Venue: Council Chamber, Mid Suffolk District Council Offices, High Street, Needham Market
Contact: Committee Services
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Apologies for absence Minutes: An apology for absence was received from Councillors Rachel Eburne, Paul Ekpenyoung, Jessica Fleming, Gary Green, Elizabeth Gibson – Harries, Esther Jewson and John Levantis. |
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To receive any declarations of pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests by Members Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Chairman's Announcements - Verbal Update Minutes: Councillor Derrick Haley, Chairman of the Council attended the Wattisham party a few weeks ago and said there existed a good relationship between Wattisham, Stowmarket and surrounding areas.
Councillor Haley reminded Members of the Civic Service Ceremony in Stowmarket on 24 September 2017.
On 13 October 2017, there would be an Auction of Promise at the Museum of East Anglian Life, one of Chairman’s chosen charities the other being the charity of Suffolk Family Carers.
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Leaders Report - Verbal Update Minutes: Councillor Nick Gowrley, Leader of the Council, informed Members that the title for the Cabinet Member for Customers was changed to the Cabinet Member for Organisational Delivery. |
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To receive notification of petitions in accordance with the Council's Procedure Rule In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10, The Chief Executive will report the receipt of any petitions. There can be no debate or comment upon these matters at the Council meeting. Minutes: None received. |
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Questions by the Public The Chairmen of Committees to answer any questions from the public of which notice has been given no later than midday three clear working days before the day of the meeting in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11. Minutes: None received. |
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Questions by Councillors The Chairman of the Council, the Chairman of Committees and Sub-Committees and Portfolio Holders to answer any questions on any matters in relation to which the Council has powers or duties or which affect the District of which due notice has been given in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12. Minutes: None received. |
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MC/17/14 Boundary Review- Response to Stage One Consultation on Warding Patterns PDF 140 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Councillor Gowrley, Leader of Council introduced report MC/17/14 and informed Members of an amendment to recommendation 2.1:
That the tabled proposal B replace the Appendix.
Councillor Gowrley said that the proposal had been worked on by a Task and Finish group and drop-in sessions for Members. Mid Suffolk District Council would submit Proposal B to the Local Government Boundary Commission and the Boundary Commission would evaluate all submitted proposals before forwarding their preferred option back to Mid Suffolk District Council for consultation. He commended all who had worked on this challenging project, which had resulted in Proposal B.
Councillor Gowrley moved the recommendations in 2.1 and 2.2. and was seconded by Councillor John Whitehead.
Councillor Whitehead described to Members how the process of creating viable ward patterns had been developed. He said all Members had had the opportunity to comment on the proposal throughout the process and constructive suggestions had been incorporated into the proposal. Suggestions of new wards patterns had been shared with Members throughout the course of the development. He continued that the proposal had not just been a numerical exercise and that other factors supplied by Members had been included in the final plan. Councillor Whitehead felt Proposal B had achieved the best ward pattern possible but recognised that this was only the beginning of the boundary review and that the proposal would be developed further once the Boundary Review Commission had considered all the submitted proposals.
Councillor Andrew Stringer proposed an amendment to the recommendations to include the Green Boundary Proposal version 2 tabled at the meeting.
The motion was seconded by Councillor John Matthissen.
Councillor Stringer considered the possibility of submitting the four proposals currently suggested to the Council as they all carried some merits, and reminded Members that the administration could submit more than one proposal.
Councillor Matthew Hicks made a point of order with regards to the title of the Green Boundary Proposal version 2 as it contained the word ‘administration’ He asked this to be removed from the title of the proposal, on the grounds that the Green Boundary Proposal did not represent the administration’s proposal for the ward pattern.
Councillor Penny Otton informed Members that the Liberal Party would submit their own Boundary Review proposal as Members had not had enough time to consider their proposal.
Members then debated the amended recommendation and some Members felt that the representation to the Boundary Review Commission from the District Council should be a cohesive proposal and therefore only Proposal B should be submitted. Others felt that the proposed wards had not been constructed round the historical collaboration between parishes, and that the division of some parishes previously in the same ward, had now been divided into new wards. Suggestions were made that the administration and each political party should submit each their own proposal as the Boundary Review Commission considered all proposal submitted.
Councillor Tim Passmore said a reduction of the numbers of Councillors had been agreed by all Members and Councillor Matthew ... view the full minutes text for item 73. |