23/000  PRESENT

Councillors Houghton, Coan, Banks, Dalzell, Forrest, Gardiner, Gray, Hartley, Johnson, Lowe, McCulloch, Mears, Robertson, Russell, Watson and Wood

In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk)

 

23/001  ELECTION OF THE TOWN MAYOR

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

Mr Houghton left the meeting.

Cllr Coan signed the declaration of acceptance of office.

 

23/002  RESULTS OF TOWN COUNCIL ELECTIONS

The results of the elections held on 4th May were noted.

 

Bexton and Town Centre Ward

Stewart Gardiner Conservative  Elected unopposed

April Johnson  Independent  Elected unopposed

Gus Watson  Independent  Elected unopposed

 

Cross Town Ward

Peter Coan  Conservative  393 votes (elected)

Lesley Dalzell  Independent  473 votes (elected)

Rex Mears  Independent  484 votes (elected)

Tim Regan  Conservative  340 votes

 

Nether Ward

Bryan Hartley  Independent  Elected unopposed

Scott Lowe  Independent  Elected unopposed

Matthew Wood  Independent  Elected unopposed

 

Norbury Booths Ward

Christopher Gray Conservative  Elected unopposed

Matthew Robertson Conservative  Elected unopposed

Su Russell  Independent  Elected unopposed

 

St John’s Wood Ward

Colin Banks  Independent  Elected unopposed

Jennifer Forrest  Conservative  Elected unopposed

James McCulloch    Elected unopposed

The Town Mayor congratulated members on their election and welcomed them to the council.

 

23/003  DECLARATIONS OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE

It was noted that all members had given their declaration of acceptance of office as required by law.

 

23/004  ELECTION OF THE DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

It was proposed by Cllr Mears, seconded by Cllr Hartley and RESOLVED that Cllr Banks be elected Deputy Town Mayor.

A recorded vote was requested.

 

For  Cllrs Banks, Dalzell, Hartley, Johnson, Lowe, Mears, Russell, Watson and Wood

Against  none

Abstentions  Cllrs Coan, Forrest, Gardiner, Gray, McCulloch and Robertson

Cllr Banks signed the declaration of acceptance of office.

 

23/005  APPOINTMENT OF THE MAYOR’S CADET

Cllr Coan announced the appointment of Corporal Darcy Canaris of the 2056 Squadron Air Training Corps as Mayor’s Cadet 2023/24.

 

23/006  APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

It was RESOLVED to make the following appointments:

 

Organisation Representative
Cheshire Association of Local Councils AGM Cllrs Coan and McCulloch
Crosstown Community Orchard Cllr Mears
Friends of College Wood Cllr Coan
Friends of St John’s Wood Cllr McCulloch
Friends of the Heath Cllr Watson
Friends of the Moor Cllr Johnson
Knutsford Heritage Centre Cllr Coan
Knutsford in Bloom Cllr Hartley
Knutsford Old Folks Club Committee (Jubilee Hall) Cllr Johnson
Manchester Airport Consultative Committee Cllr Banks and Cllr Russell (sub)
Mid Cheshire Line Community Rail Partnership Steering Group Cllr Russell
The Knutsford Fund Cllr McCulloch
Knutsford and District Schools Council Cllrs Dalzell and Wood
Rural Market Towns Group Cllr Mears

 

23/007  APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES AND BANK SIGNATORIES

It was RESOLVED to approve the revised committee structure and terms of reference for committees.

It was RESOLVED to make the following appointments:

 

Assets and Operations Committee

Cllrs Dalzell, Gardiner, Gray, Lowe, Watson and Wood

Chairman   Cllr Gardiner

Deputy Chairman Cllr Lowe

 

Community Committee

 Cllrs Dalzell, Forrest, Gardiner, Hartley, McCulloch, Russell

Chairman   Cllr Banks

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Forrest

 

Environment and Transport Committee

Cllrs Johnson, Lowe, Mears, Robertson, Russell and Watson

Chairman   Cllr Russell

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Mears

 

Events Committee

Cllrs Hartley, Forrest, Lowe, Russell, Watson and Wood.

