Meeting Details

The High Steward, Sir Bob Russell, addressed Council pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 6(1) to offer his congratulations to he Mayor on his election.  He was the first Mayor to serve who was the grandson of a former Mayor.  He paid tribute to the work of the preceding Mayor, Councillor Nick Cope.  The eight newly elected Councillors were welcomed, and it was noted that this was the first occasion on which all County Councillors representing the borough were also serving on the Borough Council.  He hoped that all Councillors would support the Mayor and future mayors.  

He expressed his wish that the Cabinet system of Council governance be replaced by the Committee system.  All 51 Councillors were elected with an equal mandate and should be equally involved in Council decision making.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2021 and 24 February 2021 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Mayor invited Councillors to attend the following events:-

• Charity Garden Party, 3 July 
• Civic Service, 18 July, Peldon Church

Councillor Laws moved a motion proposing that Councillor Dundas be appointed Leader of the Council for the remainder of his term of office.

Councillor Fox moved a secondary amendment proposing that the motion be agreed subject to the substitution of Councillor Cory for Councillor Dundas.

Councillor Laws indicated that he did not accept the secondary amendment.

Council was then invited to vote on whether it wished to treat the secondary amendment as a main amendment. On being put to the vote, the proposal that the secondary amendment be treated as a main amendment was lost (TWENTY FIVE voted FOR, TWENTY SIX voted AGAINST).

A named vote having been requested pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(2). the voting was as follows:-

FOR: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Harris, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead, J. Young and T. Young (Deputy Mayor).

AGAINST: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion, Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts, Wood and Davidson (The Mayor).

On being put to the vote, the secondary amendment was lost (TWENTY FIVE voted FOR, TWENTY SIX voted AGAINST).

A named vote having been requested pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(2). the voting was as follows:-

FOR: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Harris, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead, J. Young and T. Young (Deputy Mayor).

AGAINST: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion, Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts, Wood and Davidson (The Mayor).

The substantive motion for the appointment of Councillor Dundas as. Leader of the Council for the remainder of his period of office was then put to the vote and was carried (TWENTY FIVE voted FOR, TWENTY FOUR voted AGAINST and TWO ABSTAINED from voting).

FOR: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Buston, Chapman, Chillingworth, Crow, Dundas, Ellis, Hagon, Hayter, Hazell, Jowers, Laws, Leatherdale, Lissimore, Loveland, Maclean, Mannion, Moore, B. Oxford, G. Oxford, P. Oxford, Tate, Willetts and Wood 

AGAINST: Councillors Barton, Bourne, Burrows, Chuah, Coleman, Cope, Cory, Cox, Fox, Goacher, Goss, Harris, Hogg, King, Lilley, Luxford Vaughan, McCarthy, Nissen, Pearson, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Warnes, Whitehead and J. Young. 

ABSTAINRD FROM VOTING: Davidson (The Mayor) and T. Young (The Deputy Mayor).

RESOLVED that the delegations made by the Leader of the Council, the appointment of  Cabinet members and the responsibility for Portfolios, as set out in the Supplementary Information for the meeting, be noted.

RESOLVED that:-

(i) In accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 the number of seats, group representation and membership of the Environment and Sustainability Panel, Licensing Committee, Local Plan Committee, Planning Committee and Scrutiny Panel (including the Crime and Disorder Committee) for the ensuing municipal year be as set in the Supplementary Information, subject to the substitution of Councillor B. Oxford for Councillor P. Oxford on the Planning Committee.

(ii)  In accordance with the provisions of section 17 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 the appointments to the Governance and Audit Committee and Policy Panel for the ensuing municipal year not be on a Group basis and membership be as in the Supplementary Information.


(iii)  That the membership of the Independent Remuneration Panel be as set out in the Supplementary Information.


(v) The revised terms of reference for the Policy Panel set out in the Supplementary Information be agreed.

The meeting was opened with prayers from the Reverend Terry Walker.

The Mayor invited Council to stand for a minute's silence in memory of those whose lives were lost or affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.