Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Steve Arnold that Councillor Gardiner be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

             Resolved

             That Councillor Gardiner be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year until his successor becomes entitled to act as Chairman.

Councillor Gardiner thereupon took the Chair, having first made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Chairman of Ryedale District Council, and thanked Members for his election.

The Chairman proposed and Councillor Cowling seconded a vote of thanks to Councillor Val Arnold.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

The Chairman then thanked the retiring Chairman, Councillor Val Arnold, for the efficient, able and courteous manner in which she had carried out her duties and highlighted the excellent work she had done for her charities.  The Chairman concluded by presenting a Past Chairman’s Badge to Councillor Val Arnold.

Councillor Val Arnold responded and thanked her Chaplains, Andrew De Smet and Susan Binks, and Members and Officers of the Council for their support during her term of Office as Chairman of the Council.

Councillor Steve Arnold then invested Helen Gardiner with the Chairman’s Consort’s chain and badge of office.

To elect a Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Bailey that Councillor Oxley be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

            Resolved

            That Councillor Oxley be appointed Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor Oxley would make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office on his return.  The Chairman announced that the Vice Chairman's consort was to be his wife, Mrs Pat Oxley. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Burr, Keal, Oxley and Shields, and for late arrival from Councillor Goodrick.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council held on 21 May 2015.

The minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council held on 21 May 2015 were presented.

Resolved

That the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council held on 21 May 2015 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman announced:

(a)     That his Chaplains were to be Andrew De Smet and Susan Binks;

(b)     That his Charities for the year were to be Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Ryedale Charities Together.

In accordance with the Council Constitution (Part 4 – Rules of Procedure) the Council may, at its Annual Meeting, elect a Leader of the Council and appoint a Deputy Leader of the Council for the ensuing year. It follows from the wording of the Constitution that the Council can decline to make these appointments.

It was reported that in accordance with the Council Constitution (Part 4 - Rules of Procedure) the Council may at its Annual Meeting elect a Leader of the Council and a Deputy Leader of the Council for the ensuing year. 

It was proposed by Councillor Steve Arnold and seconded by Councillor Bailey that Ryedale District Council elect a Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Recorded Vote

For - Councillors Acomb, S Arnold, V Arnold, Bailey, Cleary, Cowling, Cussons, Duncan, Farnell, Frank, Gardiner, Hope, Ives, Jainu-Deen, Maud, Raper, Wainwright and Windress.

Against - Councillors J Andrews, P Andrews, Clark, Potter and Thornton

Abstentions - Councillor Jainu-Deen

It was proposed by Councillor Steve Arnold and seconded by Councillor Bailey that Councillor Mrs Cowling be elected Leader of the Council.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Voting Record

18 For

5 Against

1 Abstentions

It was moved by Councillor Cowling and seconded by Councillor Steve Arnold that Ryedale District Council does not appoint a Deputy Leader for the ensuing year.

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

Voting Record

Unanimous

             Resolved

(a)  That a Leader of the Council be appointed;

(b)  That Councillor Mrs Cowling be appointed Leader of the Council for the ensuing year;

(c)  That a Deputy Leader of the Council not be appointed.

(a)   Committees for 2016/2017

(b)   The allocation of seats on Committees between political groups and the appointment of Members to Committees

(c)   The appointment of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees.

The Chief Executive submitted a report which detailed the following:

A.   Committees for 2016-2017

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, the Council was requested to appoint the Committees as indicated in Annex A as presented to the Council by the Chief Executive.

B.   The allocation of seats on Committees between political groups and the appointment of Members to Committees

       Ryedale District Council was to be treated as being divided into different political groups for the purposes of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989, because at least one political group had been constituted in the prescribed way.

       The Local Government & Housing Act 1989 required the distribution of seats on committees and sub-committees to be on the basis of political proportionality so far as ‘reasonably practicable’ unless different provision is made in such manner prescribed by regulations and without any Member voting against them.

       Members considered the recommendations in the report.

       The recommendations 1-3 and 5-6 were moved and seconded en bloc, as follows:

       Recommendation 1

That the Council divide Committee seats between political groups in accordance with the allocation shown at Annex A of the report. 

Recommendation 2

That membership of the Committees be that shown at Annex B of the report.

Recommendation 3

That the Membership of the Licensing committee be the same as appointed to the Planning Committee. 

Recommendation 5

That the terms of reference of the Policy & Resources Committee, Licensing Committee, Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Planning Committee and the Scheme of Officer Delegation are those set out in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution as amended.

Recommendation 6

That the Chief Executive be authorised to make consequential amendments to the Constitution arising from the changes referred to above.

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

Voting Record

Unanimous

Recommendation 4

With reference to recommendation 4 of the report, Members were reminded that the Annual Meeting of Council elected the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees, with the exception of the Licensing Committee.

It was recommended that the Licensing Committee appoint its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman at its next meeting.

Nominations were then sought for the Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of Committees.

Resolved

(a)   That the Council divides Committee seats between political groups as set out in Annex A of the report;

(b)   That membership of Committees be as indicated at Annex A to     these minutes;

(c)  That the membership of the Licensing Committee be the same Members as appointed to the Planning Committee;

(d)   That, with the exception of the Licensing Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman, who were to be appointed at the next Committee meeting, the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of Committees be appointed as follows:

            (e)  That the terms of reference of the Policy & Resources Committee, Licensing Committee, Overview  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

On 17 May 2012 the Council adopted a new Code of Conduct setting out general principles of expected behaviour by Councillors and specifying requirements for the registration and declaration of their financial and other interests. The Council also approved a new simplified local process for dealing with complaints of alleged breaches of the Code.

The Localism Act 2011 specifies that the Council must appoint an Independent Person to be involved in this process. That role is currently being undertaken by two persons whose terms of office comes to an end on 12 July 2016.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 7 April 2016 considered a report relating to the recruitment and appointment of Independent Persons .

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolved as follows :

“That the vacancy for the position of Independent Person with Role Description and Person Specification shown on the attached Annex to the report be approved.

That an interviewing panel comprising the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee make recommendations for appointment to the Council.”

The Council has received two applications for the position of Independent Person. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommend that Council appoints the following applicants as independent persons for a term of four years  with effect from  12 July 2016:

      i.        Duncan Webster

     ii.        Gill Baker

Councillor Wainwright moved and Councillor Acomb seconded that Council appoint the following applicants as independent persons for a term of four years with effect from  12 July 2016:

1. Duncan Webster

2. Gill Baker

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

Resolved:

That Council appoint the following applicants as independent persons for a term of four years with effect from 12 July 2016:

                 i.   Duncan Webster

               ii.   Gill Baker

Voting Record

Unanimous

There being no other business, the meeting closed at 4.00 pm.