Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Mayor, Cllr Lyn Milner asked the outgoing Chaplain, Reverend Jacqueline Littlewood to say a prayer for the meeting.

Before the start of formal proceedings, the Council paid tribute to a leading member of the local community, Marilyn Keating, who unexpectedly passed away at the beginning of May 2022.  

Marilyn had been the Chief Executive for the Council for Voluntary Services North West Kent and her unstinting support for the local community organisations and initiatives had a huge impact on community life in the Borough. This included sitting on the Community Awards judging panel and she herself was justly recognised with an award for Outstanding Services to the community in 2014.

Marilyn will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

The Chief Executive stated that the Council had instituted an award scheme to recognise and honour individual and collective contributions to community life. Awards were presented by the Mayor to the under-mentioned persons/organisations:-

Linda Rush 

Claudette Bramble 

Gurjit Shokhar 

GTown Talents 

Gravesend Dynamite Wheelchair Rugby

Gravesham Foodbank 

Gravesend Methodist Church – Daytime Hub 

George Duffort 

Priscilla McBean 

Lenny Hwami 

No declarations of interest were made.

3.1      The Mayor will call for nominations.

3.2      Members will vote by a show of hands on nominations.

            (Note: Candidates may vote)

3.3      The incoming Mayor will come forward and stand to the right of the Mayor.

3.4      The incoming Mayor will be asked by the Chief Executive to read aloud      the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by Section 83 of the       Local Government Act 1972. The Mayor will then sign the declaration    and the Chief Executive will announce the fact to the Council.

3.5      The outgoing Mayor will shake the hand of the incoming Mayor and             vacate the Mayoral Chair.

3.6      The entire company will rise and the National Anthem will be played.

3.7      The company remain standing; the incoming Mayor will retire together        with the outgoing Mayor and the platform party.

3.8      There will be an interval during the robing of the new Mayor.

3.9      The Mayor’s return will be announced and the company asked to rise.        The Mayor will return. The company will remain standing while the      outgoing Mayor is conducted to her seat.

3.10    The Mayor’s installation speech.

3.11    At the conclusion, the Mayor will move “that the best thanks of the   Council be accorded to Lyn Milner for the manner in which she has       carried out the office of Mayor during the past municipal year”.

3.12    The Leader of the Executive will second the motion.

3.13    The outgoing Mayor will reply.

It was moved by Councillor John Burden and seconded by Councillor Lee Croxton that:-

Cllr Peter Scollard be elected Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2022/23.

It was resolved unanimously that Cllr Peter Scollard be duly elected Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2022/23.

Cllr Peter Scollard made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Mayor, in giving his acceptance speech, stated that his charities for 2022/23 would be Ellenor, Age UK and Home-Start.

It was moved by Cllr Peter Scollard that the best thanks of the Council be accorded to Cllr Lyn Milner for the manner in which she carried out the office of Mayor for the past municipal year.

Cllr Milner suitably replied and in doing so offered thanks to those who had assisted her during her year in office.

The Worshipful the Mayor presented Cllr Lyn Milner with a Past Mayor’s Badge.

The Mayor will announce the Mayoress / Mayor’s Escort for the ensuing municipal year.

The Mayor stated that the Mayoress would be Julie Easy and invested her with the Mayoress’s Chain.

The Mayor will announce the Civic Chaplain and invest the incumbent with the Civic Cross.

The Worshipful the Mayor stated that the Civic Chaplain would be Mrs Marion Fielder-White and invested her with the Civic Cross.

7.1       The Mayor will call for nominations.

7.2       Members will vote by a show of hands on nominations. (Note: Candidates             may vote)

7.3       The incoming Deputy Mayor will come forward and stand to the right of the           Mayor.

7.4       The incoming Deputy Mayor will be asked by the Chief Executive to read   aloud the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by Section 83 of the   Local Government Act 1972. The Deputy Mayor will then sign the declaration    and the Chief Executive will announce the fact to the Council.

