Prayers were taken by Father Frank, the Chairman’s Chaplain.

To elect the Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.  The retiring Chairman will call for nominations for Chairman and each nomination must be seconded.  Members may speak in support of nominations.

(Note:  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 21.7, if more than one nomination is received, a vote by show of hands will be conducted.)

The appointed Chairman to sign and read out the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Before inviting nominations for the role of Chairman for 2015/16, Councillor Maudlin took the opportunity to summarise her experience in office during 2014/15.  She placed on record her thanks to the Vice-Chairman, the Chairman’s Personal Assistant, the Monitoring Officer, Committee Services, her mother and her partner for their support during the year. 

The Chairman’s chosen charity for 2014/15 had been the Alzheimer’s Society and Councillor Maudlin announced that she had raised nearly £24,000 for this charity with the support of her friends and family, Councillors and employees. In particular she thanked Judith Wong, Julie Welsted and Rechelle Graham for their help with the fund raising.

The Chairman invited nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.  Councillor David Bowater was duly proposed and seconded.  There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Bowater be elected to the office of Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.

Councillor Bowater then read out and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The newly-elected Chairman thanked Members for their support in electing him as Chairman.

It was moved, seconded and

RESOLVED

to place on record the Council’s sincere thanks for the services rendered by Councillor Caroline Maudlin, the out-going Chairman, in the discharge of the important and exacting duties of the office over the period from 18 April 2013 to 21 May 2015.

Councillor Maudlin was then presented with a certificate.

To elect the Vice-Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.  The Chairman will call for nominations for Vice-Chairman and each nomination must be seconded.  Members may speak in support of the nominations.

(Note:  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No. 21.7, if more than one nomination is received, a vote by show of hands will be conducted.)

The appointed Vice-Chairman to sign and read out the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Chairman invited nominations for the office of Vice-Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.  Councillor Mrs Fiona Chapman was duly proposed and seconded.  There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Mrs Chapman be elected to the office of Vice-Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2015/16.

Councillor Mrs Chapman then read out and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Thereafter the newly-elected Vice-Chairman thanked Members for their support in electing her as Vice-Chairman.

In accordance with B5 Council Procedure Rule No. 2.3 and C1 Executive Arrangements paragraph 3.1, the Chairman to invite nominations for the election of the Leader of the Council for the period until the day of the first post-election annual meeting following the election of the Leader.

The Chairman invited nominations for the Leader of the Council for the period up to the first post-election annual meeting in May 2019.  Councillor James Jamieson was duly proposed and seconded.  There were no other nominations.

RESOLVED

that Councillor Jamieson be elected as Leader of the Council for 2015  to the day of the first post-election Annual Council meeting in May 2019.

To approve the minutes of the Council meeting held on 9 April 2015.

(Attached pages 7 to 12)

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting held on 9 April 2015 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the inclusion of Mrs Mustoe’s name under minute C/14/87, where the Leader paid tribute to those Members who were not standing for re-election.

To receive from Members any declarations of interest.

Councillor Bowater declared a personal interest in item 13 ‘Appointment of CBC Employer Representative to Pension Fund Board’ as he had been appointed as the representative for Leighton Linslade Town Council.  He was present during this item.

The Chairman announced that Councillor Woodward was now out of hospital and on behalf of the Council wished him a speedy recovery.

The Chairman spoke of his childhood and what had led him to go on to become a Councillor and be involved in public service.  Councillor Bowater announced that his chosen charities for 2015/16 would be Multiple Sclerosis Bedfordshire and in honour of former Councillors Tony Green and Alan Shadbolt, who had passed away due to diabetic related illnesses, Diabetes UK.

The Leader of the Council to announce any matters of communication.

The Leader deferred his announcements to item 11 ‘Composition of the Executive and Scheme of Delegation of Executive Functions’.

To receive any questions, statements and deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.  (This session will be held at the Chairman’s discretion and will normally last no longer than 15 minutes.)

There was no public participation.

The report outlines the requirements for appointments to committees and other Council bodies, including political proportionality.  Nominations from Group Leaders will be circulated separately.

Report to follow.

The Council considered a report outlining the requirements for Member appointments to committees and other Council bodies, including taking account of political proportionality.

