Havant Borough Council Annual Council / Mayor Making Meeting

Prayers were led by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Sue Moss.

Proposed by Councillor Bowerman and seconded by Councillor Satchwell, it was RESOLVED that Councillor Diana Patrick be elected Mayor of the Borough of Havant for 2022/23.

The Council adjourned at 11.14 and reconvened at 11.32

During the adjournment the Council and invited guests were entertained by pupils from St Thomas More’s school and The Brent Quartet, who are members of The Havant Orchestra.

Councillor Patrick made her declaration of Acceptance of Office of Mayor of Havant.

The Mayor, Councillor Diana Patrick in the Chair

The Mayor announced that her Consort for 2022/23 would be Mr James Spencer and her Chaplain would be Tom Kennar of St Faith’s. 

The Mayor gave thanks to Councillors Bowerman and Satchwell for their kind words, welcomed those Councillors newly elected and further thanked all those who had supported her year as Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor announced her Charity Appeal Fund for the forthcoming year would support Soldiers, Sailors, Airman and Families (SSAFA) and Dementia Friendly Hampshire and confirmed monies raised will be ring-fenced to support the residents of Havant.

The Mayor made presentations to her selected Mayor’s Cadets for the forthcoming year, who were from the 2260 Waterlooville Squadron Air Training Cadet Force, 101 Independent Cadet Force and St John Cadets.

The Mayor provided an overview of up and coming commitments, making special mention of the planned Platinum Jubilee celebrations and invited attendees to a buffet lunch provided by the Park Community School Catering Services.

Proposed by Councillor Turner and seconded by Councillor Crellin, it was RESOLVED that a vote of thanks be recorded to the past Mayor, Councillor Rosy Raines, for her service to the Council during her term of office.

Reply by the Retiring Mayor

The Retiring Mayor, Councillor Rosy Raines, took the opportunity to thank all those who had supported her and relayed some highlights from her year of office. 

Councillor Raines then relayed some highlights of her term of office, and thanked Councillor Turner and Crellin for their kind words and all those that donated so generously to her charity, The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Proposed by Councillor Crellin and seconded by Councillor Linger, it was RESOLVED that Councillor Rosy Raines be elected as Deputy Mayor for 2022/23.

Councillor Raines made her declaration of Acceptance of Office of Deputy Mayor of Havant.

Councillor Raines announced that Mr Graham Raines to be her consort for the forth coming year.

Proposed by Councillor Bowerman, seconded by Councillor Satchwell, it was RESOLVED that Councillor Diana Patrick be appointed Mayor Trustee of the Borough of Havant Appeal Fund Charitable Trust and that Councillor Rosy Raines be appointed further trustee of the Mayor of the Borough of Havant Appeal Fund Charitable Trust.

Proposed by Councillor Satchwell and seconded by Councillor Bowerman it was RESOLVED that Councillor Alex Rennie be appointed as Leader of the Council for the year 2022/2023 in line with Articles in the Councils’ Constitution.

Proposed by Councillor Milne and seconded by Councillor Crellin, it was RESOLVED that Council:

(i)          Notes the political balance of the Council, as set out in Appendix A;

(ii)         Notes the appointments made to the Cabinet by the Leader of the Council as set out in Part A of Appendix B

(iii)       Receives notification from the Leader of the Council that unless and until the Leader of the Council otherwise directs, the Cabinet, being the body which will undertake the relevant functions and powers set out in Part 3 of the Constitution of Havant Borough Council, will undertake all those functions and powers by acting together, save that, where Cabinet functions have been delegated to individual members of the Cabinet in accordance with the Scheme of Delegations to Cabinet Leads set out in Part 3B of the Constitution and/or to officers in accordance with the Scheme of Delegations to Officers set out in Part 3G of the Constitution, those delegations will continue to have effect.

(iv)       Reviews the representation of the different political groups on each of the Committees and Boards set out in Appendix B and determines:

(a)    the allocation of seats on each of those bodies to each of the political groups into which the Council is divided and

(b)    the membership of those bodies in accordance with the wishes of those groups; and

(v)        Approves:

1      the appointment and functions of the various Committees and Boards

2      the appointment of Councillors to those Committees and Boards

3      the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs (as appropriate) to those Committees and Boards all as set out in Parts B and C of Appendix B;

4      All appointments at (iv)(1) to (3) to remain in place until the next Annual meeting of the Council;

(vi)       Approves the sundry appointments set out in Part D of Appendix B, all such appointments to remain in place until the next Annual meeting of the Council.

Apologies were received from Councillors, Peter Wade, Richard Kennett, Caren Howard (now Diamond), Gary Hughes, Tony Denton, Phil Munday and

Councillor Michael Wilson.

There were no declarations of interest from the member present.

The Mayor invited Mr Mark Watkins, Deputy Monitoring Officer and Mr Malcolm Coe, Senior Finance Officer to leave the Council Chamber whilst Council considered this matter, as officers directly affected by the decision.

Councillor Rennie, as Leader of the Council, introduced the item as Leader of the Council and confirmed that recommendations B and C were previously considered by HR Committee.

Proposed by Councillor Bains, seconded by Councillor Keast, following, it was RESOLVED that Council:

a)      note the Chief Executive’s report submitted in accordance with the statutory requirement placed upon the Chief Executive as Head of Paid Service is noted.

b)      In accordance with Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, Committee recommends to full Council that they appoint Mr Mark Watkins as Interim Chief Legal Officer & Monitoring Officer until such time as a permanent appointment has been made

c)       In accordance with Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972, full Council designates Mr Malcolm Coe as interim s.151 Officer until such time as a permanent appointment has been made.

The Mayor invited Mr Coe and Mr Watkins to re-join the meeting and congratulated both officers on their appointments.

Council considered the following Motion, proposed by Councillor Rennie in the absence of Councillor Weeks and seconded by Councillor Crellin, it was RESOLVED that Council:

·       Asks that the Monitoring Officer keeps a record of the appointment of Town Crier

·       Moves that Councillor Rosy Raines be appointed to the honorary role of Town Crier for the Borough of Havant for the duration of Her Majesty’s Jubilee Celebrations and for other significant events in the future.

·       Requests that the Town Crier proclaims to the Borough Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee on Thursday 2 June 2022

Proposed by Councillor Keast and seconded by Councillor Sceal, it was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of Council on 14 April 2022 be approved as true record.