21/000 PRESENT

Councillors Gardiner, Houghton, Abel, Beswick, Coan, Dalzell, Forbes, Gray, Malloy, McCulloch, Nicholson and Robertson

In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)

 

21/001 ELECTION OF THE TOWN MAYOR

It was proposed by Cllr Nicholson, seconded by Cllr Gray and RESOLVED that Cllr Gardiner be elected Town Mayor.

Cllr Gardiner signed the declaration of acceptance of office.

 

21/002 ELECTION OF THE DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

It was proposed by Cllr Robertson, seconded by Cllr McCulloch and RESOLVED that Cllr Houghton be elected Deputy Town Mayor.

It was noted that Cllr Houghton would give his declaration of acceptance of office before the next meeting.

 

21/003 TOWN MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cllr Gardiner announced that the appointments made on 7th December 2020 would continue, namely that his husband Simon Hutchence would serve as Mayor’s Consort; Rev Paul Deakin would serve as Mayor’s Chaplin and Corporal James Booth of the 2056 (Knutsford) Squadron Air Training Corps would serve as Mayor’s Cadet. Cllr Gardiner announced he would continue to fundraise for the Knutsford Branch of the Royal British Legion and the Knutsford Branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society and announced the dates for his Summer Ball on 16th July and Civic Service on 5th September.

 

21/004 APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

It was RESOLVED to make the following appointments:

 

Organisation Representative
CCG Combined Surgeries Project Cllr Forbes
Cheshire Association of Local Councils Cllr McCulloch
Citizens Advice Cllr Houghton
Crosstown Community Orchard Cllr Dalzell
Friends of St John’s Wood Cllr McCulloch
Friends of the Heath Cllr Gray
Friends of the Moor Cllr Gardiner
Knutsford Heritage Centre Cllr Nicholson
Knutsford in Bloom Cllr Nicholson
Longridge and Shaw Heath Community Partnership Cllr Forbes and Cllr McCulloch (deputy)
Manchester Airport Consultative Committee Cllr Nicholson
Mid Cheshire Line Community Rail Partnership CIC Cllr Malloy
Mid Cheshire Line Community Rail Partnership Steering Group Cllr Malloy and Cllr Coan (deputy)
The Knutsford Fund Cllr McCulloch
Town Centre Community Partnership Cllr Gray and Cllr Dalzell (deputy)

It was RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Malloy as representative to the Friends of College Wood assuming the group is established.

 

21/005 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES AND BANK SIGNATORIES

It was RESOLVED to appoint committees and sub-committees as follows:

Assets and Operations Committee

Cllrs Beswick, Coan, Forbes, Gray, Malloy, McCulloch, Nicholson and Robertson.

Chairman – Cllr Coan

Deputy Chairman – Cllr Nicholson

 

Environment and General Purposes Committee

Cllrs Abel, Beswick, Dalzell, McCulloch, Power and Robertson

Chairman – Cllr McCulloch

Deputy Chairman – Cllr Robertson

 

Events and Town Centre Management Committee

Cllrs Abel, Coan, Dalzell, Malloy, Power and the new Nether ward councillor.

Chairman – Cllr Houghton

 

Finance Committee

Cllrs Coan, Forbes, Malloy, McCulloch, Robertson and the new Bexton ward councillor.

Chairman – Cllr Robertson

Deputy Chairman – Cllr Houghton

 

Personnel Committee

Cllrs Beswick, Coan, Dalzell, Forbes, Nicholson, the new Bexton and Nether ward councillors.

Chairman – Cllr Nicholson

Deputy Chairman – Cllr Beswick

 

Planning and Licensing Committee

Cllrs Dalzell, Gray, McCulloch, Robertson, the new Bexton and Nether ward councillors.

Chairman – Cllr Gray

Deputy Chairman – Cllr McCulloch

It was noted that the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor are ex-officio members of all committees.

