Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no absent members.

To receive any declarations of interest by members in items on the agenda. For any advice on declarations of interest; please contact the Monitoring Officer before the meeting.

No declarations of pecuniary or other significant interest were made.

To elect the Mayor of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

Councillor McDermott moved, and Councillor March seconded, that Councillor Woodward be elected Mayor.

Debate on the motion included consideration of the following points:

·         Councillor Woodward’s personal values and experience, most recently as Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, demonstrated his fairness and ability to do the job.

·         An alternative proposal for Councillor Atkins as Mayor would be made if the motion was not carried. Councillor Atkins would seek to separate the roles of Mayor and Chairman of the Council before resigning thus creating a separate election for each role.

Councillor Chapelard requested a recorded vote.

Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Allen, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Dawlings, Fairweather, Goodship, Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hills (Bill) Holden, March, McDermott, Ms Palmer, Roberts, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, White and Woodward. (24)

Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Hall (Christopher), Hayward, Hickey, Hill (Dianne), Knight, Lewis, Lidstone, Morton, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Rutland, Warne, Willis and Wormington. (24)

Members who abstained from voting: None.

Mayor’s casting vote for the motion.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Woodward be elected Mayor of the Borough for the ensuing municipal year ending on the date of the Annual Meeting 2022.

Councillor Woodward made the declaration of acceptance of office.

Councillor Woodward returned thanks for his election and announced:

·         He would be supported by the Mayoress Jenny Woodward.

·         Bishop George Fahey of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would be the Mayor’s Chaplain.

·         The theme for the Mayoralty would be the ‘Rising Generation’, ensuring young people had a voice.

·         Mental Health Resource (West Kent) would be appointed as the Mayor’s Charity.

To award a badge to the immediate past Mayor in recognition of the valued service and the appreciation of the Borough Council. Presentation of the badge will occur after the meeting.

Badges would be presented to the immediate past Mayor, Joy Podbury and the past Mayor’s Escort, Bob Podbury in recognition of their service. In addition, a photo album would be presented to them both containing memories of their year in office.

Joy Podbury returned thanks and announced that almost £8,000 had been raised for her charity Porchlight despite the inability to hold fundraising events.

To appoint the Deputy Mayor of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for the municipal year 2021/22.

Councillor Woodward moved, and Councillor Holden seconded, that Councillor Bland be appointed Deputy Mayor.

Councillors Chapelard and March requested a recorded vote.

Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Allen, Atkins, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Dawlings, Ellis, Fairweather, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Goodship, Hall (Christopher), Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hayward, Hickey, Hills (Bill), Holden, Knight, Lidstone, March, McDermott, Morton, Ms Palmer, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Roberts, Rutland, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, Warne, White, Woodward and Wormington. (44)

Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Everitt and Willis. (2)

Members who abstained from voting: Councillors Hill (Dianne) and Lewis. (2)

RESOLVED – That Councillor Bland be appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the ensuing municipal year ending on the date of the Annual Meeting 2022.

The declaration of acceptance of office would be made immediately following the meeting.

Councillor Bland returned thanks.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor and the Chief Executive.

There were no announcements.

To note the names of each of the persons elected Borough Councillor as set out in the associated notice.

The Chief Executive, as Returning Officer for the elections held on Thursday 6 May 2021, submitted the return of persons elected to the Borough Council as set out in the agenda report.

To elect the Leader of the Council for the period ending on the date of the Annual Meeting in 2025, in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution and the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Urgent item brought forward following the resignation of the former Leader of the Council.

Councillor McDermott moved, and Councillor Stanyer seconded, that Councillor Dawlings be elected Leader.

Debate on the motion included consideration of the following points:

·         Councillor’s Dawlings’ long experience on the Council including membership of the Planning Committee and Licensing Committee, chairmanship of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance would set him in good stead as Leader.

·         An alternative proposal for Councillor Chapelard for Leader would be made if the motion was not carried.

