Agenda and minutes

The Executive Director for Governance and Monitoring Officer, on behalf of all Members and officers’ present at the meeting, declared a general Non Registrable Interest in respect of agenda item 15 relating to Political Assistants.  The Political Assistant, present at the meeting and sat in the public gallery, declared that she would be leaving the room whilst the item was discussed and voted upon.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Dale Grounds be elected Chairman of the Council until the next Annual Meeting.

The newly elected Chairman subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of

Office of Chairman pursuant to the provisions of Section 83 of the Local

Government Act 1972 and thanked Members of the Council for his appointment.

Councillor Grounds thanked everyone present for giving him the opportunity to represent the Council and advised that his chosen charities for the year

would be Ducklings: The Charity of the Nottingham Children's Hospital School and Enlighten the Shadows, a men’s mental health group.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny led the tributes and thanks to the retiring Chairman, Councillor Walters, and welcomed Councillor Grounds into his new role.

The following Councillors also expressed their thanks and gratitude to

Councillor Walters:

Cllr. Matthew Relf

Cllr. Tom Hollis

Cllr. Phil Rostance

Cllr. Helen-Ann Smith

Cllr. Arnie Hankin.

Councillor Walters took the opportunity to address Council and thanked officers and everyone in attendance at the meeting for their kindness and support throughout the previous year.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Arnie Hankin be elected Vice Chairman of the Council until

the next Annual Meeting.

The newly elected Vice Chairman subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Vice Chairman pursuant to the provisions of Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972 and thanked Members of the Council for his appointment.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on 2 February and 2 March 2022, as now submitted, be received and approved.

The Chief Executive gave her heartfelt thanks to the previous Chairman of the Council and offered her sincere well wishes to the new Chairman and Vice Chairman as elected.

RESOLVED

that subject to the requirements of the Council’s Constitution and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1 (vii), Councillor Jason Zadrozny be appointed Leader of the Council for a four year term of office.

(Scheme of Delegation to be circulated at the meeting – cream papers)

RESOLVED

that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1(viii) and (ix), Council notes the composition of the Executive for the coming year, the names of Members appointed to the Cabinet (as outlined below) and the Scheme of delegation for the Discharge of Executive Functions as advised by the Leader of the Council:-

Accordingly, the Council is requested to appoint the following Committees (including appointment of Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and membership seats):-

Principal Select Committee

Inward Focus Select Committee

Outward Focus Select Committee

Planning Committee

Licensing Committee

Audit Committee

Local Joint Consultative Committee

Chief Officers’ Employment Committee

Standards and Personnel Appeals Committee

Charites Committee

Local Plan Development Committee

(Schedule of committee memberships to be circulated at the meeting – grey papers)

Council was requested to determine the appointment of Committees including Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and membership seats for the ensuing year as per the Committee Membership Schedule as circulated.

RESOLVED that

a)    in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.3 (i) and (iv), the following Committees be appointed for the ensuing year:-

Principal Select Committee

Inward Focus Select Committee

Outward Focus Select Committee

Planning Committee

Licensing Committee

Audit Committee

Local Joint Consultative Committee

Chief Officers’ Employment Committee

Standards and Personnel Appeals Committee

Charites Committee

Local Plan Development Committee

b)    as a result of (a) above, the following appointments for Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and membership seats be approved:-

Council was requested to approve the updated Schedule of Council, Cabinet and Committee Meetings for 2023/24 as circulated at the meeting.

RESOLVED

that in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1(x), the Schedule of Council, Cabinet and Committee meetings for 2023/24, as circulated at the

meeting, be approved.

Council was requested to consider and approve the proposed changes to the

Council’s Constitution, as presented, and to note that further changes would be submitted to the July 2023 meeting for approval.

RESOLVED

that the proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution for 2023/24, as outlined in the report, be received and approved.

Council was requested to consider and acknowledge the criteria for the appointment of Political Assistants during the 2023-27 term of office.

RESOLVED that

a)    the information contained in the report, be received and noted;

b)    at the wish of the Ashfield Independents Leader, a political assistant post be duly allocated to the Group and form part of the Council’s establishment structure for the 2023-27 term of office;

c)    at the wish of the Conservative Party Leader, the offer of a political assistant being allocated to the Group and forming part of the Council’s establishment structure for the 2023-27 term of office, be declined;

d)    the 2023/24 budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) reflecting the cost of the political assistant post as allocated, be duly acknowledged.

(Schedule of appointments to outside bodies to be circulated at the meeting – lilac papers)

Council was requested to nominate/appoint representatives to the Outside Bodies listed in the schedule as circulated at the meeting.

RESOLVED

that the following representatives be appointed to the under-mentioned bodies:-

A member of Council is asked to move:-

“That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and in respect of which the Proper Officer considers the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

RESOLVED

that in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be now excluded from the meeting during the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act and in respect of which the Proper Officer considers the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Council was requested to consider the governance of the Council’s current funding programme.

RESOLVED that

a)    the detail of the funding model and proposals to increase the borrowing and match funding towards the project outlined in the report, be approved;

b)    delegated authority be granted to the Corporate Resources Director (and S151 officer) in conjunction with the Executive Lead Member for Growth, Regeneration and Local Planning and the Executive Lead Member for Finance, Revenues and Benefits, to vary the Council’s borrowing level on approved Towns Fund and Future High Street projects where, following due diligence, it is deemed economically advantageous to do so and the minimum Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of the project is not breached.