Meeting Details

It was PROPOSED by Councillor Bentley, seconded by Councillor Goss and supported by Councillors Harris, Harding, Pearson and Goacher and:-

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that Councillor Andrew Ellis be elected as Mayor of the City of Colchester for the ensuing municipal year.

Councillor Ellis took the customary oath and signed the declaration of acceptance of office.

Councillor Ellis then took the Chair and returned thanks for his election.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2026 be confirmed as a correct record.

It was PROPOSED by Councillor Sommers and seconded and supported by Councillors Dundas, Scordis, Harding, Pearson and Goacher and:

RESOLVED that Councillor Paul Smith be elected as Deputy Mayor of the City of Colchester for the ensuing municipal year.

Councillor Smith then signed the declaration of acceptance of office and returned thanks for his election.

It was PROPOSED by Councillor J. Young and seconded and supported by Councillors Dundas, Goss, Harding, Pearson and Goacher:-

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that the best thanks of the Council were due and were hereby recorded to Councillor Mike Lilley for the admirable manner in which he had discharged the responsible duties of the Mayoralty during his period of office and that a transcript of this resolution under the Common Seal be furnished to him.

The Mayor announced that the theme of his Mayoralty would be Growing Well – Helping Colchester Flourish.

The Mayor announced that he would be supporting the following charities:-

Colchester Zoological Society
Mind Mid and Northeast Essex
Camp JoJo
Army Benevolent Fund

The Mayor’s Chaplain would be the Reverend Dr Amanda Elmes.

RESOLVED that the meeting be adjourned until 11.50 in the Council Chamber.

Sir Bob Russell addressed Council pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 6(1) to offer his congratulations to the outgoing Mayor and the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor, who could count on his total support. Unless local government reorganisation could be halted or changed to allow the office of Mayor of the City of Colchester to continue:

• The Mayor would be the last conservative mayor of the City of Colchester;
• The Retiring Mayor would be the last labour mayor of the City of Colchester;
• The Deputy Mayor would be the last liberal democrat mayor of the City of Colchester.

There were now six political groups on Council. In view of local government reorganisation it was imperative that all 51 councillors were involved and engaged in decision making. The Leader of the Council was invited to explain to Council the position on Cymbeline Meadows and whether there was a list of assets that the Council was looking to sell.

The Mayor thanked Sir Bob for his comments and explained that he would ask the Leader of the Council to respond in writing to the points made about Cymbeline Meadows and the disposal of assets, once they were appointed. 

Councillor Rowe proposed that Councillor Dundas be appointed as Leader of the Council for the remainder of the period of his office.

Councillor Scordis moved a secondary amendment to the motion that Councillor King be appointed as Leader of the Council for the remainder of his period of office.

Council indicated that it was content that the secondary amendment be considered as a main amendment and be subject to full debate.

On being put to the vote the secondary amendment was lost (TWENTY-TWO voted FOR, TWENTY-SIX voted AGAINST and THREE ABSTAINED from voting)

A named vote was requested by Councillor Rowe, supported by two councillors, pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(2), and the voting was as follows:

FOR: Councillors Appleton, Bourne, Cory, Çufoglu, Goacher, Goss, Harris, Jay, King, Kirkby-Taylor, Luxford Vaughan, Lilley, McCarthy, Moffat, Osborne, Rippingale, Scordis, Smalls, Sommers, Spindler, J. Young and T. Young. 

AGAINST: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Calverley, Child, Davidson, Dundas, Ettritch, Hagon, Harding, Laws, Linghorn-Baker, Lissimore, McLean, Naylor, Parsons, Pearson, Powling, Rowe, Saunders, Scott-Boutell, Smithson, Sunnucks, Swain, Tate, Warnes and Willetts.

ABSTAINED: Councillor Kelly, the Deputy Mayor (Smith) and the Mayor (Ellis).

On being put to the vote the substantive motion was lost (EIGHTEEN voted FOR, TWENTY-NINE voted AGAINST and FOUR ABSTAINED from voting).

A named vote was requested by Councillor Hagon, supported by two councillors, pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 15(2), and the voting was as follows:

FOR: Councillors Barber, Bentley, Calverley, Davidson, Dundas, Hagon, Kelly, Laws, Linghorn-Baker, Lissimore, Naylor, Parsons, Powling, Rowe, Smithson, Sunnucks, Tate and Willetts. 

AGAINST: Councillors Appleton, Bourne, Child, Cory, Çufoglu, Ettritch, Goacher, Goss, Harding, Harris, Jay, King, Kirby-Taylor, Lilley, McCarthy, McLean, Moffat, Osborne, Pearson, Rippingale, Saunders, Scordis, Scott-Boutell, Smalls, Sommers, Swain, Warnes, J. Young and T. Young.

ABSTAINED: Councillor Luxford-Vaughan, Spindler, the Deputy Mayor (Smith) and the Mayor (Ellis).

The Monitoring Officer explained that in the absence of Council electing a leader, he recommended that the meeting be adjourned and reconvened at a future date when the election of a leader could be considered further. 

In accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, as Council had not elected a leader, the Chief Executive, in consultation with the group leaders, would discharge all the functions of the leader in the interregnum until a leader was appointed.