Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year. (Following the election the formal Declaration of Acceptance of Office will be read and signed.)

Councillor Ric Pallister, seconded by Councillor Jo Roundell Greene, nominated Councillor Mike Best as Chairman of the Council.

Councillor Martin Wale, seconded by Councillor Colin Winder, nominated Councillor Linda Vijeh as Chairman of the Council.

A vote was taken and Councillor Mike Best was declared elected as Chairman of the Council (voting: Mike Best: 31, Linda Vijeh: 28).  It was therefore:

Following his appointment Councillor Best read and signed the formal declaration of acceptance of office, and thanked Members for their support.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year. (Following the appointment the Vice-Chairman will read and sign the formal Declaration of Acceptance of Office.)

Councillor Tim Inglefield, seconded by Councillor Sue Osborne, nominated Councillor Linda Vijeh as Vice Chairman of the Council.

Councillor Dave Bulmer, seconded by Councillor Peter Gubbins, nominated Councillor Tony Capozzoli as Vice Chairman of the Council.

A vote was taken and Councillor Tony Capozzoli was declared elected as Vice Chairman of the Council (voting: Tony Capozzoli: 31, Linda Vijeh: 26).  It was therefore:

Following his appointment Councillor Capozzoli read and signed the formal declaration of acceptance of office.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor William Wallace and Mark Williams, Chief Executive. 

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, 5^th March 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 5^th March 2015, copies of which had been previously circulated, were approved as a correct record of the meeting and signed by the Chairman.

In accordance with the Council's current Code of Conduct (adopted July 2012), which includes all the provisions relating to Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI), personal and prejudicial interests, Members are asked to declare any DPI and also any personal interests (and whether or not such personal interests are also "prejudicial") in relation to any matter on the Agenda for this meeting.  A DPI is defined in The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 (SI 2012 No. 1464) and Appendix 3 of the Council’s Code of Conduct.  A personal interest is defined in paragraph 2.8 of the Code and a prejudicial interest is defined in paragraph 2.9.

Members are reminded that they need to declare the fact that they are also a member of a County, Town or Parish Council as a Personal Interest.  As a result of the change made to the Code of Conduct by this Council at its meeting on 15th May 2014, where you are also a member of Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council within South Somerset you must declare a prejudicial interest in any business on the agenda where there is a financial benefit or gain or advantage to Somerset County Council and/or a Town or Parish Council which would be at the cost or to the financial disadvantage of South Somerset District Council.  If you have a prejudicial interest you must comply with paragraphs 2.9(b) and 2.9(c) of the Code.

Councillor Colin Winder advised that as a member of Wincanton Town Council, he was an appointed Trustee of Access for All, which was mentioned in the appointments to outside bodies in Agenda item 8. 

There were no questions from members of the public present.

The Chairman paid tribute to the District Councillors who had not sought re-election to a further term of office and he thanked them for their past service to the district.

The Chairman then asked Members to stand for a moment of reflection for staff member, David Rice, whose funeral had taken place that day.  He asked that ex Councillors June Wood (Alderman) and Lesley Boucher (SSDC representative on the Board of Governors for Yeovil District Hospital) also be remembered as they had recently passed away.  Council then stood for a moment of reflection.

The list of Chairman’s Engagements was noted.

The Chairman explained the procedure to be followed on this item. He said thathe intended to take each of the recommendations in turn.  Each of the Area Committees appointed their own chairmen and vice-chairmen and he would adjourn the Council meeting to allow the committees to meet and make these appointments. 

Each of the recommendations was taken in turn.

Recommendation (1) - Appointment of Leader of the Council

Councillor Ric Pallister was proposed by Councillor David Recardo and seconded by Councillor Jo Roundell Greene.  There being no other nominations it was:

Recommendation (2) - Appointment of Deputy Leader of the Council

Councillor Ric Pallister appointed Councillor Jo Roundell Greene as Deputy Leader of the Council   It was therefore:

Recommendation (3) - Appointment of District Executive Committee

The Leader of the Council moved the recommendation that the District Executive Committee be re-established.  It was therefore:

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

Recommendation (4) - Appointment of membership of District Executive Committee

The Leader then appointed a further four strategic Portfolio Holders and allocated their Portfolio responsibilities as indicated.

It was noted that the four Area Committee Chairmen would be appointed by the members of each Area Committee at recommendation 7.

Recommendation (5) – Re-establishment and Appointment other member level bodies  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Councillor Ric Pallister, as Leader of Council, advised that the report sought to open discussion with the Leaders of the Conservative and Independent groups to uncouple the contractural arrangement of shared Chief Executive with East Devon District Council (EDDC).  The financial details proposed in the recommendation would only be required if the arrangement ceased on 1^st June 2015 although he anticipated that the discussions would take some time.  He proposed that recommendations 1 and 2 be amended to reflect that the Council was entering into discussion with EDDC and he said the conclusion of the discussions would be presented to Council together with a proposed reduced senior management team. 

During discussion, varying views were expressed.  Some Members felt that insufficient information had been provided on which to make a decision, particularly for new Members.  It was also proposed that the process be subject to scrutiny. 

Councillor Pallister advised that the discussions with the Group Leaders may conclude that no change was needed and he pointed out that the conclusion of the discussions would be reported to Council.  In response to a question, he confirmed that it was intended the outcome of the discussions would be cost-neutral to SSDC with a re-aligned management structure.

At the conclusion of the debate both the Leader and Conservative Group Leader expressed their wish to work together on the issue.  The amended recommendations were put to the vote and it was:- 

(Voting: 42 in favour, 3 against, 12 abstentions)

The Assistant Director (Legal and Corporate Services) advised that following an inspection by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners in October 2014, the SSDC Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) policy had been commended as comprehensive with good training in place and as recommended, it now contained a new section on use of social media.  He drew Members attention to the two instances where SSDC had used their RIPA powers in the past 8 years and the requirement for authorisation from the Magistrates Court since 2012. 

There was no debate and Members were pleased to confirm the revised Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Policy and Procedures as attached at Appendix 2 to the Agenda report. 

(Voting: unanimous in favour)

The Leader of Council introduced the item and invited questions from Members.

In response to a question, the Assistant Director (Finance and Corporate Services) confirmed that the loan to the Somerset Waste Partnership to purchase new vehicles had reduced as the Partnership were renting or hiring vehicles before deciding which was the best option to purchase.  Also, funding had been forthcoming from Taunton Deane BC which had reduced the SSDC contribution.

The report of Executive Decisions was noted.

Councillor Derek Yeomans, Chairman of the Audit Committee, introduced the report and invited questions from Members

There were no questions and the report of the Audit Committee was noted.

Councillor Sue Steele, Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report and in response to a question, confirmed that lessons could be learned from the length of time it took to secure full funding for the building of the Ninesprings Café, and education and information centre.   

The report of the Scrutiny Committee was noted.

There were no Motions submitted by Members.

There were no Motions submitted by Members.

No questions were submitted by Members under Procedure Rule 10.

There were no questions submitted under Procedure Rule 10.

Members noted that the next scheduled meeting of the Full Council would take place on Thursday, 16^th July 2015 in the Council Chamber, Brympton Way, Yeovil commencing at 7.30 p.m.