MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FULL COUNCIL HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2005 COMMENCING AT 6.00 PM

 

Present :

 

Cllrs John Effemey (Chairman), Barry Abraham, Henry Adams, Wendy Arnold, Anne Bishop, John Bowker, George Brown, Ivan Bulwer, William Burt, George Cameron, Charles Chapman, Vanessa Churchman, Dawn Cousins, Mike Cunningham, Jonathan Fitzgerald-Bond, Barbara Foster, Deborah Gardiner, Charles Hancock, John Hobart, Tim Hunter-Henderson, Heather Humby, Patrick Joyce, Gill Kennett, David Knowles, Geoff Lumley, Roger Mazillius, Muriel Miller, Brian Mosdell, Lora Peacey-Wilcox, Lady Pigot, David Pugh, Susan Scoccia, Ian Stephens, Andy Sutton, Melanie Swan, Ian Ward, Margaret Webster, Alan Wells, Colin West, David Whittaker, David Williams, Jilly Wood

 

Apologies :

 

Cllrs Win McRobert, Erica Oulton, Garry Price, Arthur Taylor, Diana Tuson, Julian Whittaker

_________________________________________________________________________

 

Prior to the start of the meeting the Chairman made tribute to former Councillor Bernard Buckle who had died the previous day.

 

44.             MINUTES

 

RESOLVED :

 

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 October 2005 be confirmed.

 

45.             DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

Councillor Deborah Gardiner declared a personal interest in the Aim High document.

 

46.             PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

 

A public question was received from Mrs J H Rounsevell and independent proprietors. A response was provided by Councillor Ian Ward and Councillor Barry Abraham (PQ 15/05).

 

An oral question was asked by Mr K Pearson regarding personnel issues within the Children’s Services Directorate. The Leader provided a response.

 

47.             CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

 

The Chairman announced that the Full Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday 21 December 2005 was cancelled due to a lack of business.

 

The Chairman thanked those Members who attended the various Royal British Legion Remembrance Sunday Services in November.

 

The Chairman appealed to Members to support the annual coffee morning for his charity, the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, at the dinosaur museum in Sandown.

 

The Chairman announced that the Registry Office at Northwood House was now operational and that there would be an open day on 12 December 2005.

 

The Chairman allowed Councillor David Whittaker special dispensation to appeal to Members, the staff and the public to support the Isle of Wight Crazy Duck Appeal to be held on 18 December 2005. The event would raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, and the new Chemotherapy Suite to be built at St Mary’s Hospital.

 

48.             APPOINTMENTS AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

 

a)                 The Leader introduced Paper B which considered the appointments and terms of reference for the Independent Remuneration panel.

 

Following comments from Members, the Leader proposed that the recommendations set out in the report be agreed. The proposal was seconded and following a vote it was

 

            RESOLVED

           

(i)                  That Professor David Farnham be appointed as Chair to the Independent Remuneration Panel until May 2009 (the life of this Council)

 

(ii)                 That Mr Chris House be appointed as a member of the Panel until May 2009.

 

(iii)               That the Assistant Chief Executive be delegated authority to appoint, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, such other members to the Panel as are required to ensure that is has a total membership of 4.

 

(iv)              That the Terms of Reference for the Panel as attached at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

 

b)                  The Leader introduced the item which considered the appointment of three independent members to the Standards Committee.

 

Following comments from Members, the Leader proposed that Mrs Shirley Dalby, Mr Mark Southwell and Mr Keith Fagan be appointed as independent members to the Standards Committee. The proposal was seconded and following a vote it was

 

RESOLVED

 

THAT Mrs Shirley Dalby, Mr Mark Southwell, and Mr Keith Fagan be appointed as independent members to the Standards Committee.

                       

c)                  The Leader introduced the item which considered the appointment of two independent members to the Scrutiny Committee.

 

Following comments from Members, the Leader proposed that Ms Sue Poston and Mr Anthony Marvin be appointed as independent members to the Scrutiny Committee. The proposal was seconded and following a vote it was

 

RESOLVED

 

THAT Ms Sue Poston and Mr Anthony Marvin be appointed as independent members to the Standards Committee.

 

49.       THE ETHICAL AUDIT – RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

           

The Chairman of the Standards Committee introduced the item.

 

The Leader moved the item requesting Members

 

(i)                 To note the publication of the Ethical Audit report. 

 

(ii)               To commit to continuing to prioritise ethics and probity as the third element of the modernising agenda.

