Agenda and minutes

The Mayor to report apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Steve Cosser, Simon Dear, Brian Edmonds, Jan Floyd-Douglass, John Gray, Val Henry, Peter Martin, Stephen Mulliner and Anne-Marie Rosoman.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor John Robini welcomed Councillors and guests to the Annual Meeting of the Council, and invited nominations for the election of Mayor of Waverley for the Council year 2022/23.

Councillor Paul Follows proposed that Councillor John Ward be elected for the Council year 2022/23, and this was seconded by Councillor Michael Goodridge.

Councillors Clark, Palmer, Williams, Potts and Townsend also spoke on the nomination.

There being no other nominations, it was RESOLVED that Councillor John Ward be elected Mayor of Waverley for the Council year 2022/23.

Having been invested with the Mayoral Robes and Chain of Office, Councillor John Ward made the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office and took the chair for the remainder of the Council meeting.

The Mayor made a Speech of Acceptance, thanking those who had spoken for their kind words and Councillors for electing him.

The Mayor invited nominations for the election of Deputy Mayor for the Council year 2022/23.

Councillor Steve Williams proposed Councillor Penny Rivers as Deputy Mayor, and the proposal was seconded by Councillor Liz Townsend.

Councillor Paul Follows and Nick Palmer also spoke on the nomination.

There being no other nominations, it was RESOLVED that Councillor Penny Rivers be elected Deputy Mayor of Waverley for the Council year 2022/23.

The Mayor invested the new Deputy Mayor with the Badge of Office, and presented the Mayoress, the Deputy Mayor’s Consort, the Past Mayor and Past Mayoress with the appropriate Badges of Office.

Councillor Penny Rivers made the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office and thanked Councillors for electing her as Deputy Mayor.

Councillor Mark Merryweather proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor John Robini, which was seconded by Councillor Nicholson.

Councillor Carole Cockburn also spoke on the vote of thanks.

Councillor John Robini responded thanking those who had spoken and reflected on his Mayoral year.  He thanked all those who had supported him and his charities; and presented gifts to the Mayoral support team and his Mayoress, Councillor Jacqui Keen.

To confirm the Minutes of the Council meeting held on 26 April 2022 (herewith).

The Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 26 April 2022 were confirmed and signed.

The Mayor advised Councillors that his Civic Service would be held on Sunday 26 June 2022 in St Thomas on the Bourne Church in Farnham.  He would be inviting  volunteers from across the borough and he encouraged all Councillors to attend to give thanks to those volunteers. 

The Mayor would not be appointing a Chaplain in order to be as inclusive as possible and would be inviting ministers from across the borough to say prayers at Council meetings.

The Mayor had chosen two causes as the focus for his Mayoral year.  The first was Creative Response Arts in Farnham and the second was Jigsaw Trust School in Dunsfold.

The Mayor concluded by thanking his Mayoress for her support and Councillors for electing him.  He also welcomed Councillor David Munro to the Council following his re-election on 12 May.

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires local authorities, where Members are divided into political groups, to review annually the representation of the political groups on their principal committees to ensure that the seats are allocated in the same proportion as that in which the council as a whole is divided.

This report recommends that the Council establish committees, allocate the seats on those committees to political groups represented on on the Council in accordance with the statutory proportionality rules, and agree to the appointment of the groups’ nominees.

Recommendation

It is recommended that Council:

i.              Note the political balance of the Council, as set out in paragraph 4.4.

ii.            Approve the constitution of committees, the allocation of seats, the appointment of members to those seats in accordance with Group’s nominations, and the nomination of chairman and vice-chairman positions, as set out in Annexes 1 and 2.

iii.           Approve the allocation of seats and appointments to the Surrey County Council Local Committee.

The Mayor advised that the report showing the political proportionality of the Council had been tabled, along with a schedule showing the Group Leader’s nominations for appointments to committees.  There were two changes to the report, to correct a typographical error in paragraph 4.4 to read 31.58, rather than 21.58; and to list Councillor D’Arcy under the membership of the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

It was moved by the Mayor, seconded and duly RESOLVED that:

i.              the political balance of the Council, as set out in paragraph 4.4 as amended be noted.

ii.            the constitution of committees, the allocation of seats, the appointment of members to those seats in accordance with Group’s nominations, and the nomination of chairman and vice-chairman positions, as set out in Annexes 1 and 2, be approved.

iii.           the allocation of seats and appointments to the Surrey County Council Local Committee be approved.