Agenda and draft minutes

To elect the Chairman of Council for 2024/25.

Newly elected Chairman to present the Past Chairman’s Badge.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr A Canning that Cllr S Jones be elected Chairman of the Council for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

There were no other valid nominations received.

Decision

That Cllr S Jones be elected as Chairman of the Council for 2024/25 Municipal Year.

To elect the Vice-chairman of Council for 2024/25.

It was proposed by Cllr C Sutton and seconded by Cllr N Ireland that Cllr L Fry be elected Vice-Chairman for 2024/25.

It was proposed by Cllr L O’Leary and seconded by Cllr A Parry that Cllr K Wheller be elected Vice-Chairman for 2024/25.

Decision

That Cllr Les Fry be elected as Vice-Chairman of the Council for 2024/25 Municipal Year.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs J Haynes, J Orrell and K Wheller.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024 were confirmed and signed.

To disclose any pecuniary, other registrable or non-registrable interests as set out in the adopted Code of Conduct.  In making their decision councillors are asked to state the agenda item, the nature of the interest and any action they propose to take as part of their declaration.

If required, further advice should be sought from the Monitoring Officer in advance of the meeting.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman of Council.

There were no announcements.

To elect the Leader of Council for 2024/25.

It was proposed by Cllr A Canning and seconded by Cllr R Legg that Cllr N Ireland be elected Leader of the Council for 2024/25.

Decision

That Cllr N Ireland be elected as Leader of the Council

The Leader of Council to report the appointment of the Deputy Leader, Cabinet membership/Portfolio Holders and Lead Members.

The Leader of the Council announced the following appointments:

Deputy Leader – Cllr R Biggs

Portfolio Holder(s):

Property & Assets, Economic Growth & Levelling Up – Cllr R Biggs

Finance & Capital Strategy – Cllr S Clifford

Corporate Development, Transformation, Digital & Change – Cllr R Holloway

Place Commissioned Services (Highways, Waste, Travel, Leisure etc.) – Cllr J Andrews

Children’s Services, Education & Skills – Cllr C Sutton

Adult Social Care – Cllr S Robinson

Public Health, Environmental Health, Housing, Community Safety and Regulatory Services – Cllr G Taylor

Planning and Emergency Planning – Cllr S Bartlett

Customer, Culture and Community Engagement – Cllr R Hope

To receive any announcements and reports from the Leader of Council and members of the Cabinet.

The Leader of the Council welcomed all members to the chamber and congratulated them on their election or re-election. He also thanked Members who had served on Dorset Council for the past five years, including those who had stood down or not re-elected. He advised that he would be launching a review into a number of key issues that had been raised by residents prior to the local elections taking place, details included:

• Car parking charges
• Bus services
• Cost of living crisis

Further to the points raised above, he advised that there were longer-term ambitions to increase the building of affordable housing to buy and rent, but this would need work to understand any associated implications. In addition to this, he referred to the previously declared climate emergency and highlighted his hopes that Councillors could continue working together collaboratively when making decisions to positively contribute to the residents of Dorset.

In response, Cllr P Kimber thanked the Leader for his introductory speech and welcomed his commitment to the environment, he queried how Dorset Council would prioritise the safeguarding of nature. Cllr Ireland advised that he would be bringing forward a motion the next meeting of Council that would declare a nature emergency.

A period of 30 minutes is allocated to receive and respond to questions and statements on the business of the Council in the following order:

(a) Questions and statements from Town and Parish Councils;

(b) Questions and statements from those living or working in the Dorset Council area;

A person or organisation can submit either 1 question or 1 statement at each meeting. 

You are welcome to attend the meeting in person or via MS Teams to read out your question and to receive the response.  If you submit a statement for Full Council this will be circulated to all members of the council in advance of the meeting as a supplement to the agenda and appended to the minutes of the meeting for the formal record but it will not be read out at the meeting.  The first 8 questions and the first 8 statements received by Democratic Services will be accepted on a first come first served basis in accordance with the deadline below:  

The full text of the question or statement must be received by 8.30am on Monday 13 May 2024. All submissions must be emailed to susan.dallison@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk 

When submitting your question please note that:

Sub-divided questions will not be accepted;

Each question can consist of up to 450 words, including a pre-amble to set the context of the question;

Please indication who the question is for, i.e., the name of the Portfolio Holder;

You will need to include your full name, address and contact details;

All questions and statements will be published in full with the minutes of the meeting as a matter of public record.

There were five questions received from members of the public and these are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

A period of 15 minutes is allocated to receive and respond to petitions in accordance with the council’s petitions scheme.