7.5       The Mayor will place the Chain of Office on the incoming Deputy Mayor and          shake his/her hand.

It was moved by Cllr John Burden and seconded by Cllr Lee Croxton that:-

Cllr John Caller be appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2022/23.

It was resolved unanimously that Cllr John Caller be duly elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal year 2022/23.

Cllr John Caller made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office required by Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Deputy Mayor will announce the Deputy Mayoress / Deputy Mayor’s Escort for the ensuing municipal year.

The Deputy Mayor stated that the Deputy Mayoress will be Susan Caller and invested her with the Deputy Mayoress’s Chain.

Bouquets were presented to the Mayoress, Deputy Mayoress and outgoing Mayor.

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 12 April 2022 were signed by the Mayor.

11.1 The Leader will decide upon the size of the Cabinet (subject to a maximum of ten, including the Leader and Deputy Leader) and will appoint Cabinet Members from among the serving Councillors;

11.2 The Leader will appoint the Deputy Leader from among the Cabinet Members.

The Council noted the arrangements put in place for the Cabinet and the names of the Members that would comprise the Cabinet:-

Cllr John Burden (Leader)

Cllr Lee Croxton (Deputy Leader)

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox

Cllr Lenny Rolles

Cllr Lauren Sullivan

Cllr Narinder Singh Thandi

Cllr Jenny Wallace

12.1     To review the representation of the political groups on the following:-

Planning Committee

Licensing Committee

Finance and Audit Committee

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee

Appointments Board

Standards Committee

Appeals Sub-Committee

Appointments Panel

Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee

Licensing Panel

12.2     Subject to the review, to determine the allocations of seats thereon to the Political Groups.

12.3     Subject to the Service Manager (Communities) receiving notification of each         Group’s wishes in relation to the appointment of Members to those seats, to    appoint the Council’s Committees as identified in 12.1 above.

1.         Having reviewed the representation of the political groups on Council Committees and Boards, that the allocation of seats thereon to the political groups be determined as follows:-

Planning Committee                                                  9 Members

Labour Group                                      4 seats
Conservative Group                           4 seats
Gravesham Independent Group         1 seat

Licensing Committee                                                14 Members

Labour Group                                      6 seats
Conservative Group                            7 seats
Gravesham Independent Group         1 seat

Finance and Audit Committee                                 9 Members

Labour Group                                      5 seats
Conservative Group                            4 seats

Overview Scrutiny Committee                                 9 Members

Labour Group                                      5 seats
Conservative Group                            4 seats

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee               14 Members

Labour Group                                      6 seats
Conservative Group                            7 seats
Gravesham Independent Group         1 seat

Appointments Board                                                 14 Members

Labour Group                                      6 seats
Conservative Group                            7 seats
Gravesham Independent Group         1 seat

Standards Committee                                               9 Members

Labour Group                                      5 seats
Conservative Group                            4 seats

Appeals Sub-Committee                                          3 Members

Labour Group                                      2 seats
Conservative Group                            1 seat

Appointments Panel                                                  3 Members

Labour Group                                      2 seats
Conservative Group                            1 seat

Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee                          3 Members

Labour Group                                      2 seats
Conservative Group                            1 seat

Licensing Panel                                                         3 Members

Labour Group                                      2 seats
Conservative Group                            1 seat

2.            That each political group may appoint substitute Members for all of the above Committees and Boards, except the Standards Committee and the Appointments Board, in accordance with Procedural Rule 7.

To appoint Members together with the Chairs and Vice-Chairs (where required) to the following Committees and Boards:-

Planning Committee

Licensing Committee

Finance and Audit Committee

Overview Scrutiny Committee

Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee

Appointments Board

Standards Committee

Appeals Sub-Committee

Appointments Panel

Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee

Licensing Panel

Joint arrangements with other local authorities:-

Joint Transportation Board

South Thames Gateway Building Control Joint Committee

1.         That the Committees and Boards of the Council be appointed as set out below so as to give effect to the wishes of the political groups as notified to the Service Manager (Communities) and that the Chairs and Vice-Chairs be as shown.

