Council and democracy

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 6SL. View directions

Contact: Jenny Shade, Senior Democratic Services Officer  Email: Direct.Democracy@thurrock.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 158 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Council, held on 27 February 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Pothecary referred to Item 116. General Fund Budget Proposals, page 20, fifth Paragraph of the Agenda and stated that Councillor Worrall had referred to the Baptist Church on Orsett Road in Grays and Friends of Essex and London Homeless instead of Orsett Church as referred to in the minutes.

 

Members agreed with the above amendment that the Minutes of the Meeting of Council held on the 27 February 2019 be approved as a correct record.

2.

To elect and install the Mayor for the municipal year 2019/20

Minutes:

Nominations were invited for the election of Mayor for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Gledhill, and seconded by Councillor Hebb, that Councillor Piccolo be elected Mayor of the Borough and Chair of the Council for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

 

It was declared that Councillor Piccolo had been duly elected as Mayor of the Borough and Chair of the Council for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

 

Councillor Piccolo signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and also received the chains of office.

 

The new elected Mayor, Councillor Piccolo, made a short speech thanking out-going Members and welcomed those Members who had been elected for the first time and thanked his wife, Joan Piccolo, for her continued support.

 

Councillor Piccolo stated he had been involved in local issues for 20 years and in 2011 had the honour of being awarded the Citizen of the Year and at that time had felt he had received the highest tribute from his peers, so it had been a great honour and privilege to now be appointed Mayor of Thurrock.

 

Councillor Piccolo stated he intended to promote local businesses as it was vital with the increase in local population that local employment was accessible to residents.

 

The Mayor presented Barbara Rice and past Consort, Councillor Gerard Rice, with their past Mayor’s and past consort’s badge.

 

The Mayor agreed that Barbara Rice could say a few words. Barbara Rice congratulated Councillor Piccolo in his new role as Mayor, thanked Reverend Canon Darren Barlow, her consort and companion Councillor Gerard Rice, thanked Member Services, Cara Smith and Salma Begum, for their continued hard work, Chauffeur, Luke Hammond, and finally thanked residents, businesses and schools for their hard work and stated that her time spent in the Chamber and as Mayor had been an honour and a privilege.

 

The Leader thanked Barbara Rice for the wonderful job she had undertaken as her role of Mayor in the Chamber and out in the community and would be a great loss to the Council and wished Barbara Rice well in her new role outside of the Chamber. The Leader made tribute to the appointment of Councillor Piccolo as the new Mayor of Thurrock.

 

Councillor Pothecary thanked Barbara Rice for her hard work and the service undertaken as Mayor of Thurrock and wished her well in her new role. Councillor Pothecary wished Councillor Piccolo well and hoped that he enjoyed every minute.

 

Councillor Spillman echoed comments made and thanked Barbara Rice for the hard work she had undertaken as Mayor of Thurrock and stated he had known Councillor Piccolo for a long time and the Thurrock Independents would continue to give the Mayor the deserved support, dignity and respect.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Piccolo be duly elected as Mayor of the Borough and Chair of the Council for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

3.

Items of Urgent Business

To receive additional items that the Mayor is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minutes:

The Mayor informed the Council that he had not agreed to the consideration of any items of urgent business.

4.

To elect and install the Deputy Mayor for the municipal year 2019/20

Minutes:

Nominations were invited for the election of Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2019/20.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Pothecary and seconded by Councillor Gledhill that Councillor Shinnick be appointed Deputy Mayor of Thurrock for 2019/20.

 

The Mayor declared that Councillor Shinnick be duly elected as Deputy Mayor for the municipal year 2019/20.

 

Councillor Shinnick signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and also received the chains of office.

 

Councillor Shinnick made a short speech to accept the honour of being appointed as Deputy Mayor and how as Deputy Mayor would do her best to serve all.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Shinnick be appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough and Vice-Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2019/20.

5.

Declaration of Interests

To receive any declaration of interests from Members.

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

6.

Announcements on behalf of the Mayor or the Leader of the Council

Minutes:

The Mayor thanked his wife, Joan Piccolo, for being his consort for last year and announced she had agreed to continue as his consort and was asked to step forward to receive the Consort’s Chain.