 

Council Offices Sub-committee

Cllrs Coan, Forbes, Gray, McCulloch and Nicholson

Chairman – Cllr Coan

Deputy Chairman – Cllr Forbes

 

Grievances and Appeals Sub-committee

Cllrs Coan, Dalzell and Nicholson

Reserve 1 – Cllr McCulloch

Reserve 2 – Cllr Beswick

Reserve 3 – Cllr Forbes

It was RESOLVED to appoint the following bank signatories: Cllrs Gardiner, Houghton, Malloy and Robertson and the Town Clerk (for administrative purposes).

 

21/006 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Gardiner declared a pecuniary interest in 21/012 on the grounds of being the recipient of any allowance and a personal interest in the appointment of a representative to the Friends of College Wood on the grounds of being a member of the church which owns the woodland.

Cllr Malloy declared a personal interest in the appointment of a representative to the Friends of College Wood on the grounds of living near to the woodland.

Cllr McCulloch declared a personal interest in the appointment of a representative to the Friends of St John’s Wood on the grounds of living near to the woodland.

 

21/007 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Cllr Power (personal business)

 

21/008 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

No members of the public wished to address the meeting.

 

21/009 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on the 1st March 2021 subject to the correction of a typo and the addition of the word “ordinary” to 20/061.

 

21/010 ANNUAL GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN 2020/21

It was RESOLVED to approve the Annual Governance Statement.

It was RESOLVED to approve the Accounting Statements 2020/21.

 

21/011 DISCHARGE OF COUNCIL FUNCTIONS DURING PANDEMIC

The draft resolution was debated and it was RESOLVED to amend section d(ii) to add a requirement that the majority of members indicate their desire to return to physical meetings and further RESOLVED to amend section b to require confirmation of decisions to be made to the Town Mayor and the appropriate committee chairman.

It was then RESOLVED that:

  • The Town Clerk (or his designated deputy) shall have delegated authority to exercise any function that would normally be exercised by Full Council or a committee, excepting any function which statute prescribes may only be exercised by Full Council.
  • The authority under (a) may only be exercised having received counsel from the appropriate working group as set out at (c). The Town Clerk (or his designated deputy) shall confirm any decision to be taken to the Town Mayor and appropriate committee chairman.
  • The following working groups are established:
  1. All Member Working Group – comprising all members with a remit to advise on issues which are ordinarily reserved for the Full Council
  2. Assets Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Assets and Operations Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  3. Environment Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Environment and General Purposes Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  4. Personnel Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Personnel Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  5. Events Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Events and Town Centre Management Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  6. Planning Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Planning and Licensing Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  7. Finance Working Group – comprising the members appointed to the Finance Committee with a remit to advise on issues usually delegated to that committee under its terms of reference
  • The council’s published schedule of meetings shall be suspended until:
    1. the majority of members indicate in writing to the Town Clerk their desire for in person meetings to resume, OR
    2. social distancing requirements for meetings are removed and the majority of members indicate in writing to the Town Clerk their desire for in person meetings to resume OR
    3. legislation allows for Full Council and committee meetings to be held virtually

whichever is the sooner.

  • The working groups should, as a minimum, meet on the dates and times currently scheduled for formal meetings and the Town Clerk should provide members with sufficient information to provide effective counsel. Records of the counsel provided by working groups shall be retained. Except when discussing matters where publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest (as defined in the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960) working group meetings shall be open to the public to view and, at an appropriate time, participate.
  • The authority granted under (a) shall only have effect until meetings resume under (d).
  • All decisions taken under (a) shall be submitted to and ratified by Full Council or the appropriate committee at the first meeting following the resumption of meetings.
  • The authority under (a) shall not affect any authority which is already delegated through Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, existing policy or previous resolution and any conditions attached thereto shall continue to have effect.

 

21/012 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the Town Mayor and Town Clerk will determine the date of the next meeting of the Town Council in consultation with members

 

21/013 MAYOR’S ALLOWANCE

Cllr Gardiner left the meeting.

It was RESOLVED to make an allowance of £630 to the Town Mayor.