Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Brand, Carpenter, J Davies and Rackham.

The Chairman referred with great sadness to the recent death of John Waddington, a former councillor, Chairman and Leader of New Forest District Council.

John was first elected a councillor for the Ringwood North Ward in 1976 and served until 1983.  He served as Chairman and Leader between 1981-1983.  He was re-elected in 1998 and held the portfolio for environment between 2000-2001.  John left the Council in 2002.

The Chairman, on behalf of the Council, placed on record his sincere thanks for John’s service.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2021 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2021, be confirmed.

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item.  The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

There were no declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests by Members.

The Leader of the Council proposed that a vote of thanks be extended to the outgoing Chairman, Cllr Glass, for the admirable way in which he had carried out the duties of Chairman during the past municipal year.  In extraordinary times, the municipal year had lasted two calendar years in response to the coronavirus pandemic.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

Other Members of the Council spoke in support of the motion.

RESOLVED:

That the thanks of this Council be extended to Cllr Glass for the admirable way in which he has carried out the duties of Chairman during the past municipal year.

The Chairman thanked Members for their kind words and reported on the charity work undertaken in the past year for the New Forest Disability Information Service and Solent Dolphins.  The Chairman invited Jacqui Keable of the New Forest Disability Information Service to say a few words.

Mrs Keable expressed sincere thanks to the Chairman and the Council for the level of support during the past year.

The apologies of Nigel Bassett of Solent Dolphins were given who was unable to attend.

The Chairman expressed his thanks to Members and Officers for their support and assistance in what had been an unprecedented municipal year from 2019 – 2021.

To elect a Chairman of the Council to hold office until the Annual Meeting in 2022.

Cllr Tipp has been nominated as Chairman for the ensuing year.

Cllr Glass moved that Cllr Tipp be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.  Cllr Russell seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

That Cllr Tipp be elected Chairman of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year, until his successor is elected at the Annual Council meeting in May 2022.

Cllr Tipp signed the declaration of acceptance of office, which was formally witnessed by the Monitoring Officer.  He was then invested with the Chain and Badge of Office before taking the chair.

The newly-elected Chairman will address the Council.

The Chairman thanked Members of the Council for electing him and in doing so paid tribute to the outgoing Chairman, Cllr Glass and his wife for their two years in office.

He announced that his charity for the year would be Oakhaven Hospice.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Council to hold office until the Annual Meeting in 2022.

Cllr O’Sullivan has been nominated as Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

Cllr Tipp moved that Cllr O’Sullivan be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.  The motion was seconded by Cllr S Davies.

RESOLVED:

That Cllr O’Sullivan be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Council for the 2021/22 municipal year, until his successor is elected at the Annual Council meeting in May 2022.

Cllr O’Sullivan signed the declaration of acceptance of office, which was formally witnessed by the Monitoring Officer.  He was then invested with the Badge of Office.

Cllr O’Sullivan thanked Members of the Council for electing him.

There were none.

RECOMMENDED:

1.    That the following Committees and Panels and the number of seats on each body, be approved:-

2.    That the terms of reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Panels as circulated with the agenda, be approved; and

3.    That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the consequential changes to the Constitution arising from the above.

The Leader of the Council moved the recommendations for the Council’s new Committee and Panel structure.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the following Committees and Panels and the number of seats on each body be approved:-

2.    That the terms of reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Panels as circulated with the agenda, be approved; and

3.    That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the consequential changes to the Constitution arising from the above.

To agree the allocation of seats to the political groups on those Committees and Panels to which political balance rules apply, and to approve the appointment of Members to Committees and Panels.

The Leader of the Council moved the adoption of the recommendations contained within the report, which asked the Council to make appointments to committees and panels in accordance with the principles as set out in Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.  Cllr Cleary seconded the motion.

The Council, having received both the wishes of the political groups and the preferences of the non-aligned Members, considered the option to allocate seats to the non-aligned Members as nearly as possible in proportion to the number of those members on the Council.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the allocation of seats to committees and panels in accordance with the principles set out in the report, be agreed as at the table at paragraph 3.5 of the report; and

2.    That the Council gives effect to the wishes of the political groups in making appointments to these Committees and Panels as set out in the supplementary paper, for the remainder of the four year period ending May 2023.

To note that Council meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year will take place on the following dates, all commencing at 6.30 pm:-

·         21 June 2021 (Extraordinary Meeting, Provisional)

·         12 July 2021

·         6 September 2021

·         11 October 2021

·         6 December 2021

·         21 February 2022

·         11 April 2022

·         16 May 2022 (Annual Meeting)

RESOLVED:

That the following Council meeting dates for the 2021/22 Municipal Year, all commencing at 6.30 pm, be noted:-

·         21 June 2021 (Extraordinary Meeting, Provisional)

·         12 July 2021

·         6 September 2021

·         11 October 2021

·         6 December 2021

·         21 February 2022

·         11 April 2022

·         16 May 2022 (Annual Meeting)