Full Council October 2020

FC - Tuesday 6 October 2020

Present:

Councillor Keith Panter (Chairman)

Councillor Matt Boles

Councillor Sean Brennan

Councillor Liz Clews

Councillor Dennis Dannatt

Councillor Tim Davies

Councillor David Dobbie – arrived at the meeting at 7.26pm

Councillor Paul Key

Councillor Pat O’Connor

Councillor James Plastow

Councillor Denise Schofield

Councillor Baptiste Velan

 

In Attendance:

 

Rachel Allbones                      Deputy Clerk / RFO

Sean Alcock                            Operations Manager

Jessica Flowers                      Admin Support Officer

 

1. TO RECEIVE APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Councillor Harry Clarke

Councillor Richard Craig

Councillor David Dobbie

Councillor Chris Lambie

Councillor Sally Loates

Councillor Kenneth Woolley

 

 

2. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

           

None received.

 

 

3. TO RECEIVE MEMBERS’ DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 AND TO RECEIVE ANY APPLICATIONS FOR DISPENSATION

 

None declared.

 

4. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING (Paper A)

 

1. Meeting of Council held on Tuesday 1 September 2020

 

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 1 September 2020 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

Note: Councillors Schofield and Velan abstained from voting on the above resolution.

 

5. TO RECEIVE THE DRAFT MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS (Paper B)

 

RESOLVED to NOTE draft minutes.

 

Note: Councillor Key requested an invite to the next Community Services Committee meeting.

 

6. TOWN CLERKS REPORT (Paper C)

 

RESOLVED under Standing Order 10.a.vi to change the order of business on the agenda and defer the agenda item to the end of the meeting.

 

7. COMMITTEE PLACES

 

Council to make appointments to vacancies on committees / working groups.

• X1 Management and Finance Committee

 

No Member expressed an interest in the vacancy so the position remains vacant.

 

8. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMITTEES / WORKING GROUPS (Paper D)

 

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND FULL COUNCIL to adopt the Staff Appraisal Policy, replacing the current Staff Appraisal and Pay Review Policy.

 

RESOLVED to adopt the Staff Appraisal Policy, replacing the current Staff Appraisal and Pay Review Policy.

 

9. MOTION MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KEY (Paper E)

 

Council to form a Scrutiny Committee of six Members with a 50/50 split of three majority group and three independent Members, know Ex-officio Members. This will need a change of Structure and Functions, but I feel it will give a better balance to the proposed Scrutiny Committee.

 

The Scrutiny side of any major decision in my opinion is imperative and should include a Call – In procedure that requires two thirds of the Committee present on the night of the Scrutiny Committee meeting.

 

Councillor Dannatt seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED under Standing Order 10.a.vi to refer the motion to the Management and Finance Committee for further consideration.

  

10. MOTION MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KEY

 

The Council to look closely at the decision we made on Roses Sports Ground and to scrutinise the Lease that was agreed between the Town Council and the Gainsborough Trinity Foundation to make sure that both parties are doing what was agreed.

 

No seconder was forthcoming.

 

MOTION FALLEN

 

11. MOTION MOVED BY COUNCILLOR KEY

 

I constantly complain that I cannot get into meetings since we have gone to remote meetings and I do not think I am the only Councillor affected.

On 8th Sept I tried to get into the Community Services Committee meeting, because I am not a Member of that committee, I would still have to ask the Chair to speak on an issue.

I was amazed to be told by the Clerk that you have to contact him before 5 O’clock the previous day to ask a question.

THIS IS NOT IN OUR STANDING ORDERS

Recently I have not been able to get into a Personnel Committee meeting, on Weds 9th Sept although I am a Member of that committee, I missed the whole meeting.

On 15th Sept at a Management & Finance Committee meeting of which I am a Member, I could not get in to start with and when I did get in after 15 mins, the agenda item was 6 so I had missed two thirds of the Meeting.

I am sure that I am not the only person having problems and we also have an Elected Councillor who is kept out of remote meetings all together.  I believe that the issues need looking at to try and make sure Elected Members can get into meetings to do their duty.

Also at the last Full Council Meeting it was stated by the Leader that things are now far better on remote meetings, more Councillors can participate at meetings, this does not seem to be the case looking at numbers in the meetings mentioned above.

 

Councillor O’Connor seconded the motion.

 

RESOLVED under Standing Order 10.a.vi to refer the motion to the Management and Finance Committee for further consideration.

 

            EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

 

Due to the confidential nature, members RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the meeting during consideration of the next item in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

 

6. TOWN CLERKS REPORT (Paper C)

 

Note: Councillor Dobbie arrived at the meeting at 7.26pm

 

RESOLVED to NOTE the matters contained in the report.

 

Meeting concluded at 7.31pm