Meeting documents

Mr B Chapple welcomed Mrs M Soames as the new High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire.  Mr Chapple provided Members with a brief biography, particularly mentioning Mrs Soames’ intention to use the year to highlight the plight of loneliness and promote the work of organisations dealing with related issues.

Mr Chapple thanked Council for the support received during his year as Chairman and asked for nominations for Chairman.

Mrs V Letheren was nominated by Mrs W Mallen and seconded by Mr D Dhillon.

RESOLVED

That Mrs V Letheren be elected as Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Mrs Letheren read and signed the Declaration and Acceptance of Office, and presented Mr Chapple with a commemorative photo book of his year in office together with a past Chairman’s badge.

Mrs Letheren thanked Council for her appointment.  Mrs Letheren reflected on her political career in local government and pledged her commitment to representing Buckinghamshire over the year ahead.

MRS LETHEREN IN THE CHAIR

The Chairman invited nominations for the position of Vice Chairman. 

Mrs P Birchley was nominated by Ms L Hazell and seconded by Mrs N Glover.

RESOLVED

That Mrs P Birchley be elected Vice Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 April 2016

The Minutes of the meeting held on 28 April 2016 were agreed as a correct record.

There were no petitions presented.

Apologies were received from Mrs Birchley, Mrs Blake, Mr Carroll, Mr Egleton, Mr Etholen, Mr Hardy, Mr Hayday, Mr Huxley, Mr Lambert, Mr Phillips, Mr Schofield, Mr Scott, Mrs Teesdale, Mrs Vigor-Hedderly, Mr Allen, Mr Lawrence, Mr Polhill and Mr Ross.

A minute’s silence was held for the recent death aged 90 of Mr John Page, who had been a County Councillor representing the Burnham and Old Beaconsfield from 1989 to 2001.

The Chairman welcomed Mrs Rachael Shimmin, Chief Executive Designate, who would be joining the Council in September.

In recognition of 45 years’ service to the County Council, the Chairman presented Mrs Helen Bennion with a bouquet of flowers.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To note the Leader’s executive appointments to Cabinet for the year 2016/17.  These appointments will be presented by the Leader at the meeting.

Mr M Tett announced the reappointment of his Cabinet as follows:

The Leader also reconfirmed appointments to Deputy Cabinet Member positions:

RESOLVED

Council NOTED the report of the Leader.

To consider the report and proposed recommendations in relation to Committee proportionality and appointments. Appendix 2 will be  presented in hardcopy at the meeting.

Council considered the report and recommendations.

RESOLVED

1.    Council CONFIRMED the political balance in the distribution of seats across Committees as set out in Tables 1 and 2, to accord with the rules on proportionality.

2.    Council AGREED the appointments to Council Committees in accordance with the rules on political proportionality, in line with the proposals put forward by each of the political group leaders for the municipal year 2016/17.

3.    Council AGREED to delegate to the Monitoring Officer powers to vary the membership of a Committee at any point on a permanent of casual basis upon the written nomination of a Group Leader.

To consider and agree the proposed structure and remit of the Select Committees for the year 2016/17

Council considered the report of the Interim Chief Executive on the Select Committee Structure.

RESOLVED

Council AGREED the proposed structure & remit for Select Committees for the municipal year 2016/17 in order to discharge the Council’s statutory overview and scrutiny functions.

To consider the Treasury Management Annual Report 2015/16 and agree the report recommendations

Mr D Watson presented the report confirming that all Treasury Management activity complied with the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy agreed in February 2015.  Mr Watson highlighted that over the past year the average value of investments varied between £160m and £220m with interest on income of £1.8m over budget; borrowing at the end of the year stood at £164m, with interest payments on the debt of £10m; that premiums to pay off high interest borrowings were considered prohibitive; and that there had been one short-term loan of £15m required during the year.

Mr Watson informed Council that payment for the Energy from Waste plant of £180m would take place during the week of 6 June, subject to satisfactory signification.

In relation to the prudential indicators in Appendix 2, Mr Watson highlighted the recommendation to increase the operational boundary by £20m to permit investment of new assets to provide new income streams; and the recommendation to increase the upper limit of variable rate borrowing to £140m.

Mr R Stuchbury raised concerns about the balance of funding used in dealing with waste and that used to deal with social care issues.  In response, Mr Watson and Mr Tett reminded Members that the investment decision had been taken to enable the Council to minimise landfill tax and maximise funding for use on other services.

RESOLVED

Council AGREED:

1.    The Treasury Management Annual Report and the actual Prudential Indicators for 2015/16.

2.    A change to the operational boundary for external debt within Prudential Indicator 3.3 from £230m to £250m in 2016/17.

3.    A change to the Upper Limit of Variable Fixed Rate Borrowing within Prudential Indicator 4.4 from £100m to £140m in 2016/17.

There were no Notices of Motion.

The report was noted.

The information was noted.