Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual meeting - Public access via YouTube

Contact: Jo Morrison  01225 394358

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Items
No. Item

1.

ELECTION OF CHAIR(MAN) FOR 2020/21

It is a legal requirement that the first formal business at the Annual General meeting shall be the election of a Councillor to be the Chair(man) of the Council. The term of office of the Chair(man) expires on the election of his successor at the Annual meeting of the Council in 2021.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor Dine Romero, seconded by Councillor Paul Myers, and supported by Councillors Karen Walker and Robin Moss then

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Andy Furse be elected Chairman of the Council for the Council year 2020/21.

 

The new Chairman made his declaration and acceptance of office.  He explained that his preferred term of address was ‘Chairman’.  As the meeting was being held virtually, it was acknowledged that separate arrangements would need to be made regarding the ceremonial aspect of accepting the chain of office for the new Chair and Vice-Chair.

2.

ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR(MAN) FOR 2020/21

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor Paul Myers, seconded by Councillor Dine Romero, and supported by Councillors Karen Walker and Robin Moss and then

 

RESOLVED that Councillor Lisa O’Brien be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Council year 2020/21.

 

Councillor O’Brien made her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and thanked the Council for her appointment.

3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

At this point in the meeting declarations of interest are received from Members in any of the agenda items under consideration at the meeting. Members are asked to complete the green interest forms circulated to groups in their pre-meetings (which will be announced at the Council Meeting) to indicate:

(a) The agenda item number in which they have an interest to declare.

(b) The nature of their interest.

(c) Whether their interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an other interest,  (as defined in Part 2, A and B of the Code of Conduct and Rules for Registration of Interests)

Any Member who needs to clarify any matters relating to the declaration of interests is recommended to seek advice from the Council’s Monitoring Officeror a member of his staff before the meeting to expedite dealing with the item during the meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made.

4.

MINUTES - 25TH FEBRUARY 2020 pdf icon PDF 213 KB

To be confirmed as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

On a motion from Councillor Dine Romero, seconded by Councillor Rob Appleyard, it was unanimously

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of 25th February 2020 be approved as a correct record to be signed by the Chairman when possible.

5.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL OR FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

These are matters of information for Members of the Council. No decisions will be required arising from the announcements.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor Dine Romero, seconded by Councillor Paul Myers, and supported by Councillors Karen Walker and Robin Moss and

 

RESOLVED that this Council places on record its appreciation of the services performed by Councillor Eleanor Jackson in the office of Chairman of the Council for 2019/20.

 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson then addressed the Council and thanked Councillors and a wide range of officers and teams for their kind comments and support. She described how she had re-shaped the Chair role to have more focus on North East Somerset whilst being an ambassador for the whole of the region. She drew attention to the Council’s ‘inclusivity’, enabling a Councillor with considerable physical disabilities to perform the role and, as a bus pass waving OAP, get the job done.  She mentioned her support for Bath, Keynsham and Radstock in Bloom and various veteran’s charities and the British Legion. Councillor Jackson concluded by highlighting the need to maintain justice, freedom and human dignity as we move into a changed world.

 

The Chairman then;

 

1.  Made his opening speech in which he thanked the outgoing Chair and the residents of Kingsmead ward.  He acknowledged the unique circumstances in which he took over as Chairman and the struggles which many residents had had to endure and thanked keyworkers and Council staff going above and beyond to maintain vital services.  He highlighted the particular issues 18 – 25 year olds may face and stressed the need for opportunities to be made available to support them, and in particular for employers to look to our local FE College to offer help with job and apprentice opportunities.  He also endorsed the work of B&NES Citizens Advice who do an amazing job supporting some of our most vulnerable and distraught residents.

 

2.  Invited the Council to observe a minute’s silence following the recent death of former B&NES Councillor Trevor Deacon and also in recognition of all those who have lost their life from coronavirus.

6.

URGENT DECISIONS TO NOTE pdf icon PDF 94 KB

These decisions have been made under urgency provisions within the Constitution.  They are reported to Council for noting only.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council noted the urgent decisions that had been taken under urgency provisions within the Constitution.

