Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman from among the Councillors of the District.

Councillor Ambler was proposed by Councillor Neighbour and seconded by Councillor Crampton as Chairman of the Council.

DECISION

That Councillor Ambler be elected Chairman of the Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

The new Chairman of the Council took the Chair and thanked the Council for the honour bestowed on him.  Councillor Ambler thanked Councillor Kennett, and members paid tribute to his Chairmanship and his hard work throughout the year.

Councillor Kennett responded, thanking Members for their complimentary comments, and that it had been an honour to serve as Chairman.  He expressed how difficult the last year had been due to the Pandemic and the disappointment in lack of opportunities to raise money for charity.  Fortunately, the Hart Lottery kept going through the Pandemic and was the main contributor to the £7,880 total of the Chairman’s Charity Fund.  Councillor Kennett announced he had decided to give £3.000 to HomeStart for Hart and Rushmooor, £2,500 to Sasha’s Project and £2,500 to Hart Voluntary Action for their valuable work during the Covid crisis.

To elect a Vice Chairman from among the Councillors of the District.

Councillor Worlock was proposed as Vice-Chairman of the Council by Councillor Radley and seconded by Councillor Neighbour.

DECISION

That Councillor Worlock be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

The new Vice Chairman of the Council thanked the Council for the honour bestowed on her.

To approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 29 April 2021.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 29 April 2021 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

Apologies had been received from Councillor Wright.

To declare disposable pecuniary, and any other interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

No declarations made.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and/or the Joint Chief Executive.

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the new year and the first face-to-face meeting of Council, welcomed the new Councillors and congratulated re-elected Members.

JOINT CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Thanked all Members for their patience and forbearance during the elections held on 6 May 2021.

 The Leader of the Council to confirm the composition of Cabinet.

The Leader confirmed membership of Cabinet and their Portfolios:

Councillor Neighbour          Leader - Strategic Direction and Partnerships

Councillor Radley               Deputy Leader - Finance and Corporate Services

Councillor Oliver                Environment

Councillor Cockarill            Place

Councillor Kinnell               Regulatory

Councillor Clarke               Digital and Communications

Councillor Bailey                Community

Councillor Quarterman       Commercialisation

To receive nominations of Members to serve on each Committee

(THE FIGURES ARE CALCULATED ON PROVISIONAL PARTY GROUPS)

† Committee size adjusted to take proportionality implications into consideration

Notes:

*     No Members of the Cabinet may be Members of the Audit Committee.

**   It is Council practice that membership of the Planning Committee will comprise the maximum of one representative from each Ward, provided this is consistent with the rules on political balance. 

***  No Members of the Cabinet may be Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1.     To confirm membership of the Standards Committee for the municipal year 2021/22

                         i.         Six District Councillors (as above) 

                       ii.         One Lay Person (Peter Kern)

                      iii.         Three Parish Members to be appointed by Hart District Association of Parish and Town Councils.

2.     Standards Committee will elect it own Chairman at its first meeting.

The nominations for Membership for each Committee, with regard to the rules of political proportionality, were confirmed.

Committee   Seats          ConservativeLib Dem       CCH             Ind

Audit           7                  Crookes        Blewett         Axam 

                                         Farmer          Wildsmith      Davies         

                                          Southern      

Licensing    11                 Coburn          Drage          Butler           Smith

                                          Farmer          Lamb            Davies         

                                          Forster          Wildsmith      Delaney         

                                          Wright                    

Overview

& Scrutiny   11                 Crookes        Drage          Axam            Smith

                                          Dorn             Harward        Collins         

                                          Farmer          Wildsmith      Davies         

                                          Worlock       

Crime &

Disorder       3                  Butcher         Wildsmith      Axam 

Five Councils Partnership Joint Committee

2                  Crookes                            Radley         

Planning      11                 Kennett         Blewett         Ambler         

                                          Southern       Cockarill        Oliver

                                          Wheale         Quarterman  Radley         

                                          Worlock                             Delaney         

Staffing        6 †                Kennett         Drage          Butler

                                          Worlock        Wildsmith      Oliver

(Group Leaders)                Crampton      Neighbour     Radley

Standards    6                  Coburn          Bailey           Ambler         

                                          Kennett         Neighbour     Clarke

†  Committee size adjusted to take proportionality implications into consideration

Appeals Panel

                    6                  Dorn             Harward        Collins

                                          Kennett         Lamb            Oliver

The Chairman will take nominations for Chairmen of each of the Committees*, and Members of each Committee will elect its Chairman for the forthcoming Municipal Year. 

*Note:

1.       A Councillor may not be Chairman of any committee of the Council, for more than three consecutive years without the consent of the Council.

2.       The Committees will subsequently elect their respective Vice-Chairman at their first meeting. 

Members of the Committees established under Minute No 9 above elected their Chairmen for the 2021/22 municipal Year.

DECISION

That the Committee Chairmen be agreed:

Committee                        Chairman

Audit                                  Axam

Licensing                          Wildsmith

Planning                             Oliver

Overview & Scrutiny          Worlock*

Staffing                              Kennett

*Council consented to waive Standing Order 28.8 to agree the election of Councillor Worlock as Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman of the 2020/21 Overview and Scrutiny Committee to present the Committee’s Annual Report and to make recommendations for future work programmes.

The Chairman of the 2020/21 Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Crookes, presented the Committee’s Annual Report, highlighting some areas.

The past year was a challenging year for everyone bringing additional topics to the committee on Covid-19 related issues.  Committee Members and Officers were thanked for their diligent work bringing these complex and substantive items to scrutiny and confirmed these complex matters will continue to be thoroughly scrutinised as they conclude.

Members noted the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee over the last year.