Chairman   Cllr Hartley

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Forrest

 

Finance Committee

Cllrs Johnson, McCulloch, Mears, Robertson and Wood

Chairman   Cllr Robertson

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Wood

 

Personnel Committee

Cllrs Dalzell, Forrest, Gardiner, McCulloch and Mears.

Chairman   Cllr Dalzell

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Gardiner

 

Planning and Committee

Cllrs Dalzell, Gray, Johnson, Lowe, McCulloch and Mears.

Chairman   Cllr McCulloch

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Gray

 

Town Centre Committee

Cllrs Gray, Hartley, Johnson, Robertson, Russell, Watson and Wood.

Chairman   Cllr Gray

Deputy Chairman  Cllr Johnson

 

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

 

Council Offices Sub-committee

Cllrs Coan, Gardiner, Gray, Lowe and McCulloch

 

Grievances and Appeals Sub-committee

Cllrs Dalzell, Mears and Forrest

Reserve 1 – Cllr Banks

Reserve 2 – Cllr Gardiner

Reserve 3 – Cllr McCulloch

 

Bank Signatories

The Town Mayor, Deputy Town Mayor, Finance Committee Chairman, Finance Committee Deputy Chairman and the Town Clerk (for administrative purposes).

 

23/008  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

All members were present.

 

23/009  DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

Cllr Coan declared a pecuniary interest in 23/014 on the grounds of being recipient of the allowance.

 

23/010  STATEMENT FROM THE NEWLY ELECTED TOWN MAYOR

Cllr Coan thanked his fellow councillors for the honour of being elected Town Mayor and gave a short speech announcing that during his term of office he would be raising funds for Knutsford GROW and continuing the work of the former Town Mayor raising funds to establish a Knutsford branch of the Men in Sheds movement.

Cllr Coan announced the appointment of Rev Paul Deakin as Mayor’s Chaplain.

 

23/011  STATEMENT FROM THE OUTGOING TOWN MAYOR

Mr Houghton was invited to address the meeting and he reflected on his time as Town Mayor

Mr Houghton thanked all councillors and officers for their support during the year, and thanked his wife, Kate Houghton, who served as Mayoress. Mr Houghton reflected that the highlight of his year had been the service to proclaim the accession of HM King Charles III and announced his fundraising efforts had raised a total of £9,830 to be split between Knutsford Scouts and a Knutsford Men in Sheds branch.

Cllr Coan proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Houghton, congratulated him on a successful term as Town Mayor and presented him with his Past Mayor’s Medal.

 

23/012  GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE

It was RESOLVED that in accordance with the Parish Councils (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012 the Town Council meets the conditions set out to exercise the General Power of Competence.

 

23/013  AMENDMENT OF STANDING ORDERS

A motion to amend standing orders as set out in report C-23-05 was proposed and seconded and stood adjourned without debate to the next meeting.

 

23/014  MAYORAL ALLOWANCE

Cllr Coan left the meeting.

It was RESOLVED to pay an allowance of £740 to the Town Mayor.

Cllr Coan re-joined the meeting.

 

23/012  PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

A resident thanked the outgoing Town Mayor and councillors for their service to Knutsford and in particular the outgoing Town Mayor’s role in using the Town Council’s voice to represent the Town with other parties.

Cllr Watson left the meeting.

A former councillor noted that the council had previously adopted a protocol to guide the selection of the Deputy Town Mayor and expressed concern that the council had not followed this in the election of the new Deputy Town Mayor.

Cllr Watson re-joined the meeting.

A representative of Knutsford Scouts thanked the outgoing Town Mayor for their fundraising efforts, highlighting that the Town’s scouting movement was strong although it is in need of leaders. The representative further highlighted that Knutsford Explorer Scouts were involved in the King’s coronation in London and that four Explorer Scotus were attending the Jamboree in South Korea.

A representative of Knutsford GROW thanked the Town Mayor for choosing to support them for the forthcoming year and expressed their support for his fundraising activity.

 

23/013  DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING

It was noted that the next scheduled meeting will be held on Monday 12th June at 7pm.