Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed Members and Officers to the reconvened Annual Council meeting.

The Chairman advised that the business on the agenda must be concluded and requested that all Members address the meeting through the Chair and be respectful and courteous to all meeting attendees,.

There were no declarations of interest.

** Recommendations 1.1 and 1.2 were agreed at the 17 May 2023 prior to the adjournment of the meeting. Recommendation 1.13 added  **

Report of Chief Executive

Purpose of report

To note the results of the 4 May 2023 district elections and agree the governance arrangements for the council following the elections for the municipal year 2023/2024.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1         To note the results of the District Elections held on 4 May 2023.

1.2         To note the constitution of Political Groups and notification of Group

Leaders.

1.3         To appoint the Leader of the Council (if required).

1.4         To note the appointment of Deputy Leader of the Council, the membership of the Executive and the Executive portfolios for Municipal Year 2023/2024.

1.5         To agree the allocation of seats on committees that are subject to the political balance requirements as set out in Appendix 2.

1.6         To appoint members (and where required, substitute members) to serve on each of the committees in accordance with the nominations made by political groups (Appendix 3).

1.7         To appoint a non-Executive representative to the Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

1.8         To appoint a representative and named substitute to the Police and Crime Commissioner Scrutiny Panel.

1.9         To appoint an Executive member representative and Executive member substitute to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership.

1.10      To appoint three non-Executive representatives to the Future Oxfordshire Partnership Scrutiny Panel.

1.11      To appoint an Executive member and an Executive member substitute to each of the Future Oxfordshire Partnership Advisory Groups: Housing Advisory Group, Infrastructure Advisory Group, Environment Advisory Group and Planning Advisory Group (subject to approval by the Future Oxfordshire Partnership at its meeting of 13 June including confirmation of final title).

1.12      To appoint members to the Boundary Review Working Group.

1.13      To appoint a representative and named substitute to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Chief Executive submitted a report for Council to note the results of the 4 May 2023 district elections and agree the governance arrangements for the council following the elections for the municipal year 2023/2024.

The Chairman explained that Council had agreed recommendations 1.1 and 1.2 at the 17 May 2023 meeting prior to the adjournment.

With regards recommendation 1.3, appointment of Leader, the Chairman clarified that the process for voting on appointments, as set out in Part 4.26 of the Constitution, was interpreted as applying to the Leader. As Chairman, his ruling on the process was that he would call for all nominations for election as Leader and would require a seconder for each.

If there  two nominations (with seconders), the person commanding the highest number of votes would be elected.

If there were more than two nominations then the procedure for outside body appointments would be applied for the election of the Leader. i.e. “where there are more than two persons nominated for any position to be filled by the Council and of the votes given there is not an overall majority in favour of one person, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and a fresh vote taken and so on until a majority of votes given in favour of one person”

If there was only one nomination (with a seconder), the nominated person would be elected.

The Chairman explained, for clarity, he would seek votes in favour of each of the nominations. If voting by a show of hands, there would be no vote “against”.

The same process would be adopted if there was a recorded vote except that anyone deciding not to vote for either or any candidate would be asked to state that they abstain.

The Chairman invited the Monitoring Officer to address Council.

The Monitoring Officer explained that at meeting on Wednesday 17 May he had set out the procedure for electing the Leader, which was based on his interpretation of the Council’s Constitution. Council had been left at an impasse at that meeting and he had sought external legal advice as to the interpretation of the Council’s procedure rules. That advice related to Rule 4.26 of the Constitution, which included additional and unusual wording as it appears to restrict this procedure to the appointment of representatives, nominees or delegates of the Council only, yet the law requires the Leader to also be elected.

The Monitoring Officer’s reading of the Constitution was not an unreasonable interpretation to have made in the circumstances of the meeting, however, there was a different  interpretation that more closely aligns with the law, local government practice and this council’s constitutional practices when appointing Chairs of Committees and other appointments. The Monitoring Officer explained that on this basis, he was interpreting the Constitution as the Chairman had just ruled.

The Monitoring Officer explained that it was his job to interpret the Constitution and, with the benefit of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

Report of Monitoring Officer / Assistant Director Law & Governance

Purpose of report

To consider and agree the Member Development Framework and note the Member Development Programme for 2023/24.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Agree the Member Development Framework (Appendix 1).

1.2         Note the Member Development Programme for 2023/2024 (Appendix 2).

1.3         Note that the Monitoring Officer/Assistant Director Law & Governance will regularly review and amend the Programme where necessary throughout the Municipal Year to ensure it remains relevant and fit for purpose.

The Monitoring Officer / Assistant Director Law & Governance submitted a report to consider and agree the Member Development Framework and note the Member Development Programme for 2023/24.

Resolved

(1)          That the Member Development Framework be agreed.

(2)          That the Member Development Programme for 2023/2024 be noted.

(3)          That it be noted that the Monitoring Officer/Assistant Director Law & Governance would regularly review and amend the Programme where necessary throughout the Municipal Year to ensure it remained relevant and fit for purpose.

Report of Assistant Director of Finance

Purpose of report

This report presents the annual report of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee 2022/23

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the contents of the Annual Report of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee 2022/23.

The Assistant Director of Finance submitted a report which presented the annual report of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee 2022/23.

In introducing the report, Councillor Ford, Chairman of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee in 2022/23, thanked officers and Committee members who had contributed and supported the work if the Committee in a positive and meaningful way during 2022/23.

Resolved

(1)          That the Annual Report of the Accounts, Audit & Risk Committee 2022/23 be noted.

There were no items of urgent business.