To elect the Chairman of the Council for the Municipal Year 2021/22.

1.1 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Arthey,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Adrian Osborne be elected as Chair of the Council for the Municipal year 2021/22.

1.2 Councillor Adrian Osborne thereupon made his Declaration of Office.

1.3 Councillor Adrian Osborne thanked everyone who had voted for him and paid tribute to the outgoing Chair, Councillor Grandon for being an excellent Chair and a credit to Babergh District Council, chairing the Council through the most challenging and difficult times. 

1.4 Councillor Adrian Osborne announced that his chosen charity for his term of office was the Kernos Charity.

To elect the Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Municipal Year 2021/22.

2.1 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Carpendale,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Kathryn Grandon be elected as Vice-Chair of the Council for the Municipal year 2021/22.

2.2 Councillor Grandon thereupon made her Declaration of Office.

3.1      There were no declarations of interests by Councillors.

It was RESOLVED:-

That subject to the declarations of interests of Councillor Jan Osborne and Councillor Maybury as trustees of Sudbury and District Citizens Advice, being added to the Minutes. The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2021 be confirmed and signed as a true record.

In addition to any announcements made at the meeting, please see Paper BC/21/2 attached, detailing events attended by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

5.1 The report from the Chairman was noted.

5.2 The Chairman Invited Councillor Ward to present his report.

5.3 Councillor Ward introduced his report and congratulated the Chair and Vice Chair on their election.

5.4 The Leader commented on the return to face to face meetings and informed Council that he hoped that virtual meetings would be able to continue in the future, especially as the Council had adapted well to online meetings, which had seen many benefits such as a reduction of travel and an increase in public participation.

5.5 The Leader congratulated the Members that had recently been elected to Suffolk County Council and welcomed back Councillor Simon Barrett to Babergh following the Great Cornard by-election.

5.6 Councillor Ward stated that it was good to see the country and district following the roadmap and coming out of restrictions. The Suffolk and North East Essex ICS announced that they had administered their one millionth vaccination and the vaccination programme had seen a drop in infections and hospital admissions which was wonderful news.

5.7 The Leader then announced changes to the Cabinet. Councillor Lee Parker was standing down from Cabinet with Councillor Alastair McCraw taking over his role of Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital Transformation and Improvement. The Leader paid tribute to Councillor Parker and thanked him for all of his hard work.

5.8 Councillor Ward reported that the bid to support rough sleepers across the two districts had been successful. The districts had been awarded £403,154 from the government’s rough sleepers initiative funding for the next financial year. This would go towards shared services with Mid Suffolk.

5.9 The Leader thanked Members for attending workshops over the previous week. There had been so much agreement and commonalty across all groups and the discussions had been really constructive. Any Councillors wishing to submit any further ideas should do so by 26^th May 2021.

5.10 The Chairman thanked the Leader for his report.

To appoint the following Committees and Joint Committees:

·               Babergh Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·               Planning Committee

·               Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee

·               Joint Audit and Standards Committee

·               Joint Appointments Committee

6.1 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Dawson,

It was RESOLVED:-

That the following Committees and Joint Committees be appointed:

·       Babergh Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·       Planning Committee

·       Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee

·       Joint Audit and Standards Committee

·       Joint Appointments Committee

Monitoring Officer

7.1 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Ward,

It was RESOLVED:-

1.1          That the Committees' size and numerical allocation of seats be approved as detailed in Appendix A to the report.

1.2          That Committee members be appointed as set out in Appendix B to the report.

1.3          That the remaining unallocated Committee seat be allocated to Councillor Owen (Labour not grouped).

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Article 6 (6.2.1)) the Leader shall take up Chairmanship of the Cabinet.

To elect a Chair and Vice-Chair for the following Committees and Joint Committees:

·       Babergh Overview and Scrutiny Committee

·       Planning Committee

·       Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee

·       Joint Audit and Standards Committee

·       Joint Appointments Committee

8.1 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor McCraw,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Mary McLaren be elected as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

8.2 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Busby,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Kathryn Grandon be elected as Vice-Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

  8.3 On the proposal of Councillor Busby and seconded by Councillor McCraw, Councillor Stephen Plumb was nominated for the position of Chair of the Planning Committee.

  8.4 On the proposal of Councillor Melanie Barrett and seconded by Councillor Ward, Councillor Peter Beer was nominated for the position of Chair of the Planning Committee.

8.5 The nominations were PUT to the Council for voting.

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Stephen Plumb be elected as Chair of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

8.6 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Malvisi,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Sue Ayres be elected as Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

  8.7 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Plumb, Councillor Margaret Maybury was nominated for the position of Chair of the Licensing and Regulatory Committee.

  8.8 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Carpendale, Councillor Mark Newman was nominated for the position of Chair of the Planning Committee.

