Agenda and minutes

To elect a chairman of Council for the municpal year 2017/18.

The outgoing chairman, Councillor Mike Badcock, reviewed his four years in office, particularly in regard to the civic events which he had attended on behalf of the council. He thanked those people who had assisted him in his time as chairman. He particularly thanked his wife, Marilyn Badcock, the officers in the civic office and democratic services and fellow councillors; particularly for supporting the proposal to offer the Freedom of the Vale to 3 and 4 Royal Logistic Corps Regiments and The Rifles.

He had attended 420 engagements during his time in office and raised £16,113 for his chosen charities including the Amber Phillpot Trust and the Riding for the Disabled Association during the last municipal year.

Councillor Matthew Barber, the leader of the council, thanked Councillor Mike Badcock for his tenure as chairman.

The outgoing chairman requested nominations for the role of chairman of the council.

The leader of the council, Councillor Matthew Barber, proposed current vice-chairman, Councillor Reg Waite.

Deputy leader, Councillor Roger Cox, seconded the nomination.

There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED: to

elect Councillor Reg Waite as chairman of the council for the municipal year 2017/18.

Councillor Reg Waite read and signed the declaration of acceptance of office, and was presented with the chairman’s chain of office. He presented Councillor Mike Badcock with the past chairman’s badge.

Councillor Reg Waite confirmed that his wife Dee Waite would be his escort for the year and he presented her with the chairman’s escort badge.

Councillor Reg Waite gave his acceptance speech and highlighted his charities: the Children’s Air Ambulance and the Alzheimer’s Society. These are national charities but relevant locally in the Vale of White Horse.

Councillor Reg Waite in the Chair.

To appoint a vice-chairman of Council for the municipal year 2017/18.

Councillor Reg Waite proposed Councillor Monica Lovatt as vice chairman of the council for the 2017/18 municipal year.

Councillor Matthew Barber, leader of the council, seconded this proposal.

There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED: to

appoint Councillor Monica Lovatt as vice chairman of the council for the 2017/18 municipal year.

Councillor Reg Waite presented Councillor Monica Lovatt with the vice chairman’s chain of office.

Councillor Monica Lovatt read and signed the declaration of acceptance of office.

Councillor Monica Lovatt’s escort would be Councillor Sandy Lovatt and he was presented with the vice chairman’s escort badge.

To record apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Stuart Davenport, Gervase Duffield, Katie Finch and Julia Reynolds.

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2017 and 8 March 2017 (attached).

RESOLVED:to

approve the minutes of the meetings held on15 February and 8 March 2017 as a correct record and agree that the chairman sign them as such.

Council noted that:

There were instances in the minutes where there was an agreement to provide written responses. Democratic services would confirm that these had been followed up and posted on the website.

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

None.

To receive notification of any matters which the chairman determines should be considered as urgent business and the special circumstances which have made the matters urgent, and to receive any announcements from the chairman. 

The chairman provided housekeeping information and invited councillors to join him for refreshments following the meeting.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public that have registered to speak. 

None.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the appointment to those committees required to be politically balanced, together with the Area Committees, Licensing Acts Committee and joint committees and to authorise any consequential changes to the constitution (attached).

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services on the appointment of those committees and joint committees which are required to be politically balanced; together with the Licensing Acts committee, the area committees and appointments to joint bodies.

RESOLVED: to

1.         appoint the following committees and panels for the 2017/18 municipal  year and to appoint the membership, substitutes and chairmen and vice-chairmen as indicated to sit on them (see table below);

2.         (with no councillor voting against) allocate one of the Conservative Group’s seats on the Corporate Services Joint Scrutiny committee to the Liberal Democrat Group.

