Agenda and minutes

Before the start of the formal business and after prayers were said, the outgoing Chairman (Mr Gerald Taylor) asked the Council to observe a minute’s silence to honour the contribution of former Councillor, Mrs Mary Wheat, who had recently passed away.  It was with sadness that Mr. Taylor also asked Councillors to stand in silence out of respect for the tragic death on 12^th May of a member of the Council’s cleansing services team.  Mr. Mark Crompton and his girlfriend had both been struck and fatally injured by a passing car as they waited for recovery of their broken down vehicle.

The Chairman will take the chair, make the declaration of acceptance of office and be invested with the chain of office.

DECISION:  That Councillor Mike Taylor be elected Chairman of the District Council until the next annual meeting of the Council.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Thompson and seconded by Councillor Lovelock that Councillor Mike Taylor be Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.  In proposing Councillor Taylor, Councillor Thompson referred to Councillor Taylor’s Yorkshire roots but said his loyalties lay with the town of Grantham and the district of South Kesteven.  Councillor Thompson stressed that the position of Chairman of the Council was no “jolly” and referred to the importance of its non partisan role. There were no other nominations put forward.

 

The Chairman and his Consort, Mrs Jean Taylor, were invested with the chains of office.  The Chairman gave a brief speech of thanks during which he expressed the wish for civility and decorum during Council debates.  He informed the Council that there would be three recipients of the Chairman’s Charity during his year of office:  the Army Benevolent Fund, the Fire Brigade Benevolent Fund, and the Marie Curie Cancer Fund.

 

The Chairman then made a declaration of acceptance of office and took the chair.

 

COUNCILLOR MIKE TAYLOR IN THE CHAIR

After the vote of thanks, the Chairman will make a presentation to the retiring Chairman.  The retiring Chairman will respond.

A vote of thanks was made to the retiring Chairman.  Councillor Martin-Mayhew commended Mr Gerald Taylor for the way in which he had carried the banner for South Kesteven with profound dignity and excellence.

The Vice-Chairman will make the declaration of acceptance of office and be invested with the Vice-Chairman’s medallion.

DECISION: That Councillor Mike Exton be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council until the next annual meeting of the Council.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Auger and seconded by Councillor Martin-Mayhew that Councillor Mike Exton be Vice-Chairman of the District Council for the ensuing year.  In nominating Councillor Exton, Councillor Auger referred to Councillor Exton’s commitment to public service: this had been demonstrated by his service as a retained fireman from 1966 to 1986 following which he had been awarded the Queens Fire Service Medal, and for his service on the Stamford Town Council. There were no other nominations put forward.

 

Councillor Exton made a declaration of acceptance of office and thanked the Council for electing him. He promised to serve the Council and to support the Chairman.

The Chairman then presented Mr. Taylor with gifts to commemorate his year of office, a past Chairman’s badge, and a plaque showing the District Council’s Coat of Arms.

 

Mr Taylor, in responding, thanked Councillor Mike Taylor for his support as Vice-Chairman during the past municipal year and thanked the previous Council members for their support and said how much he appreciated the kind remarks that had been made to him privately by numerous people.  Mr Taylor advised the new Council that over £6,000 had been raised for his chosen charities and expressed his particular appreciation towards Councillor Mike Williams who had organised the variety concert that had raised a significant amount, and to the public who had supported his fund raising events.  Mr. Taylor thanked his chaplain, the Reverend Charlie Robinson for his support and presented him with a donation towards the cost of repair work to the Folkingham parish church that had sustained considerable damage during last year’s gales.

 

Mr Taylor also thanked Mrs Viv Wyatt whose role covered part time support to the Chairman of the Council and presented her with a token of his appreciation.  Mr Taylor referred to the vital role of the Chairman’s Consort and told members about the great help he had received from Ruth during his year of office.  He then presented Ruth with a basket of flowers on behalf of the Council, and a gift of a hot air balloon flight from himself as a personal thank you.

 

He concluded his response by presenting Councillor Taylor with a gift of a plaque with a mounted cricket ball.  He wished to place on record his apologies to the residents of the Aveland ward he had represented as he felt he had not achieved the solutions to the flooding problems he had wanted.  He was pleased that the issues of environmental change were now nearing the top of the Council’s agenda, albeit a bit late, and expressed the sincere hope that the Council would take this forward along with other issues affecting the rural areas such as lack of rural transport.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Broughton, Cook, and Tom Webster.

