Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J Bagwell, O Brown, J Challinor, B Dove, J Edwards, A Filer, M Le Poidevin, D Logan, A Martin, D Martin, C Matthews, M Phipps, P Sidaway, V Slade, L Williams and K Wilson.

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.

There were no declarations of interest 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 Vanessa Ricketts and seconded by Councillor Sandra Moore

The proposer and seconder outlined the reasons for the nomination and the nominees ability to fulfil the role.

RESOLVED that Councillor Lesley Dedman was elected Chairman of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting in 2027.

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

‘I Councillor Lesley Dedman having been elected to the office of 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.

Voting: Unanimous

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 Chris Rigby and seconded by Councillor Felicity Rice.

RESOLVED that Councillor Simon Bull was elected Vice-Chair of the Council until the next Annual Council meeting in 2027.

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.

Voting: Unanimous

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 political group changes.

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 amendments to the political balance and allocation of seats to Committees  following the resignation of Councillors Joe Salmon and Kate Salmon from the Green Group and the formation of the new Moordown Independents Group.

Council was 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 political group changes.

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     the revised political balance of the Council, as set out in Table 1 of the report be noted;

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

(c)     the appointment of Councillors to Committees and Boards, taking into account the wishes of each political group, as detailed in Table 3 of the report, be approved;

(d)    Councillor Mark Howell and Councillor Duane Farr be appointed to fill the positions on the Licensing Committee referred to in paragraph 12 of the report;

(e)     the allocation of seats to each political group to the outside bodies, as detailed in Table 4 of the report, be approved;

(f)       the appointment of Councillors to the outside bodies, taking into account the wishes of each political group, as detailed in Table 5 of the report, be approved; and

(g)     Councillor Felicity Rice be appointed to fill the vacancy on the Dorset Pensions Fund Committee as referred to in paragraph 16 of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

Council is asked to approve the appointments of Councillors to external bodies.

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 'B' 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 further submitted amendments.

Council was asked to approve the appointments of Councillors to external bodies.

Councillor Peter Cooper advised Council that in relation to the Hamworthy Turlin Moor Youth Centre Management Committee that the youth centre no longer existed and requested that the outside body be removed from the list.

RESOLVED that Council: -

(a)           approved the appointment of individual Councillors to the external bodies as set out in Appendix 1 of this report; and

(b)           delegated the appointment of any listed vacancies, additions or any individual changes to outside bodies until the next annual council meeting to the Monitoring Officer in consultation with the Leader and appropriate Group Leaders

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Leader of the Council

This report invites the Council to approve the appointment of Tim O’Gara to the position of Director of Law and Governance & Monitoring Officer in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and statutory requirements. 

A summary of Mr O’Gara’s skills, experience and employment history is shown within appendix 1 of this report.  

The Portfolio Holder for Transformation, Resources and Governance, Councillor Jeff Hanna presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Council was advised that the report invited the Council to approve the appointment of Tim O’Gara to the position of Director of Law and Governance & Monitoring Officer in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and statutory requirements. 

In relation to this Council was advised that a summary of Mr O’Gara’s skills, experience and employment history appeared within Exempt Appendix 1 of the report.

Members indicated that they wished to debate the exempt appendix and a proposer and seconder were therefore sought to move into exempt session.

The proposal was subsequently put by Councillor Mike Cox to move into exempt session; this was seconded by Councillor Jeff Hanna and upon being put to the vote was agreed by the majority of members of the Council.

RESOLVED that: ‘Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing the information.’

Comprehensive debate took place with members thoroughly discussing the recruitment process.

The meeting adjourned at 9.18pm

The meeting reconvened at 9.41pm

A recorded vote was requested but upon being put to the vote fell with the majority of members voting against the proposal for a recorded vote.

RESOLVED that Council approved the appointment of Tim O’Gara to the position of Director of Law and Governance & Monitoring Officer. 

Voting: For:47, Against:1, Abstentions:10

Councillors Hazel Allen and Toby Slade left the meeting at 10.06pm

This report provides the Council with an update on the external recruitment process for the Chief of Finance & Section 151 Officer role and confirms that Matthew Filmer’s secondment as Interim Chief of Finance & Section 151 Officer will be extended for a further 15 months.

Following a full, open and competitive recruitment exercise, the Member Appointments Panel concluded unanimously that no permanent appointment should be made at this time and agreed that Mr Filmer should continue in the interim role until July 2027. This decision reflects the importance of maintaining continuity, organisational stability and continued support for Mr Filmer’s development. Mr Filmer has confirmed his acceptance of the extension.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Members were advised that the report provided the Council with an update on the external recruitment process for the Chief of Finance & Section 151 Officer role and sought confirmation that Matthew Filmer’s secondment as Interim Chief of Finance & Section 151 Officer would be extended for a further 15 months.

Council was advised that following a full, open and competitive recruitment exercise, the Member Appointments Panel concluded unanimously that no permanent appointment should be made at this time and agreed that Mr Filmer should continue in the interim role until July 2027.

Council was informed that this decision reflected the importance of maintaining continuity, organisational stability and continued support for Mr Filmer’s development, and that Mr Filmer had confirmed his acceptance of the extension.

RESOLVED that Council confirmed the extension of Matt Filmers secondment as Interim Chief Finance & Section 151 Officer for a further 15 months until July 2027.

Voting: Unanimous