3.         appoint all local members representing the wards covered by the relevant area committees to those committees for the 2017/18 municipal year with the following chairmen:

·           Abingdon and North East – Ed Blagrove

·           Faringdon – Simon Howell

·           Wantage – St John Dickson

4.         appoint Monica Lovatt as the council’s representative on the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

5.         appoint Chris McCarthy as the council’s representative on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel;

6.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make appointments to any vacant committee or panel seat and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader;

7.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services to amend the constitution as necessary to reflect the arrangements set out in the report of the head of legal and democratic services to the Council meeting on 17 May 2017.

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services, and the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel, on a revised councillors’ allowances scheme to run from 1 April 2017 (attached).

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services and the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel on a revised councillors’ allowances scheme to run from 1 April 2017. 

Councillor Matthew Barber proposed a motion to accept the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel, as set out on the procedural notes, and on the agenda. However, concern was raised that the information on the appendix to the report included the names of councillors who responded and it was easy to attribute comments to them. Officers would discuss the matter with South East Employers and ensure that any comments provided at future reviews remained confidential.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Roger Cox.

RESOLVED: to

1.         accept the recommendations of the Joint Independent Remuneration Panel;

2.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services to finalise a councillors’ allowances scheme based on the decision in 1 and to make any consequential amendments to the constitution;

3.         agree that the revised scheme should apply from 1 April 2017 but that any reductions will take effect from 18 May 2017;

4.         thank the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel for their work in reviewing the councillors’ allowance scheme. 

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer on proposed amendments to the council’s constitution (attached).

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer on proposed amendments to the council’s constitution.

A motion, to approve the recommendations, was proposed by Councillor Debby Hallett and seconded by Councillor Yvonne Constance who were members of the joint constitution review group.

The review group was a cross party group, jointly with South Oxfordshire District Council.

The chairman thanked the review group for its work.

RESOLVED:to

1.         agree to include a three minute restriction on the length of each public question or statement at the Scrutiny, Joint Audit and Governance, General Licensing, Licensing Acts and Joint Staff Committee;

2.         agree that at special meetings questions and statements from members of the public must relate to the item due to be discussed;

3.         amend delegation 1.6 to the head of planning as set out in paragraph 6 of the report of the head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer to Council at its meeting on 17 May 2017;

4.         include the delegation to the relevant head of service in respect of the council’s grants policy in the council’s constitution, as set out in paragraph 7 of the report of the head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer to Council at its meeting on 17 May 2017;

5.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services to amend the council’s officer employment procedure rules, as set out in paragraph 11 of the head of legal and democratic services to this meeting, and to

6.         authorise the head of legal and democratic services to make any minor or consequential amendments to the constitution for consistency and to reflect the councils’ style guide. 

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic services, on an extension to the term of offices for the council’s independent persons.

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic services and monitoring officer on an extension to the term of office for the council’s two independent persons Chris Smith and Martin Wright.

RESOLVED to:

authorise the Monitoring Officer to extend the terms of office of the council’s independent persons, Chris Smith and Martin Wright, for code of conduct matters to 30 September 2019. 

(1)       Urgent cabinet decisions

In accordance with the scrutiny procedure rules, a Cabinet decision can be taken as a matter of urgency, if any delay by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the council’s or the public’s interest.  Treating the decision as a matter of urgency must be agreed by the chairman of the Scrutiny Committee and must be reported to the next meeting of the council, together with the reasons for urgency.

To receive any details of urgent Cabinet decisions taken since the last ordinary meeting of the council, (if any).

(2)       Delegation of cabinet functions

To receive details of any changes to the leader’s scheme of delegation. 

(3)       Matters affecting the authority arising from meetings of joint committees, partnerships and other meetings

To receive the report of the leader (if any). 

The Local Plan part 2 consultation has now closed. The council is considering the responses and analysing the results. The final round of consultation is scheduled for later this year.

The leader was pleased to report that the council had received confirmation through the Housing Supply Statement that it now had a 6.7 year housing land supply.

The unitary proposal “Better Oxfordshire”: the council has not yet received a decision from national government as there has been a delay due to the general election on 8 June.

Councillor Katie Finch has had a baby daughter. The Council wished her and her family the very best.