Agenda and minutes

The Mayor opened the meeting and welcomed all present.

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive the Mayor’s opening remarks and report on the Mayoral year.

To give notice of Urgent Business accepted by the Mayor for consideration at this meeting, if any.

a)         General Remarks

The Mayor commented that the past year had been both memorable and special, involving his attendance at numerous events amongst the most memorable of which included attending a lunch with the Queen. He added that the position of Mayor was above politics and had an importance in promoting the town and raising money for local and national charities.

The Mayor gave his sincere thanks to his wife and consort, Nina, to the Mayor's Cadets who had supported him throughout the year and also to his Personal Assistants for the help they had given during his period of office. The Mayor also thanked his Deputy Mayor, Councillor Wanda King, for standing in at engagements that he was unable to attend.

b)         Award for Outstanding Service to the Community

The Mayor's Annual Award for outstanding contribution to the community which had been instituted in 2010 was awarded to Mrs Annette Crompton in recognition of the work she had undertaken at the Batchley Community Centre Cafe.

c)         Mayoral Charities

The Mayor informed the Council that a sum of £2,388.86 had been raised throughout the year for his charities, the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Child Alert  UK and cheques for £1911.09 and £477.77 respectively were to be posted to both organisations.

To elect the Mayor for the Municipal Year 2013 -14.

Once the new Mayor has been elected, s/he will make the declaration of acceptance of office, receive the chain of office and take the Mayor’s seat at the front of the Chamber.

Councillor Wanda King was elected Mayor of the Borough for the forthcoming year, following which she made the statutory declaration of Acceptance of Office and was then invested with the Chain of Office by the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Alan Mason. Councillor King thanked the outgoing Mayor and, on behalf of the Council, expressed gratitude for the work he had carried out as an ambassador for the town.

Councillor King informed the Council that she was privileged to be taking on the role of Mayor and undertook to do her best to serve the community throughout the coming year. The Mayor announced that her charities for the year would be Redditch Special Olympics, Myeloma UK and the Primrose Hospice, noting that the latter two were close to the hearts of both her and her children and she dedicated her support to these charities over the coming year to the memory of her late husband, Robin.

The Mayor was pleased to be able to announce that the Army Cadets would be supporting her during her mayoral year and presented cadet badges to Corporal Joshua Fell of Redditch Troop and Corporal Ashley Woodfield of Church Hill Troop.

RESOLVED that

1)        Councillor Wanda King be, and hereby is, elected Mayor of the Borough of Redditch to serve until the next Annual Meeting of the Council; and

2)        the Council formally express, and record, its gratitude to Councillor Alan Mason for his excellent service to the town over the last 12 months as Mayor.

To elect the Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2013-14.

When the new Deputy Mayor has been elected, s/he will make the declaration of acceptance of office and receive the badge of office.

Councillor Pat Witherspoon was elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Redditch for the forthcoming year, following which she made the statutory declaration of Acceptance of Office and was then invested with the Deputy Mayor's Badge of Office by the Mayor, Councillor Wanda King.

RESOLVED that

Councillor Pat Witherspoon be, and hereby is, appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Redditch to serve until the next Annual Meeting of the Council.

To receive the new Mayor’s communications and announcements, which will include the Mayor’s charity/ies.  To receive any announcements from the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

(Oral report)

a)        Mayor

The Mayor's communications and announcements were as follows:

i)          Announcements

The Mayor began by expressing her appreciation to Councillor Pat Witherspoon who would be supporting her during her Mayoral Year as her Deputy Mayor.

ii)         Forthcoming engagements

The Council was advised of several forthcoming engagements, including Astwood Bank Carnival, Britain in Bloom  and the Scarecrow Day and Competition at Forge Mill Museum.

b)         Leader

            The Leader had no announcements.

c)         Chief Executive

            The Chief Executive informed the Council that Councillor Carole Gandy was stepping down after many years as Leader of the Conservative Group on the Council.  He thanked her on behalf of Senior Management for the way she had conducted herself as Leader of both the Council and her Group. For her part, Councillor Gandy thanked her Group and Officers for their support and commented that the Leaders of the Labour Group to whom she been in opposition had all treated her with the utmost respect. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bill Hartnett noted that Councillor Gandy had been a significant figure in the life of the town for many years and had always had the best interests of the town at heart.  He presented Councillor Gandy with a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Council.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25^th March 2013.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 25^th March 2013 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

The Leader will announce changes – if any - to the portfolio arrangements.

The Leader announced his appointments as set out in the detailed nominations paper tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the appointment by the Leader of the Deputy Leader, of Members to the Executive Committee and to the individual Portfolios as detailed in Appendix A attached to these Minutes be noted.

To consider the enclosed report outlining the proposed political balance of the Council’s committees and the constitution of Panels etc. 

The Council is also asked to appoint Chairs and Vice Chairs to each of the Committees.

RESOLVED that

1)         the Political balance of the Committees of the Council be agreed as set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report submitted;

2)         the arrangement where the seats on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are not allocated in accordance with the political balance requirements be continued;

3)         the arrangement where the seats on the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Panel are not allocated in accordance with the political balance requirements be continued;

4)         appointments by political group leaders to the places on each Committee etc. as detailed in Appendix B attached to these Minutes be noted; and

5)         appointments to Working Groups and other bodies listed in Appendix B be agreed.

To agree appointments to national, regional and partnership outside bodies, as set out in the enclosed list.  The Council is also asked to agree that the appointments to other bodies continue until the first ordinary meeting of the Council.

RESOLVED that

1)        appointments by political group leaders to the places on each of the Outside Bodies as detailed in Appendix C attached to these Minutes be noted; and

2)        appointments to other bodies continue until the first ordinary meeting of the Council.

The annual review of the Constitution will be considered at the next ordinary meeting of the Council.  The Council is asked to confirm the current Constitution in the meantime.

It was reported that the annual review of the Constitution would be considered at the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

RESOLVED that

the current Constitution be reconfirmed until the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

To note the following decision taken in accordance with Paragraph 5 of Part 6 of the Constitution since the last ordinary meeting of the Council:

Police and Crime Panel Budget

(Urgent Business Reference 503)

(Chief Executive)

Consideration was given to approval of the budget for the administration of the Police and Crime Panel for 2013/14. Ideally, this budget should have been approved prior to the start of the 2013/14 financial year on 1^st April 2013. The County Council had been aware that Redditch Borough Council’s (and Bromsgrove District Council’s) agreement of the budget has been delayed but the decision did need to be made as soon as practicable and certainly before this present meeting of the Council. Officers did not have delegated authority to make this decision.

RESOLVED that

1)        the budget for the West Mercia Police and Crime Panel for 2013-14 be approved;

2)        authority to approve the budget in future years, providing no financial contribution is sought, be delegated to the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources, in consultation with the Leader of the Council; and

3)        the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services update the Constitution accordingly.

(Council Decision)

(Report attached)

The Council discussed the decision that had been taken under its urgency procedures in respect of the budget for the Police and Crime Panel. Members were reassured that this decision did not require any expenditure on behalf of this or other neighbouring authorities.

RESOLVED that

the decision be noted.

To consider any additional items exceptionally agreed by the Mayor as Urgent Business in accordance with the powers vested in him/her 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.)

There were no additional items of urgent business.