Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Ridgeway, The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BY

Contact: Steven Corrigan, Democratic Services Manager 01235 422526 Email: steven.corrigan@southandvale.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of chairman

To elect a chairman of Council for the municipal year 2019/20.

Minutes:

The outgoing chairman, Monica Lovatt, reviewed her year as chairman of the council, thanked councillors, the vice-chairman, her husband as escort and officers for their assistance and support during the year. During the year she had attended many engagements and raised  £4,300 for her chosen charity – Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).

Councillor Emily Smith paid tribute to Monica Lovatt in recognition of her work as chairman of the council during the past year.

 

Councillor Margaret Crick was nominated as chairman for the 2019/20 municipal year.

 

RESOLVED:  to elect Councillor Margaret Crick as chairman of the council for the 2019/20 municipal year, until the next annual meeting of the Council in May 2020.

 

Monica Lovatt presented Councillor Margaret Crick with the chain of office.

Councillor Margaret Crick signed her declaration of acceptance of office, presented Monica Lovatt with the past chairman’s badge and made an acceptance speech. She advised that her son will be her escort and that she will provide details of her chosen charities in due course.

Councillor Margaret Crick in the chair.

 

2.

Appointment of vice-chairman

To appoint a vice-chairman of Council for the municipal year 2019/20.

Minutes:

Councillor Jerry Avery was nominated as vice-chairman.

 

RESOLVED:  to appoint Councillor Jerry Avery as vice-chairman of the council for the ensuing year.

 

The chairman presented Councillor Jerry Avery with the chain of office.

Councillor Jerry Avery signed his declaration of acceptance of office and made an acceptance speech.

 

3.

Apologies for absence

To record apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Councillor Janet Shelley submitted an apology for absence.

4.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 304 KB

To adopt and sign as a correct record the Council minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2019 attached. 

Minutes:

RESOLVED: to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2019 as a correct record and agree that the chairman sign them as such.

 

5.

Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest

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

Minutes:

None.

6.

Urgent business and chairman's announcements

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. 

Minutes:

The Chairman provided housekeeping information and invited councillors and officers to join her for a buffet following the meeting.

7.

Election of leader of the council pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Council is invited to elect a leader of the council in accordance with the Cabinet arrangements and procedure rules as set out in the council’s constitution for a term of office beginning immediately and ending on the date of the annual Council meeting in May 2023 (following the district council elections scheduled for May 2023).

 

The leader of the council will report on:

  • the appointment of the deputy leader of the council
  • the membership of the Cabinet and the allocation of portfolios
  • the leader’s scheme of delegation to cabinet members and officers

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED: to elect Emily Smith as leader of the Council for a four year period ending on the day of the next post election annual meeting in 2023.

 

Councillor Smith appointed Debby Hallett as deputy leader of the council and Andy Crawford, Neil Fawcett, Jenny Hannaby, Ruth Molyneaux, Helen Pighills, Judy Roberts, Bethia Thomas and Catherine Webber as Cabinet members with portfolios as follows:

 

Councillor Emily Smith: Council Leader

Councillor Debby Hallett: Deputy Council Leader and Corporate Services

Councillor Andy Crawford: Finance

Councillor Neil Fawcett: Legal and Democratic

Councillor Jenny Hannaby: Environmental and Technical Services

Councillor Ruth Molyneaux: Housing Needs, Community Safety and Licensing

Councillor Helen Pighills: Community Services

Councillor Judy Roberts: Partnership and Insight

Councillor Bethia Thomas: Development and Regeneration

Councillor Catherine Webber: Planning

 

She made no changes to the existing officer scheme of delegation set out in the council’s constitution.

 

The Leader’s scheme of delegation is appended to these minutes.

 

 

8.

Appointments to committees, panels and joint committees for 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 120 KB

To consider the report of the head of legal and democratic on the appointment to those committees required to be politically balanced together with the Licensing Acts Committee, area committees and joint committees and to agree any consequential changes to the constitutionattached. 

 

Minutes:

Council considered the report of the head of legal and democratic 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.

 

The chairman referred to the following recommendation tabled at the meeting covering these appointments and to reflect the allocation of the vacant committee positions.

