Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone

Contact: Debbie Snook  01622 602030

Items
No. Item

91.

Minute's Silence

Minutes:

The Council stood in silence for one minute in memory of Mrs Ann Allen MBE, Chairman of Kent County Council, who passed away in October 2021.

 

92.

Prayers

Minutes:

Prayers were said by the Very Reverend John S Richardson of All Saints Church.

 

93.

Recording of Proceedings

Minutes:

Councillors Cannon and McKay reserved their right to record the proceedings.

 

94.

Deputy Mayor Select 2022/23

Minutes:

The Mayor took the opportunity to advise the Council that, following discussions, there were two Councillors with the same seniority who wished to be Deputy Mayor in 2022/23.  In accordance with the agreed Protocol in such circumstances, she had drawn lots and the winner of the draw was Councillor Newton.  Members would be asked to vote on the appointment of Deputy Mayor Select, taking into account the outcome of the draw, in due course.

 

95.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

It was noted that apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Mrs Ring, R Webb and Wilby.

 

96.

Applications for Dispensations

Minutes:

There were no applications for dispensations.

 

97.

Disclosures by Members and Officers

Minutes:

There were no disclosures by Members or Officers.

 

Note:  Councillor Trzebinski joined the meeting during consideration of this item. (6.44 p.m.).

 

98.

Disclosures of Lobbying

Minutes:

Councillors Brice, Brindle, Bryant, Garten, Hastie, Hinder, Kimmance and de Wiggondene-Sheppard indicated that they had been lobbied on the notice of motion relating to Whole Council Elections.

 

99.

Exempt Items

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

 

100.

Petitions

Minutes:

There were no petitions.

 

101.

Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public

Minutes:

There were no questions from members of the public.

 

102.

Questions from Members of the Council to the Chairmen of Committees

Minutes:

There were no questions from Members to the Chairmen of Committees.

 

103.

Notice of Motion - Whole Council Elections pdf icon PDF 64 KB

We the undersigned, being at least one third of the Members of the Maidstone Borough Council, request that an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council be summoned to discuss the following motion:

 

“That Maidstone Borough Council hereby adopts a scheme of whole council elections, meaning an electoral cycle of one election every four years with all councillors being elected, with the first such election being in 2024.”

 

Councillors Burton, Purle, Holmes, Young, Perry, Cooper, Cannon, Russell, Bartlett, Fort, Parfitt-Reid, Hinder, S Webb, Spooner, Brindle, Cooke, Ring, D Rose, Trzebinski, Garten, Brice, Munford and Grigg

 

Minutes:

The following motion was moved by Councillor Purle, seconded by Councillor Burton:

 

That Maidstone Borough Council hereby adopts a scheme of Whole Council Elections, meaning an electoral cycle of one election every four years with all Councillors being elected, with the first such election being in 2024.

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 23.4, five Members of the Council requested that a named vote be taken on the motion.  The voting was as follows:

 

FOR (39)

 

Councillors Bartlett, Mrs Blackmore, Brice, Brindle, Bryant, Burton, Cannon, Cooke, Cooper, Cox, Cuming, Daley, Eves, Fissenden, Forecast, Fort, Garten, Mrs Gooch, Mrs Grigg, Hastie, Hinder, Holmes, Mrs Joy, McKay, McKenna, Munford, Newton, Parfitt-Reid, Perry, Purle, D Rose, Round, Russell, Spooner, Springett, Trzebinski, S Webb, de Wiggondene-Sheppard and Young

 

AGAINST (5)

 

Councillors Coates, Harper, M Rose, J Sams and T Sams

 

ABSENTIONS (8)

 

Councillors Clark, English, Harwood, Khadka, Kimmance, Mortimer, Naghi and Mrs Robertson

 

Having achieved the necessary two thirds majority of those Members present and voting:

 

MOTION CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:  That Maidstone Borough Council hereby adopts a scheme of Whole Council Elections, meaning an electoral cycle of one election every four years with all Councillors being elected, with the first such election being in 2024.

 

Note:  Councillor Forecast joined the meeting during consideration of this item (6.55 p.m.).  Councillor Forecast said that he had no disclosures of interest or of lobbying.

 

104.

Duration of Meeting

Minutes:

6.30 p.m. to 7.25 p.m.