Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 8 April 2021, as published.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on 8 April 2021 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Ali.

The Mayor reported on the recent events he had attended, including an event at Brookwood Cemetery to mark War Graves Week and the People of Faith five-a-side football tournament.

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.

(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 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.

(iii)      In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Councillor K M Davis 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.

(iv)      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.

(v)       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.

(vi)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Julie Fisher, 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 Fisher may advise the Council on those items.

(vii)     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.

(viii)    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.

(ix)      In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Planning, Giorgio Framalicco, 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 Framalicco may advise the Council on those items.

(x)       In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Neighbourhood Services, Geoff McManus, 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 McManus may advise the Council on those items.

(xi)      In accordance with the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

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

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

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

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Chief Executive, Julie Fisher, 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 a supporting schedule.  The interests were such that Mrs Fisher 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 (non-pecuniary) in any items concerning the companies of which he was a Council-appointed director.  The companies were listed in a supporting 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 a supporting 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 Planning, Giorgio Framalicco, 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 a supporting schedule.  The interests were such that Mr Framalicco could advise the Council on those items.

In accordance with the Officer Employment Procedure Rules, the Director of Neighbourhood Services, Geoff McManus, 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 a supporting schedule.  The interests were such that Mr McManus 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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Leader, Councillor Azad, made a statement on her approach for the forthcoming year.

Councillor Barker, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Aziz, Leader of the Labour Group, and Councillor Boote, Leader of the Independent Group, were given the opportunity to respond to Councillor Azad’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 submitted.

The Council received a report on the names of those who had been returned as Borough Councillors at the Elections on 6 May 2021.

RESOLVED

That the report be 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 13

Liberal Democrat 12

Labour 3

Independent 2

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 A Azad                            Councillor S Ashall

Liberal Democrat          Councillor A-M Barker                     Councillor D E Hughes

Labour                          Councillor T Aziz                             Councillor M I Raja

Independent                  Councillor A J Boote                        Councillor M Bridgeman

RESOLVED

That the report be received.

To receive the minutes of the Selection Panel held on Tuesday, 18 May 2021 and agree the recommendations contained therein.  The minutes will be tabled at the meeting.

The Leader of the Council moved and Councillor Ashall seconded the receipt of the recommendations from Selection Panel which had met on 18 May 2021.

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO COMMITTEES AND SUB-COMMITTEES 2021/22.

The Selection Panel had considered the membership of each Committee in accordance with the proportionality of the political groups.

          RESOLVED

That the proportionality for each Committee be settled as follows:

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO WORKING GROUPS AND TASK GROUPS 2021/22.

The Council received the recommendations of the Panel in respect of the Working Groups under the remits of the Council, the Executive and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Panel had recommended that the size of the Elections and Electoral Registration Review Panel should be increased from six to seven Councillors, that the Freedom of the Borough Working Group should be increased from six to seven Councillors and that the Housing Infrastructure Fund Oversight Panel should be reduced from ten to seven Councillors.  In respect of the task groups within the remit of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Members of the Panel had recommended to Council an increase in the size of the Housing Task Group from seven to eight Councillors.

The Panel had received an update on the Military Covenant Advisory Panel and, in view of feedback received from the 2020/21 Armed Forces Champion, John Kingsbury, had asked Officers to review the Panel’s Terms of Reference, a copy of which was now before the Council for approval.  The changes to the Terms of Reference reflected the requests of the Advisory Panel Members, including a change to the frequency of meetings.

Finally, it was noted that the Panel had recommended that Members of the Leisure Partnership Board should be allowed to nominate a substitute in the event of they were unable to attend a meeting of the Board, following an approach from the Board Members.

RESOLVED

That  (i)    the size of the Elections and Electoral Registration Review Panel be increased to seven Councillors (from six);

          (ii)   the size of the Freedom of the Borough Working Group be increased to seven Councillors (from six);

          (iii)  the size of the Housing Infrastructure Fund Oversight Panel be reduced to seven Councillors (from ten);

          (iv)  the redrafted terms of reference of the Military Covenant Advisory Panel, as attached, be agreed;

          (v)   the size of the Housing Task Group be increased to eight Councillors (from seven);

          (vi)  Members of the Leisure Partnership Board be allowed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To approve the membership of Committees for 2021/22.  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 2021/22 be approved as set out below:

To consider the membership of Working Groups for 2021/22. 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 2021/22, as set out below, be agreed:

To consider the nominations to Ad Hoc Bodies and Ex-Officio Positions for 2021/22. 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 no nominations had been received.

RESOLVED

That (i)    appointments to Ad Hoc Bodies, including no nominations to positions appointed to by the Surrey Leaders Group, as set out below, be agreed:

          (ii)   the schedule of Ex Officio appointments, as set out below, be noted:

To approve the seating arrangements for Council meetings. A chart will be circulated at the meeting.

The Mayor advised that the seating arrangements for the coming year would be reviewed in light of the Government’s advice on social distancing in consultation with Group Leaders.  In the event the Government relaxed the current restriction on 21 June 2021, as outlined in the Government’s Road Map, a formal seating plan would be proposed at a future meeting of the Council.

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.

The Mayor reported that no Notices of Motion had been received.

The Mayor advised the Members that this would be the last meeting of Council to be attended by Peter Bryant, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, before his retirement at the end of June 2021 after 33 years at Woking Borough Council.  He had contributed to a wide range of projects during his employment, including Dukes Court, Sheerwater Regeneration, the Victoria Square development and the purchase of Brookwood Cemetery.

From the Mayor personally and on behalf of elected members, past and present, the Mayor thanked Peter for his extraordinary service to the Council and wished him well for the next chapter of his life.

Peter thanked the Mayor for his kind words, stating that he had thoroughly enjoyed his time in local government.