Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor Brandon Clayton.

To invite Councillors to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Disclosable Interests they may have in items on the agenda, and to confirm the nature of those interests.

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 she would take away so many happy memories from an unforgettable year. She had attended numerous functions and events and met so many lovely people and it was this which had made the year so special for her.

The Mayor gave her thanks to her daughter and consort, Lisa, to the Mayor's Army Cadets who had supported her throughout the year and special thanks also to Councillor Joe Baker for the help he had given her over the previous two years. The Mayor also thanked her Deputy Mayor, Councillor Pat Witherspoon, for standing in at engagements that she 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 Mr Ron and Mrs Elaine Daykin in recognition of the outstanding work they carried out for Special Olympics Redditch

c)         Mayoral Charities

The Mayor informed the Council that a sum of £4,315.69 had been raised throughout the year for her charities, Myeloma UK, The Primrose Hospice and Special Olympics Redditch and cheques for £1438.56 respectively were either presented to, or were to be forwarded to, these organisations.

To elect the Mayor for the Municipal Year 2014/15.

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 set at the front of the Chamber.

Councillor Pat Witherspoon 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 Wanda King. Councillor Witherspoon thanked the outgoing Mayor and, on behalf of the Council, expressed gratitude for the work she had carried out as an ambassador for the town.

Councillor Witherspoon informed the Council that she was privileged to be taking on the role of Mayor , particularly in such a special year for the Borough. 2014 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the New Town and the country was also celebrating and commemorating the sacrifices made in two World Wars. She undertook to do her best to serve the community throughout the coming year and went on to thank her follow Councillors for their work for the people of Redditch. The Mayor announced that her charities for the year would be Redditch Mental Health Action Group and Redditch Friends Together, the latter being a support group for those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

The Mayor was pleased to be able to announce that the Scouts would be supporting her during her mayoral year and presented cadet badges to Ellen Cockran and Tom Willetts of Redditch Scouts

The new mayor invited Mr Ken Williams of Redditch Town Centre Partnership to address the Council about the Redditch Town Centre Partnership Pledge. The Partnership was marking the fiftieth anniversary of the designation of the New Town, a master-plan designed to develop Redditch as a place of regional significance. Mr Williams was pleased to report that the Town Centre had a great Partnership Body but the Partnership recognised that no one person, organisation or group could provide all the answers. In April the Partnership had launched a new charter for the town with pledges to carry the town through the next fifty years and a representation of these pledges was presented to the Council.

The new Mayor announced that she had asked the Reverend Paul Lawlor of St. Stephens Church to be her Chaplain for the coming year. The Reverend Lawlor was invited to address the Council and urged those present to work together to build the best community Redditch could be.

RESOLVED that

1)        Councillor Pat Witherspoon 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 Wanda King for her excellent service to the town over the last 12 months as Mayor.

To elect the Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2014/15.

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 Pattie Hill 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 Pat Witherspoon.

RESOLVED that

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

To consider Announcements under Procedure Rule 10:

a)        the new Mayor’s Communications and Announcements, including the Mayor’s charity/ies.  The Mayor will also receive from the Redditch Town Partnership the Pledge made by dignitaries, business representatives, members of community organisations and residents to mark the 50^th Anniversary of Redditch being designated a new town.

b)         Leader’s Announcements

c)         Chief Executive’s Announcements.

(Oral report)

a)        Mayor

The Mayor had no further announcements.

b)         Leader

            The Leader’s announcements were as follows:

i)          Bandstand Events

The Leader reported that the summer’s Bandstand events had commenced in May with the next taking place on Saturday 14^th June with the theme of Brass Bands / Children’s Day. Further events would be taking place until September.

ii)         Members’ Allowances

The Leader reported that he had received a letter from Brandon Lewis MP in response to the Council’s request, following the last meeting of the Council, that Members’ Allowances be set nationally. Mr Lewis had stated that Members’ Allowances should remain a local matter for local decision.

iii)        Redditch Mental Health Action Group

The Leader reported that he had attended the first AGM of the Redditch Mental Health Action Group and paid tribute to those instrumental in establishing and organising this body.

iv)        Cycle Tour Event

The Leader advised that the previous week had seen the latest running of the Cycle Tour Event which had been bigger and better than in previous years. Thanks were extended to the organisers of the event.

v)         Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP

The Leader reported that Andy Street, Chair of the GBSLEP, had addressed business leaders in Redditch the previous Friday and had given a very upbeat assessment of the LEP and its future prospects.

vi)        North Worcestershire Police Fun Day

The Leader advised that, the previous day, he had attended the North Worcestershire Police Fun Day in Kidderminster at which the Council’s own Community Safety and Hate Crime Teams had been present.

vii)       Anniversary of D Day

The Leader reminded the Council that the 70^th Anniversary of D Day had taken place just days beforehand and he expressed gratitude on behalf of those present to all who had been involved in this heroic venture.

c)         Chief Executive

            The Chief Executive had no announcements.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 31^st March 2014.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 31^st March 2014 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

To note the Returning Officer’s report which sets out details of the outcome of the recent local elections.

The report of the Returning Officer in respect of the recent elections was received by the Council. It was noted that one Councillor, Councillor David Small, had subsequently resigned his seat and a by-election would be held to fill the consequent vacancy in Church Hill Ward.

Members queried how much it would cost to organise a by-election in this Ward. The Returning Officer undertook to quantify this amount and report it to Members following the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

The Leader of the Council decides how the Executive powers of the Council will be carried out.  Currently, Executive decisions are taken by the Executive Committee.  The Leader also allocates portfolios and 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.

(Report attached)

The Council considered the lists of nominations to Committees, Sub-Committees and other bodies and, in addition, Terms of Reference for a newly created Audit, Governance and Standards Committee.

RESOLVED that

1)           the terms of reference of the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee be agreed as set out in Appendix 1 to the report submitted;

2)           the Political balance of the Committees of the Council be agreed as set out in paragraph 3.7;

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

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

5)        appointments by political group leaders to the places on each Committee etc., as set out at Appendix B, be noted;

6)        the Council appoints non-aligned Councillors to places on Committees;

7)        the Council appoints Chairs and Vice-Chairs to the Committees and other bodies as set out in Appendix 2 to the report submitted; and

8)        appointments to Working Groups and other bodies listed in the appendix be agreed.

To agree appointments to national, regional, partnership and other outside bodies, as set out in the enclosed list.

(Report attached)

RESOLVED that

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.

There were no urgent decisions to note.

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.