Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors H Allen, J Bagwell, B Castle, M Earl, A Filer, P Hilliard, P Miles and L Northover.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were received on this occasion.

Councillors are asked to nominate and elect the Chair of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting.

Councillor Simon Bull took the Chair for this item.

The following nomination was received:

·      Councillor Lesley Dedman – proposed by Councillor Andy Martin and seconded by Councillor Sandra Moore.

The proposer and seconder outlined the reasons for the nomination and the nominee’s ability to fulfil the role.

RESOLVED that Councillor Lesley Dedman was elected Chair of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting in 2024.

Councillor Dedman signed and made the declaration of acceptance of office.

“I Councillor Lesley Dedman having been elected to the office of Vice-Chairman of BCP Council declare that I take the office upon myself and will duly and faithfully fulfil the duties of it according to the best of my judgement and ability”.

Councillor Dedman thanked Councillors for re-electing her as Chairman of the Council and for the support she had received over the last year from the Civic Team and the Vice-Chair.

Councillors are asked to nominate and elect the Vice-Chair of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting.

The following nomination was received:

• Councillor Simon Bull – proposed by Councillor Andrew Keddie and seconded by Councillor Tony Trent.

The proposer and seconder outlined the reasons for the nomination and the nominee’s ability to fulfil the role.

RESOLVED that Councillor Simon Bull was elected Vice-Chair of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting in 2024.

Councillor Bull signed and made the declaration of acceptance of office.

“I Councillor Simon Bull having been elected to the office of Vice-Chairman of BCP Council declare that I take the office upon myself and will duly and faithfully fulfil the duties of it according to the best of my judgement and ability”.

Councillor Bull thanked Councillors for re-electing him as Vice-Chairman of the Council and for the support from the Civic Team over the previous year.

The Council is asked to consider and approve the review of the political balance of the Council, the allocation of seats on Committees to each political group, the appointment of Councillors on Committees and appointments to outside bodies as part of the annual review and following the outcome of the by-election on 2 May 2024.

The detailed calculations relating to the above will be included in Appendix A to the report and will be circulated to Councillors following the by-election on 2 May 2024.

The Leader of the Council presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

In relation to this Council were requested to refer to the revised appendix which had been circulated to each Member and which took account of the outcome of the by-election on 2 May 2024.

Councillors were asked to consider and approve the:

• political balance and the proposed allocation of seats on Committees to each political group
• nominations for Councillors to serve on the Committees within the Council’s decision making structure

Comprehensive discussion took place particularly in relation to Table 2 within the Appendix and the allocation of members onto the Planning Committees other than by political balance.

In relation to this Council was advised that the Christchurch Independents and Poole People political groups had expressed a desire a desire to allocate seats other than by political balance on the Western and Eastern Planning Committees as set out within the appendix, and that agreement for which would require no dissent by Council.

Upon the recommendations being put to the vote separately, recommendation (b) fell as there was dissent to the recommendation:

(b) the allocation of seats to each political group as set out in Appendix A, Table 2 be approved;

The Leader advised that as recommendation (b) had fallen as there had been dissent in allocating seats other than political balance that the following amendment be now proposed: -

That table 2 be amended to revert to the original political balance arrangements for the Eastern and Western Planning Committees, and that Table 3 be amended to move Councillor McCormack onto the Western BCP Planning Committee and Councillor Rice onto the Eastern BCP Planning Committee.

This proposal was seconded by Councillor Mike Cox.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)        the revised political balance of the Council, as set out in Appendix A, Table 1 be approved;

(b)        the allocation of seats to each political group as set out in Appendix A, Table 2 be approved subject to the amendment to Table 2 being incorporated as set out above to revert to the original political balance in relation to both of the Planning Committees;

(c)        the appointment of Councillors to Committees and Boards, taking into account the membership, as detailed in Appendix A, Table 3, and any nominations submitted by political groups, be approved subject to the amendments set out above being incorporated to move Councillor Felicity Rice to the Eastern Planning Committee and Councillor Simon McCormack to the Western Planning Committee;

(d)        the allocation of seats to each political group to the outside bodies as detailed in Appendix A, Table 4, be approved and the Group Leaders advise the proper officer of their representatives.

Voting: Nem.Con

Meeting ended @ 7.57pm