Agenda and minutes

To elect the Chair of the Council for the 2022/23 municipal year.

Councillor Alex Dale spoke to Council in support of his motion for Councillor D Ruff to be elected as Chair of the Council for the 2022-23 Municipal Year. Councillor C Cupit seconded his motion.

RESOLVED – That Councillor D Ruff be elected Chair of the Council for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

The newly elected Chair of the Council will thank Members and explain their charitable and other priorities for the municipal year.

Councillor D Ruff spoke to Council thanking Members and the Leader and Deputy Leader for their kind words.

She explained that it would be an honour and privilege to serve the Community and that she would build upon the hard work of previous Chairs of the Council.

The Chair informed Council that she would support the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) through her charity appeal in order to raise awareness and funds for their work.

Thanks will be given to the outgoing Chair of the Council for his fundraising events during the 2021/22 municipal year.

The Chair for the previous Municipal Year, Councillor M E Thacker MBE, was presented with a past Chair’s badge and an album of photos recording his year in office.

Councillor D Ruff thanked Councillor M E Thacker MBE on a fantastic year and also gave thanks to his consort and his PA, Joe Bradley.

Councillor M E Thacker MBE congratulated Councillor D Ruff on her election as Chair, he recounted that it had been a great privilege to serve in the role himself.

Council heard of a number of events that Councillor M E Thacker MBE had attended across Derbyshire such as a memorial service for Prince Philip and a Jubilee commemoration at Derby Cathedral. As well as this, there was also recognition of others when attending emergency services day, the voluntary sector awards and many events linked to the armed forces convention. Councillor M E Thacker MBE drew attention to his visit to Darmstadt-Dieburg where he promoted meaningful links between the area and North East Derbyshire.

Members heard that a variety of fund raising activities had taken place throughout the year in support of his charity appeal, the Ashgate Hospice. Councillor M E Thacker MBE thanked all those who had contributed to his Charity Appeal and gave special thanks to Councillor B Strafford-Stephenson and Councillor J Barry for their efforts.

Councillor Strafford-Stevenson congratulated and thanked the former Chair for his work noting that the year had been full of scheduled events that benefited the community as a whole.

Councilors J Barry, D Hancock, A Dale and B Lewis echoed these comments and thanked the former Chair for his work over the year. Councillor A Dale noted that the outgoing Chair had attended over fifty events on behalf of the Council and ran over thirty events himself.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors J Funnell, E A Hill, T Lacey, J Lilley, T Reader, C Renwick, J Ridgway, and L Stone.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any items on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time. 

Councillor R Hall declared an interest in Item 14 – Adoption of the Revised Taxi Licensing Policies, as he was a badge holder for a different authority. He indicated that he would withdraw from the meeting during the discussion of the item.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the attached Minutes of the Council meeting held on 25 April 2022.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 25 April 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To appoint the Vice Chair of Council for the 2022/23 municipal year.

One nomination had been received for the position of Vice Chair of the Council for the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

Councillor A Dale spoke to Council in support of his nomination for Councillor M E Thacker MBE. The motion was seconded by Councillor C Cupit

RESOLVED – That Councillor M E Thacker MBE be appointed Vice Chair of the Council for the 2022-2023 Municipal Year.

The Leader of the Council will set out the composition of Cabinet for the 2022/23 municipal year.

The Leader informed Council of the Cabinet Members and their Portfolios for the 2022-23 Municipal Year.

Councillor A Dale

Leader and Portfolio Holder for Overall Strategic Leadership

Councillor C Cupit

Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services

Councillor M Foster

Portfolio Holder for Council Services

Councillor Jeremy Kenyon

Portfolio Holder for Economy, Transformation and Climate Change

Councillor Paul Parkin

Portfolio Holder for Finance

Councillor Alan Powell

Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Communities and Communication

Councillor Carolyn Renwick

Portfolio Holder for Housing & Community Safety

RESOLVED – That Council notes the Cabinet for the 2022/2023 Municipal Year.

Report of the Assistant Director for Governance and Monitoring Officer

Members considered a report of the Assistant Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer that requested Council approve the Scheme of Delegation as outlined in Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution.

The Monitoring Officer advised that it was a requirement under Council Procedure Rule 1.1 of the Council’s Constitution that the Annual Meeting agreed the Scheme of Delegation. The Scheme also outlined proper officer provisions.

RESOLVED – That Council’s Scheme of Delegation as set out in the Council’s Constitution be approved.

To appoint the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Council’s Committees and Advisory Groups for the 2022/23 municipal year.

A list of proposed appointments of Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees had been circulated by the Majority Group. Councillor A Dale and Councillor C Cupit proposed and seconded the motion to approve the proposed appointments.

Councillor R Shipman raised concerns that he believed the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Scrutiny Committees should not be members of the Majority Group.

RESOLVED – That the proposed Chairs and Vice Chairs for Committees as circulated by the Majority Group for the 2022/2023 Municipal Year be approved.

To appoint the membership of the Council’s Committees and Advisory Groups for the 2022/23 municipal year. 

A list of proposed appointments to Committee and Advisory Groups had been circulated.

Councillor A Dale and Councillor C Cupit proposed and seconded the motion to approve the proposed appointments.

RESOLVED – That council approve the appointment of Members to Committee and Advisory Groups for the 2022/2023 Municipal Year.

To approve the proposed appointments to represent the Council on designated Outside Bodies

Councillor N Barker and Councillor J Barry moved and seconded a motion to nominate Councillor M Jones to fill the vacancy on the Holmegate Darby and Joan Club, following the sad passing of Councillor A Holmes.

Councillor A Dale informed Council of a number of changes to the list of Outside Bodies as set out within the report. Council was informed that Councillor C Renwick be appointed to the Community Safety partnership and the Ridgway Sports & Social Club and that; Councillor W Armitage be appointed to the Derbyshire Police and Crime Panel.

RESOLVED – That the appointments to outside bodies for 2022/2023 be approved.

Report of Councillor A Dale, Leader of the Council.

In accordance with the Council Procedure Rules, Council is required to set thresholds for Key Decisions at its Annual Meeting. 

Council considered a report of the Assistant Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer, which advised of Decisions taken under Special Urgency Rules in the past twelve months and the financial limits for the Key Decisions.

Council was required under legislation to report instances where Special Urgency Rules had been utilised in respect of Key Decisions. This was where it was impractical to give the requisite notice of Key Decisions before they were made.

Council noted that no decisions had been taken under Special Urgency Rules.

Council also had a constitutional requirement to advise of those occasions when it had taken decisions where call-in provisions had been waived. The Council had not taken any such decisions in the previous twelve months.

Council noted that it was a requirement at its Annual Meeting to review the thresholds for Key Decisions. The current thresholds for Key Decisiosn were recommended to continue and were as follows:

·             Revenue (income, savings or expenditure) £100,000

·             Capital (income or expenditure) £250,000.

RESOLVED – That Council:

1.               Noted that no decisions have been taken over the past 12 months under Special Urgency Rules in the Council’s Access to Information Rules.

2.               Noted that no decisions taken over the past 12 months under the urgency provisions (called General Exception) in the Council’s Access to Information Rules.

3.               Agreed that the financial thresholds for Key Decisions be maintained at £100,000 (Revenue) and £250,000 (Capital)

Report of Councillor C Cupit, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services

The consideration of this item was deferred.

To consider any other matter which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no Chair’s urgent business. The Chair declared the meeting closed.