To elect the Mayor who will be Chair of Council for the ensuing year and receive notification of the appointment of the Consort.

It was proposed, seconded, supported and

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Amy Whyte be and is hereby elected Mayor of the Borough of Trafford for the forthcoming Municipal Year.

The retiring Mayor invested the Mayor with the Chain and Badge of Office and presented her with a bouquet of flowers before Councillor Whyte took the Chair.

THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR

(COUNCILLOR AMY WHYTE) IN THE CHAIR

The Mayor returned thanks to the Council for her election and announced that Reverend Sarah Hooks would act as her Chaplain for her mayoral year.

To appoint the Deputy Mayor who will be Vice-Chair of Council for the ensuing year and receive notification of the appointment of the Consort.

It was proposed, seconded, supported and

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Jane Brophy be and is hereby appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Trafford for the ensuing Municipal Year.

The Mayor invested Councillor Brophy with the Chain and Badge of Office and presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

The Mayor announced that Reverend Sarah Hooks, would act as her Consort during the ensuing year.

The retiring Mayoress invested the Consort with the Chain and Badge of Office and presented her with a bouquet of flowers.

The Deputy Mayor informed the Council that Mr John Brophy, would act as her Deputy Consort during the ensuing year.

The Consort invested the Deputy Consort with the Chain and Badge of Office and presented him with a bouquet of flowers.

A vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress.

It was proposed, seconded, supported and

          RESOLVED:  That the Council hereby place on record their appreciation for the manner in which Councillor O’Sullivan has carried out her duties as Mayor of the Borough of Trafford during her period of office and tender to her their best thanks in that connection. They also express their gratitude to her Consort, Mrs. Smith for the manner in which she has acted as her Consort.

The Consort presented the retiring Consort with a replica of the Badge of Office and a framed photograph.

The Consort presented the retiring Consort with a replica of the Badge of Office and a bouquet of flowers.

The retiring Mayor then responded to the vote of thanks.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Meetings of the Council held on the 21^st February and the 20^th March 2024 for signature by the Mayor as Chair of the Council.

That the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 21st February 2024 and 20 March 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive a report of the Returning Officer on the results of the Poll held on 2 May 2024 for the respective wards of the Borough.

The Returning Officer submitted a report on the results of the Poll held on 2 May 2024 for the respective wards of the Borough.

The Mayor congratulated all those who were successfully elected and welcomed Councillors Devlin, Hancock, Savary and Glenton to their first Council Meeting.

RESOLVED:  

That the list of newly elected Members and their Terms of Office be noted.

To note the Leader of the Council’s continuing term of office and note that the Leader will appoint the membership of the Executive and a Deputy Leader. The Council is also asked to note any Shadow Executive arrangements.

The Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer submitted a report concerning the election of the Leader of the Council and advising on the appointment of the Executive and a Deputy Leader and also the shadow arrangements that the main opposition group was entitled to.

RESOLVED:

(1)           That Councillor Tom Ross be elected Leader of the Council for a fixed term of office from this date of election to the first Annual Meeting of the Council after his normal day of retirement as a councillor in 2028.

(2)           That the Council notes that the Leader of Council determines that the Executive shall comprise himself plus 9 Councillors.

(3)           That the Council notes that the Leader of the Council appoints the membership of the Executive and a Deputy Leader for the 2023/24 municipal year, as follows:

(4)           That That the membership of the Shadow Executive for the 2023/24 Municipal Year, as set out below, be noted:

(5)       That the Corporate Director of Governance and Community Strategy be authorised to make the necessary amendments to the Constitution arising as a result of these arrangements.

To receive a report on the Committees of the Council, their composition, membership and terms of reference for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Director of Legal and Governance submitted a report inviting the Council to agree the Committees of the Council, their size, political composition, membership and terms of reference for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

In accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Chief Executive had been notified of the following political groups on the Council:

Labour Group                                  -    43 Members

Conservative Group                        -     8 Members

Liberal Democrats Group                -     6 Members

Green Party Group                          -     6 Members

The regulations provided for the composition of Committees to be in accordance with the political balance of the 63 Members of the Council.

          RESOLVED –

(1)      That the Standing Committees and their composition, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(2)      That the Terms of Reference for each Committee, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved.

