Agenda and minutes

Annual Meeting, Council - Wednesday, 22nd May, 2024 6.00 pm

Not all meetings are broadcast. The meetings that will be broadcast are as follows: (a) Council; (b) Cabinet; (c) Dover Joint Transportation Advisory Board; (d) General Purposes Committee; (e) Electoral Matters Committee; (f) Governance Committee; (g) Planning Committee; and (h) Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

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Contact: Democratic Services  Email: democraticservices@dover.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of a Chairman pdf icon PDF 68 KB

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

Minutes:

The Vice-Chairman of the Council, following the Chairman having resigned his office immediately prior to the meeting to enable him to vote at the election of a new Chairman, called for nominations for the position of Chairman of the Council for the ensuing municipal year.

 

It was proposed by Councillor J L Pout, duly seconded by Councillor S B Blair, that Councillor G Cowan be elected Chairman of the District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

 

It was proposed by Councillor D G Beaney, duly seconded by Councillor M Bates, that Councillor O C de R Richardson be elected Chairman of the District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

 

On being put to the meeting, it was

 

RESOLVED:       That Councillor G Cowan be elected Chairman of the District Council for the ensuing municipal year 2024/25.

 

(Councillor G Cowan having made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office, took the Chair. He made a short address thanking Members for his re-election as Chairman of the Council.)

2.

Appointment of a Vice-Chairman pdf icon PDF 68 KB

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing municipal year 2024/25.

Minutes:

The Chairman called for nominations for the position of Vice-Chairman for the ensuing municipal year 2024/25.

 

It was moved by Councillor S B Blair, duly seconded by Councillor J L Pout, that Councillor D G Cronk be appointed Vice-Chairman of Dover District Council for the ensuing municipal year.

 

In the absence of any other nominations, it was put to the meeting and

 

RESOLVED:       That Councillor D G Cronk be elected Vice-Chairman of the Dover District Council for the ensuing Council year 2024/25.

 

(Councillor D G Cronk made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office.)

3.

Apologies pdf icon PDF 52 KB

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence received.

4.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 46 KB

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2024 (to follow).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

5.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 55 KB

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

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest made by Members.

6.

Announcements pdf icon PDF 57 KB

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council, Members of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service.

Minutes:

The Chairman of the Council made the following announcements:

 

(a)  To announce the sad news of the death of former District Councillor Miriam Bull. She had represented the old Worth Ward between 1989 – 1999 for the Conservatives.

 

Councillors K Mills and T J Bartlett spoke to her dedicated service and her community work. Members offered their thoughts to her family.

 

(b)  To announce the sad news of the death of Mr Donald Hunter, who had been the driving force behind the Merchant Navy Memorial statute in Dover. The Chairman spoke of Mr Hunter’s service in the Merchant Navy and the Council’s commemoration of Merchant Navy Day.

 

Members stood in silence as a mark of respect of former Councillor Miriam Bull and Mr Donald Hunter.

7.

Composition of the Cabinet pdf icon PDF 49 KB

To note the size and composition of the executive as set by the Leader of the Council in accordance with Rule 1.1(vii) of the Council Procedure Rules.

Minutes:

In accordance with Rule 1.1(vii) of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor K Mills gave notice of his intention to appoint an Executive comprising of the Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council and five portfolios.

 

It was moved by Councillor K Mills, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED:          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

Deputy Leader

Transport, Licensing and Environmental Services

Community and Corporate Property

Finance, Governance, Climate Change and Environment

Housing, Skills and Education

Planning and Built Environment

 

8.

Appointment of Members to Cabinet Portfolios pdf icon PDF 51 KB

To note the appointment of Members to their Cabinet Portfolios.

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor K Mills, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED:   That it be noted that the Leader of the Council had appointed the following Members to the following Portfolios:

 

 

Leader

K Mills

Deputy Leader

J L Pout

1

Transport,Licensing andEnvironmental Services

J L Pout

2

Communityand CorporateProperty

C D Zosseder

3

Finance,Governance, ClimateChange and Environment

S B Blair

4

Housing,Skills andEducation

P M Brivio

5

Planningand BuiltEnvironment

E A Biggs

 

 

9.

Appointment of a Shadow Cabinet pdf icon PDF 37 KB

To note the size and composition of the Shadow Cabinet as advised by the Leader of the Main Opposition Party in accordance with Council Procedure Rule (x).

 

The Shadow Cabinet must directly reflect the composition of the Cabinet in accordance with the Council Procedure Rule (x).

Minutes:

In accordance with Rule 1.1(x) of the Council Procedure Rules, Councillor T J Bartlett

gave notice of his intention to appoint a Shadow Cabinet.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Leader of the Opposition

T J Bartlett

Deputy Leader of the Opposition

C A Vinson

1

Transport,Licensing andEnvironmental Services

M Bates

2

Communityand CorporateProperty

O C de R Richardson

3

Finance,Governance, ClimateChange and Environment

C A Vinson

4

Housing,Skills andEducation

D R Friend

5

Planningand BuiltEnvironment

N S Kenton

 

10.

Review of the Allocation of Seats to Political Groups pdf icon PDF 128 KB

That the Council:

(a)    Appoint committees to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions.

(b)    Review the allocation of seats to political groups and non-aligned members.

(c)     Appoint Chairmen, Vice-Chairmen, Spokespersons and Deputy Spokespersons to committees as appropriate.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Corporate Services and Democracy presented the report on the Review of Allocation of Seats to Political Groups.