 

(iii)             To commit to challenging and supporting Town and Parish Councils – and to driving up good governance standards including ethics and probity – in formal and informal partnerships; and

 

(iv)              To amend the constitution to add the ability of the Chairman of the Standards Committee to report to full Council at his initiative on ethical/probity issues.

 

The proposal was seconded and following comments from members it was

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)                 That the publication of the Ethical Audit report be noted. 

 

(ii)               That the Council commit to continuing to prioritise ethics and probity as the third element of the modernising agenda

 

(iii)             That the Council commit to challenging and supporting Town and Parish Councils – and to driving up good governance standards including ethics and probity – in formal and informal partnerships; and

 

(iv)              That the constitution be amended to add the ability of the Chairman of the Standards Committee to report to full Council at his initiative on ethical/probity issues.

 

50.             RECOMMENDATION FROM THE POLICY COMMISSION FOR CARE TRUST DELIVERY AND HEALTH SCRUTINY

 

The Leader introduced the item and moved the recommendation to change the name of the Commission from ‘Policy Commission for Care Trust Delivery and Health Scrutiny’ to ‘Policy Commission for Care, Health and Housing’.

 

The purpose of the change was to reflect the wider role of the Commission within other areas of health and social care.  The remit of the Policy Commission would remain unchanged.

 

The proposal was seconded and following a vote it was

 

RESOLVED

 

THAT the name of the Commission be changed from ‘Policy Commission for Care Trust Delivery and Health Scrutiny’ to ‘Policy Commission for Care, Health and Housing’.

 

51.             CABINET

 

a)               RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CABINET – AIM HIGH

 

The Leader proposed that Full Council adopt the Aim High strategy, and Annex 1 as the core of the Corporate Plan for the remainder of 2005-2006 and, following further development and review, as the core of the Corporate Plan for 2006-2009.

 

The proposal was seconded and following a vote it was

 

RESOLVED

 

THAT the Aim High strategy, and Annex 1 (as available on the internet at http://www.iwight.com/aimhigh/aimHighFinalDraft.pdf) be adopted and approved as the core of the Corporate Plan for the remainder of 2005-2006 and, following further development and review, as the core of the Corporate Plan for 2006-2009.

 

b)                   REPORTS OF THE CABINET MEMBERS

 

(i)                 The Leader

 

A written question had been received from Cllr Ian Stephens regarding funding for the delivery of the proposed Community Care Trust. The Leader provided a response (MQ30/05). 

 

A written question had been received from Cllr Charles Hancock regarding personnel issues and staff morale. The Leader provided a response (MQ29/05).

 

The Leader updated Members on work he had carried out during recent weeks including: a meeting he attended with the Deputy Leader with the Governors of Medina High School; a training session on corporate parenting; meetings with Cabinet Members on budget prioritisation issues; viewing the Shorwell Parish Plan; and attending the looked after children awards.

 

The Leader answered questions relating to personnel issues and town and parish councils.

 

(ii)               The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and School Results

 

A written question had been received from Cllr Muriel Miller regarding the Council’s policy on photographs of school children in the media. The Deputy Leader provided a response (MQ27/05). 

 

The Deputy Leader answered questions relating to consultants and personnel issues.

 

(iii)             Cabinet Member for Resources, Auditing and Council Efficiency; Customer Champion

 

No written questions were received.

 

The Cabinet Member provided an update report for members.

 

The Cabinet Member answered questions relating to budget and Council policy on invoices.

 

(iv)              Cabinet Member for Safer Communities

 

A written question was received from Councillor Heather Humby regarding the size of the Police Force and its call centre. The Cabinet Member provided a response (MQ28/05). 

 

The Cabinet Member provided an update report for Members and announced that an interim Director of Safer Communities had been appointed.

 

(v)                Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Planning

 

A written question was received from Councillor Ian Stephens regarding parking meters. The Cabinet Member provided a response (MQ31/05). 

 

The Cabinet Member provided Members with a written report.

 

(vi)              Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure

 

The Cabinet Member provided Members with a written report.

 

(vii)            Cabinet Member for Care, Health and Housing

 

A written question was received from Councillor Ian Stephens regarding budget savings in Adult and Community Services. The Cabinet Member provided a response (MQ32/05).

 

The Cabinet Member announced the recent appointment of an interim Director for Adult and Community Services, and reported that an update on the Health Care Trust would go to Cabinet on 13 December 2005.

 

The meeting closed at 9.00 pm.

 

 

CHAIRMAN