(3)      That Council approves the membership of Committees for the 2024/25 Municipal Year, as set out below, including the appointment of each Committee Chair (CH) and Vice-Chair (V-CH) and notes the nominated Opposition Spokesperson (OS), where appropriate:

ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT COMMITTEE

NON-VOTING CO-OPTEE (1) – Mrs. Jeannie Platt

EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE

LICENSING COMMITTEE

PLANNING DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COMMITTEE

STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Vacancy

Non-Voting Co-optees (5)

2 Parish Representatives:    Mr. A. Rudden and 1 vacancy

3 Independent Members:      Mr. D. Goodman, Mr. C. Griffiths and

                                               Mr. R. Brown

Independent Persons of the Hearing Panel (2)

(under Section 28 of the Localism Act 2011):       Ms. N. Jackson and

                                                                                Mr. M. Whiting

SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

To receive a report on Council appointments to outside and independent bodies for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Director of Legal and Governance submitted a report detailing the proposed appointment of representatives to outside and independent bodies relating to the service areas and functions of the Council for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The report also requested the Council to note the representatives on those outside and independent bodies whose activities relate to Executive functions which had been confirmed by the Leader of the Council. 

          RESOLVED –

(1)      That approval be given to the appointment of representatives to those outside and independent bodies set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)      That the Council notes the representatives appointed by the Leader of the Council to those outside, independent and Executive bodies set out in Appendix 2 to the report.

(3)      That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the relevant Group Leader(s), be delegated authority to appoint members to any outside body vacancy that remains or arises after this Annual Meeting and to any other bodies to which the Council is required to make appointments (and when such appointments specifically relate to Council functions, to report back to Council on any changes or new appointments so made).

(4)      That the persons named in Appendix 3, to the report, be authorised to sit on the Statutory School Appeals Committee for the 2024/25 Municipal Year and that the Director of Legal and Governance be delegated authority to make changes to this list and to set up School Admission Appeals Committees including the appointment of Chairs.

To approve a timetable of meetings for 2024/25.

The Director of Legal and Governance submitted a report presenting for adoption a timetable of Council and Committee meetings for the ensuing Municipal Years 2024/25 and 2025/26.

RESOLVED: That the timetable of Council and Committee meetings for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 Municipal Years be approved.

To approve the following arrangements for dealing with delegated decisions and urgent action:

(a)    Delegated Decisions

That where, under the approved scheme of delegation, decisions may be taken by Officers in consultation with non-Executive Members then in the absence of any specific arrangements having been made, the Officer shall consult the appropriate Chair, Vice-Chair and Opposition Spokesperson.

(b)    Urgent Action

That, in situations which require emergency action the Chief Executive or the appropriate Officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee concerned and the Opposition Spokesperson where appropriate (or their respective nominees), be authorised to deal from this date until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2025, with any matters of urgency or any other matter that cannot conveniently be deferred to the next ordinary meeting of the Committee, subject to later report for information, to the Committee in question.

RESOLVED:

(1)     That where, under the approved Scheme of Delegation, decisions may be taken by officers in consultation with non-Executive Members, then in the absence of any specific arrangements having been made, the officer shall consult the appropriate Chair, Vice-Chair and Opposition Spokesperson.

(2)     That, in situations which require emergency action, the Chief Executive or the appropriate officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee concerned and the Opposition Spokesperson where appropriate (or their respective nominees), be authorised to deal from this date until the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2024, with any matters of urgency or any other matter that cannot conveniently be deferred to the next ordinary meeting of the Committee, subject to later report, for information, to the Committee in question.

To receive a report of the Monitoring Officer and Director of Legal and Governance on the delegation of Council and Executive functions and proposed amendments to the Council’s Constitution.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report confirming the arrangements for the delegation of Council (non-Executive) and Executive functions and to obtain Council’s agreement to amend the Constitution of the Council to incorporate these arrangements and those others identified in the report deemed to be necessary.

RESOLVED –

(1)      That Council notes that Executive functions not covered by the Officers’ Scheme of Delegation are delegated by the Leader of the Council as follows:

(a)       functions are delegated to all individual Executive Members in accordance with the Executive Members’ Scheme of Delegation, set out at Appendix 1 to the report;

(b)       all other functions are delegated to the Executive.

(2)      That the Scheme of Delegation to Officers, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved.

(3)      That the Director of Legal and Governance be authorised to amend the Constitution of the Council in accordance with and as a consequence of this report and other decisions made by Council at this Annual Meeting.

