Agenda and minutes

At the request of the Chairman, the Reverend Wendy Moore opened the meeting with a prayer.

(Following election, the Chairman will make a Declaration of Acceptance of Office, will be invested with the Badge and Chain of Office, and will take the Chair)

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths and seconded by Councillor E. C. Tibby and

RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer, having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, and having been invested by Councillor Mrs. J. M. Boswell with the Chairman's Badge of Office, then took the Chair and thanked Members of the Council for electing her to the office of Chairman.

Councillor Mrs. J. M. Boswell, having been presented by Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer with a Past Chairman's Badge and Ribbon, then concluded her year of office. It was then proposed by the Chairman and

RESOLVED that the thanks of the Council be tendered to Councillor Mrs. J. M. Boswell for the services rendered to the Council and to the District during her term of office as Chairman of the Council.

(Following election, the Vice-Chairman will make a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and will be invested with the Badge and Chain of Office)

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E. and seconded by Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths and

RESOLVED that Councillor C. R. Scurrell be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor C. R. Scurrell, having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, and having been invested by Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer with the Vice-Chairman’s Badge of Office, thanked Members of the Council for appointing him to the office of Vice-Chairman.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 23rd April 2008 be approved as a correct record.

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths and seconded by Councillor E. C. Tibby and

RESOLVED that Councillor R. Hollingworth be elected Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.

It was proposed by Councillor C. J. K. Wilson and seconded by Councillor Mrs C. M. McDonald and

RESOLVED that Councillor P. M. McDonald be elected Leader of the Opposition for the ensuing year.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor W. R. Newnes.

The Chairman informed Members that the Chairman’s Charities for the forthcoming year would be Marie Curie Cancer Care Nurses and the Princess of Wales Community Hospital League of Friends.

Members’ attention was drawn to a revised Appendix 1 to the report which had been tabled. This was due to a notice having been received from the Independent Members and Members of the Wythall Residents’ Association that they wished to be treated as a political group known as The Independents and Wythall Residents Coalition for the purposes of the allocation of seats on committees. In line with the proportionality rules, this had required the proposed allocation of seats to be re-calculated.

It was proposed by Councillor R. Hollingworth and seconded by Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths and

RESOLVED:

(a)    that for the ensuing Municipal Year, the Committees set out in the table in the revised Appendix 1 to the report be appointed and that the representation of the different political groups on the Council on those Committees be as set out in that table until the next Annual Meeting of the Council, or until the next review of political representation under Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, whichever is the earlier;

(b)    that Members be appointed to the Committees in accordance with nominations to be made by Party Group Leaders or Co-ordinators.

To approve the appointment of Mr. J. Cypher and Mr I. Hodgetts to serve as the Parish Council Representatives on the Standards Committee until the meeting of the Council on 16th July 2008

It was proposed by Councillor R. D. Smith and seconded by Councillor Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E. and

RESOLVED that Mr. J. Cypher and Mr. I. Hodgetts be appointed to serve as the Parish Council Representatives on the Standards Committee until the meeting of the Council on 16th July 2008.

(Note: The Monitoring Officer announced that a number of Members wished to declare a personal interest in this matter due to being Parish Councillors, namely: Councillors S. R. Colella, R. J. Deeming, G. N. Denaro, Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E., Mrs. J. M. L. A Griffiths, D. Hancox, R. Hollingworth, Mrs. J. D. Luck, S. R. Peters, C. R. Scurrell, Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP, Mrs. C. J. Spencer, L. J. Turner and P. J. Whittaker).

To receive, for information, a summary of Members’ attendances at Council and Committee meetings during 2007/08

A summary of Members’ attendances at Council and Committee meetings during 2007/08 was submitted for information.

The Leader of the Council announced that the following Members would serve on the Cabinet for the ensuing year:

Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths        Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Street Scene including Clean, Safe and Tidy Streets, Car Parks and Community Safety

Councillor M. J. A. Webb                       Portfolio Holder for the Customer Service Centre, Revenue Generation, Special Events, Performance Indicators and the Improvement Plan

Councillor Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP          Portfolio Holder for Major Projects including the Paperless Office and project management of Longbridge, the Town Centre, Spatial Project and the transfer of the Dolphin Centre

Councillor R. D. Smith                            Portfolio Holder for Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services, Human Resources and Elderly People

Councillor P. J. Whittaker                       Portfolio Holder for Housing, Environmental Health and Climate Change

Councillor Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E.              Portfolio Holder for Planning Policy and Transportation

Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP          Portfolio Holder for Waste Management and Recycling

Councillor G. N. Denaro                         Portfolio Holder for Finance including Internal Audit and Revenues and Benefits