Councillors Chapelard and March requested a recorded vote.

Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Allen, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Dawlings, Fairweather, Goodship, Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hills (Bill) Holden, March, McDermott, Ms Palmer, Roberts, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, White and Woodward. (24)

Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Hall (Christopher), Hayward, Hickey, Hill (Dianne), Knight, Lewis, Lidstone, Morton, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Rutland, Warne, Willis and Wormington. (24)

Members who abstained from voting: None.

Mayor’s casting vote for the motion.

RESOLVED – That Councillor Dawlings be elected Leader of the Council for the period ending on the date of the Annual Meeting 2025.

To consider and, if thought fit, to approve the recommendations set out in the associated report.

Councillor Dawlings moved, and Councillor Scott seconded, the recommendations set out in papers tabled at the meeting and to be published as a supplement to the agenda.

Debate on the motion included consideration of the following points:

·         Minority group leaders had not been consulted. Attempts had been made to contact the former Leader when he had been in office but no response had been received.

·         It was against best practice for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be from the majority party.

·         Councillor Dawlings on his appointment as leader of the Conservative group, but prior to his election as Leader of the Council, had written to each of the minority group leaders and had been told they did not wish to talk. The new Leader therefore had no choice but to put forward his own nominations for chairmen.

·         A date for a meeting of the group leaders had been agreed and this had been cancelled by the minority groups.

·         It would be disingenuous to suggest that the majority group had wilfully blocked the minority groups.

·         The appointment of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could be omitted from the appointments made at this meeting pending further consideration.

·         The nominations for chairmen, as set out in the tabled papers, were for fair and competent members.

·         A motion considered by the Full Council at a previous meeting regarding the chairmanship of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of a range of best practice recommendations had been referred by the Council to a cross-party working group for further consideration and as such did not form council procedure at this time.

·         A separate motion to implement the aforementioned motion could not be raised at this time.

Councillor Everitt moved, and Councillor Rands seconded, an amendment to the effect that the relevant appointments be substituted with Councillor Pound as Chairman and Councillor Hayward as Vice Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Debate on the amendment included consideration of the following points:

·         It should be recognised that the Council was no longer under overall control.

·         Minority parties had had the opportunity to put forward proposals in an orderly fashion but chose not to so the Council should proceed with the appointments as originally set out.

·         Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the check on the executive and was particularly important that it should not be chaired by the majority party.

·         It was best practice that the executive should not scrutinise itself.

Councillor Chapelard requested a recorded vote.

Members who voted for the motion: Councillors Atkins, Britcher-Allan, Chapelard, Ellis, Everitt, Fitzsimmons, Funnell, Hall (Christopher), Hayward, Hickey, Hill (Dianne), Knight, Lewis, Lidstone, Morton, Patterson, Poile, Pope, Pound, Rands, Rutland, Warne, Willis and Wormington. (24)

Members who voted against the motion: Councillors Allen, Atwood, Backhouse, Bailey, Barrington-King, Bland, Dawlings, Fairweather, Goodship, Dr Hall (Linda), Hamilton, Hills (Bill) Holden, March, McDermott, Ms Palmer, Roberts, Scholes, Scott, Simmons, Stanyer, Thomson, White and Woodward. (24)

Members who abstained from voting: None.  ...  view the full minutes text for item FC9/21

To consider any other items which the Mayor decides are urgent, for the reasons to be stated, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

One item of urgent business having been considered earlier in the meeting at FC8/21, there was no further urgent business.

To authorise the Common Seal of the Council to be affixed to any contract, minute, notice or other document arising out of the minutes, or pursuant to any delegation, authority or power conferred by the Council.

RESOLVED – That the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any contract, minute, notice or other document arising out of the minutes or pursuant to any delegation, authority or power conferred by the Council.

To note that the next scheduled meeting is Wednesday 7 July 2021.

The next scheduled meeting was Wednesday 7 July 2021.