(4)      That Council notes that further changes may be required to the Officer Scheme of Delegation during the year and that the Director of Legal and Governance be authorised to amend the Constitution following consultation with the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive.

To consider a report of the Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer.

In accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, the Director of Legal and Governance submitted a report detailing Executive Key Decisions which had been taken under Special Urgency provisions set out in Regulation 11, since the previous Annual Meeting held on 24 May 2023.

RESOLVED: That the content of the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Legal and Governance and Monitoring Officer, regarding contract procedure rules.

The Monitoring Officer and Director of Legal and Governance submitted a report seeking to amend the Council’s Constitution with a proposed new contract procedure rules.

RESOLVED: That Council notes the report of the STAR Joint Committee attached as appendix 1 and approves the changes to the contract procedure rules as per appendix 2.

Trafford Council was formed on 1 April 1974 following the merger of Altrincham, Sale and Stretford Municipal Boroughs; Bowdon, Hale and Urmston District Councils; and the parishes of Carrington, Partington, Dunham Massey and Warburton.  A rich and diverse range of places that continues to influence of the Trafford of today.

Over the last 50 years has had 50 mayors, 13 different leaders, Labour and Conservative administrations and periods of no overall control.  Many memorable people have served this Borough since 1974.

Local Government remains a keystone in society and there’s a lot Trafford Council can celebrate.  From attracting national venues such as the Imperial War Museum North and working in partnership with our big sporting arenas to building thousands of new homes for people to live in, meaning that our young people can remain close to the place they grew up. From investing millions into regenerating our town centres, revitalising our leisure services and transforming Trafford’s biggest park to working with our incredible schools, colleges and now UA92.  From providing support and reassurance to people in our communities through the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis to taking the necessary steps to tackle our climate crisis through active travel, reducing carbon in public buildings and progressing new ideas like district heat networks and greening Trafford Park whilst celebrating Trafford’s mighty industrial heritage.

As we celebrate our first 50 years we must also look to how we shape the future.  We must aim to give every child the best start; ensure people live healthy and independent lives; provide a thriving economy and homes for all; address our climate crisis; and ensure culture, sport and heritage are accessible to all.

Local Government services are integral to our communities and those services are nothing without the workforce providing them- from librarians to social workers, street cleaners to waste collectors, teaching staff to registrars, planners to bereavement service staff.  Those are just a few with many, many more besides.

This council therefore resolves to:

-     Note and celebrate Trafford Council’s achievement on our 50th anniversary;

-   Thank every council employee, past and present, for their service to this Borough.

The Motion set out on the Summons regarding Happy 50th Birthday Trafford Council was moved and seconded. Following a debate on the matter, the Motion was put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

RESOLVED:

Trafford Council was formed on 1 April 1974 following the merger of Altrincham, Sale and Stretford Municipal Boroughs; Bowdon, Hale and Urmston District Councils; and the parishes of Carrington, Partington, Dunham Massey and Warburton.  A rich and diverse range of places that continues to influence of the Trafford of today.

Over the last 50 years has had 50 mayors, 13 different leaders, Labour and Conservative administrations and periods of no overall control.  Many memorable people have served this Borough since 1974.

Local Government remains a keystone in society and there’s a lot Trafford Council can celebrate.  From attracting national venues such as the Imperial War Museum North and working in partnership with our big sporting arenas to building thousands of new homes for people to live in, meaning that our young people can remain close to the place they grew up. From investing millions into regenerating our town centres, revitalising our leisure services and transforming Trafford’s biggest park to working with our incredible schools, colleges and now UA92.  From providing support and reassurance to people in our communities through the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis to taking the necessary steps to tackle our climate crisis through active travel, reducing carbon in public buildings and progressing new ideas like district heat networks and greening Trafford Park whilst celebrating Trafford’s mighty industrial heritage.

As we celebrate our first 50 years we must also look to how we shape the future.  We must aim to give every child the best start; ensure people live healthy and independent lives; provide a thriving economy and homes for all; address our climate crisis; and ensure culture, sport and heritage are accessible to all.

Local Government services are integral to our communities and those services are nothing without the workforce providing them- from librarians to social workers, street cleaners to waste collectors, teaching staff to registrars, planners to bereavement service staff.  Those are just a few with many, many more besides.

This council therefore resolves to:

-     Note and celebrate Trafford Council’s achievement on our 50th anniversary;

-   Thank every council employee, past and present, for their service to this Borough.