Agenda and draft minutes

The Chair will read out the following statement:

“This meeting is being webcast live to our website (https://harlow.public-i.tv/core/portal/home) and will be available for repeated viewing after the meeting has ended.

By continuing to attend this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to appearing in the webcast.

I would like to remind all those participating in the meeting to use their microphones when they speak, and to turn them off once they have finished talking.”

The Chair said the meeting was being webcast live and would be available for repeated viewing after the meeting has ended. By continuing to attend the meeting, you were consenting to being filmed and to appearing in the webcast.

None.

Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any items on the agenda.

None.

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 11 April 2024.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 April 2024 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair welcomed all new Councillors to their first Council meeting. The Chair also paid tribute to two former Councillors, Simon Carter and John Steer. The Chair presented both with a gift and thanked them for their service to Harlow.

The Chair advised that throughout the year he had enjoyed hosting a number of events to celebrate the “Gems of Harlow” including; the blue light services, sporting groups, the arts community and educational groups. The Chair also advised that over the year he had attended many events across Essex and Hertfordshire.

The Chair thanked his Vice Chair (Councillor Sue Livings), council officer Emma Crouch, Rory Davies and the Playhouse Team, Reverend Martin Harris and his wife and daughter.

The Chair announced that, in total, he had raised £18,000 for his two charities, PACT for Autism and Plant Pots and Wellies. He presented both charities with cheques for £9,000 each.

The Chair presented the following people and organisations Civic Awards in recognition of their commitment and contribution to the local community.

June Fleming – Citizen of the Year

Paul Blake – Citizen of the Year

Brenda Taylor – Sports and Culture Award

Nicole Murton – Sports and Culture Award

Donna Harvey – Sports and Culture Award

Harlow Jui Jitsu – Sports and Culture Award

Risden Wood Youth FC – Sports and Culture Award

Harlow Cricket Club – Sports and Culture Award

Harlow Youth Council – Young Citizens of the Year Award

The Chair will call for nominations for the appointment of Chair of the

Council for 2024/25 (if there is more than one nomination, there will be a

vote in the usual way).

The Chair will declare the successful nominee to be elected.

The Chief Executive will call on the elected Chair of the Council to sign a

declaration of acceptance of office.

The newly elected Chair of the Council will give an acceptance speech.

Councillor David Carter proposed and Councillor Alastair Gunn seconded

the nomination of Councillor Andrew Johnson as Chair of the Council.

Councillor Mark Ingall proposed and Councillor Michael Houlihan seconded the nomination of Councillor Kay Morrison as Chair of the Council.

Upon being put to the vote, it was:

RESOLVED that Councillor Andrew Johnson is elected as Chair of

the Council for 2024/25 and is invested with the chain and badge of

office.

Councillor Johnson signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and announced that his chosen charities for the year were Harlow Steel Band and Harlow Dementia Friendly Communities.

The Chair will call for nominations for the appointment of Vice Chair of

the Council for 2024/25 (if there is more than one nomination, there will

be a vote in the usual way).

The Chair will declare the successful nominee to be appointed.

The Chief Executive will call on the appointed Vice Chair of the Council

to sign a declaration of acceptance of office.

The newly appointed Vice Chair of the Council will give an acceptance

speech.

Councillor David Carter proposed and Councillor Alastair Gunn seconded

the nomination of Councillor Sue Livings as Vice Chair of the Council.

Councillor Mark Ingall proposed and Councillor Michael Houlihan seconded the nomination of Councillor Kay Morrison as Vice Chair of the Council.

Upon being put to the vote, it was:

RESOLVED that Councillor Sue Livings is appointed as Vice Chair of

the Council for 2024/25 and is invested with the chain and badge of

office.

Councillor Sue Livings signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Chair will call for nominations for the election of Leader of the

Council in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Constitution (if there is more

than one nomination, there will be a vote in the usual way).

The Chair will declare the successful nominee to be elected.

Councillor Michael Hardware proposed and Councillor Matthew Saggers seconded the nomination of Councillor Dan Swords as Leader of the Council.

Councillor Chris Vince proposed and Councillor Mark Ingall seconded the nomination of Councillor James Griggs as Leader of the Council.

Upon being put to the vote, it was:

RESOLVED that Councillor Dan Swords is elected as Leader of the Council.

The Chair will call for the Leader to announce their Deputy Leader and

appointments to the Cabinet.

RESOLVED that Council notes that the following Councillors are

appointed to the Cabinet:

Councillor David Carter – Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for

Housing

Councillor Hannah Ellis – Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and Transformation

Councillor Michael Hardware – Portfolio Holder for Finance

Councillor Joel Charles – Portfolio Holder for Public Protection

Councillor Alastair Gunn – Portfolio Holder for Harlow Gilston Garden Town and Planning

Councillor Danielle Brown – Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing

Councillor Nicky Purse – Portfolio Holder for Environment

The Chair will call for nominations for the membership of Committees,

Sub Committees and Panels of the Council and their Chairs and Vice

Chairs.

Full Council received a report on appointments to committees, sub

committees and panels of the council.

RESOLVED that:

A      The Council notes the political balance calculations for 2023/24 and

agrees that Committee seats are allocated to political groups as set

out in the report in Tables 1 and 2.

B      Councillors are appointed as members/substitute members of

Council Committees, Sub Committees and Panels as set out in

Appendix A.

C      Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees, Sub Committees and Panels

are appointed as set out in Appendix A.

The Chair will call for nominations for the appointment of Council

representatives on the outside bodies as listed.

RESOLVED that Councillors are nominated for appointment to the

outside bodies as appended to the minutes.

Full Council received a report on the appointment of Independent Persons.

Proposed by Councillor Dan Swords and seconded by Councillor Russell Perrin it was:

RESOLVED that:

A      The Council appoint David Irvine and Sarah Cooper James as the Council’s independent persons for the purposes of section 28 of the Localism Act 2011 (subject to usual due diligence processes) to commence from 1 June 2024 for a term of up to 36 months.

B      Establishes up to three additional independent persons for the purposes of the Localism Act 2011 to ensure sufficient succession planning and cover in the event of nonavailability or conflict of interest issues and the Constitution is amended to reflect this change.

C      Agrees an allowance of £520 per annum to undertake this role and the Council’s Member Allowance Scheme is amended to reflect this change.

Full Council received a report on the modernisation of Harlow District Council’s governance and democratic arrangements.

Councillor Dan Swords requested (seconded by five supporting Councillors) a recorded vote on the recommendations. The recorded vote is appended to the minutes.

RESOLVED that:

A      The Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive is given delegated powers to finalise a governance structure to create a Personnel Committee.

B      The draft terms of reference for the Personnel Committee as shown at Appendix A of this report is noted and approved.

C      The required minor amendments to the Constitution to facilitate the Personnel Committee as shown at Appendix B of this report are noted and approved.

D      Members note and approve the draft changes as shown in Appendix B.

Such other business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be received as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the minutes.

None.