Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence

Councillor Ahmad MOVED, Councillor McCann SECONDED and Councillor Hudson SUPPORTED the election of Councillor Ateeque Ur Rehman as Mayor for the forthcoming Municipal year.

On being put to the vote, the nomination was CARRIED

Councillor Ur Rehman then made and signed the declaration required by law to enable him to act in the office of Mayor.

The retiring Mayor (Councillor Fida Hussain) invested the newly elected Mayor (Councillor Ateeque Ur Rehman) with the chain of office; the Mayoress was then presented with her chain.

(The Mayor, Councillor Ur Rehman, in the chair)

The Mayor then made a speech of acceptance of office.

Councillor McMahon MOVED, Councillor McCann SECONDED and Councillor Hudson SUPPORTED a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress.

RESOLVED that:

1. Councillor Ateeque Ur Rehman be appointed Mayor of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council for the 2015/16 Municipal year.

2. The sincere thanks and appreciation of the Council be recorded to Councillor Hussain for her valuable services during her term of office as Mayor of the Oldham Metropolitan Borough in the 2014/15 Municipal year.

(At this juncture the Mayor will adjourn the meeting for lunch. It is anticipated that the meeting will reconvene at 3.30pm.)

Councillor Sykes MOVED and Councillor McMahon SECONDED the election of Councillor Derek Heffernan as Deputy Mayor of the Council for the forthcoming Municipal year.

On being put to the vote, the nomination was CARRIED

Councillor Heffernan then made and subscribed the declaration required by law to enable him to act in the office of Deputy Mayor.

RESOLVED thatCouncillor Heffernan be appointed Deputy Mayor of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council for the 2015/16 Municipal year.

At this point in the meeting the Mayor adjourned the meeting for lunch.

The meeting reconvened at 3.30pm

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 1^st April 2015 be approved as a correct record.

The Mayor informed the meeting that the Standards Committee had granted a dispensation to allow all Members to vote on Item 19 - Independent Remuneration Panel Recommendations on the Members Allowances Scheme – Report of the Director of Legal Services. All Members declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in this item but the dispensation was applicable allowing Members to participate and vote on Item 19.

There were no other declarations of interest.

The Mayor informed the meeting that no items of urgent business had been received.

The Mayor advised the meeting that the following Members had notified their wish to speak about the retiring Members:

Councillors Williamson, Sykes and Ahmed paid tribute to the work of John Dillon during his time served on the Council.

Councillors Toor, Heffernan, McMahon, Haque, Brownridge and Hibbert paid tribute to the work of David Houle during his time served on the Council.

Councillors Sykes, Blyth, Dean and Klonowski paid tribute to the work of Mark Alcock during his time served on the Council.

Consideration was given to a report of the Returning Officer informing Members of the results of the Local Elections which had taken place on 7^th May 2015.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Legal Services concerning the appointment of a Leader of the Council for the Council term 2015/16 to 2018/19.

The nomination of Councillor McMahon was moved by Councillor Stretton and seconded by Councillor Sykes.

RESOLVED THAT Councillor McMahon be appointed as the Leader of the Council for the Council term 2015/16 to 2018/19.

Consideration was given to a report of the Leader of the Council which detailed the Cabinet portfolios and the appointments to Cabinet for the 2015/16 Municipal year.

RESOLVED that the appointment of the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, Deputy Cabinet Members, Assistant Cabinet Members the allocation of portfolios to Cabinet Members and the determination of delegations of executive functions for 2015/16 as set our below be noted.

Council received a report of the Leader of the Council, which outlined the Administration’s priorities for the Municipal Year 2015/16.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Council received a report of the Leader of the Council setting out the Oldham Plan (2015-2018), as agreed by the Oldham Partnership, and the Corporate Plan (2015-2020).

RESOLVED that:-

1.    The Oldham Plan 2015-18 is endorsed and

2.    The Corporate Plan Outcomes framework is approved

RESOLVED that the appointment of the Opposition Leader, the Shadow Cabinet and Shadow Deputy Cabinet Members as set out below, be noted

Opposition Leader

Councillor Howard Sykes

Opposition Nominations to the Shadow Cabinet

Name of Councillor                                     Portfolio

Economy and Skills Cluster

Councillor Howard Sykes              Economy and Enterprise

Councillor Garth Harkness                        Education and Skills

Health and Wellbeing Cluster    

Councillor Rod Blyth                       Social Care and Safeguarding

Councillor Chris Gloster                 Health and Wellbeing

Councillor Heffernan                      (Deputy)

Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives

Councillor Diane Williamson        Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives

Councillor Dave Murphy                Housing, Planning and Highways

Councillor Sedgwick                       (Deputy)

Corporate Support

Councillor John McCann               Finance and HR

Councillor Julia Turner                   Performance and Corporate Governance

The Council considered the report of the Director of Legal Services, which sought approval to constitute the Council's committees and appoint members to serve on them.

