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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
1.1 The Director Corporate Services and Head of Democratic Services (DCS&HODS) invited nominations for the position of Presiding Member for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. 1.2 Councillor Rose Seabourne was nominated and seconded. There were no other nominations. 1.3 Council agreed, with majority voting in favour, that Councillor Rose Seabourne be appointed Presiding Member for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.
2.1 The Presiding Member invited nominations for the position of Deputy Presiding Member for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. 2.2 Councillor David Williams was nominated and seconded. There were no other nominations. 2.3 Council agreed, with majority voting in favour, that Councillor David Williams be appointed Deputy Presiding Member for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.
3.1 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors David Williams and Lucy Williams.
4.1 The Monitoring Officer advised members that they all potentially had the same personal interest in appointing members to positions which would attract senior salaries, however, this interest was not prejudicial and the Code of Conduct enabled members to vote. All Members confirmed their personal interest. 4.2 The Monitoring Officer also advised that some members wished to declare the following personal interests as their relatives were also sitting as councillors: · Councillors Catherine Bonera and Elizabeth Haynes are sisters; · Councillors Joanne Gauden and Karl Gauden are husband and wife; and · Councillors Gaynor James and Jon James are husband and wife. 4.3 All members confirmed the above personal interests accordingly. No other interests were declared.
5.1 The Presiding Member invited nominations for the Leader of the Council. 5.2 Councillor Anthony Hunt was nominated and seconded. 5.3 Council agreed, with the majority in favour, that Councillor Anthony Hunt be elected Leader of the Council for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. 5.4 The Leader thanked members for their support, hard work and collective leadership within their wards and also in Council. He recognised the part that members would play in leading both the Council and communities during the challenges ahead. He also thanked the public for working with the council, especially volunteers within communities for their dedication, and he referred in particular to the involvement of the community and other groups in the VE Day celebrations. He thanked all staff for their dedication, and he commented on the importance of staff partnerships, particularly as the efforts of staff often went above and beyond the call of duty. He looked forward to working with everyone in the year ahead and to be innovative and improve year on year, providing better value for money and achieving better outcomes.
6.1 The Presiding Member invited nominations. 6.2 Councillor Richard Clark was nominated and seconded. There were no other nominations. 6.3 Council agreed, with the majority voting in favour, that Councillor Richard Clark be elected Deputy Leader of the Council for the 2025/26 Municipal Year.
7.1 The Leader nominated the following members to fulfil the executive portfolios for the year ahead. The nominations were seconded: Executive Portfolio: Councillor: Economy, Skills & Regeneration Jo Gauden Corporate Governance & Resources Peter Jones Children, Families & Education Richard Clark Communities Fiona Cross Adult Services & Housing David Daniels Environment Mandy Owen Waste & Sustainability Sue Morgan 7.2 Council agreed, with the majority voting in favour, that the members listed above be appointed to the executive portfolios for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. Cllr David Thomas requested that the Presiding Member seek a show of hands for those against or those abstaining, as well as those in favour, when seeking approval of the recommendations of each report on the agenda.
8.1 The DCS&HODS outlined the report which informed members of the political balance requirements and sought agreement to the political balance for the municipal year ahead. 8.2 Council unanimously agreed the political balance and to adopt the calculations attached as Appendix A to the report, and to have regard to them when appointing members to committees later in the meeting.
9.1 The Leader nominated the following members to chair the committees listed below. The nominations were seconded: Committee: Councillor: Economy & Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee Lynda Clarkson Education Overview & Scrutiny Rose Seabourne Adults and Communities Overview & Scrutiny Catherine Bonera Children and Families Overview & Scrutiny Alan Slade Cross-cutting Resources and Business Overview & Scrutiny David Williams Planning Committee Norma Parish Statutory and General Licensing Committees Steven Evans Pensions Committee Nathan Yeowell Democratic Services Committee Steven Evans 9.2 Council unanimously agreed that the members listed above be appointed to serve as chairs of the committees listed for 2025/26 Municipal Year.
10.1 The Presiding Member referred to the schedule which was circulated prior to the meeting and is attached as Appendix A to these minutes. 10.2 Council unanimously agreed to appoint members to serve on the committees and other bodies listed in this report in line with the agreed political balance and as shown in Appendix A.
11.1 The Presiding Member referred to the list of nominations which had been circulated prior to the meeting and is attached as Appendix B to these minutes. 11.2 Council unanimously agreed to nominate members to serve on outside bodies in accordance with the list circulated prior to the meeting.
12.1 The Leader nominated the following members to serve as Member Champions. The nominations were seconded: Member Champions Councillor: Age Friendly Champion Executive Member Adult Services & Housing Equalities & Diversity Champion Executive Member Corporate Governance & Performance Anti-Poverty Champion Leader of the Council Young Person’s Champion Executive Member for Children, Families & Education Members Training & Development Champion Chair of Democratic Services Armed Forces Champion Gaynor James Carers Champion David Daniels Sustainability Champion Stuart Ashley World Heritage Champion Janet Jones Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Giles Davies Dementia Champion Amanda Owen Gypsy Traveller Community Champion Gaynor James Mental Health Champion Nick Byrne Violence Against Woman and Girls Champion Jayne Watkins 12.2 Council agreed, with the majority voting in favour, that the members nominated above serve as Member Champions for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. The Presiding Member congratulated Stuart Ashley for holding the position of a Chair for the past ten years.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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