Agenda item

Members were invited to make nominations for the Leader of the Council.

A proposition was moved and seconded to suspend Council Procedure Rule 15.3 (voting by a show of hands) for this item and it be replaced with a secret ballot to vote in a new Leader of the Council.

Debate ensued on the merits and disadvantages of secret balloting. Following this short debate it was proposed that the ‘question was now put’. A request was made that a recorded vote on the motion be taken, as in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5 any ten or more Councillors present at the meeting of Full Council could request this. 

For a Secret Ballot:            Councillors Matt Bailey, David Bellamy, Pam Bosworth, Helen Crawford, Richard Dixon-Warren, Ben Green, Graham Jeal, Gloria Johnson, Anna Kelly, Jane Kingman, Gareth Knight, Zoe Lane, Robert Leadenham, Nikki Manterfield, Paul Martin, Penny Milnes, Charmaine Morgan, Nick Robins, Penny Robins, Susan Sandall, Peter Stephens, Ian Stokes, Sarah Trotter, Mark Whittington, Jane Wood, Paul Wood, Sue Woolley (27).

Against Secret Ballot:        Councillors Emma Baker, Rhys Baker, Ashley Baxter, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Pam Byrd, Richard Cleaver, Steven Cunnington, James Denniston, Phil Dilks, Patsy Ellis, Paul Fellows, Phil Gadd, Tim Harrison, Philip Knowles, Bridget Ley, Virginia Moran, Chris Noon, Habib Rahman, Rhea Rayside, Max Sawyer, Ian Selby, Rob Shorrock, Vanessa Smith, Lee Steptoe, Paul Stokes, Elvis Stooke, Murray Turner (27).

Abstain:                             Councillor Barry Dobson (1).

The motion therefore FELL; a motion to suspend Council Procedure Rules required a two-thirds majority in favour to succeed.

A proposition was moved and seconded that Councillor Ashley Baxter be elected as the Leader of South Kesteven District Council.  

A proposition was moved and seconded that Councillor Graham Jeal be elected as Leader of South Kesteven District Council. 

A request was made that a recorded vote on the motion be taken, as in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.5 any ten or more Councillors present at the meeting of Full Council could request this. 

For Councillor Ashley Baxter:       Councillors Emma Baker, Rhys Baker, Ashley Baxter, Harrish Bisnauthsing, Pam Byrd, Richard Cleaver, Steven Cunnington, James Denniston, Phil Dilks, Patsy Ellis, Paul Fellows, Phil Gadd, Tim Harrison, Anna Kelly, Philip Knowles, Bridget Ley, Virginia Moran, Charmaine Morgan, Chris Noon, Habib Rahman, Rhea Rayside, Max Sawyer, Ian Selby, Rob Shorrock, Vanessa Smith, Lee Steptoe, Paul Stokes, Elvis Stooke, Murray Turner. (29) 

For Councillor Graham Jeal:         Councillors Matt Bailey, David Bellamy, Pam Bosworth, Helen Crawford, Richard Dixon-Warren, Ben Green, Graham Jeal, Gloria Johnson, Jane Kingman, Gareth Knight, Zoe Lane, Robert Leadenham, Nikki Manterfield, Paul Martin, Penny Milnes, Nick Robins, Penny Robins, Susan Sandall, Peter Stephens, Ian Stokes, Sarah Trotter, Mark Whittington, Jane Wood, Paul Wood, Sue Woolley (25). 

Abstain:                                       Councillor Barry Dobson (1). 

Therefore, the motion was AGREED, and Councillor Ashley Baxter was appointed as Leader of the Council.

Councillor Baxter gave a short speech of thanks to the Council Chamber, and informed Council that the membership of Cabinet and the portfolios currently associated with the Cabinet Members in post would remain unchanged until May 2024 at the earliest, with the exception of Councillor Richard Cleaver moving to the position of Deputy Leader.