Councillor McMahon MOVED and Councillor Stretton SECONDED an amendment to appoint Councillor Hudson as Chair of the Saddleworth and Lees District Executive.

A recorded vote was taken on the amendment.

The amendment was CARRIED.

RESOLVED that:

1. The composition of the political groups, as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, be noted;

2. The several Committees, detailed at paragraph 1.3 of the report, be constituted with the Terms of Reference and delegated powers, as detailed in the Council’s Constitution;

3. The number of seats on the various committees for the 2015/16 Municipal Year, as set out in paragraph 1.7 of the report, be approved;

4. The allocation of seats to the political groups, as set out in the report, be confirmed. Appointments to fill the seats in accordance with sections 15 and 16 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 be approved, as set out in the amended Appendix 1;

5. With the exception of the Selection and Appeals Committees, the Chair and Vice Chair of each committee for the 2015/16 Municipal Year be appointed, as set out in the Appendix 1;

6. The Co-opted Members detailed at paragraph 1.10 of the report be appointed to the Overview and Scrutiny Board and the Statutory Co-optees be given full voting rights in respect of education matters only;

7. The Chairs of the District Executives for the 2015/16 Municipal Year be appointed as listed in the amended Appendix 1.

8. The Council confirmed that the Traffic Regulation Order Panel remained outside political balance.

9. Council agreed as in previous years to waive the political balance rules in relation to the Standards Committee.

10. Any outstanding appointments  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Councillor McMahon MOVED and Councillor Sykes SECONDED a report of the Director of Legal Services which detailed the appointments to Outside Bodies for the Municipal Year 2015/16.

RESOLVED that:

1. The appointments to the Outside Bodies for the Municipal Year 2015/16, as listed in Appendix 1 to the report, now submitted, be approved.

2. All other appointments to Outside Bodies for the Municipal Year 2015/16, as listed in Appendix 2 to the report, be delegated to the relevant District Executive. The existing appointments for those outside bodies listed to remain until the first meeting of the District Executive.

3. Nominations to be made to the AGMA/GMCA Outside Bodies as listed in Appendix 3 to the report for the 2015/16 Municipal Year.

4. Any outstanding appointments to be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Main Opposition Group.

a) To confirm that the meetings of the Council will be held on the undermentioned dates in the 2015/16 Municipal Year, commencing at 6.00pm unless otherwise shown:-

15^th July 2015

9^th September 2015

4^th November 2015

16^th December 2015

24^th February 2016 Budget

23^rd March 2016

18^th May 2016 Annual Council

b) To approve the Calendar of meetings for the 2015/16 Municipal Year.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Legal Services which set out the revised calendar of Meetings for the 2015-16 municipal years.

RESOLVED that:-

1. The meetings of the Council be held on the following dates in the 2015/16 Municipal Year, commencing at 6.00pm unless otherwise shown:-

15^th July 2015

9^th September 2015

4^th November 2015

16^th December 2015

24^th February 2016 Budget

23^rd March 2016

18^th May 2016 Annual Council

2. The current version of the Council’s calendar of meetings for 2015/16 be approved, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

3. Approval of any outstanding dates to be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Main Opposition Group.

4. The dates agreed to only be changed in exceptional circumstances and only then after following the agreed process.

(time limit 30 minutes)

None received.

No Notices of Business were received from the Administration.

(time limit 30 minutes)

None received.

No Notices of Business were received from the Opposition.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Legal Services which detailed proposed constitutional amendments.

An amendment to the proposals set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report, in relation to Leader and Cabinet Questions, was MOVED by Councillor Sykes and SECONDED by Councillor Harkness. The amendment was to replace the proposed words with

“a) the Leader of the main opposition group be entitled to ask three questions and leaders of minority opposition groups be entitled to ask a single question at each Council meeting

b) Questions to be taken by the Mayor in order received”

A recorded vote was taken on the amendment.

The amendment was LOST

An amendment to the proposals set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report, in relation to Ward Questions, was MOVED by Councillor Sykes and SECONDED by Councillor Williamson. The amendment was to replace the proposed words with

“The Mayor to take ward and district questions on an alternative basis from the groups where there are questions received from members of the same group”

A recorded vote was taken on the amendment.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Legal Services setting out the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report be approved.