To elect the Chairperson of the Council.

(The Vice-Chairperson of the Council assumed the Chair during the election of the Chairperson of the Council)

Councillor Dan Hurcomb proposed and Councillor David Hitchiner seconded the nomination of Councillor Roger Phillips as Chairperson of the Council.

A vote was taken and Councillor Phillips was elected Chairperson of the Council.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Roger Phillips is elected Chairperson of the Council for the forthcoming municipal year.

Councillor Phillips made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office.

(Councillor Phillips assumed the Chair of the meeting as the Chairperson of the Council)

To appoint the Vice Chairperson of the Council

Councillor Roger Phillips proposed and Councillor Justine Peberdy seconded the nomination of Councillor Stef Simmons as Vice-Chairperson of the Council.

A vote was taken and Councillor Simmons was appointed Vice-Chairperson of the Council.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Stef Simmons is appointed Vice-Chairperson of the Council for the forthcoming municipal year.

Councillor Simmons made the statutory declaration of acceptance of office.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Dave Boulter and Mark Dykes.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2025.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive the Chairman and Chief Executive’s announcements.

Council noted the Chairman’s and Chief Executive’s announcements as printed in the agenda papers.

To elect the leader of the Council.

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst proposed and Councillor Barry Durkin seconded the nomination of Councillor Jonathan Lester as Leader of the Council.

A vote was taken and Councillor Lester was elected as Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Jonathan Lester is elected Leader of the Council for the forthcoming municipal year.

To consider the content of the Annual Review of Effectiveness - Scrutiny Review.

Council considered a report by the Statutory Scrutiny Officer which provided the outcomes of the scrutiny review and recommended changes to the council’s constitution.

Councillor Roger Phillips moved the report and proposed the recommendations and Councillor Jonathan Lester seconded the recommendations.

There was an adjournment at 11:19 a.m.; the meeting reconvened at 11:28 a.m.

Councillor Liz Harvey proposed and Councillor Pauline Crockett seconded an amendment to the proposed recommendations as below:

That Council:

1. Receives and notes the contents of the Scrutiny Review (in appendix 1) and agrees the Statutory Scrutiny Officer’s recommendations except:

- Council proposes a reduction in the number of scrutiny committees from five to four, and

2. That public questions are focussed on agenda items under consideration by the committee meeting to which they are submitted.

Council debated the amendment.

The amendment was put to the vote and was lost by a simple majority.

The original recommendations were put to the vote and were carried by a simple majority.

RESOLVED – That:

Council:

1. Agrees with the contents of the Scrutiny Review (in appendix 1) and the Statutory Scrutiny Officer’s recommendations;

2. Agrees that the number of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees should remain as current (as set out in 9 J, below); and

3. Authority is given to the Monitoring Officer to make any requisite changes and amendments to the council’s constitution as a result of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer’s recommendations (as set out in 9 M-O, below).

There was an adjournment at 11:33 a.m.; the meeting reconvened at 11:55 a.m.

To make appointments to the committees of the Council and outside bodies in line with the rules of political proportionality.

Council considered a report by the solicitor to the Council relating to appointments to committees of the Council and outside bodies in line with the rules of political proportionality. The Chairman outlined the tabled supplement, published on 23 May, which contained: an updated table under paragraph 11 of the report with two proposals for the allocation of a Conservative seat on the Environment and Sustainability Scrutiny Committee; and an updated appendix 2 with details of the number of seats on the scrutiny management board and the allocation of seats to political groups.

Recommendation (a)

Councillor Roger Phillips proposed and Councillor Dave Davies seconded recommendation (a) which was carried.

RESOLVED: That the list of ordinary committees listed at paragraph 10 are confirmed with their terms of reference as set out in the council’s constitution.

Recommendation (b)

Councillor Jonathan Lester proposed and Councillor Dan Hurcomb seconded proposal 1 – as contained in the tabled supplement published on 23 May 2025 – to allocate a Conservative seat on the Environment and Sustainability Scrutiny Committee to the Not Aligned members.

Councillor Diana Toynbee proposed and Councillor Mark Woodall seconded proposal 2 – as contained in the tabled supplement published on 23 May 2025 – to allocate a Conservative seat on Environment and Sustainability Scrutiny Committee to the Independents for Herefordshire group.

Council voted on the two proposals above and proposal 1 was carried by a simple majority.

RESOLVED: That the number of seats on each committee as set out in the table below is approved:

Council raised a query related to the substitution of not aligned members on committees and it was explained that information would be provided following the meeting.

Recommendation (c)

Recommendation (c) was put to the vote and was carried.

RESOLVED: That the allocation of seats on outside bodies to political groups as set out in paragraph 13 is approved.

Recommendation (d)

Recommendation (d) was put to the vote and was carried.

RESOLVED: That the appointment of five co-opted members of children and young people scrutiny committee is approved as follows:

i.                   one representative as nominated by the diocese of Hereford

ii.                   one representative as nominated by the archdiocese of Cardiff

iii.                   three parent governors as elected from the school sector

Recommendation (e)

Recommendation (e) was put to the vote and was carried with no votes against.

RESOLVED: That the suspension of the rules of proportionality in respect of the standards panel, the River Lugg Drainage Board, and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.