Members are asked to declare any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made.

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 19^th April 2007 were confirmed as a correct record.

          A list of the outgoing Chairman’s engagements as circulated with the agenda was received and noted.  There were no other communications.

DECISION: That Councillor Mrs Linda Neal be appointed Leader of the District Council until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Turner, and seconded by Councillor Helyar, that Councillor Mrs Linda Neal be appointed Leader of the Council.  There were no other nominations.

DECISION: To note the following membership of the Cabinet and their respective portfolio responsibilities:

 

 

PORTFOLIO                          MEMBER        

 

Leader                                  Councillor       

Strategic                                Mrs Linda Neal

Partnerships   

                                               

              

Deputy Leader                   Councillor    

Corporate                              Paul Carpenter            

Governance &                  

Housing

 

Resources & Assets        Councillor

                                                Mrs Spencer-Gregson

 

Economic Development         Councillor

                                                Mrs Frances Cartwright

Access & Engagement         Councillor Ray Auger

 

Healthy Environment         Councillor John Smith

 

 

 

Councillor Mrs Neal thanked the Council for the confidence it had shown in her by re-electing her as Leader.

 

Councillor Howard, as representative of the second largest group on the Council (Independents), congratulated Councillor Mrs Neal on her appointment and extended the hand of friendship.  He expressed the wish that all the independent members would seek to work with the administration and would endeavour to support its proposals providing that they were for the good of the district.

To consider the recommendations of the Constitution & Accounts Committee meeting held on 30^th April 2007.                                          (Enclosure)

 

[A copy of the Constitution incorporating the revisions and consequential amendments is circulated with this agenda.]

DECISION:

 

(1)      With the exception of minute 61 relating to proposed changes to notices of motion to accept the minutes of the meeting of the Constitution & Accounts Committee held on 30^th April 2007;

(2)      That the current procedures for the operation of notices of motion at council meetings remain in place until such time as they may be reviewed by the Council;

(3)      To accept the consequential amendments to the Constitution arising out of the changes to the committee arrangements as agreed by the Council at its meeting held on 19^th April 2007, together with all subsequent amendments as detailed on a separate paper which was circulated at the meeting.

 

Members had before them the minutes of the meeting of the Constitution & Accounts Committee held on 30^th April 2007.  Circulated as a separate document, members had also been provided with a revised copy of the Constitution prepared by the Monitoring Officer which had incorporated the necessary changes to reflect the Council’s decision on 19^th April to reform the scrutiny and policy development arrangements previously consisting of five Development and Scrutiny Panels and replace these with three Policy Development Groups and a separate Scrutiny Committee.  Other amendments had been made to address typographical and grammatical errors.  The Monitoring Officer advised that further typographical errors had subsequently been identified and these were listed in a separate paper that was circulated at the meeting.

 

In presenting the minutes of the Constitution & Accounts Committee, Councillor Mrs Neal as chairman of that committee, stated that it was the wish of the committee to withdraw the recommendation concerning changes to the way the procedure for submission of notices of motion to Council operated, this matter having arose from a motion that was proposed by Councillor Mike Williams and passed by the Council on 19^th April 2007.

 

It was considered that, on reflection, to allow the new Council to consider further ideas on this subject and in the interests of democracy, this recommendation as contained at minute 61 be withdrawn.  Councillor Mike Williams indicated that he was satisfied with the explanation provided by Councillor Mrs Neal about deferring consideration of the mechanism by which a limit of two notices of motion per Council meeting should operate.

 

The Chairman advised the meeting that in view of this decision, item 15 on the agenda “Selection of Members to propose Notices of Motions at future Council meetings” was deleted.

Report number DLS0099 by the Monitoring Officer.              (Enclosure)

Members received and noted report number DLS0099 by the Monitoring Officer which advised that on 3^rd May 2007, the Government introduced a new Members code of Conduct which contained mandatory provisions that must be adopted by the Council.  At the present time, in signing their declaration of acceptance of office, members had agreed to be bound by the existing Code of Conduct until such time as the new Code was formally adopted by this Council.

 

The terms of the new Code would be considered by the Standards Committee at its meeting to be held on 6^th July 2007.  A recommendation would then be presented by the Chairman of the Standards Committee to the next meeting of the Council.

