MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 18 JULY 2001 COMMENCING AT 10.00 AM
Present :
Mr V J Morey (Chairman), Mr B E Abraham, Mr J R Adams, Mr R R Barry, Mr A C Bartlett, Chevalier Bowker, Mr B C Buckle, Mrs T M Butchers, Mr C B W Chapman, Mrs B D Clough, Mr A C Coburn, Mr M J Cunningham, Mr J Effemey, Mr J H Fleming, Mr E Fox, Mrs D Gardiner, Mr C M Gauntlett, Mr C R Hancock, Mr P G Harris, Mr J F Howe, Miss H L Humby, Mrs M A Jarman, Mr P D Joyce, Mr G S Kendall, Mr D J Knowles, Mrs B Lawson, Mr C H Lillywhite, Mrs M J Lloyd, Mr R G Mazillius, Mr A J Mellor, Mr A J Mundy, Mrs E Oulton, Mr K Pearson, Mr G P Price, Mr H Rees, Mr R C Richards, Mrs S A Smart, Mr I R Stephens, Mr R A Sutton, Mr A A Taylor, Mr A F Tiltman, Mrs J L Wareham, Mrs J White, Mr D G Williams, Mr D T Yates
Apologies :
Mrs B Foster, Mrs M J Miller, Mr M O Morgan Huws
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2001 be confirmed.
19. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
Questions were put to the Chairman as follows :
Mr Ivan Bulwer of 67 Fishbourne Lane, Chairman of Fishbourne Residents' Group in relation to Wightlink Ferries (Ref PQ9/01)
Mr Mike Starke of The Cottage, Town Lane, Chale Green in relation to Executive Arrangements (Ref PQ10/01)
Mrs Sheila White in relation to Sex Abstinence Education (Ref PQ11/01)
Mr John Wortham in relation to the Island First Group (Ref PQ12/01)
A copy of the questions and replies are contained in the Public Questions Register.
20. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
RESOLVED :
THAT the dates for meetings of the Council be as follows :
Monday, 3 September 2001
Wednesday, 17 October 2001
Wednesday, 21 November 2001
Wednesday, 19 December 2001
Wednesday, 23 January 2002
Wednesday, 20 February 2002
Wednesday, 20 March 2002
Wednesday, 17 April 2002 (Annual)
All meetings to commence at 10.00 and to be held at County Hall, Newport.
21. REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN
The Chairman congratulated participants in the Island Games.
The Vice Chairman reported on her recent visit to Ostholstein, Germany, with which the Island is twinned
22. MINUTES OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE
The Minutes of the Standards Committee held on 29 May 2001 were received.
23. EXECUTIVE ARRANGEMENTS
Members received an updated report by the Director of Corporate Services relating to the Council's latest position regarding secondary legislation in connection with the introduction of Executive Arrangements. It was reported that the appropriate Statutory Instrument had come into force on the 10 July 2001 and therefore the need for the interim measure of a Ratification Committee had been removed.
Members were advised that if it was agreed to disband the Ratification Committee, it would slightly alter the political proportionality across all Committees.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the Council operates all aspects of its Constitution with immediate effect and the Ratification Committee be disbanded.
(ii) THAT political proportionality across the Committees (as set out in the appendix to the Director of Corporate Services report) be approved.
(iii) THAT the Chairman of the Ratification Committee be authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting of that committee as a true and correct record.
24. RECOMMENDATION OF THE RATIFICATION COMMITTEE - SENIOR MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
Members considered the 7 recommendations of the Ratification Committee concerning the Senior Management Structure which had arisen from the Executive held on 2 July 2001.
During the debate it was moved and seconded that the public and press be excluded from the meeting.
Prior to the vote being taken on the motion four Members asked for a named vote to be recorded in the Minutes in accordance with Procedure Rule 18(5)
The vote was as follows :
For (27) Councillors Adams, Barry, Bowker, Mrs Butchers, Chapman, Mrs Clough, Fleming, Fox, Hancock, Harris, Howe, Miss Humby, Mrs Jarman, Kendall, Knowles, Mrs Lawson, Mrs Lloyd, Mazillius, Morey, Price, Rees, Richards, Mrs Smart, Stephens, Mrs Wareham, Mrs White, Yates
Against (17) Councillors Bartlett, Buckle, Coburn, Cunningham, Effemy, Mrs Gardiner, Gauntlett, Joyce, Lillywhite, Mellor, Mundy, Mrs Oulton, Pearson, Sutton, Taylor, Tiltman, Williams
RESOLVED :
THAT under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public and press be excluded from the meeting for part of this item, on the grounds that there was likely to be disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 1 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.
