Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18^TH February 2010 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2010 be signed as a correct record.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all members of the Council.

There were no declarations of interests.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

[Note:  Information as to recent Mayoral engagements will be tabled].

RESOLVED:  That the report of the Worshipful the Mayor upon his official duties, as tabled, be noted and received.

To receive and consider any procedural motions by Members of the Council in relation to the conduct of this Meeting.

[Note:  Notice of such procedural motions, received after the issuing of this Summons, will be tabled].

The Mayor moved a procedural motion that Item 12 (Tributes to Retiring Members) of the Summons be considered after item 6 (Public Questions).

RESOLVED:  That the procedural motion, seeking that Item 12 (Tributes to Retiring Members) of the Summons be considered after Item 6 (Public Questions), be agreed.

To receive any petitions to be presented:

(i)                 by a representative of the petitioners;

(ii)               by a Councillor, on behalf of petitioners; or

(iii)             by the Mayor, on behalf of petitioners.

In accordance with Rule 11, the following petition was presented by a Member of Council on behalf of petitioners:

Submitted by Councillor Eileen Kinnear containing 7 signatures protesting to the Council about disturbance experienced from out of hours use of the facilities at John Lyon School and requesting that the Council investigate the original conditions governing the additional use.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Schools and Children’s Development].

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for members of the public to ask questions of members of the Executive, Portfolio Holders and Chairmen of Committees, of which notice has been received no later than 5.00 pm two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting.

[Note:  Any such questions received will be tabled].

There were no public questions.

Report of the Constitution Review Working Group.

Further to item 7 on the Summons, the Council received a report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services, which reflected recommendations made by the Constitution Review Working Group.

The recommendation was formally moved by Councillor Paul Osborn and seconded by Councillor Bill Stephenson.

RESOLVED:  That the constitutional changes, as proposed by the Constitution Review Working Group, be approved.

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for asking written questions by Members of Council of a member of the Executive or the Chairman of any Committee:-

(i)                 of which notice has been received at least two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting; or

(ii)               which relate to urgent matters, and the consent of the Executive Member or Committee Chairman to whom the question is to be put has been obtained and the content has been advised to the Director of Legal and Governance Services by 12 noon on the day of the Council Meeting.

[Any such questions received will be tabled].

The following question had been submitted by a Member of Council under Rule 13.2:-

[Notes:  Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 13.4, the question was responded to orally by the Leader of the Council].

No Motions have been notified in accordance with the requirements of Council Procedure Rule 15.

There were no Motions notified.

Report of the Director of Legal & Governance Services.

Further to Item 10 on the Summons, the Council received a report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services, which provided a summary of the urgent decisions taken by Cabinet and Portfolio Holders, since the last meeting of Council on 18 February 2010.

RESOLVED:  That the urgent decisions taken by Cabinet and Portfolio Holders since the last Council meeting, be noted.

Report of the Director of Legal & Governance Services.

Further to Item 11 on the Summons, the Council received a report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services, which provided a summary of an urgent decision on a matter reserved to Council, since the last meeting of Council on 18 February 2010.

RESOLVED:  That the decision on an urgent matter reserved to Council  taken since the last Council meeting, be noted.

This being the final Council of the Municipal Year it is traditional to recognise and pay tribute to the service of those Councillors who are not contesting the forthcoming Borough Elections on 6 May 2010.  A list of those retiring Members will be circulated.

The Council as a body moved its appreciation and best wishes to those Members not contesting the forthcoming Borough Elections as follows:

Upon the occasion of their last Council meeting, Councillors David Ashton, Marilyn Ashton, Myra Michael and Keeki Thammaiah paid tribute to other Members, and thanked all Members of Council for their friendship and support.

The Mayor also paid tribute to the retiring Members and extended his best wishes to them all.