVED:

(1) That Councillor Adrian Crowther be elected as Deputy Mayor for the Borough of Swale for the municipal year 2006/2007.
 
5  

appointment of the mayor's cadet

The Mayor announced that he had appointed Army Cadet Bombardier Ben Jones as the Mayor's Cadet for the forthcoming civic year and presented him with a badge in recognition of this.

 
6  

appointment of the mayor's chaplain

The Mayor announced that he had appointed the Reverend Captain Francis Searle, the Rector of Eastchurch with Leysdown and Harty, as his Chaplain for the forthcoming civic year. He advised that Reverend Searle had been unable to attend the meeting but Reverend Bill Hornsby had kindly agreed to conclude the meeting with prayers.

 
7  

confirmation of minutes

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 1st March 2006 (Minute Nos. 761 - 775) were taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

 
8  

adoption of executive minutes

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 29th March 2006 be adopted subject to Minute 835 being noted, as it appears as a separate item on the Annual Council Agenda (Minute No. 13 refers).

(2) That the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 26th April 2006 be adopted.

(3) That the Minutes of the Executive meeting held on 10th May 2006 be noted as the items appear separately on the Annual Council Agenda (Minute Nos. 10,11,12 and 14 refer).
 
9  

borough council elections - 4th may 2006

The Returning Officer reported the results of the Elections on 4th May 2006.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the report be noted.
 
10  

appointment of the leader of the council

Councillor Gerry Lewin proposed and Councillor Mulhern seconded that Councillor Bowles be elected as Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2006/2007.

RESOLVED:

(1) That Councillor Bowles be elected as Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2006/2007.
 
11  

membership of the executive

The Leader put forward his proposals for the membership of the Executive.

RESOLVED:

(1) That membership of the Executive for 2006/2007 be as follows:-
Leader and Executive Member for Economic Regeneration – Councillor Bowles;
Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Culture – Councillor Gerry Lewin;
Executive Member for Finance and Performance – Councillor Mike Cosgrove;
Executive Member for Environment and Community Protection – Councillor Martin Goodhew;
Executive Member for Rural Affairs – Councillor Jordan;
Executive Member for Housing – Councillor David Simmons;
Executive Member for Community Partnerships – Councillor John Wright.
 
12  

appointment of scrutiny panels, committees, forums, groups and panels

The political balance calculations for Committees, together with membership details of Scrutiny Panels, Committees, Forums, Groups and Panels were tabled at the meeting.

In respect of membership of the Queenborough Fishery Trust and Swale Recreation Trust, more nominations had been received for the Sheppey membership than there were seats. The Borough Solicitor confirmed that it was a Trust to which the Council had the right to make appointments. A vote was taken on each nomination.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Political Balance for the Authority for its Committees, as set out in the tabled paper, be agreed.

(2) That membership of Scrutiny Panels, Committees, Forums, Groups and Panels etc be as tabled at the meeting subject to : -
(a) Councillors David Garside and Kenneth Pugh being the Sheppey members on the Queenborough Fisheries Trust and the Swale Recreation Trust;
(b) the membership of the Joint Transportation Board being amended to reflect that Councillor Brenda Simpson is a Kent County Council Member of the Board.
 
13  

adoption of timetable of meetings for 2006/2007

An amended version of the timetable of meetings was tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the timetable of meetings for 2006/2007 as tabled at the meeting be agreed.
 
14  

nominations to outside bodies and approved duties

The Leader drew attention to the tabled paper which set out nominations to Outside Bodies, including attendance statistics for the Council's current appointments. The table was shaded to reflect where a nomination was sought; where there were more nominations than seats; or where Democratic Services had been asked to investigate further.

In respect of the Council for Voluntary Services, more nominations had been submitted than there were seats and a vote was taken on each nomination.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the Council's nominations to outside bodies be as tabled at the meeting, subject to the following amendments:-
Council for Voluntary Services – Councillors Mike Haywood, Woodland and John Wright;
NHS Scrutiny Committee – Medway – nomination to be referred back to the Executive;
Swale Primary Care Trust (Meetings with) – Community Scrutiny Panel Spokespersons and Chairman and the Executive Member for Community Partnerships;
Swale Housing Association – Honorary Alderman Calvert to continue until the Annual General Meeting in October (to be replaced by the Executive Member for Housing at that time) and Councillor Harrison;
Swale Stayput Group – Executive Member for Housing, Councillor Brenda Hammond and Councillor Mark Ellen;
Swale Youth Forum – vacancy to be filled by the Labour Group.

(2) That the Governing Body of Grove Park Primary School be asked to consider Councillor Gareth Randall as a Community Governor.
 
15  

concluding prayers

The Mayor invited Members and invited guests to join him for refreshments.

Reverend Bill Hornsby closed the meeting with prayers.

 
All Minutes are draft until agreed at the next meeting of the Committee/Panel

View the Agenda for this meeting

 

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