Planning Committee – 9 Seats

Licensing Committee – 14 Seats

Finance and Audit Committee – 9 Seats

Overview Scrutiny Committee – 9 Seats

Crime and Disorder Committee – 14 Seats

Appointments Board – 14 Seats

Standards Committee (no substitutes) – 9 Seats

Appeals Sub-Committee – 3 seats

Hackney Carriage Sub-Committee – 3 seats

Appointments Panel (3 seats) - The panel’s membership is drawn from available Appointments Board Members and will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

To make appointments to outside bodies.

That appointments to outside bodies be made in accordance with the following list:-

Action with Communities in Rural Kent
Cllrs John Burden and Leslie Hills

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services
Cllr Lyn Milner

Charity of Knight’s Almshouses (4 year term)
Mr Peter Rayner

Choices (formerly North Kent Women’s Aid)
Cllr Sarah Gow

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Cllr Jenny Wallace

CCTV – Lay Panel of Visitors
Cllrs Lyn Milner, Jenny Wallace andFrank Wardle
Substitutes: Cllrs John Burden, Shane Mochrie-Cox and Dakota Dibben

Cyclopark
Cllr John Caller

Dartford and Gravesham District Partnership Group
Cllr John Burden

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust Stakeholder Council

Cllrs John Burden and Jordan Meade

DGSM Your Choice
Cllr Lenny Rolles

Gravesend & District Mencap Society
Cllrs Lee Croxton and Leslie Hoskins

Gravesend Regatta Committee
Cllrs Lenny Rolles, Shane Mochrie-Cox and Harold Craske

Gravesham Access Group
Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox

Gravesham Community Leisure Limited
Cllrs Shane Mochrie-Cox and Peter Scollard

Gravesham Community Safety Partnership

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox

Substitute: Cllr John Burden

Gravesham Rights of Way Committee
Cllrs Lee Croxton, Brian Francis andTony Rice.

Henry Pinnocks Charity (4 year term)

Cllr Jenny Wallace

Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Joint Committee

Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox

Kent County Playing Fields Association
Cllr Brian Sangha

Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Cllr Lee Croxton

Kent and Medway Police and Crime Panel
Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox

Local Government Association
Cllr John Burden

Local Government Information Unit
Cllr John Burden

Meopham Community Sports and Leisure Association Management Committee
Cllrs John Caller and Ejaz Aslam

North Kent Crime Prevention Panel
Cllr Tony Rana

North Kent Marshes Internal Drainage Board
Cllrs Jenny Wallace, Harold Craske and Lee Croxton

North Kent Relate
Cllr Christina Rolles

North West Kent Volunteer Centre
Cllr Peter Scollard

PATROL (Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London) Adjudication Joint Committee

Cllr Brian Sangha

South East Employers

Cllr John Burden

Substitute: Cllr Lee Croxton

Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy (SAMMS)
Cllr Lauren Sullivan
Substitute: Cllr Harold Craske

The Grand Community Interest Company
Cllrs John Burden and Shane Mochrie-Cox

Town Twinning Association
Cllrs Lyn Milner and Alan Ridgers

To re-affirm the scheme of delegation relating to the Council’s functions other than Cabinet functions. An electronic link to Annex 1 of the Constitution herewith:-

Document (1c)Annex 1 - Responsibility of Functions - Gravesham Borough Council

The scheme of delegations relating to the Council’s functions, other than Cabinet functions, contained within Annexes 1.2, 1.3, 1.13, 1.14 and 1.15 of the Constitution were re-affirmed.

To approve the timetable of meetings for the forthcoming municipal year.

That the timetable of meetings for the forthcoming municipal year be adopted.

To consider any questions submitted under the Council Procedure Rules from members of the public (Rule 13) or Members of the Council (Rule 14).

No questions had been received.