Agenda and minutes

The Mayor will open the meeting and welcome all present.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Canon David Rogers, will lead the Council in prayer.

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present.

To receive any apologies for absence on behalf of Council members.

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillors Jinny Pearce and Derek Taylor.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive a report from the Mayor on civic matters which have arisen since the last meeting or events which may be occurring in the near future.

To give notice of any variation to the items listed in the Forward Plan and/or items accepted as “Urgent Business”.

(No separate report / oral update)

The Mayor advised that, since this was an extraordinary meeting of the Council, her communications and announcements would be reported at the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

To receive a report from the Leader on matters considered to be of significance to the Council.

(No separate report / oral update)

The Leader advised that she had no exceptional announcements to make.

To consider new form of governance for the Council’s Executive arrangements, to be implemented after its elections in May 2011 and to consider opting for whole Council elections instead of elections by thirds.

(Report attached)

The Council considered a report that had been prepared in response to requirements set out in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. There were two aspects to the report. The first was in respect of a requirement that every authority operating a Leader and Cabinet model change its executive arrangements in accordance with a statutory timetable. The second was  an opportunity for a District Council that was subject to a scheme for elections by thirds to resolve to become subject to a scheme for whole Council elections.

A public consultation had been undertaken during late 2009 – early 2010 through a variety of means. The very low response rate to this consultation was reported, with only seven responses being received to each aspect of the proposals.

A discussion ensued on the relative merits of the Strong Leader Executive model and the elected Mayor and Cabinet Executive model. Members were in general agreement that they did not wish to see any further power vested with the Leader and the present Leader was in full agreement with this viewpoint. It was contended that the adoption of the Mayoral model would improve democratic input and public engagement given the move nationally towards personality politics. Mayoral systems had been adopted elsewhere in the country and, in some cases had been successful.

The contrary view was expressed that the retention of a Leader and Cabinet, with any necessary amendments to fulfil the requirements of the legislation, had served and would serve a Borough such as Redditch well. The adoption of a Strong Leader, together with elections by thirds, would result in a system very similar to that in existence at the present time. It would allow the Council the opportunity to change Leadership during the four year period of the term of office whereas a Mayor would retain office for the four year period irrespective of the views of Council. The poor consultation response was also taken as an indication that the public was unconcerned by the way that the Council was run, with its focus being more on the quality of service provision.

The overwhelming view of Members was that the retention of elections by thirds was the preferred option, notwithstanding the modest cost saving in moving to a system of whole Council elections. The present system provided a degree of stability to the Council and allowed the electorate the opportunity to express its view on the policies being adopted by a ruling group on a regular basis. Councillors and prospective Councillors had the onus put upon them to engage with the electorate and those who had not proved themselves effective risked electoral loss.

Following the discussion a motion recommending adoption of the elected Mayor and Cabinet model was the subject of the following named vote in accordance with Standing Order 16:

Members voting FOR the motion:

Councillors Greg Chance, Jack Cookson, Andy Fry, Bill Hartnett, Robin King, Wanda King, Mark Shurmer, Debbie Taylor and Graham Vickery.

(9 votes)

Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in him by virtue of Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

(This power should be exercised only in cases where there are genuinely special circumstances which require consideration of an item which has not previously been published on the Order of Business for the meeting and/or on the Leader’s Forward Plan.)

There were no separate items of Urgent Business for consideration at this meeting.