Agenda item

To consider, in accordance with Full Council Procedure Rule 1.1-H, the following Notice of Motion to be moved by Councillor Guidera and seconded by Councillor Malik.

The Council considered the Notice of Motion ‘Donating the Mayoral Ball Budget to the Mayor’s Charities’ which was set out in the Full Council’s agenda. The Motion was moved and presented by Councillor Guidera and seconded and supported by Councillor Malik. In presenting the Motion Councillor Guidera explained how his Mayoral year had been drastically affected by the pandemic, as such he had not been able to hold funding events to support his chosen charity of Manor Green School and College, which would happen in a normal year. He explained that it was likely that he would be unable to hold the annual Mayoral charity ball so he was proposing that, to ensure he was still able to donate to his charity, the budget allocated for supporting Mayoral events be donated instead.

Councillors Ayling, R Burgess, Sharma, Crow, Jaggard spoke in support of the proposal during the debate on the Notice of Motion.

Following the conclusion of the debate, the Mayor invited the Democratic Services Manager to commence the voting process. Before the vote commenced, it was confirmed that none of the Labour or Conservative Members requested to vote as an individual, rather than through their respective Group block vote.

For the Notice of Motion: Labour block votes of 14 votes, Conservative block votes of 17 votes, and Councillor Sudan. (32)

Against the Notice of Motion: None (0)

Abstentions: (0)

Councillor Purdy in the Chair declared the Notice of Motion was carried – votes in favour 32, and votes against 0 with 0 abstentions.

RESOLVED

Each year the Mayor is installed and a celebration is held to mark the occasion. During the year the Mayor would normally host several functions, events that members of the community are invited to attend with the main event being the annual Mayor’s Ball. The Mayor uses these functions to thank the community and to assist with fundraising for their chosen charity.

As we all know, 2020 is not a normal year for anyone.

Due to the lockdowns and the limitations on group sizes outside of lockdowns, as the Mayor I have been prevented from hosting events and fundraising in any meaningful way so far and I don’t expect that to change during my term as Mayor which ends in May next year, therefore the budget allocated for supporting such Mayoral events during my term remains unused.

It’s Christmas. What better time than the season of goodwill to propose a generous and festive Christmas Notice of Motion?

It is hereby propose to donate as a gift, a sizeable part of the ceremonial budget that would normally be spent on the Mayoral activities during my term as Mayor to one of the most deserving causes in our town, my chosen charities this year, Manor Green Primary School and College. They too have been unable to fundraise this year and with this gesture we will help them greatly.

Over the past four years the average cost of the annual Mayoral ball has been £4700 alone, and as the Mayor has been unable to host any events so far and will be unable to host a Mayor’s Ball this municipal year, I am seeking councillor support and approval for this Motion, to donate from the ceremonial budget £5000 to be split equally between Manor Green School and College.

I would like to thank the Councillor Malik for kindly agreeing to second this Notice of Motion.

At the conclusion of the item the Mayor returned to the chair and in doing so thanked Councillor Purdy for chairing the last item.