Agenda and minutes

Prior to the formal opening of the meeting, James Saunders Watson (Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire) addressed the meeting and offered the Council his sincere best wishes for the future.

To elect the Chair of the Council until the Annual Meeting on 25^th May 2022.

Nominations were sought for the position of Chair of North Northamptonshire Council for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

The nomination of Councillor Paul Bell was duly MOVED by Councillor David Brackenbury and SECONDED by Councillor Andy Mercer. There were no further nominations.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            Councillor Paul Bell be elected as Chair of North Northamptonshire Council for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

To appoint the Vice Chair of the Council until the Annual Meeting on 25^th May 2022.

Nominations were sought for the position of Vice Chair of North Northamptonshire Council for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

The nomination of Councillor Larry Henson was duly MOVED by Councillor Scott Edwards and SECONDED by Councillor Russell Roberts. There were no further nominations.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            Councillor Larry Henson be appointed as Vice Chair of North Northamptonshire Council for the Municipal Year 2021/2022.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Martin Griffiths, Jan O’Hara and Tom Partridge-Underwood.

Members to declare any interest as appropriate in respect of items to be considered at the meeting.

Members were requested to declare whether they had any personal or pecuniary interest in any item to be considered by the meeting. No declarations of interest were made.

There were no Chair’s Announcements on this occasion.

Annual Council received a report detailing the leadership appointments made by the recognised political groups following the elections held on 6^th May 2021.

Councillor Jason Smithers – Leader of the Conservative Group

Councillor Helen Howell – Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group

Councillor Jean Addison – Leader of the Labour Group

Councillor John McGhee – Deputy Leader of the Labour Group

Councillor Emily Fedorowycz – Leader of the Green Alliance Group

Councillor Dez Dell – Deputy Leader of the Green Alliance Group

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            The leadership arrangements of the Conservative Group, the Labour Group and the Green Alliance Group for 2021/2022 as detailed within the report be noted.

To elect the Leader of the Council for a four year period until the Annual Meeting to be scheduled in May 2025.

Notification by the Leader of the appointment to the Executive

The Council is requested to note the appointment of the Deputy Leader as may be announced by the Leader.

The Council is requested to note the appointment of members of Executive and Executive Portfolios as may be announced by the Leader.

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

Nominations were sought for the position of Leader of North Northamptonshire Council for the period up to the Annual meeting of Council in May 2025.

The nomination of Councillor Jason Smithers was duly MOVED by Councillor Lee Wilkes and SECONDED by Councillor Helen Harrison. There were no further nominations.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            Councillor Jason Smithers be elected as Leader of North Northamptonshire Council for the period up to the Annual meeting of Council in May 2025.

The Leader addressed Council. In doing so, the Leader outlined some of the key challenges and objectives facing the Council over the coming years.

In addition, the Leader informed Council of the composition of his Executive and the specific portfolios allocated. These were –

Councillor Jean Addison (Leader of the Labour Group) and Councillor Emily Fedorowycz (Leader of the Green Alliance Group) also addressed Council.

To consider and determine the allocation of seats to Committees in accordance with political balance rules set out in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989

Following the election on 6^th May 2021, 78 Members were elected to North Northamptonshire Council. The report set out the political balance of the Council. These were 60 Conservative Party, 14 Labour Party, 3 Green Party and 1 Independent.

Since the election it had been confirmed that the Green Members and the Independent Member had agreed to work within a “Green Alliance Group”. This was reflected in the proposals being considered by Council.

The report before Council confirmed the methodology applied to determine the political balance of the Authority. The report also included proposals for the apportionment of seats, following consultation with the recognised political groups, in accordance with the application of the calculations.

Nominations had been sought for both the committee seats allocated and for the relevant positions of Chair and Vice Chair where appropriate. These nominations had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.

The Monitoring Officer informed Council of amendments to nominations received from the Conservative Group since the agenda papers were circulated. These were noted.

These included –

·         Chair of Kettering Area Planning Committee – the nomination of Councillor Dearing as Chair be withdrawn, and the nomination of Councillor Mark Rowley submitted.

·         Education, Skills and Employment Executive Advisory Panel membership – the nomination of Councillor Anup Pandey be withdrawn, and the nomination of Councillor Lee Wilkes be submitted.

·         Employment Committee membership – the nomination pf Councillor Lee Wilkes be withdrawn, and the nomination of Councillor Anup Pandey be submitted.

·         Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) – the additional nomination of Councillor Anup Pandey was submitted.

During debate, an amendment to the proposed recommendations contained in the report was duly MOVED by Councillor Jim Hakewill and SECONDED by Councillor Valerie Anslow. The amendment read “That the position of Vice Chair of the Finance and Resources Scrutiny Committee be offered to the opposition groups”.

Under paragraph 20.3 of the approved Meeting Procedure Rules a recorded vote on the amendment was agreed.

Those FOR the amendment moved by Councillor Hakewill – Councillors Addison, Anslow, Armour, S Brown, Lyn Buckingham, Leanne Buckingham, Colquhoun, Dalziel, Dell, Fedorowycz, Hakewill, Keane, Lee, McEwan, J McGhee, Z McGhee, Pengelly, Rielly & Tubbs.

