Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Frank Jeffrey  on 01483 743012 or email  frank.jeffrey@woking.gov.uk

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Melanie Whitehand.  It was noted that Councillor Forster had indicated that he would join the meeting late.

2.

Mayor's Communications.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Mayor advised that she had not attended any events since the last meeting of the Council, held earlier in the month.

3.

Urgent Business.

To consider any business which the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No items of Urgent Business were considered.

4.

Declarations of Interest. pdf icon PDF 50 KB

(i)         To receive declarations of interest from Members and Officers in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

(ii)        In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor D J Bittleston declares a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that speaking and voting are permissible.

(iii)      In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor A Azad declares a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which she is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that speaking and voting are permissible.

(iv)      In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor C S Kemp declares a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that speaking and voting are permissible.

(v)       In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor D Harlow declares a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which she is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that speaking and voting are permissible.

(vi)      In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor G S Cundy declares a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that speaking and voting are permissible.

(vii)     In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that Mr Morgan may advise the Council on those items.

(viii)    In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that Mr Spinks may advise the Council on those items.

(ix)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Peter Bryant, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that Mr Bryant may advise the Council on those items.

(x)       In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Finance, Leigh Clarke, declares a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which she is a Council-appointed director.  The companies are listed in the attached schedule.  The interests are such that Mrs Clarke may advise the Council on those items.

(xi)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Housing, Louise Strongitharm,  ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor D J Bittleston declared a non-pecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that speaking and voting were permissible.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor A Azad declared a nonpecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which she was a Council appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that speaking and voting were permissible.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor C S Kemp declared a nonpecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that speaking and voting were permissible.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor D Harlow declared a nonpecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which she was a Council appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that speaking and voting were permissible.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor G S Cundy declared a nonpecuniary interest in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council appointed director. The companies are listed in the attached schedule. The interests were such that speaking and voting were permissible.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, declared a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council-appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that Mr Morgan could advise the Council on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Deputy Chief Executive, Douglas Spinks, declared a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council-appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that Mr Spinks could advise the Council on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Peter Bryant, declared a disclosable personal interest (nonpecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council-appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that Mr Bryant could advise the Council on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Finance, Leigh Clarke, declared a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which she was a Council-appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached schedule. The interests were such that Mrs Clarke could advise the Council on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Housing, Louise Strongitharm, declared a disclosable personal interest (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which she was a Council-appointed director. The companies were listed in an attached  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Appointment of Chief Executive WBC21-004. pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council received a report on the appointment of Chief Executive.  Councillor Azad moved and Councillor Ashall seconded the recommendation before the Council, namely the appointment of Julie Fisher as Chief Executive. 

The matter had been considered at a Special Council meeting held on 7 January 2021 at which the Members had resolved to defer consideration of the appointment to give Members the opportunity to meet Julie Fisher.  An all-Member private meeting with Julie Fisher had therefore been held on Thursday, 14 January 2021.

Councillor Azad introduced the report, drawing attention to the key challenges faced by the Council and the importance of the role played by the Chief Executive.  The recommendation to appoint Julie Fisher was strongly commended to the Council, with the Leader of the Council noting Julie’s long and valued roles in Local Government with Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council.

The proposal before the Council was debated and several Councillors expressed their dissatisfaction with the process adopted by the Council.  Other Councillors, however, warmly welcomed the proposal, noting that Julie had clearly demonstrated her suitability for the post during the recruitment process.  Following the discussion and in accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the names of Members voting for and against the recommendation were recorded.  The Mayor advised that she would not be voting.

In favour:                       Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, D Bittleston, G Cundy, K Davis, G Elson, D Harlow, K Howard, D Hughes, S Hussain, I Johnson, C Kemp, R Leach, L Lyons, N Martin, R Mohammed, L Morales, M I Raja, C Rana and J Sanderson.

Total in favour:              20

Abstained:                     Councillors M Ali, T Aziz, A-M Barker, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman, G Chrystie.

Total abstained:            7

Present not voting:       The Mayor, Councillor Mrs B A Hunwicks

The recommendation was therefore carried by 20 votes in favour and no votes against.  Seven Councillors abstained from voting.

(NOTE: Councillor Forster joined the meeting after the vote had been taken.)

RESOLVED

That Julie Fisher be appointed as the Council’s Chief Executive with effect from 1 April 2021.

Julie Fisher re-joined the meeting following the decision of Council and The Mayor congratulated Julie on her appointment.  Julie advised that she was honoured and delighted with the appointment and looked forward to working with the staff, Councillors and partners of Woking Borough Council.