Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Mayor, Cllr Daniel Adewale King asked the Chaplain, Mrs Marion Fielder-White to say a prayer for the meeting.

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:-

Civic and Community Awards:-

• Billy Johnson
• Margaret Stephens
• Bilal Farooq
• Harjinder Singh Bhullar
• Reuben Joseph
• Community Cupboard

The Mayor’s Special Award:-

• Mr George Rorke (Headteacher Thamesview School)

The Highly Commended Awards:-

• Debbie Underwood
• David Bennett

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Leslie Hills.

The Chief Executive advised that, in accordance with advice received from the Council’s Monitoring Officer, Members only needed to declare interests which had not already been listed within their Disclosable Pecuniary Interests form.

No declarations of interest were made.

3.1       The Mayor will call for nominations.

3.2       Members will vote 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 his 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 Daniel Adewale King for the manner in

            which he 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 Shane Mochrie-Cox that:-

Cllr Jenny Wallace be elected Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2025/26.

It was resolved unanimously that Cllr Jenny Wallace be duly elected Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2025/26.

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

The Mayor, in giving her acceptance speech, stated that her charities for 2025/26 would be Ellenor and Elliott Holmes Memorial Fund.

It was moved by Cllr Jenny Wallace that the best thanks of the Council be accorded to Cllr Daniel Adewale King for the manner in which he carried out the office of Mayor for the past municipal year.

Cllr Daniel Adewale King suitably replied and in doing so offered thanks to those who had assisted him during his year in office.

The Mayor will announce that a past Mayor’s Badge will be presented to

the outgoing Mayor

The Worshipful the Mayor presented Cllr Daniel Adewale King with a Past Mayor’s Badge.

The Mayor will announce that a past Mayoress’s Badge will be presented

to the outgoing Mayoress.

The Worshipful the Mayor presented Jokotade Arinola King with a Past Mayoress’s Badge.

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

The Mayor stated that the Mayor’s Escort would be Alexander Wallace and invested him with the Mayor’s Escort 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 Reverend Jim Fletcher and invested him with the Civic Cross.

8.1       The Mayor will call for nominations.

8.2       Members will vote on nominations.

            (Note: Candidates may vote)

8.3       The incoming Deputy Mayor will come forward and stand to the

            right of the Mayor.

8.4       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.

8.5       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 Shane Mochrie-Cox that:-

Cllr Alison Williams be appointed Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the municipal year 2025/26.

It was resolved unanimously that Cllr Alison Williams be duly elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal year 2025/26.

Cllr Alison Williams 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 Mayor’s Escort will be Jason Williams and invested him with the Deputy Mayor’s Escort Chain.

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

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 15 April 2025 were signed by the Mayor.

12.1     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;

12.2     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 Shane Mochrie-Cox (Deputy Leader) – Planning and Business Development Portfolio

Cllr Rajinder Atwal - Performance and Administration Portfolio

Cllr Deborah Croxton - Community & Leisure Portfolio

Cllr Emma Morley - Operational Services Portfolio

Cllr Karina O’Malley - Housing Services Portfolio

Cllr Lenny Rolles will be undertaking a Non-Cabinet/Advisory position and will chair the ‘Special Cabinet Advisory Committee’ which will oversee activities such as Commercial Activities, Property Investment, Climate Change and Outside Bodies and Partnerships.

The following items (Minute 16 to 20) were moved by Cllr John Burden, seconded by Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox and agreed en-bloc unanimously.

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

13.2     Subject to the review, to determine the allocations of seats

thereon to the Political Groups.

13.3     Subject to the Assistant Director (Organisational Development &

Democratic Support) 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 13.1 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                                                  5 seats
Conservative Group                                       4 seats

Licensing Committee                                   15 Members

Labour Group                                                  8 seats
Conservative Group                                       7 seats

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  15 Members

Labour Group                                                  8 seats
Conservative Group                                       7 seats

Appointments Board                                    15 Members

Labour Group                                                  8 seats
Conservative Group                                       7 seats

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 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 Assistant Director (Organisational Development & Democratic Support) and that the Chairs and Vice-Chairs be as shown:-

Planning Committee – 9 Seats

Licensing Committee – 15 Seats

Finance and Audit Committee – 9 Seats

Overview Scrutiny Committee – 9 Seats

Crime and Disorder Committee – 15 Seats

Appointments Board – 15 Seats

Standards Committee – 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 consist of two Labour Members and one Conservative Member. 

Licensing Panel (3 seats) - The panel’s membership is drawn from available  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

To make appointments to outside bodies.

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

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

That the Council reaffirms 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.

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.