That for the 2019/20 municipal year Council:

1.            appoints the committees and panels for the 2019/20 year and allocates seats to each political group as set out in the schedule circulated at the meeting;

2.            allocates a seat on the Joint Staff Committee to the Conservative Group;

3.            appoints Cheryl Briggs to the vacant seat on the Scrutiny Committee;

4.            allocates one of the Liberal Democrat Group’s seats on the Planning Committee to the Conservative Group;

5.            allocates one of the Liberal Democrat Group’s seats on the Appeals Panel to Cheryl Briggs

6.            appoints councillors and substitutes to sit on the committees and panels as set out in the schedule circulated at the meeting:

7.            appoints councillors to the Licensing Acts Committee as set out in the schedule circulated at the meeting;

8.            appoints chairs/chairmen and vice-chairs/vice-chairmen as set out in the schedule circulated at the meeting;

9.            appoints all local members representing the wards covered by the relevant area committees to those committees for the 2019/20 municipal year with the following chairs: 

·         Abingdon and North East –  Andy Foulsham 

·         Faringdon   David Grant

·         Wantage –  Hayleigh Gascoigne

10.         appoints Paul Barrow as the council’s representative and Andy Foulsham as substitute on the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee;

11.         appoints Neil Fawcett as the council’s representative and Ruth Molyneaux as observer substitute on the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel;

12.         appoints Andy Cooke, Hayleigh Gascoigne and Matthew Barber to the Oxfordshire Growth Board Scrutiny Panel;

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

 

RESOLVED: to

1.    appoint the following committees and panels for the 2019/20 municipal year and to appoint the membership, substitutes and chairs/chairmen and vice-chairs/vice-chairmen as indicated to sit on them (see table below);

 

Planning Committee, 9 Members

Liberal Democrat (8 – one seat to be offered to Conservative Group)

Conservative (1) plus additional Liberal Democrat seat

Jerry Avery

Eric Batts

Ron Batstone

Janet Shelley

Bob Johnston (Chair)

 

Diana Lugova

 

Rob Maddison

 

Val Shaw (Vice-Chair)

 

Max Thompson

 

Preferred substitutes

Liberal Democrat (7)

Conservative (3)

Paul Barrow

Nathan Boyd

Andy Cooke

Elaine Ware

Amos Duveen

Simon Howell

Hayleigh Gascoigne

 

David Grant

 

Eric de la Harpe

 

Mike Pighills

 

 

 

Scrutiny Committee, 9 Members

Liberal Democrat (7)

Conservative (1)

Non-group councillor

Jerry Avery

Nathan Boyd (Chairman)

Cheryl Briggs

Ron Batstone

 

Samantha Bowring

 

Andy Cooke

 

Andy Foulsham

 

Rob Maddison

 

Max Thompson

 

Preferred substitutes

Liberal Democrat (7)

Conservative (3)

Paul Barrow

Elaine Ware

Hayleigh Gascoigne

Eric Batts

Alison Jenner

Janet Shelley

Diana Lugova  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

OVO Energy Women's Tour pdf icon PDF 3 MB

On 21 March 2019 and 30 April 2019 Councillor Roger Cox, Leader of the council, took decisions to support Oxfordshire being a host venue for the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and to agree the funding arrangements for the council’s share of the hosting fee for 2019.

 

A copy of the Individual Cabinet Member Decisions are attached.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS: to Council

  1. To agree to fund the council’s share of the hosting fee a sum of £26,666 for years two and three (2020 and 2021).
  2. To vire up to £10,000 from contingency to fund the council’s share of delivery costs for 2019.
  3. To agree to the agreed costs of the 2020 and 2021 events being shared equally between the county council, the four district councils and the city council, the detail of which will be subject to the relevant budget setting process.
  4. To agree that sponsorship secured, regardless of which partner attracts it, will be used to reduce the hosting costs of 2020 and 2021 equally between the county council, the four district councils and the city council.

 

Minutes:

On 21 March and 30 April Councillor Cox, Leader of the council, took decisions to support Oxfordshire being a host venue for the OVO Energy Women’s Tour 2019, 2020 and 2021 and to agree the funding arrangements for 2019.