A period of 15 minutes is allocated to receive and respond to deputations in accordance with the council’s constitution.

The petitions scheme and procedures relating to deputations can be viewed at:

Council Procedure Rules

No petitions or deputations were received from members of the public.

To receive questions submitted by councillors.  The deadline for receipt of questions is 8.30am on Monday 13 May 2024.

There were two Cllr questions, as appended to these minutes at Appendix B.

To consider a report by the Team Leader, Democratic Services.

The Director of Legal and Democratic presented a report setting out the proposed allocation of committee seats in line with political balance rules and, in accordance with the Council’s constitution, to make appointments to committees, joint panels and boards.  The report also included an appendix that set out the proposed Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of ordinary committees for the forthcoming year, which set out two committees whereby the position of Vice-Chair would be contested.

Contested positions

Vice-Chair – People & Health Overview Committee

It was proposed by Cllr C Sutton and Seconded by Cllr B Bawden that Cllr J Orrell be nominated as Vice-Chair for People & Health Overview Committee.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr A Canning that Cllr W Chakawata be elected as Vice Chair for People & Health Overview Committee.

Upon being put to the vote, Cllr Chakawata was duly elected as Vice Chair of the People & Health Overview Committee.

Vice-Chair – Licensing Committee

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr A Canning that Cllr L Bown be nominated as Vice-Chair for Licensing Committee.

It was proposed by Cllr R Hughes and seconded by Cllr P Roper that Cllr L Fry be nominated as Vice-Chair for Licensing Committee.

Upon being put to the vote, Cllr Bown was duly elected as Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee.

Decision

1. That the allocation of committee seats in accordance with political balance rules, and the appointments to ordinary committees, joint panels, and boards, as nominated by the Political Group Leaders, be approved for 2024/25 as set out in Appendices 1, 2 & 3 respectively;
2. That delegated authority be given to the Director of Legal & Democratic, in consultation with the appropriate Political Group Leader, to make in-year changes to appointments;
3. That Chairs and Vice-Chairs of committees be elected for the 2024/25 municipal year as set out in Appendix 4 and per the results of the contested votes.

To consider a report by the Senior Democratic Services Officer.

The Director of Legal and Democratic presented a report setting out the proposed appointments to Outside Bodies, Joint Bodies and Panels.

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by A Canning

Decision

1. That the appointment of councillors to national and significant bodies in Appendix 1 be approved.
2. That delegated authority be granted to the Monitoring Officer, after consultation with Group Leaders, to make appointments and fill vacancies where appropriate.
3. That the appointment of councillors to local member positions in Appendix 3 be approved.

To consider a report by the Director of Legal & Democratic.

The Leader of the Council presented a report setting out a proposal to grant a series of standing dispensations to enable members to take part in certain types of decision, where their participation might otherwise be questioned as a possible breach of the Council’s Member Code of Conduct

It was proposed by Cllr N Ireland and seconded by Cllr A Canning

Decision

That the following dispensations be granted until the ordinary date of elections in May 2029:

1. To all members: to take part in agreeing the budget and the setting of council tax but not where the interest is as the owner of an additional property and the decision to be made relates to any council tax premium on dwellings occupied periodically (second homes).
2. To all members: to approve the Member Scheme of Allowances.
3. To all members appointed to represent the Council on outside bodies: to remain and to participate in any debate and decision in any council meeting and to deal with any matter as a Cabinet Member exercising executive functions, including individual executive delegated decision making.
4. To executive members appointed to the Shareholder Committees of Care Dorset and the Dorset Centre of Excellence: to remain and to participate in any debate and decision in any council meeting and to deal with any matter as a Cabinet Member exercising executive functions, including individual executive delegated decision making.
5. To any members appointed to the Board of Homes Dorset: To remain and to participate in any debate and decision in any council meeting and to deal with any matter as a Cabinet Member exercising executive functions, including individual executive delegated decision making.

6.    To any members or reserve members appointed to the South West Audit Partnership Ltd Owners Board: To remain and to participate in any debate and decision in any council meeting and to deal with any matter as a Cabinet Member exercising executive functions, including individual executive delegated decision making.

To consider a recommendation from the Audit & Governance Committee.

The Deputy Leader of the Council presented a report setting out the recommendation from the Audit and Governance Committee, which met on 15 April 2024 to consider the publication of Guidance to Councillors about the Council’s Sexual Harassment Policy.

It was proposed by Cllr R Biggs and seconded by Cllr N Lacey-Clark

Decision

That Full Council endorses the publication of Guidance to Councillors about the Council’s Sexual Harassment Policy.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no urgent items.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There is no exempt business scheduled for this meeting.

There was no exempt business