Notice is hereby given that the THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING of the COUNCIL of the BOROUGH OF BERWICK-UPON-TWEED will be held within the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Berwick-upon-Tweed on THURSDAY, 17TH MAY 2007 at NOON.
All Members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and resolving upon the business to be transacted, as set out hereunder.
Morning Coffee will be served in the Ante-Room to Members, Officers and invited guests from 11.30am onwards.
JANE PANNELL
Chief Executive
To: All Members of the COUNCIL
AGENDA
(and Programme)
The retiring Mayor (Councillor Anthony Harkness Murray) will occupy the Chair for the first item of business.
1. To elect the Mayor for the ensuing year.
The retiring Mayor (Councillor Anthony Harkness Murray) will make his last speech as Mayor and end by proposing, with Councillor Elizabeth Isabel Hunter seconding, “That Councillor Lancelot William Robson be elected Mayor for the ensuing year”.
The motion having been put to the Meeting and declared carried, the Mayor will make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by reading and signing the same and will retire to be robed, accompanied by the retiring Mayor, Councillor A H Murray and the Chief Executive. On their return, the retiring Mayor will present the newly elected Mayor to the Council. The Mayor will thereupon take the Chair.
Councillor Lancelot William Robson, Mayor, in the Chair
The Mayor will ask the retiring Mayoress, Mrs Patricia Murray, to invest Ms Sandra Evans with the Mayoress’s Chain of Office.
The Mayor will then address the Meeting
2. To appoint the Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year.
In seeking nominations, Councillor Jennifer Waterhouse, will propose and Councillor Lancelot William Robson will second “That Councillor Hazel Bettison be appointed Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year”.
The Motion having been put to the Meeting and declared carried, the Deputy Mayor will then make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by reading and signing the same and will make a brief speech thanking the Council for the appointment.
3. To appoint the Sheriff for the ensuing year.
The Mayor will propose and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Hazel Bettison will second “That Mr Alan Richard Bowlas be appointed Sheriff for the ensuing year”.
The Motion having been put to the Meeting and declared carried, the Sheriff will make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by reading and signing the same and will retire to be robed, accompanied by the retiring Sheriff, Mr Angus Murray, and the Chief Executive.
On their return, the retiring Sheriff will present the newly appointed Sheriff to the Mayor and Council. The new Sheriff will make a speech of thanks and assume his seat.
The Mayor will ask the retiring Sheriff’s Lady, Mrs Louise Murray, to invest the Sheriff’s Lady, Mrs Jo Bowlas, with the Sheriff's Lady's Chain.
4. To appoint the Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.
The Mayor will ask for nominations for Leader of the Council for the ensuing municipal year.
5. To appoint the Deputy Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.
The Mayor will ask for nominations for Deputy Leader of the Council for the ensuing municipal year.
6. To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Ordinary Meeting of the Council held on the 25th April 2007 (Minutes 652 to 669, Pages 1 to 8) (Appendix “A”).
With the approval of the Council, the Mayor will sign these Minutes as a correct record.
7. In compliance with the Council’s Constitution, to appoint the following Standing Committees :-
a) Policy
b) Overview and Scrutiny
c) Planning
d) Licensing
e) Standards
The Mayor will propose and the Deputy Mayor second “That Standing Committees be appointed for the ensuing year with membership as now tabled. (Appendix “B”)
[Note : As a consequence of ongoing discussions between political groups about the allocation of seats on committees, the appendix to this item (Appendix “B”)will be sent out as a late paper].
8. To fix the dates of the Meetings of the Council and Committees for the ensuing year.
The Mayor will propose and the Deputy Mayor second “That the dates of the Meetings of the Council and Committees for the ensuing year be as set out in the Calendar now tabled”(Appendix “C”).
9. To adopt votes of thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress in respect of the discharge of their respective offices during the past year.
The Mayor, Councillor Lancelot William Robson, will propose and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Hazel Bettison, will second a Motion of Thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress in respect of the discharge of their duties during the past year, as follows:-
“That the Council record their best thanks to Councillor Anthony Harkness Murray for the satisfactory manner in which he discharged the duties of the Office of Mayor of the Borough during the past year and for the impartiality which he displayed while presiding over the deliberations of the Council; also that appreciation and satisfaction be recorded at the manner in which Mrs Patricia Murray carried out the functions of Mayoress”.
The retiring Mayor will reply
10. The retiring Mayor (Councillor Anthony Harkness Murray) will propose and Councillor Flora Isobel Simpson will second a Motion of Thanks to the retiring Sheriff and Sheriff's Lady in respect of the discharge of their duties during the past year, as follows:-
“That the Council tender their best thanks to Mr Angus Murray for the pleasing manner in which he carried out the duties of Sheriff of the Borough during the past year; and that the support which Mrs Louise Murray has given during his term of office be acknowledged with satisfaction”.
The retiring Sheriff will reply
11. To receive such communications or announcements as the Mayor may desire to lay before the Council.
The Mayor will intimate:-
(i) That he will attend the Mayor’s Sunday Service, at 11.00am on Sunday, 8th July 2007 in St. Aidan’s Church, Bamburgh, and express the hope that Members of the Council will accompany him;
(ii) That in accordance with Ancient Custom, he will walk the May Fair at noon on Friday, 25th May 2007 and express the hope that he will have the support of Council.
The Mayor will then declare the Meeting closed and will invite Members, Officers and guests to join him in the Guild Hall.
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The Mayor, Sheriff and Chief Executive will leave the Council Chamber and proceed to the Guild Hall where the Mayor will receive Members of the Council, their spouses and guests.
(Photographs will be taken on the Town Hall steps after the Mayor has received guests).
Members are reminded of their responsibility to sign the Attendance Sheet under Rules of Procedure in the Council’s Constitution.