 

Councillors welcomed the opportunity to host such a prestigious event which would bring economic and health benefits to the district.

 

RESOLVED: to    

1.    agree to fund the council’s share of the hosting fee a sum of £26,666 for years two and three (2020 and 2021).

2.    vire up to £10,000 from contingency to fund the council’s share of delivery costs for 2019.

3.    agree to the agreed costs of the 2020 and 2021 events being shared equally between the county council, the four district councils and the city council, the detail of which will be subject to the relevant budget setting process.

4.    agree that sponsorship secured, regardless of which partner attracts it, will be used to reduce the hosting costs of 2020 and 2021 equally between the county council, the four district councils and the city council.

 

 

10.

Report of the leader of the council

To receive any updates from the leader of the council.

Minutes:

Councillor Emily Smith, Leader of the council, addressed Council. The text of her report is available on the council’s website.

11.

Motions on notice

At its meeting on 13 February 2019 Council considered a motion submitted by Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Johnston. An amendment, moved by Councillor Blagrove and seconded by Councillor Murray, on being put was declared carried.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12, which restricts the duration of meetings to three hours, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.00pm.  The debate on this motion was not concluded prior to the close of the meeting. In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12, which provides that any business not disposed of by the end of a meeting shall be considered at the next ordinary meeting, this motion is now included on this agenda for consideration.

 

The motion as amended is set out below:

 

“Council notes that although Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet have discussed possible corridor options, this Council has not yet debated its position in relation to the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway and its routes and will bring forward a debate once the consultations begin.

Council notes that all possible routes through the government’s chosen corridor will have a direct impact on residents in the Vale of White Horse District and our environment. 

Council recognises the benefits of closer working between Oxford and Cambridge Universities, supporting new business in the region and improving access to amenities and services, and will welcome, as part of the forthcoming consultations, the opportunity to review the evidence that supports spending between £4billion to £7billion on a new road as the best way to achieve these aims.

Council welcomes the following, as confirmed by Minister of State Jesse Norman during parliamentary debate on January 11 2018:

·         We are still at early stages.  On all routes there needs to be further Process, Discussions, Consultations & Review

·         Government & Highways England needs to do further serious analytical work to develop & design route options that are workable for communities, and the environment

·         Local feedback is an important part of the process

·         Government wishes to develop the scheme in a way that is sensitive to the natural, the built and the historic environment

·         A full environmental consultation will take part as part of the development of the route options

·         Commitment to continue to work with stakeholders before the public consultation

·         There will be a full public consultation on Route options to help shape the design so that it meets the needs of the local community and businesses, where people can have their say on the route options and the wider case for an expressway

·         The final summary to the debate:

There will be “ample opportunity for members of the house and their constituents to express their views and shape the decision on the expressway”

In particular Council notes:

·         a wish to see that the Expressway is part of the solution to congestion and safety on the A34, A40 & A420. We wish to see the current review of safety on the A34 a stated priority for this scheme. 

·         We welcome the confirmation from Minister of State Jesse Norman during parliamentary  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Minutes:

At its meeting on 13 February 2019 Council considered a motion submitted by

Councillor Smith and seconded by Councillor Johnston.  An amendment,

moved by Councillor Blagrove and seconded by Councillor Cox, on being put

was declared carried. 

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12, which restricts the duration of meetings to three hours, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.00pm.  The debate on this motion was not concluded prior to the close of the meeting.  Council Procedure Rule 12, provides that any business not disposed of by the end of a meeting shall be considered at the next ordinary meeting. As there is no provision for motions at the annual meeting of Council, the Chairman invited Council to consider whether to include this on the agenda for the July Council meeting or agree the withdrawal of the motion. 

 

Councillor Emily Smith moved, and Councillor Bob Johnston seconded the withdrawal of the motion. On being put the motion was declared carried.

 

RESOLVED: to withdraw the motion set out on the agenda for the annual meeting of Council on 15 May 2019.

 

Contact us - Democratic services

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01235 422520
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Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon
OX14 3JE