Agenda and draft minutes

To appoint a vice-chair for this committee for the municipal year 2024/25

The Chair requested nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2024-25.

It was proposed by Councillor Parr and seconded by Councillor Stubbins, “That Councillor Matthew Black be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2024/25”. There being no further nominations, the Chair declared the proposal to be carried.

Resolved:

(1)   That Councillor Matthew Black be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council Business Committee for the municipal year 2024/25.

To receive as a correct record the Minutes of meeting held on 29 February 2024 (previously circulated).

The minutes of the meeting held 29 February 2024 were signed by the chair as a correct record.

The Chair had accepted an item of urgent business which asked the Committee to consider cancelling several meetings during the pre-election period. The meetings in question were the 19 June meeting of Council and the meetings of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Joint Consultative Committee and Standards Committee taking place during the week commencing 1 July 2024.

It was proposed by Councillor Parr, seconded by The Chair and agreed by all present that “the Committee agrees to cancel the 19 June meeting of Council and the meetings of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Joint Consultative Committee and Standards Committee scheduled for the week beginning 1 July 2024.”

Resolved Unanimously:

(1)   That the following meetings originally scheduled to take place during the pre-election period be cancelled:

·        Council – 19 June 2024

·        Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 3 July 2024

·        Joint Consultative Committee – 3 July 2024

·        Standards Committee – 4 July 2024

To receive declarations by Councillors of interests in respect of items on this Agenda. 

Councillors are reminded that, in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, they are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which have not already been declared in the Council’s Register of Interests. (It is a criminal offence not to declare a disclosable pecuniary interest either in the Register or at the meeting). 

Whilst not a legal requirement, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9 and in the interests of clarity and transparency, Councillors should declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they have already declared in the Register, at this point in the meeting. 

In accordance with Part B Section 2 of the Code Of Conduct, Councillors are required to declare the existence and nature of any other interests as defined in paragraphs 8(1) or 9(2) of the Code of Conduct. 

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of Senior Manager, Democratic Support and Elections.

The Committee considered the Induction Review & Member Satisfaction Survey to note the findings of the report and to consider commissioning extra training on equalities to complement the current mandatory Learning Zone training module.

The Chair asked the committee to give their thoughts on the proposed training and during discussion it was agreed that additional training would be useful and that it would be desirable for this training to come from local sources if experienced trainers were available.

When discussing the Member Induction and Member Satisfaction Survey the Committee expressed disappointment in the low number of respondents but remarked that some of the comments made were useful. A suggestion for future surveys was made to include a “not applicable” option for questions that follow-on from a previous answer as this would give more accurate and useful information. It was also noted by the Committee that some of the comments identified a need for some additional areas of training for Councillors and that chairing skills would be particularly useful.

At the conclusion of discussion it was proposed by the Chair, seconded by Councillor Parr and agreed by all that: “The progress of the Member Induction Programme and the Member Satisfaction Survey be noted, and that Officers seek quotes from local organisations to provide additional training on the subject of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and report back to Council Business Committee.”

Resolved Unanimously:

(1)   That the progress of the Member Induction Programme be noted.

(2)   That the findings of the Member Satisfaction Survey be noted with comments raised in discussion by the Committee.

(3)   That Officers approach local organisations with proposals for additional Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training that will complement the existing eLearning offer and report back to Council Business Committee with information about the proposed trainers and cost quotations.

Report of Senior Manager, Democratic Support and Elections.

The Committee considered the report of the Senior Manager Democratic Support and Elections to consider whether to continue presenting badges to retiring Mayors and Mayoresses.

The Chair suggested that all members of The Committee might have an interest in this item; himself as a recipient of a past Mayor’s badge and other members present as potential future Mayors.

The Committee discussed the reasons for reviewing the presentation of badges, their cost, and any possible alternatives. It was felt that as becoming Mayor was a once in a lifetime opportunity which carried with it the responsibility of chairing Council meetings, some kind of memento was warranted. However, The Committee also felt that there should be options for those who do not wish to have the Past Mayor’s badge.

The relative status of the Mayoress and Mayor’s Consort was also discussed as the Consort currently has no regalia. The Committee wished this to be discussed at a future meeting of Council Business Committee.

After discussing the matter at-length it was proposed by Councillor Parr and seconded by Councillor Black with the agreement of all present, that “the retiring Mayor has the option of being presented with a badge, brooch, certificate, or a plaque and that the presentation of a badge to the retiring Mayoress be discontinued. A future discussion should also be held about the relative status, regalia, and nomenclature of the Mayoress and Mayor’s Consort.” 

Resolved Unanimously:

(1)   That Council Business Committee agrees that the retiring Mayor has the option of being presented with a badge, brooch, a certificate, or a plaque.

(2)   To Discontinue the presentation of a badge to the retiring Mayoress and to discuss at a future meeting the relative status, regalia, and nomenclature of the Mayoress and Mayor’s Consort.