Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Tumbridge, Cllr Morrisey, Alex Burghart MP, Alderman Keith Brown and Alderwoman Valerie Davis.

The Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and congratulated the newly elected Members Cllrs Haigh, McLaren, Naylor, Nolan and Mrs Tierney and re-elected Members Cllrs Aspinell, Barrett, Cloke, Hirst, Mynott, Parker, Mrs Pound and Ms Sanders.

A minute’s silence was observed in tribute to former Councillor and Council Chairman Peter Adams who had recently passed away.

The Mayor thanked the trustees of the Mayor’s Community Trust Fund and announced that £10,000 had been raised and work was continuing on the grant-making process.

Thanks were also given to Civic Officers and the Mayoress for their support during the past year.

Report to follow.

The Council was required to elect a Mayor from amongst its membership to serve for the Municipal Year 2018/19 and until their successor was entitled to act in that office in accordance with the procedure as set out in Appendix B of the Constitution.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED that Cllr Mrs Sheila Murphy should be designated Mayor and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Mrs Sheila Murphy be installed as Mayor for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

Reason for Recommendation

It is a statutory duty.

Report to follow.

The Council was required to appoint a Deputy Mayor from amongst its

membership to serve for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

The Deputy Mayor was appointed by the Council to continue in office for one

Municipal Year and hold office until immediately after the election of the Mayor at the next Annual Meeting.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay MOVED and Cllr Kerslake SECONDED that Cllr Keith Parker be appointed Deputy Mayor and it was

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that

Cllr Keith Parker be appointed as Deputy Mayor for the Municipal year 2018/19.

Reason for Recommendation

It is a statutory duty.

No declarations of interest were received.

The Chief Executive will report the results of the elections.

The results of the elections were tabled for Members’ information.

The Chief Executive will report receipt of Notices served on him by Members under the provisions of the Local Government (Committee and Political Groups) Regulations 1990.

Report to follow.

The Constitution provided that the Chief Executive Officer would report receipt of Notices served on him by Members under the provisions of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 to the Annual Meeting of the Council.

The CEO, Mr Ruck, advised that he had received Notices from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour Groups indicating that they wished to be treated as political groups on the Council and listing membership of their Group.

Cllr Mrs Murphy MOVED and Cllr Parker SECONDED the recommendation in the report

and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY  that

Annual Council note the Notices of Political Groups served on the Chief Executive.

Reason for Recommendation

To comply with The Local Government (Committees and Political Groups)

Regulations 1990 as amended.

Report to follow.

The Constitution under Council Procedure Rule 2.1 (i) provided that the Annual Meeting of Council would consider the election from its Members a Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council.

The Mayor invited nominations for the election of Leader and Deputy Leader for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

Cllr Kerslake MOVED and Cllr Mrs Slade 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 Mrs Pound 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.

Reason for Recommendations

To comply with Article 4 of the Constitution.

The Leader of the Council will make a statement.

Cllr Mrs McKinlay made her statement during which she gave her personal thanks to officers for their dedication and efficiency in dealing with the difficult budget challenges faced by the authority.  She was also pleased to advise that £100k of additional funding was to be given to Local Highway Panels by ECC which would be match-funded by BBC.

Leaders of the opposition groups, Cllrs Aspinell and Barrett, and independent Member Cllr Keeble responded to the Leader’s statement.

Report to follow.

The Council operated a committee system form of governance and there were a number of statutory provisions relating to committees.

The Constitution provided that the Annual Meeting of Council considered the establishment of committees, their size and terms of reference.  Certain matters were laid down by law and the Council had no discretion in its considerations.

Cllr Mynott made reference to an error on page 28 of the report relating to Corporate Projects and Scrutiny Committee.  This was noted by the clerk and would be amended.

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 UNANIMOUSLY

1.    That the Committees listed in Appendix A be appointed for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

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.

4.    That the Council’s Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any legally necessary changes to the Constitution and those agreed as a result of these decisions.

For clarity, Appendix A is appended to these minutes.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Council operates a committee system form of governance and is required by law to establish certain committees and has discretion to appoint other

committees to facilitate the effective conduct of business under that committee system.

Report to follow.

The Council was required to:

a)    Approve the allocation of seats on Committees;

b)    Receive the nominations from political groups to Committees; and

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.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Council is required to make appointments to those Committees that have

been established by Agenda Item 10 for the effective discharge of its functions.

Report to follow.

The Constitution provided that the Annual Meeting of Council would consider an item of business to agree the date, time and place of Ordinary meetings of Council and its Committees for the coming Municipal Year.

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

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

That the Calendar of Meetings attached as Appendix A for 2018/19 be approved, subject to confirmation on proposed dates from Brentwood County High School.

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

Reasons for Recommendation

The Calendar of Meetings enables effective and efficient decision making

throughout the Municipal Year.

Report to follow.

The Localism Act 2011 required all principal authorities to have

arrangements in place to consider allegations of breaches of the Councillors’

Code of Conduct for that authority and the Code of Conduct for its

associated parish councils and to make decisions on those allegations. In

doing so, an authority must take account of the views of an Independent

Person appointed by the authority under the Localism Act. The report before Members related  to a proposal that Brentwood Borough Council confirmed the appointment of three Independent Persons to comply with the statutory requirements of the Act.

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

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

1.    That Mr John Boylin, Mr Mike Hawkins and Mr Steve Marsh be appointed as the three Independent Persons to comply with the statutory requirements of Section 28(7) of the Localism Act 2011 for a period terminating post the first Council after municipal elections 2020.  

2.    That a Brentwood Borough Council Independent Person be paid an annual allowance of £500 calculated on a pro-rata 12 monthly basis.

Reasons for Recommendation

The key reasons are set out in the body of the report in summary. It is a

statutory requirement on Brentwood Borough Council as a principal Council

to appoint Independent persons for the purpose of the Localism Act.

Report to follow.

The Council operated a Members’ Allowances Scheme which was reviewed

annually by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) who had

reviewed the current scheme and made recommendations for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

The IRP report before Members had recommended an increase to the Mayor’s and Deputy Mayor’s allowance, but no changes to other Members’ allowances for 2018/19.

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

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY

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

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

Reasons for Recommendation

The Local Authorities (members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003

require that before Council can determine its Members Allowances for the

forthcoming Municipal Year, it must consider a report from the Independent

Remuneration Panel.

An item of business may only be considered where the Chair 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.

The meeting ended at 8.15pm

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