Report number CEX376 by the Chief Executive.                   (Enclosure)

DECISION:

 

(1)  Noting and accepting the wish of the Labour Group to relinquish its allocated seat on the Development Control Committee, to approve the following arrangements for the allocation of committee seats to members based on political groups’ aggregate membership as a proportional share of Full Council seats:

 

Committee	Conservative	Independent	Liberal Dem’t	Labour	Total
Development Control	10	4	2	1	17
Licensing	7	3	1		11
Resources PDG	5	1	1		7
Community PDG	4	2	1		7
Engagement PDG	4	2		1	7
Scrutiny Committee	7	3	1		11
Constitution Cttee	3	1	1		5
Governance & Audit Committee	3	1	1		5
Chief Executive’s appraisal panel	2	1			3

 

 

(2)    To endorse the names of the members of the Standards Committee as submitted by the Leaders of the three largest Groups on the Council to the Chief Executive:

 

   Councillor Lovelock, Councillor Farrar, Councillor Avril Williams

 

(3)    To approve the following committee memberships:

 

Development Control Committee:

 

Councillor Cook

Councillor Exton

Councillor Mrs Gaffigan

Councillor Harvey

Councillor Helyar

Councillor Higgs

Councillor Holmes

Councillor Howard

Councillor Mrs Jalili

Councillor Mrs Kaberry-Brown

Councillor Vic Kerr

Councillor Newcombe-Jones

Councillor Parkin

Councillor Scott

Councillor Turner

Councillor Andrea Webster

Councillor Avril Williams

 

Licensing Committee

 

Councillor Mrs Bosworth

Councillor Brough

Councillor Broughton

Councillor Chivers

Councillor Howard

Councillor Mrs Radley

Councillor Russell

Councillor Stokes

Councillor Turner

Councillor Wheat

Councillor Mike Williams

 

Scrutiny Committee

 

Councillor Mrs Bosworth

Councillor Farrar

Councillor Hearmon

Councillor Helyar

Councillor Higgs

Councillor Joynson

Councillor Mrs Kaberry-Brown

Councillor Mrs Judy Smith

Councillor Thompson

Councillor Andrea Webster

Councillor Mike Williams

 

Resources Policy Development Group

 

Councillor Adams

Councillor Craft

Councillor Sam Jalili

Councillor Bob Sandall

Councillor Scott

Councillor Mrs Judy smith

Councillor Stokes

 

Engagement Policy Development Group

 

Councillor Cook

Councillor Jock Kerr

Councillor McBride

Councillor Russell

Councillor Selby

Councillor Taylor

Councillor Tom Webster

 

Community Policy Development Group

 

Councillor Bisnauthsing

Councillor Miss Channell

Councillor Nicholson

Councillor Martin-Mayhew

Councillor Stephens

Councillor Thompson

Councillor Wootten

 

Constitution Committee

 

Councillor Joynson

Councillor Martin-Mayhew

Councillor Parkin

Councillor Susan Sandall

Councillor Wootten

 

Governance and Audit Committee

 

Councillor Dawson

Councillor Harvey

Councillor Sam Jalili

Councillor Lovelock

Councillor Moore

 

Chief Executive’s Appraisal Panel

 

Councillor Carpenter

Councillor Hearmon

Councillor Mrs Neal

 

Performance Board

 

Councillor Carpenter

Councillor Mrs Neal

Councillor Mike Williams

 

The Chief Executive presented his revised report number CEX377 which was circulated at the meeting following presentation to him of all groups on the Council and those members affiliated to those groups.  He stated he had been notified by Group Leaders about the preferences of their respective members for committee seats and accordingly circulated a paper at the meeting confirming the groups’ proposals.  The preferences of the Labour Group for the two places allocated to them were not yet known.

