Agenda and minutes

The procedures for electing the Chairman were outlined, including the requirements for nominations to be proposed and seconded and the process to be followed in the event of multiple candidates.  Members were advised that appointments would need to be made in accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 18.6 in the Council’s constitution.

Nominations for the election of Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board for the 2026/27 municipal year were then received for the following Members:

Councillor H.D.N. Warren-Clarke proposed that Councillor P.M. McDonald be appointed Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year.  This was seconded by Councillor A.M. Dale.

Councillor A. Bailes proposed that Councillor C. Hotham be appointed Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year.  This was seconded by Councillor S. Ammar. 

Following a show of hands the results were tied and Officers confirmed that no Chairman had been elected for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Following the tied vote, Members discussed the appropriate procedure to follow.  Officers advised that where no Chairman of the Board for the municipal year was elected, the item should be deferred to the next meeting.  Some members questioned whether the meeting could proceed without a Chairman.  The suggestion was also made that, under the Council’s Constitution an adjournment could take place to provide time to review options in the Constitution.

The item was subsequently deferred to the next Board meeting due to be held on 21^st July 2026.

Nominations were requested for the election of a Vice-Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Councillor P.M. McDonald proposed that Councillor A.M. Dale be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year.  This was seconded by Councillor B. Kumar.

Councillor C. Hotham proposed that Councillor A. Bailes be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year.  This was seconded by Councillor S. Ammar.

Following a show of hands the results were tied and no Vice-Chairman of the Board was elected for the 2026/27 municipal year.  Members were informed that the appointment of a Vice Chairman for the 2026/27 municipal year would therefore be included as an item on the agenda for consideration at the following meeting of the Board in July 2026.

Given that neither a Chairman nor Vice-Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year had been elected at the meeting, Members were invited to nominate a Member to chair this meeting only.

Nominations for the election of a Chairman for this meeting only were then requested.

Councillor S.A. Robinson proposed that Councillor C. Hotham be appointed Chairman to Chair this meeting of the Board.  This was seconded by Councillor J. Clarke.

Councillor H.D.N. Warren-Clarke proposed that Councillor P.M. McDonald be appointed Chairman to Chair this meeting of the Board.  This was seconded by Councillor A.M. Dale.

Following a show of hands the results were tied and no Member was elected to Chair this meeting of the Board.

As there was no candidate appointed to Chair the meeting, Members were asked to consider whether they wished to proceed with the meeting in the absence of a Chairman, with the Executive Director guiding members through items on the agenda.  However, there was no proposer for this resolution.

Instead, a proposal was made by Councillor J. Clarke to adjourn the meeting to allow Members time to review the constitution and discuss how to proceed.  This was seconded by Councillor S. Ammar.

Following a show of hands the vote was tied and the proposal was therefore not carried.

Subsequently, a proposal was made by Councillor A.M. Dale to close the meeting.  This was seconded by Councillor P.M. McDonald. 

Following a show of hands the vote was again tied and the proposal was therefore not carried.

Due to the fact that no agreement had been reached on the election of a Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year, the election of a Vice-Chairman of the Board for the 2026/27 municipal year and the election of  a Chair for the meeting and in the absence of any agreement to proceed with the meeting,  the meeting had to be abandoned without further business being conducted.

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.

RESOLVED: that under Section 100 I of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of scheme 12A to the Act, as amended, the relevant paragraph of that part, in each case, being as set out below and that it is in the public interest to do so:-