Agenda and minutes

The Director of Legal and Governance Services invited nominations for the new Chair of the Council for the Municipal Year 2024-2025.

Nominations were received and seconded in respect of Councillor J Rostron and Councillor Saunders. On a vote being taken, Councillor J Rostron received 23 votes and Councillor Saunders received 21 votes.

Moved, seconded and ORDERED that Councillor J Rostron be elected as the Chair of the Council for the Borough of Middlesbrough to hold office for the Municipal Year 2024-2025 pro tem.

The Director of Legal and Governance Services invited the new Chair of the Council to take over the chairing of the meeting.

The Chair of the Council invited nominations for the new Vice-Chair of the Council for the Municipal Year 2024-2025.

A nomination was received and seconded in respect of Councillor J Ewan.

Moved, seconded and ORDERED that Councillor J Ewan be elected as the Vice-Chair of the Council for the Borough of Middlesbrough to hold office for the Municipal Year 2024-2025 pro tem.

To receive any declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

The minutes of the Council meetings held on 27 March and 24 April 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

To receive and consider any communications from the Chair, Mayor, Executive Members or Chief Executive (if any).

The Chair paid tribute to Bernie Carr, Democratic and Registration Manager, who would retire from Middlesbrough Council on 31 May 2024 having completed 45 years’ service.

On behalf of the Council, the Chair thanked Bernie for her service and wished her well for a long a healthy retirement.  All present showed their appreciation with a round of applause.

The Director of Legal and Governance/Monitoring Officer presented a report in respect of Political Balance Allocation of Places 2024-2025, the purpose of which was to recommend the allocation of places on Committees and Sub-Committees for 2024-2025 in accordance with the political balance of the Council.

 It was ORDERED as follows:

 1.     That the allocation of seats on committees that were subject to the rules relating to political balance be approved as follows:

 

Name of Group/Unallocated	No. of Seats
Conservative	13
Labour	78
Liberal Democrats	7
Marton Independent East Group	7
Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association (MICA)	39
Unallocated/Vacancy	7
Total	151

2.     That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to fill the unallocated seats as indicated in paragraph 4.13 of the report, and to make any necessary further adjustments to remove or replace Members where directed by the relevant group or Member.

 3.     That any committee established prior to the next review be appointed on the basis of the places shown in Appendix 3, Table 3, attached to the report.

As required by the Council's Constitution, a report was submitted setting out membership of the Executive appointed by the Mayor, included at Appendix B of the report. Details of the Executive Scheme of Delegation, were also included at Appendix A of the report, delegating responsibility for certain functions to the Executive, Individual Executive Members, Executive Sub-Committees, joint arrangements and, where appropriate, officers of the Council.

 

ORDERED that the report in respect of the Executive Scheme of Delegation, was noted.

Council received a report of the Monitoring Officer, regarding the establishment of committees, sub-committees, boards, panels and working groups for the 2024-2025 Municipal Year, or until amended by Council, (whichever was the latter)

 

Schedule A of the report submitted set out the Executive and Executive Sub-Committees and Advisory Bodies as agreed by the Mayor.

 

Schedules B and C identified the nominations received from the various groups and individual Councillors for places on the committees to be established by the Council in accordance with Sections 15 and 16 of the Local Government Act 1989 and Local Government (Political Groups and Committees) Regulations 1990.

 

The report included a list of current vacancies on various committees and nominations were put forward at the meeting by the individual Members concerned.

 

The Monitoring Officer conducted a vote in respect of the role of Chair/Vice Chair and nominations for spare places, where applicable, in relation to the following committees:

 

Schedule C

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Ewan appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Hubbard appointed

CHIEF OFFICER APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Thompson appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Jackson appointed

 

CONSTITUTION AND MEMBERS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Rostron and Vice-Chair: Councillor Ewan appointed

 

CORPORATE HEALTH AND SAFETY STEERING GROUP

Chair: Councillor Branson appointed

 

YOU MATTER TO US - CORPORATE PARENTING BOARD

Chair: Mayor C Cooke appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor P Storey appointed

 

LICENSING COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Lewis appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Hill appointed

LICENSING COMMITTEE

1 Vacancy: Councillor P Storey appointed

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY BOARD

Chair: Councillor Blades appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Kabuye appointed

  

PEOPLE SCRUTINY PANEL

Chair: Councillor Clynch appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor J Walker appointed

 

PLACE SCRUTINY PANEL

Chair: Councillor Branson appointed 

Vice Chair: Councillor Banks appointed

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Rostron appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Blades appointed

 

STAFF APPEALS COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Dean appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Jackson appointed

 

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Thompson appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Morrish appointed

 

TEESSIDE PENSION FUND COMMITTEE

Chair: Councillor Kabuye appointed

Vice Chair: Councillor Rostron appointed

 

WORKS COUNCIL

Chair is Deputy Mayor

 

Works Council

2 Vacancies:

1 Vacancy: – Councillor Kabuye appointed

 

ORDERED as follows:

 

1.         That the terms of reference of committees, sub committees, boards panels and working groups, as detailed in the schedule to the report, were approved.