 

Councillor Selby stated it was the wish of his group to relinquish its allocated seat on the Development Control Committee.  This seat was then offered to the other groups.  It was proposed and seconded that the seat be given to Councillor Turner.  A further nomination for the seat to be given to Councillor Jock Kerr was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

          DECISION: To award the positions of Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of committees and groups to the following members:

 

Development Control Committee:

Councillor Parkin – Chairman

Councillor Exton – Vice-Chairman

 

Licensing Committee:

Councillor Turner – Chairman

Councillor Wheat – Vice-Chairman

 

Scrutiny Committee:

Councillor Joynson – Chairman

Councillor Mrs Judy Smith – Vice-Chairman

 

Resources Policy Development Group:

Councillor Craft – Chairman

Councillor Adams – Vice-Chairman

 

Community Policy Development Group:

Councillor Nicholson – Chairman

Councillor Thompson – Vice-Chairman

 

Engagement Policy Development Group:

Councillor Taylor – Chairman

Councillor Tom Webster – Vice-Chairman

 

Constitution Committee:

Councillor Martin-Mayhew – Chairman

Councillor Parkin – Vice-Chairman

 

Governance & Audit Committee:

Councillor Lovelock – Chairman

Councillor Moore – Vice-Chairman

 

In accordance with Council procedure rule 1.1 (ix), the Leader circulated a list of her recommendations for appointments to the Chairmanships and Vice-Chairmanships of the Policy Development Groups and the Scrutiny Committee.  The proposals were seconded.  The Council went through the remaining committees in turn and where alternative nominations were put forward, those receiving the higher number of votes were appointed:

 

Development Control Committee:

Nominations for Chairman – Councillor Parkin (30)  Councillor Vic Kerr (23)

Nominations for Vice-Chairman – Councillor Exton (28)  Councillor Vic Kerrr (26)

 

Licensing Committee:

Nominations for Chairman – Councillor Turner (31)  Councillor Mike Williams (23)

Nominations for Vice-Chairman – Councillor Wheat (33)  Councillor Mike Williams (22)

To approve a programme of ordinary meetings of the Council and its Committees for the municipal year.                  (Enclosure)

DECISION: In accordance with Council procedure rule 1.1 (x) that the meetings of the Council and Committees be held in accordance with the draft programme as submitted, subject to the date of the Constitution Committee listed as 16^th April 2008 being amended to 14^th April 2008, and noting the date of the Licensing Committee scheduled for 25^th May 2007 was a training day.

 

A member asked the Chief Executive why there were only three dates for each of the Policy Development Groups shown.  The Chief Executive explained that the programme presented represented scheduled public meetings.  It was open to the Chairmen of the Groups to hold other meetings and any private briefings they deemed appropriate.

To consider nominations to represent the District Council on outside bodies – report number DEM001 by the Democracy Service Manager.   (Enclosure)

DECISION: To approve the following list of nominations for representatives on outside bodies until the annual meeting in May 2011 (or until where otherwise  indicated):

 

ORGANISATION              REPRESENTATIVES  

 

Age Concern Kesteven              Councillor A.V. Kerr      

 

          Black Sluice Internal Drainage              Councillor Russell

          Board

 

Disability Lincs.              Councillor Higgs

Bourne & District Branch

 

Bourne Youth Centre              Councillor Mrs Judy Smith

Management Committee

 

Butterfield Committee of              Councillor Mrs Judy Smith

Trustees

 

Community Care for the Elderly              Councillor Wootten

 

Council to Protect              Mr Terl Bryant  

Rural England

 

Dame Margaret Thorold’s              Councillor Vic Kerr

Foundation

 

Deeping St. James              Councillor Ken Joynson

United Charities              Mrs Carol Precey

 

Disability Lincs.              Councillor Wootten

 

Earlesfield Youth Centre              Mr Adam Stokes

Management Committee

 

 

Local Government              The Leader              1 year app’mt

East Midlands

(LGEM)

 

East Midlands Regional              The Leader              1 year app’mt

Assembly

 

 

Grantham Almshouse Charity              Councillor Wootten             

 

Grantham Canal Partnership              Economic Development

                        Portfolio Holder

                        (Councillor Mrs Cartwright)

 

Heritage Lincolnshire              Councillor Thompson         

 

Joseph Clark’s (Grantham)              Councillor Wheat  

Apprenticing Foundation              Councillor Thompson

 

Kesteven Museums Panel              Councillor Exton

                        Councillor Mrs Kaberry-Brown

 

Lincolnshire Arts Forum              Councillor Thompson         

 

Lincolnshire Enterprise SSP              Economic Development

              Portfolio Holder

              (Councillor Mrs Cartwright)

 

Lincolnshire Playing Fields              Councillor Stokes

Association

 

Lincolnshire Sports Partnership              Healthy Environment

              Portfolio Holder

              (Councillor John Smith)  

