Democracy in Crawley

How decisions are made and who represents you

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms A B & C - Town Hall. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: democratic.services@crawley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Disclosures of Interest

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, councillors are reminded that it is a requirement to declare interests where appropriate.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received.

 

2.

Election of the Mayor for 2023-2024

To elect a Mayor for the Council year 2023 – 2024.

 

Minutes:

Before calling for nominations for the election of the new Mayor, the outgoing Mayor welcomed newly elected Councillors Imran Ashraf, Craig Burke, Julian Charatan, and Justin Russel to the Council. The Mayor then gave a speech on her Mayoral year.

 

Councillor Hart’s Speech on her Mayoral Year:

 

I am now going to say a few words on the Mayoral year, whoa, what a year I’ve had! - I went straight from Mayormaking into the Jubilee – I visited 24 street parties over the weekend and gate-crashed 5!  To meet so many residents of Crawley in their own areas was wonderful.

 

Armed Forces Day was the first “in the real” for three years – The world was waking up from the trials of covid.

 

September saw the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and what has probably been personally for me the high light of my Mayoral year – the reading of the Proclamation from the balcony of the old Town Hall – a feat which had never before happened and will never be repeated as we are now in this wonderful new building which I had the privilege of opening just a few months ago.

Over the year, I have also visited many places of worship for many of the different faiths that make up the very rich diversity that is Crawley.

 

In February, I visited the Crawley Museum for the dinosaur exhibition for which I was accompanied by my grandson Chayse, who asked if we could go back again to see the rest of it because “it was great to see all the old things about Crawley”.

 

My year has consisted of openings, ribbon cuttings, concerts, presentations, parties for the Jubilee and Coronation.  Who would ever imagined I would start with a Platinum Jubilee and close with a Coronation and opening a wonderful new Town Hall in between.

 

Thank you CBC and Councillors for putting your faith in me – I hope I’ve done you and Crawley proud.

 

Councillor Hart informed the Full Council that as she was one of the nominations for the position of the Mayor, she therefore was unable to preside over an election in which she was involved. As a result, she would be leaving the Chair for the next agenda item Election of Mayor 2023/ 2024. Councillor Hart stepped out of the Chair and the dais.

 

Councillor Rana, as the Deputy Mayor, took over the chairing of the meeting and sought nominations for Mayor for the Council year 2023/ 2024.

 

Councillor Charatan proposed (seconded by Councillor K Khan), that Councillor Hart be appointed as Mayor for the forthcoming year. A vote was taken.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Councillor Jilly Hart be elected as Mayor for the Council year 2023/2024.

The newly elected Mayor was invested with the Mayoral Chain, and made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

Councillor Jones and Councillor Crow respectively, welcomed the Mayor on behalf of the Council and wished her well in serving a second Mayoral year. In response to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Election of the Deputy Mayor for 2023 – 2024

To elect a Deputy Mayor for the Council year 2023 – 2024

Minutes:

It was proposed by Councillor Irvine, seconded by Councillor Lunnon, that Councillor K Khan be appointed as Deputy Mayor, whilst Councillor Crow, seconded by Councillor Burgess, proposed the appointment of Councillor Mwagale. Councillor Crow requested a recorded vote.  In accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 10.4 the names of the Councillors voting for and against the recommendation, along with any abstentions, were recorded as set out below:

 

For Councillor K Khan:

Councillors Ashraf, Ayling, Charatan, Hart, Irvine, Jhans, Jones, K Khan, Y Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, C Mullins, S Mullins, Nawaz, Noyce, Pritchard, Raja, Rana, Russell, Sivarajah, (20)

 

For Councillor Mwagale:

Councillors Ali, Belben, Bounds, Burgess, Burke, Crow, Hellier, Jaggard, Lanzer, McCarthy, Millar-Smith, Morris, Mwagale, Peck, Pendlington, Piggott (16)

 

Abstentions: (0)

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Councillor K Khan be elected as Deputy Mayor for the Council year 2023/2024.

 

The newly elected Deputy Mayor was then invested with the badge of office and signed her Declaration of Office. 

 

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor K Khan made a speech conveying the honour to be elected Deputy Mayor of Crawley and thanking her fellow Councillors.

 

4.

Election of the Youth Mayor and the Youth Deputy Mayor 2023 - 2024

The Mayor will call up the newly elected Youth Mayor Jake Picknell to the top table to present the Chain of Office, and the newly elected Youth Deputy Mayor Elijah Norton to present the Badge of Office.

 

On behalf of the Council, the Mayor will convey their congratulations to both upon their election.

 

Minutes:

The Mayor called both Jake Picknell and Elijah Norton up to the top table to present the Chain of Office to Jake as the elected Youth Mayor, and the Badge of Office to Elijah as the elected Youth Deputy Mayor. Congratulations were conveyed to both Jake and Elijah upon their election and they wre both wished a very successful year.

 

5.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 291 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 29 March 2023.

 

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 29 March 2023 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

 

6.

Extend a vote of thanks to the outgoing Mayoralty.