RESOLVED

1.      that the Council confirms for the municipal year 2015/16:

(a)       the structure, size and terms of reference of the committees, sub-committees and joint committees set out in sections D1, E2 and J2 of the Council’s constitution; and

(b)      the allocation of seats and substitutes to these and other bodies, as listed in Appendix A to the report, in accordance with the political balance rules where they apply.

2.      that the appointment of individual Members and substitutes to committees and other bodies be approved in accordance with the nominations submitted by the political groups, as attached at Appendix A to the minutes;

3.      that the appointment of the Members to the Central Bedfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board, including at least one member of the Council nominated by the Leader, be approved as attached at Appendix B to the minutes;

4.      that the appointment of the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of committees for the municipal year 2015/16 be approved in accordance with nominations as set out at Appendix C to the minutes;

5.      to note that the following persons had been appointed to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee as co-opted members with voting rights on education matters for the period May 2015 to the Annual Council Meeting in May 2019:

(a)       Frances Image, Roman Catholic Diocesan representative

(b)      David Morton, Church of England Diocesan representative

(c)       Stephen Court, School Parent Governor representative

(d)      Gillian Deans, School Parent Governor representative

(e)       Emily Rowlands, School Parent Governor representative.

The Leader of the Council to report regarding the composition and responsibilities of the Executive for the coming year and to agree the scheme of delegation as set out at parts E2 and H3 of the Constitution.

Report to follow.

The Council considered a report from the Leader of the Council setting out the composition of the Executive for 2015/16, including the names of the Councillors appointed to the Executive.  The report also confirmed that the Scheme of Delegation of Executive functions was set out at Part C3 of the Council’s Constitution.

The Leader highlighted some of the achievements over the last four years, including the freeze on Council Tax, and maintaining and improving services.  He concluded that there was still work to be done within the context of the ongoing financial pressures, demographic change and the growth agenda.  Due to this he had changed the composition of the Executive to focus on the key areas.

RESOLVED

1.      that Councillor Carole Hegley be designated Lead Member for Children’s Services;

2.      that the composition of the Executive and the allocation of portfolios, as attached at Appendix D to the minutes, be noted; and

3.      that the scheme of delegation of Executive functions, as set out at Part C3 of the Council’s Constitution, be noted.

To appoint the Members to the Police and Crime Panel and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service 2015.  Nominations to be circulated separately.

Report to follow.

The Council considered a report outlining the requirement for Member appointments to the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service until the annual meeting in 2019.

RESOLVED

1.      that this Council’s appointments to the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel be:

·         Councillor Fiona Chapman

·         Councillor Amanda Dodwell

·         Councillor Paul Downing

·         Councillor Peter Hollick

2.      that these appointments remain in place, unless any resignation from the Police and Crime Panel was notified to the Monitoring Officer, until the annual meeting of the Council in 2019;

3.      that this Council’s appointments to the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service be:

·         Councillor Tony Brown

·         Councillor Fiona Chapman

·         Councillor John Chatterley

·         Councillor Paul Downing

·         Councillor David McVicar

4.      that these appointments remain in place, unless any resignation from the Fire and Rescue Service was notified to the Monitoring Officer, until the annual meeting of the Council in 2019.

To appoint the employer representative to the Pension Fund Board.

Report to follow.

The Council considered a report that set out the requirement to appoint an employer representative on the Pension Fund Board.  This Board was being put in place to carry out scrutiny of the Pension Fund Committee.

RESOLVED

to appoint Councillor James Jamieson to be this Council’s employer representative on the Pension Fund Board for the ensuing 4-year period.

In accordance with Part B5 2.2.2.14 in the Council Procedure Rules to make appointments to outside bodies.

Report to follow.

The Council considered a report that outlined the process for appointments to the schedule of outside bodies.

RESOLVED

1.      that the schedule of outside bodies to which Council appointments might be made, attached at Appendix A to the report, be noted pending further consultation with Group Leaders;

2.      that the Monitoring Officer be authorised, in consultation with Group Leaders, to approve the final schedule of outside bodies, to make the necessary appointments to them and to inform the Members and organisations concerned;

3.      that existing appointments be extended until 11 September 2015 or until fresh appointments are made, whichever is the earlier, while the representatives appointed in May 2011 continue to be Central Bedfordshire Council Members.