                       

 

Local Government Association              The Leader of the Council

General Assembly              (Deputy Leader in his/her      

                        absence)               1 year app’mt                  

 

 

Local Government Association              Portfolio Holder

Rural Commission              Councillor Martin-Mayhew                    

                        (Portfolio Holder has the         

                        voting rights)         1 year app’mt

 

Longhurst Housing Association –              Councillor Martin-Mayhew             

Board of Management

 

National Playing Fields              Healthy Environment

Association                      Portfolio Holder

                            (Councillor John Smith)

 

 

Rural Transport Partnership              Councillor Adams

Scheme Board

 

South Kesteven Citizens              Councillor Davidson

Advice Bureau              Councillor Holmes

                        Councillor Bob Sandall

 

South Kesteven Local Strategic              The Leader

Partnership

 

South Lincs Blind Society              Councillor Sam Jalili

 

Thomas Truedale’s Hospital              Councillor Harvey

 

Town Centre Management

Partnerships:

Grantham Future              Councillor Parkin                  

                        Councillor Craft

                        (Strategy Group)              

                        Councillor Taylor

                        (Projects Group)

                       

Stamford Vision

                        Councillor Harvey

                        Councillor Moore

 

Bourne              Councillor Higgs   

                        Councillor Mrs Neal           

                        Councillor Russell              

                                                Councillor John Smith        

 

Deepings              Councillor Exton

                        Councillor K. Joynson

 

Upper Witham Internal              Councillor Newcombe-    

              Jones

              Councillor Stephens

              until March 2008

 

 

Welland & Deepings Internal              Councillor Auger                                    

Drainage Board              Councillor Exton             

              Councillor Helyar  

              Councillor Holmes

              Councillor Joynson

                            until March 2008

 

 

Welland Sub-Regional Strategic              The Leader

Partnership (SSP)

 

Members had before them report number DEM001 prepared by the Democracy Service Manager setting out those outside bodies and organisations who were seeking district council representation.  The Leader circulated a paper at the meeting setting out the nominations to these bodies put forward by the Conservative Group.  The Council went through each body in turn and where alternative nominations were put forward members voted for each candidate according to the number of representatives that were being sought for that body.  The nominees receiving the higher number of votes as shown in brackets below were accordingly appointed:

 

Black Sluice IDB: Nominees – Councillor Russell (33)  Councillor Holmes (16)

 

Council to Protect

Rural England: Nominees – Mr Terl Bryant (31)  Councillor Sam Jalili (21)

 

Disability Lincs.: Nominees – Councillor Wootten (32) Councillor Bisnauthsing (21)

 

Earlesfield Youth Centre Management  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Report number CEX375 by the Chief Executive.                    (Enclosure)

DECISION: To approve the format and timing of the Members’ Forum on 21^st June 2007 as set out in the Chief Executive’s report CEX375.

The Chief Executive submitted his report number CEX375 in which he set out proposals for the content and format for the Members’ Forum which was scheduled to be held on 21^st June in the morning before an ordinary meeting of the Council in the afternoon.  The event was to provide an opportunity for members of the Council to aquaint themselves more closely with staff in the authority and to work on particular aspects of the Council’s work in detail.  The Chief Executive expressed pleasure in confirming that as part of the session on communications, Fiona Narburgh, Head of Strategy and Communications with Wychavon District Council had agreed to come and make a presentation.  Wychavon DC had been awarded Local Government Chronicle “Council of the Year” on the basis of its communication and engagement with residents.

Before the closure of formal business, at the discretion of the Chairman the following announcements were made:

 

(1)     Councillor Thompson deplored the extremely poor recycling rate of 44% of office waste by this Council; he urged all Councillors to take their paperwork home and put it in their own domestic recycling.  The Leader pointed out that the recycling rate was 100% from the Leader’s Office.

 

(2)     The Chairman announced that the Hospital Defence Group were holding a concert at the Meres on 18^th May 2007 starting at 7.30pm.  Tickets were £10 and proceeds would be going to help the fight to retain the services at Grantham Hospital.

 

(3)     The Chief Executive reminded members of the Licensing Committee training day on 25^th May, details of which would be forwarded to those members elected to that committee.  He also announced that he would be contacting all new members with a view to meeting with them individually.

The meeting closed at 4.35 pm.