7.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES AND PANELS AND OTHER ANNUAL BUSINESS pdf icon PDF 82 KB

This report invites the Council to consider its non-executive and regulatory Committee arrangements for the Council Year May 2020 to May 2021 and associated annual business.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report regarding appointment of its non-executive and regulatory Committee arrangements for the Council Year May 2020 to May 2021 and associated annual business.

 

On a motion from Councillor Dine Romero, seconded by Councillor Paul May, it was unanimously

 

RESOLVED

 

1.  Approve the structure for non-executive and regulatory decision making and Policy Development & Scrutiny working (set out in current form in Appendix 1 to the report);

 

2.  Accordingly, appoint those bodies with membership, terms of reference and delegated powers as set out in the Constitution, noting the revisions outlined in paragraph 4.3 of the report;

 

3.  Approve the allocation of seats on those Committees and Panels (such seats to be filled in accordance with the nominations made by the political groups);

 

4.  Appoint to chair each committee and panel those Councillors as may from time to time be nominated by the political group to whom the chairmanship of the body is allocated;

 

5.  Authorise the Monitoring Officer to fill any casual vacancies in membership of all the bodies constituted and vacancy in the office of Chair of such bodies in accordance with the wishes of the political groups;

 

6.  Determine the bodies on which co-opted and independent members are to have seats, as either voting or non-voting members and appoint such members accordingly (current arrangements are set out in Appendix 1 to the report);

 

7.  Authorise the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chairs of the Policy Development & Scrutiny Panels, to constitute and support any required Panel joint working as outlined in section 5 of the report;

 

8.  Note the arrangements for the conduct of Cabinet business, as set out in section 6 of the report;

 

9.  Instruct the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make appointments on non-executive outside bodies and note that the Leader or Cabinet Members will do so for executive outside bodies, where such vacancies arise;

 

10.Note the adoption of the Virtual Meetings Procedure rules, as set out in section 8 of the report;

 

 

11.Note the calendar of meeting dates that has been prepared up to May 2021 which is available on the Council’s website;

 

12.Authorise the Monitoring Officer to make and publicise any amendment to the Council’s Constitution required, or take any other necessary action, as a result of decisions taken at this meeting on this and other reports within the agenda, or otherwise as required by law.

8.

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBER ADVOCATES pdf icon PDF 74 KB

The Council has a scheme to appoint Member Advocates who provide a voice for certain interests within the Council or community.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report seeking appointment to various Member Advocate positions.

 

In moving the recommendations, Councillor Dine Romero raised a small change to the Cabinet Member responsibility set out in the report so that the responsible Cabinet Member for the Twinning and the Community & Public Buildings roles will be herself.

 

On her motion, seconded by Councillor Paul May, it was unanimously

 

RESOLVED that

 

1.  The following Councillors be appointed as Member Advocates;

MEMBER ADVOCATE

AREA

CABINET MEMBER

Cllr Sue Craig

Great Spas of Europe

Cllr Paul Crossley

Cllr Jess David

Biodiversity

Cllr Sarah Warren

Cllr Alan Hale

Safer Roads

Cllr Joanna Wright

Cllr Yukteshwar Kumar

BAME issues

Cllr Dine Romero

Cllr Ruth Malloy

Twinning

Cllr Dine Romero

Cllr Paul Myers

Community & Public Buildings

Cllr Dine Romero

Cllr Alastair Singleton

Renewable Energy

Cllr Sarah Warren

Cllr Shaun Stephenson-McGall

Engagement with students

Cllr Dine Romero

Cllr Chris Watt

Looked After Children

Cllr Kevin Guy

Cllr Ryan Wills

Rural Communities

Cllr Dine Romero

 

2.  The above Councillors be requested to report briefly in writing to the Council AGM each year on their activity.

9.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHARITABLE TRUST BOARD pdf icon PDF 90 KB

The purpose of this report is to update the Council on the work of the Charitable Trust Board over the past year.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council considered a report updating on the work of the Charitable Trust Board over the past year.

On a motion from Councillor Paul Crossley, seconded by Councillor Karen Walker, it was unanimously

RESOLVED to note the report.