Agenda and minutes

The meeting of the Council will be called to order to receive His Worship The Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Members, Officers and those otherwise in attendance are asked to remain standing whilst the Meeting is led in prayer by the Chaplin.

The meeting of the Council was called to order to receive His Worship The Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

The meeting was led in prayer by the Chaplin to the Mayor-elect.

An apology for absence was received from Councillors M H Charlesworth, Mrs H E Loydall, K J Loydall and R H Thakor.

None.

Councillor J Kaufman proposed that the civic recognition of Citizen of the Year for 2016/17 be conferred upon Mr Bhavin Gohil.

The Member paid tribute to Mr Gohil for his long-standing dedication and contribution to volunteer projects, events and forum meetings across the Borough throughout the previous years. The meeting particularly heard of Mr Gohil’s pro-active approach and willingness to undertake any task required of him and the significance of his achievements in spite of his disabilities.

The Mayor presented Mr Gohil with a silver salver and a floral presentation as a token of gratitude.

Councillor R E R Morris proposed that the civic recognition of Young Citizen of the Year for 2016/17 be conferred upon Miss Daria Eckert.

The Member paid tribute to Miss Eckert for her passionate work and commitment to the advocacy of young people’s rights on a local and national level. The meeting particularly heard of the importance Miss Eckert attached to her efforts to widen consultation and awareness amongst young people within the Borough on youth-associated subjects and campaigns.

The Mayor presented Miss Eckert with a silver salver and a certificate as a token of gratitude.

The Mayor described his year’s mayorship as a thoroughly-enjoyable term in office and was hopeful that he had met the expectations of Members and the residents of the Borough alike. He expressed his gratitude to the Mayor’s Secretary for her work and assistance throughout the year and presented her with a floral presentation as a token of his personal appreciation.

The Mayor confirmed that approximately £5,000 had been fundraised in total for the Leicester Hospital Charity to which all its contributors were thanked. His Worship particularly noted the generosity and support of the Oadby Sikh Gurudwara, the Punjabi Society of Leicester, the Oadby and Wigston Muslim Society, the Tesco Superstore in South Wigston and Councillor B Fahey for their individual contributions.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor J W Boyce, led the appreciations for the outgoing Mayor’s term of office. The meeting heard of Councillor M L Darr’s warmly-received ability to effortlessly capture the essence of the civic events he had attended and, as such, was described as an exceptional ambassador of the Borough.

The Leader of the Council further announced that the Chief Executive was making a steady recovery from his recent episode of ill-health and that he and the Chief Executive were hopeful about his imminent return to the Council in the coming weeks.

The Mayor asked Members for nominations for the election to the Office of Mayor for the ensuing municipal year 2016-17.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris proposed that Councillor R F Eaton be elected to the Office of Mayor for the ensuing year. She commended the Member’s extraordinary work ethic which was said would serve him well as the First Citizen of the Borough.

Councillor G A Boulter seconded Councillor Mrs S B Morris’ proposal. He commended the Member’s exemplary service as a Councillor of the Borough and wished him every success in his term of office and charity fundraising efforts.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

Councillor R F Eaton be duly elected to the Office of Mayor for the ensuing year 2016-2017.

The newly-elected Mayor read aloud the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and signed the Register. His Worship the Mayor and his Consort, Councillor Mrs L Eaton, were invested with their respective Chains and Insignia of Office.

The Mayor addressed the meeting. He thanked the retiring Mayor for his excellent work, together with his Proposer and Seconder for their nominations and confidence in him. The Mayor pledged to do his best for the Borough and nominated his chosen charity, the Leicester Children’s Holiday Centre (Mablethorpe), to provide free seaside holidays for the children of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

The Mayor presented Councillor M L Darr with his Past Mayor’s Medallion.

The Mayor asked Members for nominations for the election to the Office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing municipal year 2016-17.

Councillor R E R Morris proposed that Councillor Mrs S Z Haq be elected to the Office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year. He described the Member as a conscientious Councillor, scholar and mother in whom he had every faith. 

Councillor Miss M V Chamberlain seconded Councillor R E R Morris’ proposal. She described the Member a compassionate and affable individual who worked tirelessly for the residents of the Oadby Uplands Ward.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

Councillor Mrs S Z Haq be duly elected to the Office of Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year 2016-2017.

The newly-elected Deputy Mayor read aloud the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and signed the Register. The Deputy Mayor and her Consort, Mr Zuffar Haq, were invested with their respective Chains and Insignia of Office.

The Deputy Mayor addressed the meeting and thanked her Proposer and Seconder for their nominations. The Deputy Mayor said she felt humbled and honoured and pledged to fulfil the role to the best of her ability and competence.

The retiring Mayor’s Consort, Mrs Shirin Darr, and Deputy Mayor’s Consort were presented with floral presentations by the Mayor’s Consort.

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendix as set out in the supplementary agenda update (at pages 1 - 6) as delivered and summarised by the Monitoring Officer / Director of Services which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

The Leader of the Council moved the recommendation at paragraph 2 of the report.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris seconded the recommendation.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The proposed appointments and membership of Positions, Committees, Forums, Working Groups and Outside Bodies for the ensuing municipal year 2016-17 (as set out in the Appendix) be approved.

The Council gave consideration to the report and appendix as set out in the agenda (at pages 1 - 3) as delivered and summarised by the Monitoring Officer / Director of Services which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

The Monitoring Officer / Director of Services advised that the recommended appointee, Mrs Christine Howell, ought to be excluded from Members’ consideration as she presently resided within the Borough.

The Leader of the Council further advised that the recommended appointee, Mr Richard Gough, also ought to be excluded from Members’ consideration as he too presently resided within the Borough.

The Leader of the Council moved that all recommended appointees, except Mrs Howell and Mr Gough, as set out in the Appendix be appointed as Independent Persons.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris seconded the Leader of the Council’s motion.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

Mr Michael Pearson, Mr Mark Shaw, Mr Gordon Grimes and Mr Robert Wade (as set out in the Appendix) be appointed as Independent Persons in accordance with the Localism Act 2011, section 7 for a term of four-years commencing at the Annual General Meeting of the Council as of Tuesday, 17 May 2016.

The Council gave consideration to the reports and appendices as set out in the agenda (at pages 4 - 9), together with the supplementary agenda update (at pages 7-12), as delivered and summarised by the Monitoring Officer / Director of Services which should be read together with these minutes as a composite document.

The Leader of the Council expressed his gratitude to the Legal and Democratic Services Officer for his work in compiling the final Schedule.

The Leader of the Council moved the recommendation at paragraph 2 of the report.

Councillor Mrs S B Morris seconded the recommendation.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT:

The final Schedule of Council and Allied Meetings for the ensuing municipal year 2016/17 (as set out in the Appendix of the supplementary agenda update) be adopted.

The Mayor invited all those in attendance to accompany him to a Reception following the Annual General Meeting to be held at Parklands Leisure Centre, Oadby.