 

The Mayor confirmed that the Deputy Mayor Consort would be Councillor Worrall. Councillor Worrall was asked to step forward and receive the Consort’s Chain.

 

The Mayor announced that his charity for the Mayoral Year would be GiFT Giving for Thurrock.

 

Furthermore, the Mayor announced that his Mayoral Chaplain would be Reverend John Guest, St Margaret’s, Stanford le Hope.

 

The Mayor then invited Councillor Gledhill to make any announcements he wished to make as Leader of the Council.

 

Councillor Gledhill welcomed new Councillors Van Day, Byrne, Chukwu, Massey, Mayes, Muldowney, Ralph and Smith to the Chamber and welcomed back Councillor Baker.

 

Councillor Gledhill also welcomed back all those re-elected Members and Councillor Pothecary and Councillor Okunade as the new Leader and Deputy Leader of the Thurrock Labour Party and welcomed back Councillor Spillman and Councillor Duffin in their respective posts.

 

The Leader confirmed details of appointments made to Cabinet with the details of their respective portfolios and would provide Members with a detailed list of areas of responsibility for each portfolio.

 

Councillor Gledhill

Leader and Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Anti-Social Behaviour

Councillor Hebb

Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance & Transformation

Councillor Coxshall

Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Strategic Highways

Councillor Halden

Portfolio Holder for Education and Health

Councillor Huelin

Portfolio Holder for Central Services and Communities

Councillor Johnson

Portfolio Holder for Housing

Councillor Little

Portfolio Holder for Children and Adult Social Care

Councillor Maney

Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport

Councillor Watkins

Portfolio Holder Environment and Sports & Leisure

 

7.

The Localism Act 2011 - Appointment of Independent Persons pdf icon PDF 66 KB

Minutes:

 

The Leader of the Council introduced the report and noted paragraph 3.1 with the number of complaints against Members was relatively low when compared favourably with other Councils and then recommended that the engagement of the Independent Persons should continue until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2022.

 

RESOLVED

 

For the purposes of section 28 of the Localism Act 2011, the Council agreed to continue the appointment of Sarah Cooper-James and Fiona Fairweather as its Independent Persons until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2022.

8.

Committees and their Terms of Reference pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council proposed the recommendations as printed in the report.

 

Upon being put to the vote, Members voted unanimously in favour of the recommendations, whereupon the Mayor declared these to be carried.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.         That the Overview and Scrutiny Committees listed in paragraph 3.2 of the report be established for the 2019/20 municipal year, with their terms of reference being those set out in Chapter 4 of the Constitution.

 

2.         That the Committees listed in paragraph 3.4 of the report be established for the 2019/20 municipal year, with their terms of reference being those set out in Chapter 5 of the Constitution.

9.

Allocation of Committee Seats and Committee Appointments pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Mayor informed Members that the nominations of Group Leaders to the places allocated on committees, and the nominations for Chairs and Vice Chairs of committees had been received.

 

The nominations made to Committees for the municipal year 2019/20, together with the nominations for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair, were set out in a booklet tabled for Members.

 

The Leader of the Council briefly introduced the report, which requested the Council to confirm the calculations relating to the allocation of seats on committees and also to appoint the nominations made by political groups to committees.

 

In addition, the report also requested the Council to appoint the Chairs and Vice-Chairs. Councillor Gledhill stated that the Conservative Party would not be nominating Chair or Vice Chairs on overview and scrutiny committees therefore these positions were open for the opposition parties to fill and would be abstaining from the voting on those contested appointments.

 

Councillor Pothecary made the following change to the nominations:

 

To replace Councillor Abbas with Councillor Akinbohun on the Corporate Parenting Committee.

 

The Mayor then called for a separate vote to be undertaken in respect of each of the contested nominations for Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees.

