Agenda and minutes

The Lord Mayor welcomed the assembled guests to the Annual Meeting of the Council.

ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS

The Town Clerk informed Council that elections had been held on 3 May 2007.  A full list of the election results and the Members so elected had been published.  The Town Clerk also reported that each Councillor had made the necessary Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Councillor Willmott, the Leader of the Labour Group, introduced the following new Members to the Lord Mayor:-

                                                                                                Ward

            Councillor Hanif Aqbany                                                Spinney  Hills

            Councillor Deepak Bajaj                                     Evington

            Councillor Harshad Dahyabhai Bhavsar                     Abbey

            Councillor Kimberley Blower                                     Eyres Monsell

            Councillor Annette Dawn Byrne                           Abbey

            Councillor Shofiqul Islam Chowdhury                             Spinney Hills

            Councillor Michael Ernest Cooke                          Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields

            Councillor Mohammed Dawood                                  Spinney Hills

            Councillor Iqbal Alibhai Desai                                       Stoneygate

            Councillor Anne Elizabeth Glover                          Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields

            Councillor Mian Mohammed Mayat                           Coleman

            Councillor Wayne Jan Naylor                                      Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields

            Councillor Paul Darren Newcombe                             Charnwood

            Councillor Abdul Razak Osman                                  Charnwood

            Councillor Rory Palmer                                                Eyres Monsell

            Councillor Veejay Patel                                        Latimer

            Councillor Barbara Anne Potter                          Humberstone & Hamilton

            Councillor Sarah Christine Russell                                   Westcotes

            Councillor Ramila Shah                                        Humberstone & Hamilton

            Councillor Manish Acharya Sood                         Fosse

Councillor Mugglestone, the Leader of the Conservative Group, introduced the following new Members to the Lord Mayor:-

Councillor Andrew James Bayford                                  Knighton

Councillor Caroline Louise Scuplak                                  Thurncourt

Councillor Willmott, as Leader of the Majority Group on the Council, and the Green Party being a new political group on the Council, introduced the following new Member to the Lord Mayor:-

            Councillor Matthew Aiden Follett                          Castle

Councillor Follett, the Leader of the Green Party Group, then introduced the following new Member to the Lord Mayor:-

            Councillor Philip Roland Gordon                                    Castle

PRAYERS

Father Jimmy Browne, the Lord Mayor’s Chaplain, opened the meeting in prayer.

Moved by Councillor Roger Blackmore, seconded by Councillor Coley, and carried:-

1.         “That Councillor Gary Glendon Hunt be elected to the Office as Lord Mayor of the City for the ensuing year.”

Moved by Councillor Patel, seconded by Councillor Willmott, and carried:-

2.         “That Councillor Majula Sood be elected as High Bailiff of the city of  Leicester for the ensuing year.”

Moved by Councillor Willmott, seconded by Councillor Mugglestone, and carried:-

3.         “That Councillor Paul Thomas Westley be appointed Deputy Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.”

The Lord Mayor informed Council that he had appointed, as his Chaplain, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, Dean of Leicester Cathedral.

Moved by Councillor Dempster, seconded by Councillor Roger Blackmore, supported by Councillor Mugglestone, and carried unanimously:-

4.         “My Lord Mayor, it gives me great pleasure to move this Motion of Thanks to Councillor Westley and his daughter, Annette Bujah, the Lady Mayoress.

            Paul, it does not seem like a year ago that you were elected as Lord Mayor and, as one of your co-Councillors, I know how hard you have worked for the people of this city.

            You have carried out over 700 official functions within the city.  You attended Houses of Faith and Primary and Secondary Schools across the city, graduation ceremonies at our local Universities, as well as entertaining individual members of the community at the Town Hall.  The list is too extensive for me to name them all, but one event  that I am sure you will particularly remember was the Citizen of the Year Award Ceremony – your motto has always been ‘Putting People First’ and I know that you were particularly impressed by the work of the volunteers from across the city who were nominated for this Award.

            You entertained visitors from many parts of the world including Rajkot, Krefeld, China, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Iraq, Norway, Japan and in September, made a highly successful official visit to Leicester’s twin city, Krefeld.

            You have worked hard for your charities – Heartlink and LOROS – and have attended many events to raise money which will benefit the people of Leicester.

            Paul, one of the most important tasks of the Lord Mayor is meeting people from different backgrounds and walks of life and making them feel part of, and important to, the city of Leicester;  by your warm manner you were able to engage with people from across the city and you were a wonderful ambassador for the city.

