Agenda and minutes
PDF 340 KBVenue: The John Meikle Room - The Deane House. View directions
Contact: Clare Rendell Email: c.rendell@somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk
Webcast: View the webcast
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Election of Chair
It is the legal requirement that the first formal business at the Annual Meeting of Council shall be the election of a Councillor to be the Chair of the Council. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey be elected Chair of the Council for the ensuing municipal year. |
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Appointment of Vice Chair
Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Councillor Richard Lees be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council for the ensuing municipal year. |
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Apologies
To receive any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors A Govier, M Kravis, M Lithgow, A Trollope-Bellew and R Tully. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting of Full Council
To approve the minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: (Minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 29 March 2022 circulated with the agenda)
Resolved that the minutes of Full Council held 29 March 2022 be confirmed as a correct record. |
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Declarations of Interest
To receive and note any declarations of disclosable pecuniary or prejudicial or personal interests in respect of any matters included on the agenda for consideration at this meeting.
(The personal interests of Councillors and Clerks of Somerset County Council, Town or Parish Councils and other Local Authorities will automatically be recorded in the minutes.) Additional documents: Minutes: Members present at the meeting declared the following personal interests in their capacity as a Councillor or Clerk of a County, Town or Parish Council or any other Local Authority:-
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Public Participation - To receive only in relation to the business for which the Extraordinary Meeting has been called any questions, statements or petitions from the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rules 14,15 and 16
The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.
For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.
We are now live webcasting most of our committee meetings and you are welcome to view and listen to the discussion. The link to each webcast will be available on the meeting webpage, but you can also access them on the Somerset West and Taunton webcasting website. Additional documents: Minutes: No members of the public had requested to speak on any item on the agenda. |
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To receive any communications or announcements from the Chair of the Council
Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair of the Council highlighted the many celebrations being held across the District for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and urged Councillors to attend some of the events. |
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To receive any communications or announcements from the Leader of the Council
Additional documents: Minutes: The Leader of the Council made the following announcements:- · The Leader thanked Councillor Gwil Wren for all his work over the past three years as Group Leader of the Opposition and welcomed Councillor Loretta Whetlor to the role. · The Leader gave an update on the Executive Members for the new Municipal Year. |
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To receive only in relation to the business for which the Extraordinary Meeting has been called any questions from Councillors in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13
Additional documents: Minutes: No questions were received in relation to Procedure Rule 13. |
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Election of the Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee
The Corporate Scrutiny Chair shall be drawn from among those Councillors proposed to serve on the Corporate Scrutiny Committee who are not from the majority political group and are not Chair of any other Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Councillor Sue Buller be elected as Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing municipal year. |
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Election of the Chair of the Community Scrutiny Committee
The Community Scrutiny Chair shall be drawn from among those Councillors proposed to serve on the Community Scrutiny Committee who are not from the majority political group and are not Chair of any other Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Councillor Libby Lisgo be elected as Chair of the Community Scrutiny Committee for the ensuing municipal year. |
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This matter is the responsibility of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts.
The Council Procedure Rules within the Council’s Constitution require that the following items of business are transacted at the annual meeting of the Council: a) To decide which Committees to establish for the municipal year; b) To decide the size and terms of reference of those Committees; c) To decide the numerical allocation of seats to political groups on Committees in accordance with the political balance rules; d) To make appointments to Committees Additional documents: Minutes: The Group Leaders each gave a verbal update on some amendments they had made to the Committee Compositions.
Resolved that Full Council approved: a) The Committee structure as set out in articles in the Constitution as set out in Appendix A b) The size of each Committee as set out in section 4.3 of this report c) The Terms of Reference of those Committees as set out in Appendix B d) The numerical political allocation as set out in Appendix C e) The Councillor appointments to Committees as set out in Appendix D, as amended. |
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Appointment of Representatives on Outside Bodies
This matter is the responsibility of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts.
This report is to finalise the appointment of representatives to serve on outside bodies for the period to vesting day of the New Council in April 2023. Additional documents: Minutes: The Group Leaders gave a verbal update on some amendments to the list of representatives on the Outside Bodies.
Resolved that Full Council agreed the Appointments of Representatives to Outside Bodies for 2022/2023 (attached as Appendix A, as amended). |
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To authorise the sealing or signing of documents to give effect to any decisions taken
This matter is the responsibility of the Leader of the Council, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts.
To authorise the Common Seal of Somerset West and Taunton Council. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Full Council approved the list of officers delegated to sign and seal Council documents as per the Constitution’s Scheme of Delegation. |
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This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources, Councillor Ross Henley.
This report details the decision taken on 5 May 2022 by the Chief Executive under the urgency rules contained within paragraph 5 of the Budget and Policy Framework within the Council’s Constitution. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors were happy to support the scheme. · Councillors agreed that Central Government needed to do more to help residents with their energy bills. · Councillors requested a summary of the scheme to be able to share with customers. · Councillors thanked the officers for all their hard work.
Resolved that Full Council noted the decision made by the Chief Executive on 5 May 2022 under paragraph 5 of the Budget and Policy Framework within the Council’s Constitution in relation to the use of the £292k funding received from Government. |
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This matter is the responsibility of the Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Simon Coles.
This report seeks authorisation for the District Council as the Local Planning Authority to delegate to the three Parish Councils its powers to determine planning applications for development of the type set out in Paragraph 4.2 of this report. Additional documents: Minutes: During the discussion, the following points were raised:- · Councillors were pleased that the relevant Parish Councils had been granted the delegation powers within the report. · Councillors agreed that it was a good scheme which involved Parish Councils in the Planning process. · Councillors were keen to carry the scheme forward into the New Unitary Council. · Councillors agreed that planning training had helped in local planning decisions. · Councillors highlighted that some Parishes should be added to the scheme.
Resolved that Full Council agreed the formal delegation to the Parish Councils of Wellington, Pitminster and Milverton under S101 of the Local Government Act 1972 and S1 of the Localism Act 2011 to determine specified types of planning application as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report and included in a delegation agreement until 31 March 2023. |
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Temporary Appointment of Members to Town and Parish Councils
This matter is the responsibility of Executive Councillor for Corporate Resources, Councillor Ross Henley.
Ordinary Town and Parish Council Elections were recently conducted in Somerset on 5th May 2022. There are occasions where due to resignations or lack of applications for vacancies at an election, a Parish or Town Council is unable to operate because it is inquorate. Under section 91 of the Local Government Act 1972 the Council has power to make an Order appointing temporary members to a parish council where due to the number of vacancies the council cannot function. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that Full Council approved:- a) Delegated the responsibility for the calling of any additional polls required after a Void Election where a Parish was inquorate to the Chief Executive as Returning Officer in line with the requirements of The Representation of the People Act 1983. b) Delegated the responsibility for making temporary appointments to inquorate Parish and Town Councils along with the making of the necessary Order to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders in line with the procedure set out in Appendix A. c) Approved the amendment of the Constitution to include the recommended delegations above at a) and b) as a function of the Chief Executive at 4.2 on Page 44 of the SWT Constitution under Responsibility for Functions. |