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ITEM CC1

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

MINUTES of the meeting of the County Council held at County Hall on Tuesday 17 May 2005 commencing at 10.00 am and finishing at 12.37 pm

Present:

Councillor MRS CATHERINE FULLJAMES – in the chair

Councillor Shereen Karmali (outgoing Chair) – for agenda item 1 only

Councillors:

The Council considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, together with the following additional documents: Report by the Monitoring Officer on the Constitution (Item CC8(b)) and Report by the Head of Democratic Services on the Political Balance on Committees (Item CC9(c)) and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda, reports and additional documents, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

37/05. ELECTION TO CHAIRMAN FOR THE 2005/06 COUNCIL YEAR

(Agenda Item 1)

Before inviting nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council, Councillor Karmali (the retiring Chair) addressed the meeting, reflecting on her year of office. She expressed her gratitude to her husband and daughter for their support. She also thanked Tim Stimpson, who had been her master of ceremonies on many occasions, and the Chair’s Assistant, Di Chambers, and presented them both with gifts.

The Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Labour Group paid tribute to her. Councillor Karmali then invited nominations for the office of Chairman of the Council.

Councillor Mitchell proposed and Councillor Mrs J Heathcoat seconded Councillor Mrs Fulljames. There being no other nominations, Councillor Mrs Fulljames was declared elected and she made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Councillor Mrs Fulljames then took the chair.

38/05. ELECTION TO VICE-CHAIRMAN FOR THE 2005/06 COUNCIL YEAR

(Agenda Item 2)

The Chairman called for nominations for the office of Vice-Chairman. Councillor Roaf proposed and Councillor Patrick seconded Councillor Legge. There being no other nominations, Councillor Legge was declared appointed and she made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

At 10.33 am the meeting was adjourned until 11.13 am for a photograph of the new Council to be taken.

39/05. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

(Agenda Item 3)

RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 5 April 2005 be approved and signed as a correct record.

On minute 29/05 (Motion from Councillor Margaret Godden), in response to Councillor Simmons’s question, Councillor Mitchell said that the issue would be considered at the next meeting of Council.

40/05. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

(Agenda Item 4)

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bill Bradshaw, Bob Johnston, Terry Joslin and Chip Sherwood.

41/05. OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS

(Agenda Item 6)

The Chairman advised Council of the death of former Councillor Sylvia Tompkins on 15 April 2005. The Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Labour Group and Councillor Simmons on behalf of the Green Group paid tribute to her.

The Chairman also advised Council that Didcot Town Football Club had won the FA Vase on 14 May 2005. She reported that she would send a letter of congratulation to the Club on its achievement.

42/05. RETURNING OFFICER’S REPORT

(Agenda Item 7)

RESOLVED: (on a motion by Councillor Mrs Fulljames and duly seconded) to receive the Returning Officer’s Report (RO) on the election of Councillors on 5 May 2005.

43/05. CONSTITUTION

(Agenda Item 8)

a. Monitoring Officer

Council was advised that Mr C J Impey, the Council’s Assistant Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer, would be retiring in June 2005 and that only Council could appoint a new Monitoring Officer.

It was moved by the Chairman and it was duly seconded and

RESOLVED: to:

1. appoint the Solicitor to the Council as the Council’s Monitoring Officer with immediate effect; and
2. authorise the discharge of the functions of the Assistant Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer listed in the Schedule to Section L of the Constitution by the Head of Democratic Services, save for the following to be discharged by the Solicitor to the Council & Monitoring Officer:

• paragraph (1)B(b): functions of monitoring officer;
• paragraph (1)B(g): notice of reports from Local Ombudsman;
• paragraph (1)B(j): (subject to deletion of the reference to consultation with the Solicitor to the Council) approval of operational policies and procedures.

b. Any Other Changes

44/05. APPOINTMENTS

(Agenda Item 9)

Council considered a report by the Head of Democratic Services (CC9(c)) containing recommendations on the political balance on committees.

RESOLVED:

1. to appoint:-
   
   

1. (on a proposal by Councillor Shouler and seconded by Councillor Mrs J Heathcoat) Councillor Mitchell to the office of Leader of the Council;
2. (on a proposal by Councillor Mitchell and seconded by Councillor Seale) Councillor Robertson to the office of Deputy Leader of the Council;
3. to note that the Liberal Democrat Group had appointed Councillor Roaf as Leader of the Opposition;
   
   
2. (on a motion by Councillor Mitchell and seconded by Councillor Robertson and carried nem con) to agree to appoint 10 members to the Cabinet and to appoint those members set out in the Annex to these minutes;
3. (1) to confirm the political balance on Scrutiny and other Committees shown in Annex 2 to the report;
   
   (2) to appoint councillors and co-opted members to committees as shown in the Annex to these minutes (download as .doc file).

in the Chair

Date of signing 2005

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