 

It was moved by Councillor K Mills, duly seconded by Councillor J L Pout, and

 

RESOLVED:   (a)   That the Council appoints the following Committees, Board and Fora:

 

·         Dover Joint Transportation Advisory Board

·         East Kent Services Committee

·         Electoral Matters Committee

·         General Purposes Committee

·         Governance Committee

·         Joint Health, Safety and Welfare Consultative Forum

·         Joint Staff Consultative Forum

·         Licensing Committee

·         Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·         Planning Committee

·         Regulatory Committee

 

(b)   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 as shown:

 

 

 

DOVER JOINT TRANSPORTATIONADVISORY BOARD(7 seats)

 

Labour (4)

Conservative (3)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

E A Biggs

M Bates

 

2

G Cowan

J S Back

3

D G Cronk

M F Hibbert

4

D J Parks

 

 

In addition, there are 7 Kent County Council members (voting), 3 Town Council members (non-voting) and 2 Kent Association of Local Council members (non-voting) on the Dover Joint Transportation Advisory Board.

 

 

 

EAST KENT SERVICESCOMMITTEE (2seats) *

 

Labour (2)

Conservative (0)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

K Mills

 

 

2

J L Pout

(*) Politicalbalance requirementsdo notapply toEKSC. Nomineesmust beExecutive Leader andDeputy Leader.

 

 

 

EAST KENTSERVICES COMMITTEENAMED SUBSTITUTES(2) *

 

Labour (2)

Conservative (0)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

P M Brivio

 

 

2

C D Zosseder

(*)Two namedsubstitutes fromthe Executive(Cabinet) canbe appointed.

 

 

ELECTORALMATTERS COMMITTEE(5 seats)

 

Labour (3)

Conservative (2)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

S H Beer

T J Bartlett

 

2

K Mills

C A Vinson

3

J L Pout

 


 

 

GENERALPURPOSES COMMITTEE(5 seats)

 

Labour(3)

Conservative (2)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

S B Blair

D R Friend

 

2

J L Pout

M P Porter

3

C D Zosseder

 

 

 

 

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE (7 SEATS)

Labour (4)

Conservatives (3)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

S H Beer

M Bates

 

2

J P Loffman

S C Manion

3

H M Williams

R M Knight

4

L M Wright

 


 

JOINT STAFF CONSULTATIVEFORUM (5seats +5 staff)

Labour (3)

Conservative (2)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

S Hill

D G Beaney

 

2

K Mills

M P Porter

3

L M Wright

 

The JointStaff ConsultativeForum isresponsible forelecting itsChairman andVice-Chairman. Inaddition, there are 5 Staff Representatives are also appointed from Unison & GMB.

 

 

JOINTHEALTH, SAFETY& WELFARECONSULTATIVE FORUM(5 seats+ 5staff)

Labour (3)

Conservative (2)

Non-Aligned Member (0)

1

S Hill

D G Beaney

 

2

K Mills

M P Porter

3

L M Wright

 

The JointHealth, Safetyand WelfareConsultative Forumis responsiblefor electingits Chairmanand Vice- Chairman. In addition, there are 5 Staff Representatives are also appointed from Unison & GMB.

 

 

LICENSINGCOMMITTEE (15seats) *

Labour (8)

Conservative (7)

Non-Aligned Member (0)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Calendar of Ordinary Meetings 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 78 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Corporate Services and Democracy presented the report on the Calendar of Ordinary Meetings 2024/25.

 

Members were advised that due to the calling of a snap UK Parliamentary General Election on 4 July 2024, the Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings scheduled for July 2024 would be moved back one week respectively.

 

It was moved by Councillor K Mills, duly seconded and

 

RESOLVED:   That the Calendar of Ordinary Meetings 2024/25 be approved subject to the following amendment:

 

·         Cabinet meeting for 1 July 2024 be changed to 8 July 2024

·         Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting for 8 July 2024 be changed to 15 July 2024

12.

Presentation on Dover Beacon Project pdf icon PDF 47 KB

To receive a presentation on the Dover Beacon Project.

Minutes:

The Head of Place and Growth introduced Liz Gibney (Partner, Lee Evans Partnership LLP) and Ellie Carswell (Senior Project Manager, AtkinsRéalis).

 

A presentation was provided in respect of the Dover Beacon Project, updating Members on the current progress of the project.

 

Members welcomed the presentation and the reassurance that the project was currently on-time and on-budget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

13.

Annual Report of the Governance Committee pdf icon PDF 68 KB

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director (Corporate and Regulatory).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Corporate Services and Democracy presented the Annual Report of the Governance Committee.

 

Members considered the Annual Report and thanked officers for the training and support provided for the recent Governance Committee Hearing Panel meeting.

 

It was moved by Councillor H M Williams, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED: That the Annual Report of the Governance Committee be noted.

14.

Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny pdf icon PDF 67 KB

To consider the attached report of the Monitoring Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor C A Vinson, the outgoing Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, introduced the Annual Report reflecting on the operation of the Committee during 2023/24.

 

It was moved by Councillor C A Vinson, duly seconded, and

 

RESOLVED: That the Annual Report of Overview and Scrutiny be noted.

15.

Urgent Business Time pdf icon PDF 83 KB

To consider any other items deemed by the Chairman of the Council to be urgent in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business for consideration.