Minutes:

On behalf of their respective political groups, Councillors C Mullins, Mwagale and S Mullins tendered their congratulations to the Mayor upon her re-election. They conveyed their thanks to the Mayor for the work during the past year in office and offered congratulations on the forthcoming year.  The Mayor thanked Members of the Council, officers and Councillor Rana, as outgoing Deputy Mayor for the help and encouragement during the past Mayoral year. 

 

 

7.

Communications

To receive and consider any announcements or communications, including any additional Cabinet Member announcements.

Minutes:

Councillor Jones announced his Cabinet and the related Portfolio Holder responsibilities to the Full Council along with the Terms of Reference and Appointments for the Cabinet Advisory and Working Groups asset outin Appendix A to report LDS/199.It wasnoted thatthere werekey changesto theCabinet:

 

 

Portfolio

Councillor

Leader of the Council

Michael Jones

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development

Atif Nawaz

Community Engagement and Culture

Sue Mullins

Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change

Bob Noyce

Housing

Ian Irvine

Leisure and Wellbeing

Chris Mullins

Public Protection

Yasmin Khan

Resources

Tahira Rana

 

 

8.

Results of Elections - May 2023 pdf icon PDF 190 KB

To receive the Returning Officer’s report on the results of the Borough elections held on 4 May 2023, CEx/063.

 

Minutes:

The Council received report CEx/063 of the Returning Officer which detailed the results of the 2023 Borough Election, held on 4 May 2023.

 

 

9.

Review of Political Proportionality, Constitution of Committees and Appointments to Outside Organisations 2023- 2024 pdf icon PDF 89 KB

To consider report LDS/199 of the Head Governance, People & Performance.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Full Council considered report LDS/199 of the Head of Governance, People & Performance, along with Appendix A of the supplementary agenda, which detailed the review of the representation of different Political Groups on the Council and determined the size and membership of the Council’s Committees, Outside Bodies and Cabinet’s Advisory and Working Groups and MemberDevelopment ExecutiveSupport Groupfor themunicipal year2023-2024 in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and associated Regulations. The report also detailed the allocation of Chairs and Vice Chairs of those Committees. It was noted that the report contained a link to the latest version of the Constitution for Councillors’ ratification.

 

TheMayor stated there would be individual votes for contested nominations for Chair and Vice Chair positions, once the non-contested items had been approved.

 

The Mayorcalled fora voteon thememberships, nominationsand theadoption of the Constitution (subject to any changes arising from this Full Council meeting being included prior to publication) which was carried unanimously

 

 

RESOLVED

 

Thatthe FullCouncil approve

 

1.         the appointments and size of the Council’s Committees (taking into account politicalproportionality) forthe municipalyear 2023/2024,along with non-contested Chairs and Vice Chairs as for those Committees, the appointments for the Outside Bodies and Organisations for the municipal year 2023/2024 and the appointments, size and terms of reference of Cabinet’s Advisory and Working Groups and Member Development Executive Support Group 2023/ 2024.

 

2.         for publication the latest draft version of the Council’s Constitution, subject to any changes arising from this Full Council meeting being included prior to publication.

 

 

Contested Votes – Chairs and Vice Chairs

 

The Full Council then considered the contested positions for Chair of the Planning Committee and Overview and Scrutiny Commission. 

 

a)    Planning Committee

 

It was moved by Councillor Nawaz, seconded by Councillor Ayling, that Councillor Pritchard be appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. Whilst Councillor Crow, seconded by Councillor Piggott, proposed the appointment of Councillor Mwagale.  

A vote was taken.

 

As a result of the vote, Councillor Pritchard was appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee.  Councillor Mwagale was therefore appointed Vice Chair of the Planning Committee.

 

b)    Overview and Scrutiny Commission

 

It was moved by Councillor Pritchard, seconded by Councillor Jhans, that Councillor Ayling be appointed as Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission. Whilst Councillor Crow, proposed the appointment of Councillor Hellier and in doing so requested a recorded vote. The appointment was seconded by Councillor Lanzer.  Councillors Lamb, Belben, Burgess, Ayling, Crow and Jones also spoke on this item.

In accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 10.4 the names of the Councillors voting for and against the recommendation, along with any abstentions, were recorded as set out below:

 

For Councillor Ayling:

Councillors Ashraf, Ayling, Charatan, Hart, Irvine, Jhans, Jones, K Khan, Y Khan, Lamb, Lunnon, C Mullins, S Mullins, Nawaz, Noyce, Pritchard, Raja, Rana, Russell, Sivarajah, (20)

 

For Councillor Hellier:

Councillors Ali, Belben, Bounds, Burgess, Burke, Crow, Hellier, Jaggard, Lanzer, McCarthy,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Appointment of an Independent Person pdf icon PDF 59 KB

To consider report LDS/201 of the Head of Governance, People and Performance as the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Minutes:

The Full Council considered report LDS/201 of the Head of Governance, People & Performance (as the Council’s Monitoring Officer), which sought the re-appointment of Mr Russell Brown for a further two-year term as one of the Council’s Independent Persons. The Mayor moved the report which was seconded by the Deputy Mayor.

 

 

RESOLVED

 

That Mr Russell Brown be appointed for a further two years until July 2025.

 

 

Appendix A Appointments 2023- 24 pdf icon PDF 190 KB