Those AGAINST the amendment moved by Councillor Hakewill – Councillors Allebone, Binley, D Brackenbury, W Brackenbury, C Brown, Bunday, Carr, Carter, Currall, de Capell Brooke, Dearing, Edwards, Ekins, Hallam, Harrington, H Harrison, K Harrison, L Henson, H Howell, D Howes, P Irwin, B Jackson, I Jelley, B Jenney, D Jenney, Lawal, G Lawman, L Lawman, Levell, Marks, Maxwell, A Mercer, G Mercer, Nichol, North, Pandey, Pentland, Powell, Prentice, Roberts, Rowley, Shacklock, Sims, Smithers, Smith-Haynes, Smyth, Tebbutt, Thurland, Tye, Ward, Waters, Watt, Wetherill & Wilkes.

Those who ABSTAINED on the amendment – Councillor Bell.

The Chair confirmed that the amendment had fallen.

During debate, an amendment to the proposed recommendations contained in the report was duly MOVED by Councillor John McGhee and SECONDED by Councillor Jean Addison. The amendment read “That the position of Chair and Vice Chair of the Corby Area  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/8

To seek the confirmation of Council of the Calendar of Meetings for 2021/2022

Council received a report which included a draft calendar of meetings for the Municipal Year 2021/2022. Council were being requested to approve the draft calendar set out in Appendix A.

The recommendation contained in the report was duly MOVED by Councillor Barbara Jenney and SECONDED by Councillor Wendy Brackenbury.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            The calendar of meetings 2021/2022 (as set out in Appendix A) be approved.

To receive an update on amendments made to the Constitution since approval by the Shadow Authority and approve proposed amendments as detailed within the report.

The report before Council detailed amendments made to the Constitution under delegated authority by the Monitoring Officer since the Constitutions adoption. It contained further proposals where Council’s agreement was required.

Amendments made by the Monitoring Officer under delegated authority were detailed in the report and included addition of the Director of Public Health to the Areas of Responsibility section of the Scheme of Delegation, and amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules.

There had been some legislative changes since the Constitution’s adoption, and these were reflected in the current version. This included the cessation of the Interim Arrangements from 10^th May 2021 included in the original version of the Constitution.

Further amendments being proposed in the report for Council’s agreement fell into two categories: -

Joint Arrangement Agreements

Agreements had been inherited or developed which set out shared arrangements which required delegations under s.101 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

(i)         LGSS Partnership

Northamptonshire County Council entered into a revised agreement shortly before Vesting Day which abolished the previous Joint Committee and put in place partnership arrangements. The agreement revised the delegations required by partner authorities to enable them to act on the councils’ behalf.

These partnerships required constitutional changes to enable delegations to be in place. These delegations were not recorded in the Northamptonshire County Council Constitution at the time the North Northamptonshire Council Constitution was drafted and were therefore not incorporated. Delegations needed to be included within this council’s Constitution to give effect to this agreement.

(ii)        West Northamptonshire Council

The Council had agreed the Inter Authority Agreements through the Shadow Executive in March 2021, however some of the arrangements for the delivery of services, in particular those relating to highways, required delegation to be included within the Constitution; these had been agreed by the Executive but required non-Executive approval.

Delegated authority was therefore being requested by the Monitoring Officer to draft delegations to senior officers to give effect to the existing agreements with LGSS and West Northamptonshire Council as necessary and ensure that appropriate authority allowed officers to act in an effective way.

Delegated Powers to the Monitoring Officer

(i)         Sealing of Contracts

The Constitution included a power to enable the Monitoring Officer to seal contracts more than £1 million but land deeds required sealing and there was no separate specific power for the Monitoring Officer to attest deeds for land and property.

The proposed delegation was – “To attest the seal of the Council (and to authorise any other Solicitor of the Council to attest the seal) and hold a book kept for the purpose that contains a consecutively numbered entry of every sealing initialled by the person who has attested the seal”.

(ii)        Inquorate Councils

Council noted that parish councils who have insufficient Members were unable to meet. The Council had a power to appoint Members to a parish council on a temporary basis in order that those councils could conduct lawful quorate meetings. The power was contained within s.91 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item C/10

To consider appointments to outside bodies and working groups and approve an approach to making appointments in the future.

The report before Council sought approval of appointments to key strategic outside bodies and sought approval of a review into all other outside bodies requiring Council appointment.

The key appointments being sought by Annual Council (as detailed in Appendix A) were for –

Local Government Association General Assembly (LGA Representatives)

The Leader of the Council and three other Executive members to be appointed by the Leader.

East Midlands Councils (Executive Board Representative)

The Leader of the Council.

The recommendations contained in the report were duly MOVED by Councillor Macaulay Nichol and SECONDED by Councillor Graham Lawman.

RESOLVED that: -

(i)            Appointments to outside bodies as detailed in Appendix A be approved; and

(ii)           That it be noted a review will be undertaken as detailed in paragraph 5.4 and would be considered by Council at its next meeting.

The Chair informed Council there was no urgent business on this occasion.

Meeting closed at 8:45pm.