The Mayor thanked all those within the Council and throughout the Borough who had supported him in the wide variety of activities that he had undertaken throughout his year of office and in the work of the Mayor's Charity Fund, in particular the staff of Civic and Member Services and the Attendants for their valued assistance, the former Mayor, Councillor Andrew Hodson, and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Moira McLaughlin, for their encouragement and support. All of the Mayor's remarks were warmly endorsed by the whole Council.

At the Mayor's request, Wirral's Young Poet Laureate, Kim Morgan, read a poem specially composed for the occasion entitled “What Wirral Means to Me”.

To elect the Mayor for the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral for the municipal year 2011/12.

The Mayor invited nominations for election of the Mayor for the ensuing municipal year.

On a motion moved by Councillor Foulkes, seconded by Councillor Green and endorsed by Councillor Harney and, in the absence of any other nominations, it was –

Resolved (unanimously) - That Councillor Moira McLaughlin be elected Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral for the 2011/12 municipal year.

Councillor McLaughlin made the declaration of acceptance of office required by law, and the retiring Mayor (Mr Alan Jennings) vacated the Chair. Councillor McLaughlin occupied the Chair.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Father Nicholas Kerns, then led the Council in prayer after which the Mayor welcomed her guests and spoke to her election.

To appoint the Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor invited nominations for the appointment of a Deputy Mayor for the ensuing municipal year.

On a motion moved by Councillor Green and seconded by Councillor Foulkes, and in the absence of any other nominations, it was –

Resolved (unanimously) – That Councillor Gerry Ellis be appointed Deputy Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral for the 2011/12 municipal year.

Councillor Ellis made the declaration of acceptance of office required by law.

The Council is requested to consider its representation on  the Merseyside Police Authority Appointments Committee (scheduled to meet on 27 May 2011) in the political ratio (1:1:1).

The Party Leaders represented the Council on this committee last year. 

Further to the Council supplemental agenda of 16 May, the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management invited the Council to make three appointments to represent the Authority, on a 1:1:1 basis, on the Merseyside Police Authority Appointments Committee.

On a motion moved by Councillor Green, seconded by Councillor Foulkes, it was –

Resolved (unanimously) – That the three Party Leaders, Councillors Green, Foulkes and Harney be appointed to represent the Council on the Merseyside Police Authority Appointments Committee and that the names of deputies be submitted in writing to the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management.

To agree that, pursuant to the Annual Council procedure (Standing Order 5A), the meeting stand adjourned to 6.15pm on Monday 23 May 2011.

The Council agreed, without a vote, pursuant to Standing Order 5A (1), that the meeting stand adjourned to 6.15pm on Monday, 23 May 2011.

The Mayor welcomed those newly elected Councillors and congratulated those Members who had retained their seats at the recent local elections. She referred also to the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Members and reminded the Council of its obligations in relation to conduct at meetings.

The Mayor advised the Council that Brian Ellis (Principal Committee Officer) was attending his last meeting of the Council prior to retirement in June. She commended Brian for 37 years of service and, on behalf of the Council, accorded him her very best wishes for a long and happy retirement.

The members of the Council are invited to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

The Members of the Council were invited to consider whether they had a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest. No such declarations were made.

To receive petitions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 21.

In accordance with Standing Order 21, the Mayor received petitions submitted by –

·  Councillor J Hale

A petition containing 90 signatures objecting to planning application APP/11/00549 for the proposed change of use of 11 Bennets Lane, Meols from a domestic dwelling to a pre-school nursery.

·  Councillor A Jones

A petition containing 40 signatures requesting road resurfacing works in the Seacombe area.

·  Councillor G Watt

A petition containing 77 signatures, requesting the urgent introduction of parking restrictions to protect the junction of Hillside Road and Grammar School Lane, West Kirby.

·  Councillor P Hackett

A petition containing 114 signatures, requesting the provision of measures, to combat criminal damage to vehicles and property and anti-social behaviour at the Tower Grounds New Brighton.

·  Councillor T Cox

A petition containing 4190 signatures objecting to planning application APP/11/00508 for the building of a Sainsbury Store on the Red Cat Car Park, Greasby.

·  Councillor S Taylor

A petition containing 98 signatures objecting to planning application APP/11/00352 for the proposed change of use of Albion House, Albion Street, New Brighton from a residential care home to 13 HMO bedsits.

·  Councillor J Salter

A petition containing 37 signatures requesting the Council to take action to bring deteriorating boarded up properties in Percy Road, Seacombe into habitable condition.

·  Councillor C Jones

A petition containing 824 signatures requesting the Council to address security at Central Park, Wallasey.

·  Councillor S Whittingham

A petition containing 30 signatures objecting to planning application APP/10/01316 for the importation of inert materials to raise and recontour land at Alwood Farm Upton.

Resolved – That the petitions be noted and referred to the appropriate Chief Officer in accordance with Standing Order 34.

To receive as a correct record the minutes of the meeting(s) of the Council held on 18 April, 2011.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 April 2011, having been circulated to all Members, it was –

Resolved – That the minutes be approved and adopted.

To receive and note the report of the Returning Officer on the results on the results of the Council Election held on 5 May 2011.

The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management and Returning Officer presented a summary of the results of the Local Government Elections held on 5 May 2011.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

The Leader of the Council was appointed on 24 May, 2010 for a four year period.

In accordance with Article 7.3 of the Constitution (Leader), the Council is requested to consider the following motion moved by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor P Davies:

This Council recognises that, following the election on 5 May 2011, the Labour Group is now the largest group on the Council. It also recognises that, with over 46,000 votes, Labour has the largest share of the vote on Wirral, with the Conservative Party trailing nearly 10,000 votes behind as the second largest party.

