Agenda and minutes

          (1) The Mayor welcomed the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, the Under Sheriff of Wiltshire, the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Freemen and other distinguished guests to the meeting.

          (2) The Mayor welcomed back all those Councillors re-elected in the Elections held on 7^th May 2015, and welcomed Councillors Matthew Courtliff, Mark Dempsey, Malcolm Davies, Jane Milner-Barry, Barbara Parry and Gary Sumner who were either newly elected or had returned after a period of absence.

          Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Colin Lovell and David Wood.

          The Mayor (Former Councillor Andrew Bennett) called upon the Councillors to elect a qualified person to be Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year, 2016/17.

          Councillor Fionuala Foley moved and Councillor Brian Ford seconded and the Council unanimously agreed that Councillor Eric Shaw be Mayor of the Borough for the ensuing Municipal Year. Councillors David Renard, Jim Grant and Stan Pajak offered their support and congratulations to the Mayor, on behalf of their political groups, and Councillor Derique Montaut offered his congratulations.

          Councillor Eric Shaw made and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

(The Worshipful the Mayor (Councillor Eric Shaw) in the Chair.)

          The Mayor thanked the Council for his election to the post of Mayor of the Borough.

          Councillor Alan Bishop moved and Councillor David Renard seconded and the Council agreed that Former Councillor Andrew Bennett be thanked for his year of service as Mayor of the Borough. (Councillors Jim Grant and Stan Pajak thanked the retiring Mayor.)

          Former Councillor Andrew Bennett thanked Members and Officers for their support over the preceding year in assisting him with carrying out his duties and informed Members of the highlights of his Mayoral Year and charities he had supported.

          The Mayor called upon the Councillors to elect a qualified person to be Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year, 2016/17.

          Councillor Steve Weisinger moved and Councillor Alan Bishop seconded and the Council agreed that Councillor Maureen Penny be Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the ensuing Municipal Year.

          Councillors David Renard and Stan Pajak offered their congratulations to the Deputy Mayor on behalf of their political groups.

          The Deputy Mayor (Councillor Maureen Penny) thanked the Council for her election to the post of Deputy Mayor of the Borough.

          The Director of Law and Democratic Services reported the return of Councillors elected on 5th May 2016, to fill vacancies occasioned by the retirement of Councillors under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 namely:-

WARD                                        NAME OF COUNCILLOR ELECTED

          Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Brian Mattock seconded:

          “That the return of Councillors be noted and that those Councillors who have retired from the Council be thanked for their service.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

          The Chief Executive reported that correspondence had been received from the Right Honourable Alistair Burt, M.P., Minister of State for Community and Social Care responding to a Motion at Council on Care Costs (Minute 78 2015/16 refers).

          Resolved – That, subject to “Councillor Richard Hurley” being replaced by “Councillor Russell Holland” as the mover of the Motion set out in Minute 87, the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th April 2016, be confirmed and signed.

The Mayor reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.  No declarations were made.

          There were no public questions.

          Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded:

          “(1) That, subject to the amended Public Question Time Protocol tabled at the meeting, the revised Swindon Council’s Constitution for the Municipal Year 2016/17 be adopted.

          (2) That the Director of Law and Democratic Services be authorised, in consultation with the members of the Corporate Governance Review Working Party where appropriate, to vary the wording and layout of the Constitution and its associated documentation to reflect legislative and procedural changes should this prove necessary for the efficient discharge of Council business during the course of the Municipal Year.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded:

“That the number of Members to serve on Swindon Borough Council’s Committees for the Municipal Year 2016/17, be as follows:

Appeals Committee – 25 Members

Appointments Committee – 25 Members

Audit Committee – 7 Members

Licensing Committee – 15 Members

Planning Committee – 13 Members

Special Committee – 11 Members

Scrutiny Committee – 13 Members

Streetsmart, Highways and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 17 Members

Adults’ Health, Adults’ Social Care and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members

Children’s Health, Social Care and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members

Growing the Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members

Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members

Health and Wellbeing Board – 4 Members

Standards Committee – 9 Members.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

          Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded:

          “(1) That, having carried out a review under Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Council continues to apply the political balance provisions under the Act.

          (2) That Committees and other relevant Council Bodies be reminded of their duty to carry out a review under Section 15 of the Local Government Housing Act 1989, as appropriate, and recommends that having carried out that review they continue to apply the political balance provisions.

          (3) That the Council’s waiving of the political balance arrangements on the Appeals Committee, Planning Committee, Standards Committee, Special Committee  be confirmed.

          (4) That Councillors be appointed to serve on the Council’s Committees for the Municipal Year 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1 to the Minutes.

          (5) That the appointments to the Cabinet, the nominations of Councillors serving on Cabinet Project Boards and Cabinet Advisory Bodies for the Municipal Year 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 1 to the Minutes, be noted.

          (6) That the arrangements relating to the Council’s Standards Committee, as set out in Paragraph 3.10 of the report of the Director of Law and Democratic Services, be approved.

          (7) That Chairs and Vice-Chairs be appointed to the Council’s Committees for the Municipal Year 2016/17, as set out in the Appendix 1 to the Minutes, and where no appointment to Vice-Chair positions have been made, that these be determined at the first meeting of the relevant Committees.

          (8) That representatives be appointed to serve on Other and Outside Bodies for the Municipal Year 2016/17, be as set out in Appendix 1 to the Minutes.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

          Councillor David Renard moved and Councillor Russell Holland seconded:

          “(1) That the Timetable of Meetings for the Municipal Year 2016/17, as tabled at the meeting, be approved.
          (2) That the Director of Law and Democratic Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to vary the dates for meetings of the Council, the Cabinet, Committees and Other Swindon Borough Council bodies should this prove necessary for the efficient discharge of Council business.”

          The Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

          The Director of Law and Democratic Services reported that no Standing Order 15 Questions had been received.