8.9 The nominations were PUT to the Council for voting.

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Mark Newman be elected as Chair of the Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

8.10 On the proposal of Councillor Hurren and seconded by Councillor Beer,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Sue Carpendale be elected as Vice-Chair of the Babergh Licensing and Regulatory Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

8.11 On the proposal of Councillor Busby and seconded by Councillor Carpendale,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor Bryn Hurren be elected as Co-Chair of the Joint Audit and Standards Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

8.12 On the proposal of Councillor Arthey and seconded by Councillor Jan Osborne,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillor John Ward be elected as Co-Chair of the Joint Appointments Committee for the municipal year 2021/22.

Leader of the Council

9.1 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Jan Osborne,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillors be appointed to the Outside Bodies detailed in Appendix A below:

The Assistant Director – Law and Governance to report that, in accordance with the joint arrangements established with Mid Suffolk District Council and Ipswich Borough Council, Council is asked to appoint two Cabinet Members and two substitutes to serve on the Committee for the Current municipal year.

The political balance rules do not apply to Babergh’s appointees. 

10.1 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Arthey,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillors Jan Osborne and Alastair McCraw be appointed as Members of the Shared Revenues Partnership Joint Committee and that Councillors John Ward and Derek Davis be appointed as substitute Members for the municipal year 2021/22.

The Assistant Director – Law and Governance to report that, in accordance with the joint arrangements established with Mid Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council, Council is asked to appoint three Councillors to serve on the Board for the current municipal year.

The political balance rules do not apply to Babergh’s appointees who cannot be:

·        The Chairman of the Council

·        Members of the Cabinet

11.1 On the proposal of Councillor Busby and seconded by Councillor Carpendale,

It was RESOLVED: -

That Councillors Bryn Hurren, Adrian Osborne and Kathryn Grandon be appointed as Members of the Suffolk Joint Standards Board for the municipal year 2021/22.

Council is asked to appoint four Councillors to the Joint Gypsy and Traveller Steering Group.

12.1 On the proposal of Councillor Fraser and seconded by Councillor Arthey,

It was RESOLVED:-

That Councillors Sue Ayres, Lee Parker, Jane Gould and Alison Owen be appointed to the Joint Gypsy and Traveller Steering Group for the municipal year 2021/22.

Council is asked to appoint Councillors to the following Working Groups:

·                Community Governance Review Working Group

·                Constitution Working Group

·                Member Learning & Development Working Group

·                Local Plan Working Group

13.1 On the proposal of Councillor Ward and seconded by Councillor Hurren,

It was RESOLVED: -

1.1          That Councillors Zac Norman and Lee Parker be appointed to the Community Governance Review Working Group.

1.2          That Councillors Dave Busby, Stephen Plumb and Elisabeth Malvisi be appointed to the Constitution Working Group.

1.3          That Councillors Sue Carpendale, Adrian Osborne and Derek Davis be appointed to the Member Learning and Development Working Group.

1.4          That Councillors Clive Arthey, Sue Carpendale, Peter Beer, Leigh Jamieson and Dave Busby (Substitute) be appointed to the Local Plan Working Group.

Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee

14.1 Councillor Alastair McCraw introduced the report which followed the same format as the last year.

14.2 Councillor McCraw thanked everybody that had worked with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee over the last four years as it was the first opportunity for Overview and Scrutiny Committee to operate under the Cabinet system. He hoped that a base had been established to provide a balance between the needs of Cabinet, Council and the communities. Members of the Committee had worked hard and had engaged with the Cabinet who had taken on Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations.

14.3 Councillor McCraw stated that being the Chairman had been a privilege. He felt that scrutiny was an essential and productive process and had been left in the capable hands of Councillor McLaren.

14.4 The Chair of the Council praised and thanked Councillor Alastair McCraw in his role as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

14.5 Councillor Clive Arthey expressed gratitude to Councillor Alastair McCraw in his role as Chairman for Overview and Scrutiny and for his feedback of Overview and Scrutiny recommendations and actions to Cabinet and Council.

14.6 Councillor John Ward stated that Overview and Scrutiny has served a useful purpose to Cabinet especially on contentious issues and had highlighted areas that had made Cabinet rethink their stance.

It was RESOLVED:-

That Babergh Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report for 2020/21 be noted.

Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee

15.1 As outgoing Chair, Alastair McCraw invited the incoming Chair Mary McLaren to present the report.

15.2 Councillor McLaren informed Council that several items had been added to the workplan following the meeting on 24th May 2021. This included training for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and for all Councillors to keep up to date with Overview and Scrutiny and its objectives, with additional bespoke training on Overview and Scrutiny skills.

15.3 Pre meetings for Overview and Scrutiny had also been established.

15.4 In response to a question from Councillor Simon Barrett, Councillor McLaren informed Council that ideas and proposals from Members would be looked at in relation to the Work Plan.

It was RESOLVED:-

That Babergh Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s Work Plan for 2021/22 be noted.