In the light of these recent election victories, Council therefore moves:

1. That Councillor J Green be removed from the office of Leader of Wirral Council.

2. That the Leader of the Labour Group be appointed as Leader of Wirral Council.

The Leader of the Council was appointed on 24 May, 2010 for a four year period.

In accordance with Article 7.3 of the Constitution (Leader), the Council was requested to consider the following motion –

Proposed by Councillor P Davies

Seconded by Councillor A Jones

This Council recognises that, following the election on 5 May 2011, the Labour Group is now the largest group on the Council. It also recognises that, with over 46,000 votes, Labour has the largest share of the vote on Wirral, with the Conservative Party trailing nearly 10,000 votes behind as the second largest party.

In the light of these recent election victories, Council therefore moves:

1.  That Councillor J Green be removed from the office of Leader of Wirral Council.

2.  That the Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor S Foulkes, be appointed as Leader of Wirral Council.

AMENDMENT

Proposed by Councillor J Green

Seconded by Councillor Mrs L Rennie

Delete all after:

“This Council recognises that, following the election on 5 May 2011”

and replace with:

“no Party has overall control of the Council but that the parties which formed the Progressive Partnership in 2010-11 hold 36 seats and 51,065 votes in total.

Council welcomes the progress made by the Progressive Partnership to make Wirral Borough Council more open, more transparent and more responsive to the people we serve.

Council welcomes the actions taken to reduce the running costs by £58 million while protecting frontline services, freezing Council Tax and avoiding compulsory redundancies and, in particular, thanks those staff, organisations, partners and residents who have worked with the Partnership to deliver these achievements.

In particular, Council welcomes:

1.  The agreement to include Wirral within the new job-creating Enterprise Zone and the announcement of the new International Trade Centre at Wirral Waters.

2.  The action to tackle the neglect of our shopping areas including the abolition of car parking charges after 3pm, the ‘deep clean’ to remove years of grime and graffiti and money to bring empty shops back into use.

3.  The improvements underway in our library service, including an extra £1 million to tackle the backlog of repairs, purchase of new stock and the introduction of new services.

4.  The decision to reinstate Guinea Gap and Leasowe Recreation Centre to the Council’s base budget.

5.  The protection given to funding for community, voluntary and faith-based organisations which enhance the Borough’s civil society and provide services for some of our most vulnerable residents.

6.  The reintroduction of daytime coverage of the CCTV cameras and to appoint a permanent team of staff to tackle the minority of owners who do not clean up after their pets.

7.  The doubling of places available on the Apprenticeship Programme and the creation of the Wirral Jobs Commission.

8.  The recognition given to the Children and Young People’s Department by Ofsted and the work by that Department to further enhance opportunities and attainment through our schools, including support to schools seeking academy status.

9.  The Action already taken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Councillor Foulkes, having been elected Leader of the Council, gave an acceptance speech and thanked the outgoing Leader, Councillor J Green, for his services to Wirral over the past 12 months. He also expressed his thanks to former Councillor S Holbrook, for his significant contribution as Deputy Leader of the Council.

Councillor Foulkes confirmed the appointment of Councillor PL Davies as Deputy Leader of the Councillor, with responsibility for the Regeneration and Planning Strategy Portfolio.

At 8.15pm the Council agreed that the meeting stand adjourned for 15 minutes.

To consider the reports of the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management on the following matters:-

(i)  Appointments to Council Committees and the appointment of Chairs and Vice–chairs to such committees.

(ii)  Appointments to Statutory and Advisory Committees, Working Parties and Panels.

(iii)  Appointment of Members (and/or other individuals) to outside bodies and organisations.

The Council was requested to consider the reports of the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management on the following matters –

(i)  Appointment and Constitution of Council Committees and the appointment of Chairs and Vice–chairs to such committees.

(ii)  Appointments to Panels, Statutory and Advisory Committees, Working Parties and Miscellaneous Appointments.

(iii)  Appointment of Members (and/or other individuals) to outside bodies and organisations, together with an addendum in relation to appointments to the Merseyside Police Authority

It was moved by Councillor S Foulkes and seconded by Councillor P Davies –

1.  That for the 2011/12 Municipal Year the total number of committee places (excluding those on the Standards Committee) shall be 123 and the places shall be allocated in the following proportions:

2.  That nominations for the Chairs of the above committees shall be allocated to the political groups on a proportionate basis (5:5:2) as follows:

3.  That the political groups shall provide their written nominations for their places on these committees to the Director of Law and Asset Management as soon as practicable in order that they may be included in Appendix A to the minutes of this meeting.

4.  That individual Committees are strongly recommended to appoint Vice-Chairs to stand in whenever Chairs are not available for meetings.

5.  That Council notes the ongoing nominations of Diocesan and Parent Governor Representatives on the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

6.  That for the 2011/2012 Municipal Year the Standards Committee shall be constituted as follows:

(a)  The Committee shall consist of 13 members comprising four Independent Members and nine Councillors (three Conservative, three Labour and three Liberal Democrat);

(b)  The Chair and Vice Chairs shall be Independent Members elected by the Standards Committee;

(c)  The Independent Members shall be –

Mr Brian Cummings (appointed to 31 October 2011)

Mr Ken Harrison (appointed to 31 October 2014)

Mr Alex Nuttall (appointed to 31 October 2012)

Mrs Stella Elliott (appointed to 31 October 2013)

(d)  The political groups shall provide their written nominations for their places on this Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.