Agenda and draft minutes

To elect a Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2023/24

Councillor Robinson asked everyone to join him for a minute silence to remember Mark Rees, a previous Chair of Council, who had sadly passed away. Councillors Pearson and Robinson paid tribute to Mark Rees and offered condolences to their friends and families.

Councillor Cornell was nominated for the position of Chair of Council.

RESOLVED    That Councillor Doina Cornell be elected Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2023-24.

To elect a Vice-Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2023/24

Councillor Norman Kay was nominated for the position of Vice-Chair of Council.

RESOLVED    That Councillor Norman Kay be elected Vice-Chair of Council for the Civic Year 2023-24.

To appoint the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council.

Nominations received by Democratic Services from Group Leaders will be reported to or otherwise made at the Annual Meeting.

Councillor Catherine Braun was nominated for the position of Leader of Council (Chair of Strategy and Resources Committee).

Councillor Natalie Bennett was nominated for the position of Deputy Leader of Council (Vice-Chair of Strategy and Resources Committee).

RESOLVED That Councillor Catherine Braun be elected Leader of Council and that Councillor Natalie Bennett be elected Deputy Leader of Council for the Civic Year 2022-23.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Baker, Brown, Stephen Davies, Trina Davis, Gray, Hall, Housden, Hurst, Mossman, Patrick, Prenter, Studdert-Kennedy, Sutton, Tipper and Wilsher.

To receive declarations of interest.

There were none.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2023.

RESOLVED    That the Minutes of the meeting held on 27 April 2023 were approved as a correct record.

To receive announcements from the Chair of Council, Leader of Council or Chief Executive.

The Chair, Councillor Cornell, welcomed the newly elected Councillor Luff to his first Council Meeting.

The Leader, Councillor Braun, thanked the Elections Team for organising the By-Election and thanked all of the Candidates for their participation.

Councillor Green echoed Councillor Braun’s comments.

To confirm the membership of each committee and update the allocation of seats following changes to political groups, the results of the by-election on 17 May 2023 and the requirements of the annual meeting. The allocation of seats will be updated in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, all changes to membership of committees and appointments will be with effect from 18 May 2023.

The nominations received by Democratic Services from Group Leaders will be reported to or otherwise made at the AGM.

The appointments to committees was agreed as set out below:

Audit and Standards Committee (9 Members)

Community Services and Licensing Committee (12 Members)

Development Control Committee (12 Members)

Environment Committee (13 Members)

Housing Committee (12 Members)

Strategy and Resources Committee (14 Members)

RESOLVED That Councillors be appointed to the Council’s committees as set out in these minutes.

To appoint the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the following committees:

a. Audit & Standards Committee

b. Community Services & Licensing Committee

c. Development Control Committee

d. Environment Committee

e. Housing Committee

f. Strategy & Resources Committee

Nominations received by Democratic Services from Group Leaders will be reported to or otherwise made at the AGM.

The following Councillors were nominated and voted into the positions of Chairs and Vice-Chairs on the Council’s committees in 2023-24. Following a request from Councillor Brine, all votes were taken separately.

Audit and Standards Committee

Community Services and Licensing Committee

Development Control Committee

Environment Committee

Housing Committee

Strategy and Resources Committee

Councillor Brine asked for it to be minuted that he did not support the nomination for the Chair of Strategy and Resources Committee.

RESOLVED      That Councillors be appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair to the Council’s committees as set out in these minutes.

a.    To appoint one lead and one substitute Member representative for the following bodies which are led by Gloucestershire County Council:

i. Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee

ii. Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel

iii. Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee

Nominations received by Democratic Services from Group Leaders will be reported to or otherwise made at the AGM.

Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Gloucestershire)

Police and Crime Panel (Gloucestershire)

Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee

RESOLVED    That Councillors be appointed to other bodies as set out above.

To approve the absence of Councillor Victoria Gray from Council meetings due to ill health.

The Corporate Director (Monitoring Officer) introduced the report and explained that the dispensation had been sought for Councillor Gray due to ill health.

The Chair, on behalf of all Councillors, asked Councillor Green to pass along their best wishes.

Proposed by Councillor Green and seconded by Councillor Pearson.

On being put to the Vote, the Motion was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED    To authorise Councillor Gray to be absent from all meetings of the Authority for a 6 month period with effect from 18 May 2023.