Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Chilvers, Mrs Davies and Wiles, also from the Rt Hon Sir Eric Pickles MP.

The Mayor congratulated Cllrs Aspinell, Kendall and Mrs McKinlay on their election as Essex County Councillors and recounted some of the highlights of her Mayoral year.

The Mayor was delighted to advise that she had raised £21,500 for her chosen charities during the year and presented cheques to representatives of Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary, Georgia’s Teenage Cancer Appeal, Christy Hall Charitable Trust and SNAP.

Report to follow.

Annual Council elected a Mayor to serve for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED that Cllr Will Russell should be Mayor and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Russell be installed as Mayor for the Municipal Year 2017/18.

Report to follow.

Annual Council appointed a Deputy Mayor to serve for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED that Cllr Mrs Sheila Murphy be appointed Deputy Mayor and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Mrs Murphy be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the Municipal year 2017/18.

No declarations of interest were received.

Report to follow.

Annual Council designated a Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council.

The Constitution stated that it was the function of the Council to elect from its Members a Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council.

Cllr Kerslake MOVED and Cllr Mrs Pound SECONDED that Cllr Mrs McKinlay be designated as Leader of the Council and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Mrs McKinlay be designated Leader of the Council.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Hossack SECONDED that Cllr Kerslake be designated Deputy Leader of the Council and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Kerslake be designated Deputy Leader of the Council.

The Leader of the Council will make a statement in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 6.

Members were advised that due to the meeting taking place in the pre-election period for the General Election on 8 June 2017, the Leader’s statement would be deferred to the first Ordinary Council meeting of the Municipal Year.

Report to follow.

The Council was requested to formally establish those committees it considered necessary to fulfil its functions in the ensuing municipal year, in accordance with the requirements of both legislation and the Council’s Constitution.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendations in the report.

Cllr Mynott MOVED and Cllr Aspinell SECONDED an AMENDMENT to the Terms of Reference for the Corporate Projects Scrutiny Committee, proposing that 3) should read:  To establish working groups (in line with agreed protocols) to include undertaking the major Corporate projects work programme, including setting their terms of reference, the reporting arrangements, and to co-ordinate and review the work of the working groups.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay ACCEPTED the AMENDMENT and following a discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

1.    That the Committees listed in Appendix A be appointed for the Municipal Year 2017/18.

2.    That the size of the Committees listed in Appendix A be agreed.

3.    That the Terms of Reference of the Committees listed in Appendix A   be agreed, subject to the amendment detailed above.

4.    That the Council’s Monitoring Officer be authorised to make the necessary changes to the Constitution.

 For clarity, Appendix A is attached to these minutes.

Report to follow.

The Council was required to make appointments to those Committees that were established by Agenda Item 8 for the effective discharge of its functions.

Members were asked to:

a)    Approve the allocation of seats on Committees

b)    Receive the nominations from political groups to Committees

c)    Appoint Chairs and Vice-chairs of Committees

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendations in the report and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

1.    That the allocation of seats as set out in Appendix A  be approved;

2.    That the nominations from the political groups to Committees as set out in Appendix B be approved;

3.    That the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees as set out in Appendix C be appointed.

For clarity, Appendix A including Appendices B and C are appended to these minutes.

Report to follow.

The Council operated a members’ Allowances Scheme which was reviewed annually by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP).The IRP had reviewed the current scheme and had made recommendations for the 2017/18 municipal year.  Their report was before Members.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendations in the report and following a discussion a vote was taken on a show of hands and it was

RESOLVED

1.    That the report of the Independent Remuneration Panel at Appendix A be noted.

2.    That the Members’ Allowances at Appendix B be agreed.

Report to follow.

The Constitution under Council Procedure Rule 2.1(r) provided that the Annual Council meeting of the Council would consider an item of business to agree the date, time and place of ordinary meetings of the Council and its committees for the coming Municipal Year.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED the recommendation in the report and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

That the Calendar of meetings attached as Appendix A for 2017/18 be approved.

For clarity the Calendar of Meetings is appended to these minutes.

An item of business may only be considered where the Mayor is of the opinion that, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the item should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business.

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The meeting ended at 20.00hrs