 

2.        That subject to the receipt of nominations to vacancies or amendments to places indicated in the schedule to the report, that the places allocated in accordance with the wishes of the political groups and other councillors, were approved.

 

3.        That the membership, size and terms of reference of the Executive and its sub-committees, approved by the Mayor for 2024 onwards, as set out in Schedule A, in the Appendix to the report, were noted.

 

4.        That the vacancies, listed at Paragraph 2.2 of the report, be filled in accordance with political group and other Councillors’ preferences.

           

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report regarding the appointment of representatives to joint committees and outside bodies.

ORDERED as follows:

1.    That appointments to the organisations shown in Appendix A (Council nominations), Appendix B (Council/Executive nominations) and Appendix C (Executive nominations) of the report submitted, for the 2024-2025 Municipal Year be approved, until amended by Council/Executive, (whichever was the latter).

2.         That the following appointments for the 2024-2025 Municipal Year, nominated at the meeting, be approved and noted, until amended by Council/Executive (whichever was the latter).

Appendix A - Council Appointments

Hartlepool Power Station Local Liaison Committee

Councillor Coupe appointed

Appendix B – Council/Executive Appointments

Nunthorpe and Marton Playing Fields Association

2 representatives – usually Ward Members

Councillor McClintock appointed

Councillor Morrish appointed

Verbal Report

The Mayor stated that it had been a difficult year and Councillors had faced a number of different issues. 

A new Member enquiry system was due to be implemented in July and the Council would also be updated by Government in relation to the best value notice issued in January 2023.      

Whilst the budget overspend had been reduced, there was no complacency and the Council continued to do everything possible to remove the remaining £7 million deficit.   A cross-party financial working group would be formed to work on next year’s budget.

The Mayor thanked all Councillors for their ward work during the past year and especially for their support during the roll out of the brown bins.

ORDERED that the Mayor’s addressed was noted.

The Director of Legal and Governance Services on behalf of the Independent Panel on Members’ Remuneration presented a report to provide Members with the opportunity to consider the proposals of the Independent Panel on Members’ Remuneration and adopt the Scheme of Allowances.

Following its 2024 review of Members’ allowances, the recommendations proposed by the Independent Panel on Members’ Remuneration were outlined in the submitted report at Appendix 1.  The Independent Panel on Members’ Remuneration recommended an increase to the Basic Allowance from £7,608 to £8,000.   The Panel also recommended freezing Special Responsibility Allowances at their current levels.

The Council was asked to consider the Panel’s recommendations and either accept or reject them.   If, after having due regard of the Panel’s recommendations, the Council rejected the Panel’s proposals it would need to create its own Scheme of Allowances.

On a vote being taken, it was unanimously ORDERED that the:

1.     recommendations proposed by the Independent Panel on Members’ Remuneration in the report on Members’ Scheme of Allowances were rejected. 

2.     current Scheme of Allowances would remain in place for 2024-2025 unless amended by Council.

A report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services was presented, the purpose of which was seek approval from Council for the introduction of a Statutory Officer Protocol.

The External Audit Section 24 recommendations included the introduction of a Statutory Officer Protocol to provide clear guidance on roles and responsibilities and process to ensure continuity for Statutory Officer roles.   Having a protocol in place was good practice in local government to ensure continuity in the statutory officer roles.

The purpose of the Statutory Officer Protocol was to set out:

·        The definitions of the roles included.

·        Restrictions on those posts.

·        Appointment process.

·        Terms and Conditions.

·        Performance Management.

·        Disciplinary procedures.

·        Dismissal.

·        Sickness Management.

·        Interim appointments and exit processes.

The aim was always to have permanent appointments in place however there was a

recognition that interims might be required at times.  These appointments should be time-limited and have a plan in place towards permanence.

A copy of the Statutory Officer Protocol was attached at Appendix 1 to the submitted report.

ORDERED that the Statutory Officer Protocol was approved and adopted.

The Executive Member for Finance and Governance and the Director of Legal and Governance Services submitted a report, the purpose of which was to agree the timetable of meetings for the Municipal Year 2024/2025.

The Director of Legal and Governance Services advised that the dates contained within the timetable were tentative and could be subject to change.  It was noted that due to the Parliamentary Election on 4 July 2024, the next Council meeting, scheduled for 3 July 2024 would be re-arranged.

 

Following a vote, it was:

ORDERED as follows:

(i)         That the timetable of meetings for the Municipal Year 2024/2025, as detailed in the Appendix to the report, be approved.

(ii)        That, with the exception of the following, the dates for ordinary meetings of the Council be designated as meetings at which questions will be taken from members of the public:

 ·        Budget/Council Tax Setting Meetings – 19 February and 5 March 2025.

 ·        Wednesday 21 May 2025 (Annual Meeting).