Minutes:
(a) The Leader announced that the membership of the Cabinet would be as follows for the ensuing Municipal Year:
Councillor R. Hollingworth Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance (and Partnerships and Economic Development)
Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Health and Well-being
Councillor C. B. Taylor Portfolio Holder for Planning, Core Strategy and Regulatory Services
Councillor Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP Portfolio Holder for Strategic Housing, Business Transformation (including ICT) with special responsibility for the Town Centre Regeneration and Special Projects
Councillor M. J. A. Webb Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Cultural Services and Environmental Services
Councillor M. A. Bullivant Portfolio Holder for Policy, Performance, Communications, Customer Services, Legal, Equalities, Democratic Services and Human Resources
(b) The Leader proposed that the Council suspend the Council Procedure Rules as he wished to move a motion. At the request of the Chairman he clarified that the motion related to actions taken in the aftermath of the tragic coach accident in France involving Alvechurch Church of England Middle School. He wished the Council to formally thank those who had played a part. Having been seconded by Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey, JP, it was agreed that Council Procedure Rules be suspended.
Having been moved by the Leader and seconded by Councillor E. J. Murray, it was
RESOLVED that the Council record its thanks to all those who helped with the return of children from Alvechurch Church of England Middle School following the coach accident in France, and that letters be sent to the relevant authorities and emergency services in France to thank them for their efforts in this regard and to Worcestershire County Council to thank the authority for its help in providing support to children and parents in the aftermath of the accident.
(c) The Leader proposed that, in view of the number of people in attendance for the ceremonial part of the Annual Meeting, the business items on the agenda be deferred to allow for full debate at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council (to be convened before the next scheduled ordinary meeting of the Council). In response the Monitoring Officer advised that the Council would need to make decisions on the following matters that evening:
· To roll forward the existing Committees and their political balance. Group Leaders would then need to appoint Members to Committees.
· To agree the Scheme of Delegations as there was a Constitutional requirement to agree this at the Annual Meeting. The proposed Constitutional changes could be deferred.
· To agree the extension of appointments to Outside Bodies until the next ordinary meeting of the Council.
Councillor R. Hollingworth moved and Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey seconded that the above matters be agreed.
Councillor P. M. McDonald and Mrs. C. M. McDonald queried a number of delegations within the Scheme of Delegations, including:
· Street Naming
· Alcohol Consumption in Public Places
· High Hedges
· Tree Preservation Orders
· Programme of Council and Committee Meetings
· Advertisements
The Chairman indicated that these matters could be considered at the next (Extraordinary) meeting. The Monitoring Officer clarified that all the delegations within the Scheme of Delegations had been previously agreed by the Council with the exception of the proposed changes with regard to Tree Preservation Orders and that these changes could be deferred to the next (Extraordinary) meeting.
Having been put to the vote it was
RESOLVED:
(a) that existing Committees and their political balance be rolled forward (pending further consideration of the Committee structure and political balance at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council to be convened prior to the next scheduled ordinary meeting of the Council);
(b) that the Scheme of Delegations as set out at Appendix 1 to the report be rolled forward with the exception of the proposed changes in relation to Tree Preservation Orders which shall be considered at the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council;
(c) that approval be given to the extension of existing appointments to Outside Bodies pending consideration of a report at the next ordinary meeting of the Council to be held on 18th July 2012;
(d) that the remaining outstanding business on the agenda for the Annual Meeting of the Council be deferred for consideration at the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council.