The Portfolio Holder for Resources updated members on the latest negotiations relating to the conclusion of the Chief Executive's contract. Members discussed suitable arrangements for negotiations and the role of the Portfolio Holder in those negotiations. The Leader advised Members that an urgent meeting of the Executive would be convened if necessary.
RESOLVED :
THAT the position in respect of the Chief Executive's contract of employment be noted and that the negotiations to determine the contract be delegated to the Portfolio holder for Resources and Resources Select Committee Chairman in consultation with the Personnel Services Manager and reported back to the next appropriate meeting of the Executive for approval.
The public and press were then re-admitted to the meeting.
During the course of the debate several amendments were considered to the recommendations of the Ratification Committee. Following voting on these amendments it was :
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT pending the Chief Executive's absence on leave or until his contract is determined, the Director of Environment Services continue to act as the interim Head of Paid Service.
(ii) THAT following a mutually agreed determination date in respect of the Chief Executive's contract, the Director of Education and Community Development be additionally designated as the Council's Head of Paid Service for a 12 month period; and that he be asked to, in conjunction with the Resources Portfolio Holder, review the management structure and to make recommendations, for the future to the Resources Select Committee in the first instance and then to the Executive Committee.
(iii) THAT the Director of Environment Services be permitted to retire on 30 September 2001 on the terms previously agreed by the full Council.
(iv) THAT a further report be brought back to the Executive prior to 30 September 2001 on proposed managerial arrangements in respect of the Directorates of Environment Services and Executive Services.
(v) THAT no decision on an appointment of a replacement for the Director of Environment Services is made until the review of the Council's organisation structure is completed.
(vi) THAT the Portfolio holder for Resources and Resources Select Committee Chairman, in conjunction with the Personnel Services Manager be authorised to negotiate appropriate terms and conditions for the staff affected and report back to the Executive in due course.
25. EXECUTIVE
(a) Minutes
Members received the Minutes of the Executive and Ratification Committee held on 2 July 2001.
(b) Reports of Portfolio Holders
(i) Leader of the Council
A question was asked orally to the Leader and the appropriate reply was given.
(ii) Education and Lifelong Learning
The Portfolio Holder reported on the latest developments of the schools admissions policy. Members were advised that more information would be available by the end of September 2001.
(iii) Transport
The Portfolio Holder for Transport reported on a range of issues, these included Wightlink Ferries, the renewal of the Bus Subsidy Grant, Fairlee Road traffic works and the future of the Island Railway.
A number of questions were asked orally to the Portfolio Holder and the appropriate replies were given.
(iv) Social Services and Housing
The Portfolio Holder reported on issues surrounding the Social Services and Housing budget.
A question was asked orally to the Portfolio Holder for and the appropriate reply was given.
(v) Tourism and Leisure
The Portfolio Holder reported on a range of issues including the latest figures showing the effect of the Foot and Mouth crisis on the Islands Tourism Industry.
(vi) Economic Development and Regional Issues
The Portfolio Holder reported on issues relating to Regional Development Agencies.
A number of questions were asked orally to the Portfolio Holder and the appropriate replies were given.
(vii) Agenda 21 and Countryside Matters
A number of questions were asked orally to the Portfolio Holder and the appropriate replies were given.
26. REPORTS BY CHAIRMAN OF SELECT COMMITTEES
(a) Economic Development, Planning, Tourism and Leisure Services
The Chairman reported that the Select Committee Away Day was due to be held on 3 August 2001 at the Westridge Centre.
(b) Education, Community Development and Lifelong Learning
The Chairman reported that the Select Committee Away Day had been held on 9 July 2001 at Thompson House.
(c) Environment and Transport
The Chairman reported that the Select Committees Away Day was due to be held on 1 August 2001.
(d) Fire and Public Safety
The Chairman reported that the Select Committee Away Day had been held on 16 July 2001.
(e) Resources
The Chairman reported that the Select Committee Away Day had been held on 11 July 2001 at Ventnor Botanic Gardens.
(f) Social Services, Housing and Benefits
The Chairman reported that the Select Committee Away Day had been held 4 July 2001at Northwood House.
27. MINUTES OF SELECT COMMITTEES
The Minutes of the Social Services, Housing and Benefits Select Committee held on 4 July 2001 were received.
28. MINUTES OF REGULATORY COMMITTEES
The Minutes of the undermentioned Regulatory Committees were received :
Development Control Committee - 3 July 2001
Licensing Committee - 6 July 2001
CHAIRMAN