            Your Labour colleagues welcome you back to Labour Group recognising your knowledge, skills and experience, as well as your willingness to work as part of a team.

            It gives me great pleasure to move this Motion of Thanks, Paul, for the wonderful job that you have done in the last year.”

Councillor Westley, in response, addressed the Council.

ESTABLISHMENT OF CABINET

Moved by Councillor Willmott, seconded by Councillor Clair, and carried:-

5.         “That:-

(i)         the Cabinet be established with the Terms of Reference as specified within the Council’s Constitution;

(ii)        the Leader of the Council, Chair of the Cabinet, and Cabinet Member for Strategy, Finance, Property and Communications be Councillor Ross Willmott;

(iii)       the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Front Line Service Improvement and Neighbourhoods  be Councillor Draycott;

(iv)            the other Membership of the Cabinet be:-

                        Councillor Connelly (Culture and Leisure)

                        Councillor Kitterick (Regeneration and Transport)

                        Councillor Dempster (Children and Schools)

                        Councillor Corrall (Adults and Older People)

                        Councillor Wann  (Environment and Sustainability)

                        Councillor Bhatti (Community Safety and Housing)

                        Councillor Osman (Community Cohesion)

                        Councillor Mrs. Sood (Health and Wellbeing)”

ESTABLISHMENT OF SCRUTINY COMMITTEES

Moved by Councillor Clair, seconded by Councillor Allen, and carried:-

6.         “That consideration of the way in which the Scrutiny function should be undertaken within the Council, including terms of reference, numbers and membership be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of Council on 31 May 2007 and that, in the event of any circumstances of urgency in the meantime which require Scrutiny, authority to take all appropriate action to establish and call an appropriate meeting be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Group Whips.”

ESTABLISHMENT OF REGULATORY AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES

Moved by Councillor Clair, seconded by Councillor Allen, and carried:-

7.         “That:-

(i)         That the Planning and Development Control Committee, Licensing Committee and Licensing Enforcement Sub-Committee all be both established in accordance with the existing Terms of Reference  and the size of each in accordance with the (attached) list circulated to all Members with the remaining membership, other than Vice-Chairs, filled by the Town Clerk in consultation for each Group’s allocation with the Whips of that Group.

(ii)        That the Chair  of the Planning and  Development Control Committee, Chair of the Licensing Committee and Licensing Enforcement Sub-Committee be in accordance with the (attached) lists circulated to all Members.

(iii)       That the membership allocation between Groups of the Planning and  Development Control Committee and Licensing Committee be in accordance with the (attached) lists circulated to all Members.

(iv)       That the Standards Committee and Audit Committee be established each with their existing Terms of Reference and membership, all being in accordance with the (attached) lists circulated to all Members, and that Mrs. Sheila Brucciani be appointed as Independent Member and Chair of the Standards Committee.

(v)        That the Employees Committee be established with the Terms of Reference and size as specified within the Council’s Constitution, with the process for the appointment of Chair and membership being in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

(vi)       That each of the Area Committees be established with the Terms of Reference as specified within the Council’s Constitution, with the process for the appointment of Chair and Vice Chair and membership being in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.”

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

Chair:                          Councillor Shelton

Vice Chair:                  to be determined

Composition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Moved by Councillor Clair, seconded by Councillor Allen, and carried:-

8.         "That the first  meetings of the Cabinet, the Regulatory and Standing Committees and Area Committees be agreed as follows:-

Cabinet – Tuesday, 29 May 10.30 a.m.

Planning and Development Control Committee – Tuesday, 22 May – 5.30 p.m.

Licensing Committee:  date of first meeting to be delegated to Town Clerk in consultation with Chair and Vice Chair

Licensing Enforcement Sub-Committee – Tuesday, 5 June – 9.30 a.m.

Audit Committee – Thursday, 21 June – 5.30 p.m.

Standards Committee – Wednesday, 27 June – 5.30 p.m.”

Moved by Councillor Clair, seconded by Councillor Allen, and carried:-

9.         "That the Annual Meeting in 2008  be held on 15 May 2008,  that the Council meet on Wednesday, 20 February 2008 to consider the estimates for 2008/2009, the next two ordinary meetings of Council to be held on 31 May 2007 and 28 June 2007, and the dates of the remaining ordinary meetings of Council to be determined at the Council Meeting on 31 May 2007.”

The Lord Mayor declared the meeting closed at 6.22 p.m.