Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Apologies for absence or were received from Councillor Chambers, Dhariwal, E M Giles, J Giles, Kausar, K Singh and Williams.

Members to declare any interests in matters to be discussed at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were received.

To elect the Mayor and Chair of Council for the Municipal Year 2022/23.

Mr Mushtaq Hussain invited nominations for the office of Mayor of the Borough of Sandwell for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

Councillor Richard Jones was nominated by Councillor Fenton and Councillor Bhullar seconded the nomination.

On being put to the vote the motion was carried and it was

Resolved that Councillor Richard Jones be declared elected Mayor of the Borough of Sandwell for the ensuing Municipal Year 2022/23.

Councillor Richard Jones made and subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by law and was invested with the Mayoral chain and badge of office.

Councillor R Jones took the Chair and made his speech of acceptance. The Mayor announced that, during his term of office, his chosen charities would be St. John’s Ambulance, LGBT+ in Sandwell Community Group and New Beginnings Baby Bundles.

The Mayor announced that his partner, Councillor Richard McVittie would act as the Mayor Consort for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor McVittie was invested with the chain and badge of office of Mayor’s Consort.

His Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Richard Jones, in the Chair.

To move a vote of thanks to the Retiring Mayor for their services during the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

Councillor Jalil moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Mushtaq Hussain, on behalf of the Council, and Councillor Hartwell seconded the motion.

In response Mr M Hussain thanked the sergeant at arms and the support of member services and wished the Mayor a successful year and thanked him for his support over the past year.

Mr M Hussain also thanked members of the Council for giving him the opportunity to represent the Borough as Mayor and also thanked his consorts, his son, Mr Amar Mushtaq, and his family friend, Mr Ijaz Ahmad.

To elect the Deputy Mayor and Vice Chair of Council for the Municipal Year 2022/23.

The Mayor invited nominations for the office of Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Sandwell for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

Councillor Jackie Taylor was nominated by Councillor L Giles and Councillor Randhawa seconded the nomination.

On being put to the vote the motion was carried and it was

Resolved that Councillor Jackie Taylor be declared elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Sandwell for the Municipal Year 2022/23.

Councillor Taylor made and subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by law and was invested with the chain and badge of office and made her speech of acceptance.

The Deputy Mayor announced that her partner, Mr Taylor, would act as the Deputy Mayor’s Consort for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Mr Taylor was invested with the chain and badge of office.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of Extraordinary Council held on the 12 April 2022 and Council held on 21 April 2022 as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the extraordinary meeting of Council held on 12 April and the ordinary meeting of Council held on 21 April 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive from the Leader, notification of Executive Appointments for the 2022/23 Municipal year.

The Leader of the Council announced the names of those appointed to the positions of Deputy Leader and Cabinet Members.

Resolved:-

1.    that the names of persons appointed by the Leader of the Council to the position of Deputy Leader (Statutory) and as a Cabinet Member be noted;

2.    that the Executive Portfolios as determined by the Leader of the Council and their assignment to the Deputy Leader and each Cabinet Member, as follows, be noted:-

i.               Councillor Bob Piper as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources;

ii.             Councillor Suzanne Hartwell as Cabinet Member for Adults Social Care and Health;

iii.            Councillor Simon Hackett as Cabinet Member for Children and Education;

iv.           Councillor Danny Millard as Cabinet Member for Communities;

v.             Councillor Zahoor Ahmed as Cabinet Member for Environment Services;

vi.           Councillor Charn Singh Padda as Cabinet Member for Housing;

vii.          Councillor Laura Rollins as Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism;

viii.        Councillor Peter Hughes as Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Growth.

3.    that the executive appointments as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

To consider Council appointments for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

In accordance with the requirements of its Constitution, the Council considered proposals relating to the identification of the bodies it wished to carry out its function as a local authority and terms of reference for those bodies.

Consideration was given to the nominations to committees, boards and other fora which had been received from all political groups.

Resolved:-

1.    that, taking into account proportionality, the constitution of committees, board and other fora for 2022/23 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved;

2.    that the revised committee structure, including the disestablishment of the Electoral Participation Select Committee, and appointments of members and co-opted members to the positions, committees, boards and other fora established by the Council, as set out in Appendix B of the report, be approved;

3.    that, in accordance with the provisions of the Localism Act 2011, one nomination from each of the Church of England Diocese and Roman Catholic Archdiocese and two nominations for Parent Governor representatives to serve as non-elected members on the Children’s Services and Education Scrutiny Board be invited, with voting rights conferred only on any matter with regard to education, whether in respect of schools or wider educational issues;

4.    that the programme of meetings for the 2022-23 municipal year be approved.

To consider appointments to outside organisations.

Consideration was given to the appointment or nomination of representatives to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2022/23.

Resolved that the appointments to outside/other bodies, as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be approved.