 

The results of each vote are set out below:

 

Cleaner Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor J Kent over Councillor Mayes to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor J Kent was appointed Chair and by default Councillor Mayes was appointed Vice Chair of the Cleaner Greener and Safer Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Gerrish over Councillor Duffin to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Gerrish was appointed Chair and by default Councillor Duffin was appointed Vice Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Holloway over Councillor Ralph to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Holloway was appointed Chair and by default Councillor Ralph was appointed Vice Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Planning Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Kerin over Councillor Allen to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Kerin was appointed Chair and by default Councillor Allen was appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Corporate Parenting Committee

 

Councillor Pothecary nominated Councillor Akinbohun as Vice Chair of the Corporate Parenting Committee.

 

Licensing Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Collins over Councillor Potter to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Collins was appointed Chair of the Licensing Committee.

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Abbas over Councillor Potter to be Vice Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Abbas was appointed Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee.

 

Planning Committee

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Kelly over Councillor Byrne to be Chair.

 

Therefore Councillor Kelly was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Appointments of Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels

Minutes:

The nominations of the political groups to Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels were detailed in the supplementary booklet tabled for Members.

 

The Leader presented the report in respect of the appointments required to be made to Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels.

 

The Mayor called for a separate vote to be undertaken in respect of each of the contested nominations for appointments to Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels.

 

The results of each vote are set out below:

 

Police Fire and Crime Panel

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Redsell over Councillor Spillman.

 

Therefore Councillor Redsell was appointed the representative of the Council on the Police Fire and Crime Panel.

 

Local Government Association

 

Councillor Spillman removed Councillor Duffin therefore the appointment was no longer contested.

 

Councillor Gledhill offered Councillor Duffin one of the two Cabinet appointments to this outside body to which Councillor Duffin declined.

 

Therefore Councillor Pothecary was appointed the representative of the Council on the Local Government Association.

 

Local Government Association General Assembly

 

Councillor Rice nominated Councillor C Kent. Councillor C Kent thanked Councillor Rice for the nomination but declined. The vacant position on the Local Government Association General Assembly was still held.

 

Open Door (Thurrock)

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Spillman over Councillor Liddiard.

 

Therefore Councillor Spillman was appointed the representative of the Council on Open Door (Thurrock).

 

Thurrock Play Network

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Mayes over Councillor Akinbohun.

 

Therefore Councillor Mayes was appointed the representative of the Council on the Thurrock Play Network.

 

Standard Advisory Council on Religious Education

 

No nominations were received for the vacant position on the Standard Advisory Council on Religious Education.

 

Tilbury Community Local Development Action Group

 

The majority of the chamber voted in favour of Councillor Allen over Councillor Liddiard.

 

Therefore Councillor Allen was appointed the representative of the Council on the Tilbury Community Local Development Action Group.

 

Prevent Violent Extremism Members Working Group

 

Councillor Spillman nominated Councillor Mayes and Councillor Ralph for the two vacant appointments with the agreement from Members.

 

Orsett Hospital Task and Finish Group

 

Councillor Gledhill gifted the vacant appointment to Councillor Massey to which Councillor Massey accepted and agreed by Members.

 

The Mayor advised that following the changes detailed above there were no longer any contested appointments to the nominations to Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels. Members voted unanimously in favour of the nominations made, thereupon the Mayor declared these to be carried.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the nominations to Outside Bodies, Statutory and Other Panels be approved.

11.

Schedule of Meetings 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council briefly introduced the report. A copy of the schedule of meetings for 2019/20 was included in the Agenda at Appendix 1 to the report.

 

The Leader stated that a date should be scheduled outside the purdah period for Council in March 2020. It was agreed that Officers would identify any suitable dates with the Election Team and inform Members.

 

Councillor Redsell questioned why June 2019 Council was not being held, at normal, on the last Wednesday of the month. The Leader stated that Members and Senior Officers would be attending an award seminar as the Council had been nominated for the Council of the Year Award.

 

Members agreed to note the recommendation.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Schedule of Meetings for 2019/20 be approved.

12.

Schedule of Elections and Order of Retirement of Councillors

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council briefly introduced the report which informed the Council of the schedule of elections to be held between 2020 and 2023.

 

Councillor Spillman thanked the Election Team for all their hard work.

 

Members agreed to note the recommendation.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the schedule of elections from 2020 to 2023 and order of retirement of Councillors be noted.