Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor M Ali.

The Mayor expressed his thanks to the Members of the Council and those who attended Mayor making and the reception held afterwards.  The choice of the Mayor’s Charity had been warmly welcomed and the York Road Project had reported that it had received a lot of positive feedback. 

The Mayor had already attended several events in the Borough, including two street parties on day of the Royal Wedding Saturday, and a Woking Dance Spaces show in the evening.  This was National Dementia Week and the Council was holding a number of events to mark the week.  The following day the Mayor would be unveiling of the LinkAble Artwork competition at the site of the former St Dunstan’s Church on Heathside Crescent.  On the coming Sunday, the Mayor would be attending the American Military Cemetery at Brookwood to lay a wreath on behalf of the Borough.  A visit to Woking’s twin town of Rastatt in Germany was planned in the coming weeks. 

Future Events

Fundraising Quiz night – 30 June at the York Road Project

Civic Celebration – 1 July at the United Reform Church.

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

No items of Urgent Business were considered.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members and Officers in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

No Declarations of Interest were received.

The Leader, Councillor Bittleston, made a statement on his approach for the forthcoming year and advised that the Executive for 2018/19 would comprise Councillor Azad as Deputy Leader, and Councillors Bowes, Davis, Harlow, Mrs Hunwicks and Kemp.  A leaflet setting out the different responsibilities of the Members of the Executive was tabled.

Councillor Barker, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Raja, Leader of the Labour Group, and Councillor Bond, Leader of the Independent Group, were given the opportunity to respond to Councillor Bittleston’s statement.

To deal with written questions submitted by Members under Standing Order 8.1.  Copies of the questions and of the draft replies (which are subject to amendment by the Leader of the Council) will be laid upon the table.

No questions had been received.

To receive a report on the Political Balance of the Council.  The report will be tabled at the meeting.

Formal notices had been received which had the effect of dividing the Council into political groups.  The composition of the Council was as follows:

Conservative                 16

Liberal Democrat             8

Labour                             3

Independent                     3

In addition, notification had been received of the Members to act as Group Leader and Deputy Group Leader of each political group as follows:-

                                      Group Leader                         Deputy Group Leader

Conservative                Councillor D J Bittleston         Councillor A Azad

Liberal Democrat          Councillor A-M Barker           Councillor D E Hughes

Labour                           Councillor M I Raja                Councillor T Aziz

Independent                  Councillor J E Bond               Councillor A J Boote

Resolved

That the report be received.

To receive the minutes of the Selection Panel held on Tuesday, 15 May 2018 and agree the recommendations contained therein.  The minutes will be tabled at the meeting

The Leader of the Council moved and Councillor Azad seconded the receipt of the recommendations from Selection Panel which had met on 15 May 2018.

Appointment of Members to Committees and Sub-Committees

Selection Panel had considered the membership of each Committee and had proposed that the membership of the Planning Committee should be reduced from ten Members to nine Members.  The proposal would assist with the overall proportionality of membership across the Committees and Sub-Committees and would ensure that the number of occasions when the Chairman would need to exercise his/her casting vote would be minimised.  As a result of the change, a total of 60 seats were available across the Committees and Sub-Committees.

It was noted that the availability of Directorships, vacated by John Kingsbury on his retirement as a Borough Councillor, had been discussed by the Members of the Selection Panel.  Councillor Bittleston moved and Councillor Azad seconded a proposal that authority should be delegated to the Chief Executive as Shareholder Representative in consultation with the Leader of the Council to confirm appointments to the list of Directorships.

The proposal was agreed by Council.

REsolved

That (i)    authority be delegated to the Chief Executive as Shareholder Representative in consultation with the Leader of the Council to confirm appointments to the following list of Directorships:

o    Brookwood Cemetery Ltd

o    Brookwood Park Ltd

o    Energy Centre for Sustainable Communities Ltd

o    Export House Ltd

o    Rutland (Woking) Ltd

o    Rutland Woking (Residential) Ltd

o    Rutland Woking (Carthouse Lane) Ltd

o    Thameswey Central Milton Keynes Ltd

o    Thameswey Developments Ltd

o    Thameswey Energy Ltd

o    Thameswey Guest Houses Ltd

o    Thameswey Housing Ltd

o    Thameswey Ltd

o    Thameswey Maintenance Services Ltd

o    Thameswey Solar Ltd

o    Thameswey Sustainable Communities Ltd

o    Woking Necropolis & Mausoleum Ltd

          (ii)   the size of the Planning Committee be reduced from ten Members to nine Members; and

          (iii)  subject to (ii) above, the proportions for each Committee be settled as follows:

Appointments of Members to Working Groups and Task Groups – 2018/19

The Members of Selection Panel considered the Working Groups under the remits of Council, the Executive and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The Panel had recommended that the Hoe Valley School Oversight Panel and Celebrate Woking Working Group could be disbanded and that the number of Members on the Local Development Framework Working Group should be increased from six to seven, comprising four Conservative Members,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To approve the membership of Committees for 2018/19.  The report will be tabled at the meeting.

The Council had before it a document setting out the proposed memberships of the Committees for the coming year. 

Resolved

That the membership of Committees for 2018/19 be approved as set out below:

To consider the membership of Working Groups for 2018/19.  The report will be tabled at the meeting.

The Council had before it a document setting out the proposed memberships of the Working Groups under the remit of Council for the coming year. 

Resolved

That membership of the Working Groups for 2018/19, as set out below, be agreed.

To consider the nominations to Ad Hoc Bodies and Ex-Officio Positions for 2018/19.  The report will be tabled at the meeting.

The Council was asked to agree the appointments to Ad Hoc Bodies and to receive the list of Ex Officio appointments. 

In respect of the appointments available through the Surrey Leaders’ Group, the Council noted that three further nominations had been received following the considerations of Selection Panel:

o   Active Surrey Sports Partner Forum – Councillor M I Raja

o   SCC Pension Fund Board – Councillor M I Raja

o   Surrey Civilian Military Partnership Board – Councillor M I Raja

It was noted that, in each case, the nominated Councillor had to complete a CV for the Surrey Leaders’ Group by 25 May 2018.  As a result of the proposals, it was noted that the Council would be putting forward two Councillors to the two positions available on the Surrey Civilian Military Partnership Board.

The Mayor reported an amendment to the published report, namely that Councillor Eastwood was to be appointed to the Woking Youth Council rather than Councillor Lyons.

Resolved

That (i)    appointments to Ad Hoc Bodies, including nominations to positions appointed to by the Surrey Leaders Group as set out below be agreed;

To deal with anymotions received in accordance with Standing Order 5.0.  Any motions received before the deadline has passed for the receipt of motions will be published and a copy of the list will be tabled at the meeting.

No Notices of Motion had been received.