Agenda and minutes

The retiring Chairman of the Council, Mrs S R Nicholas, welcomed both new and returning Members to the meeting.

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

Upon election, the procedure will be followed:

(a)  The Chairman will sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

(b)  The Chairman will address the Council.

(c)  The Retiring Chairman will be presented with the past Chairman’s badge.

(d)  The Retiring Chairman will address the Council.

It was moved by Councillor T J Bartlett and duly seconded, that Councillor S S Chandler be elected Chairman of Dover District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

On being put to the meeting it was

RESOLVED: That Councillor S S Chandler be elected Chairman of Dover District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

(Councillor S S Chandler, having made her declaration of acceptance of office, took the chair.)

The Chairman thanked the Council and was in turn congratulated by Members.

The retiring Chairman was presented with the Past Chairman’s Badge and addressed the Council.

Councillor P A Watkins recorded a vote of thanks for Mrs S R Nicholas for the manner in which she had fulfilled the duties of the Chairman during the past four years and her time as a former Cabinet Member and District Councillor.

Councillors M R Eddy and A F Richardson, on behalf of the Labour Group and the UK Independence Party Group respectively, spoke about Mrs S R Nicholas’s time on the Council.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing municipal year. The Vice-Chairman will sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

It was moved by Councillor J S Back, duly seconded and

RESOLVED: That Councillor D Hannent be appointed as Vice-Chairman of Dover District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor B Gardner, P S Le Chevalier and S M Le Chevalier.

To confirm the attached Minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2015.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 4 March 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest from Members in respect of business to be transacted on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

(a)  To welcome new and returning Members.

(b)  To offer thanks to those Members who did not stand or were not returned for their service to the Council.

(c)  To remind Members of the importance of undertaking the training for those serving on Committees with a training requirement as per the Constitution.

To elect the Leader of the Council for a period of four years until the day of the next Annual Meeting of the Council following the ordinary election of all Councillors in 2019.

It was moved by Councillor M D Conolly, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:     That Councillor P A Watkins be elected the Leader of the Council for a period of four years until the day of the next Annual Meeting of the Council following the ordinary election of all councillors in 2019.

To note the Leader of the Council’s appointment of a Deputy Leader of the Council.

In accordance with Rule 1.1(viii) of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor P A Watkins gave notice of his intention to appoint Councillor M D Conolly as Deputy Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED: That the appointment of Councillor M D Conolly as Deputy Leader be received and noted.

To note the number of Members to be appointed to the Cabinet.

The statutory maximum number of members of the Cabinet is ten members, including the Leader of the Council.

In accordance with Rule 1.1(vii) of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor P A Watkins gave notice of his intention to appoint an Executive comprising of the Leader of the Council and seven members, including the Deputy Leader.

RESOLVED: (a)   That the composition of the Cabinet be received and noted.

                        (b)   That it be noted that the Leader of the Council had given formal notification to the Monitoring Officer of his intention to appoint the following portfolio structure:

                               Leader of the Council

                               Deputy Leader of the Council

                               Portfolio Holder for Access and Licensing

                               Portfolio Holder for Environment, Waste and Planning

                               Portfolio Holder for Housing, Health and Wellbeing

                               Portfolio Holder for Corporate Resources and Performance

                               Portfolio Holder for Skills, Training, Tourism, Voluntary Services and Community Safety

                               Portfolio Holder for Property Management and Public Protection

(a)  To note the Members to the Cabinet (in accordance with the Executive Procedure Rules) to hold office for a period of one year until the next annual meeting.

(b)  To note the related portfolios.

In accordance with Rule 1.1(ix) of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor P A Watkins gave notice of his intention to appoint the following Members to the following Portfolios:

RESOLVED:   That the following persons be appointed to the Cabinet:

To note the composition of the Shadow Cabinet by the Main Opposition Group.

The Shadow Cabinet must directly reflect the composition of the Cabinet in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules.

It was moved by Councillor M R Eddy, duly seconded and

RESOLVED: That, in accordance with notice provided by the Leader of the Opposition Group, the Shadow Cabinet be composed of the following for the ensuing municipal year:

(a)  Committees

To appoint the following Committees as the Council considers appropriate to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions:

Dover Joint Transportation Board

East Kent Shared Services Committee

Electoral Matters Committee

General Purposes Committee

Governance Committee

Joint Health, Safety and Welfare Consultative Forum

Joint Staff Consultative Forum

Licensing Committee

Planning Committee

Regulatory Committee

Scrutiny (Community and Regeneration) Committee

Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee

Standards Committee

(b)  Review of Allocation of Seats to Political Groups

To determine the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The attached report of the Chief Executive and Director of Governance sets out the recommended allocation of seats to political groups.

(c)  Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen and Spokespersons of Committees

To appoint the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Controlling Group Spokespersons and Deputy Controlling Group Spokespersons of the above Committees as appropriate.

It was moved by Councillor P A Watkins, duly seconded and

RESOLVED: That, having noted the allocation of seats calculated in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Council Committees be constituted as indicated below for the ensuring municipal year and the Boards and Forums be constituted with the membership, Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Spokespersons as shown:

                        (The Licensing Committee, the Joint Health, Safety and Welfare Consultative Forum and the Joint Staff Consultative Forum each appoint its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman.)

                        Lead Members

To approve a programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the ensuing year.

The Council, at its meeting on 28 January 2015, provisionally approved the programme subject to ratification at this meeting.

It was moved by Councillor P A Watkins, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:   That the Calendar of Meetings for 2015/16 be approved as presented.

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer.

It was moved by Councillor K Mills, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:   That the report be received and noted.

To consider the report of the Monitoring Officer.

It was moved by Councillor B W Butcher, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:   That the report be received and noted.

To consider the joint report of the Chairman of the Governance Committee and the Director of Governance.

It was moved by Councillor T J Bartlett, duly seconded and

RESOLVED:   That the report be received and noted.

There were no items of urgent business.