Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.
Decision:
(1) Audio Recording
The Chairman advised that, in accordance with Council policy the meeting was being audio recorded. Members of the public and the press were able to use their devices to film/photograph, or do a sound recording of the meeting, but were requested to inform the Chairman to enable those present to be informed. The Chairman further requested that flash and sound notifications should be disabled.
(2) Past Chairman Presentation
The Chairman thanked Councillor John Bishop for his work as Chairman of the Council for 2018/19. She advised that he had represented the Council at many events throughout the year and supported his chosen charity Stand By Me Bereavement.
The Chairman made a presentation to Councillor Bishop as a token of appreciation, on behalf of both past and present Members and invited him to say a few words.
Councillor John Bishop thanked the Chairman and the Council for his gift. He stated that being Chairman was a magnificent job with the opportunity to meet so many people giving back to the community. He had enjoyed his year as Chairman of the Council and had raised £2,350 for his chosen charity Stand By Me Bereavement.
Councillor Bishop made a presentation of a cheque to Mr Wadsworth from Stand By Me Bereavement.
Mr Wadsworth thanked Councillor Bishop for supporting the charity. Stand By Me provided group sessions of support for children and young people who had been bereaved and they worked exclusively in North Herts and Stevenage. It was only with donations such as this that they could continue.
The Chairman proposed, Councillor Stears-Handscomb seconded and it was:
RESOLVED: That the Council place on record its sincere thanks and appreciation to Councillor John Bishop for his services as Chairman of the Council during the past year.
(3) Nicholas Moss OBE
The Chairman advised that she had the pleasure of informing Council that Nicholas Moss, NHDC Independent Person for the Standards Committee, had been awarded an OBE in the Queens Honours List and offered congratulations.
Councillor Judi Billing, as Chairman of the Standards Committee, paid tribute to the work that Mr Moss had undertaken in the community, in his professional life as a member of the judiciary and for North Hertfordshire District Council as an Independent Person, guiding the Members and the Standards Committee. She thanked him for the work he had undertaken so far at the Council and congratulated him on his award.
Councillor Mike Rice, former Chairman of the Standards Committee, paid tribute to Mr Moss. He had enjoyed working with Mr Moss who guided, corrected and made sure the right path was taken and without that support it would have been a poorer place. He thanked him for the work he had undertaken so far for North Herts District Council and congratulated him on his award.
The Chairman presented Mr Moss with a token gift in recognition of his award.
Mr Moss thanked the Council for the gift and the kind words.
(4) Chairman’s Chosen Charity
The Chairman announced that her chosen charity for this year was Parkinsons UK North Herts and Stevenage Branch
(5) Declarations of Interest
The Chairman reminded Members that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and the nature of any interest declared was required to be notified to the Chairman at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members who declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest had to withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members who declared a Declarable Interest, who wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, had to declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then leave the room before the debate and vote.
(6) Register of Interests Forms
The Chairman advised that a number of Members had yet to complete their online Register of Interests form.
Anyone having difficulty in doing so were requested to contact the Committee, Member and Scrutiny team for support .
(7) Rules of Debate
The Chairman reminded Members that, in accordance with the Constitution, no speech was to exceed five minutes without the consent of the Chairman.
(8) Refreshments
The Chairman invited all Councillors to refreshments after the meeting in Committee Rooms 2/3.
(9) Additional Item of Business
The Chairman advised that she had agreed to an additional Item of business, the Nomination of a Representative to Bedford and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board, which was as a result of a recommendation made at the Annual Council meeting.
Minutes:
Audio recording – 1 minute 51 seconds
(1) Audio Recording
The Chairman advised that, in accordance with Council policy the meeting was being audio recorded. Members of the public and the press were able to use their devices to film/photograph, or do a sound recording of the meeting, but were requested to inform the Chairman to enable those present to be informed. The Chairman further requested that flash and sound notifications should be disabled.
(2) Past Chairman Presentation
The Chairman thanked Councillor John Bishop for his work as Chairman of the Council for 2018/19. She advised that he had represented the Council at many events throughout the year and supported his chosen charity Stand By Me Bereavement.
The Chairman made a presentation to Councillor Bishop as a token of appreciation, on behalf of both past and present Members and invited him to say a few words.
Councillor John Bishop thanked the Chairman and the Council for his gift. He stated that being Chairman was a magnificent job with the opportunity to meet so many people giving back to the community. He had enjoyed his year as Chairman of the Council and had raised £2,350 for his chosen charity Stand By Me Bereavement.
Councillor Bishop made a presentation of a cheque to Mr Wadsworth from Stand By Me Bereavement.
Mr Wadsworth thanked Councillor Bishop for supporting the charity. Stand By Me provided group sessions of support for children and young people who had been bereaved and they worked exclusively in North Herts and Stevenage. It was only with donations such as this that they could continue.
The Chairman proposed, Councillor Stears-Handscomb seconded and it was:
RESOLVED: That the Council place on record its sincere thanks and appreciation to Councillor John Bishop for his services as Chairman of the Council during the past year.
(3) Nicholas Moss OBE
The Chairman advised that she had the pleasure of informing Council that Nicholas Moss, NHDC Independent Person for the Standards Committee, had been awarded an OBE in the Queens Honours List and offered congratulations.
Councillor Judi Billing, as Chairman of the Standards Committee, paid tribute to the work that Mr Moss had undertaken in the community, in his professional life as a member of the judiciary and for North Hertfordshire District Council as an Independent Person, guiding the Members and the Standards Committee. She thanked him for the work he had undertaken so far at the Council and congratulated him on his award.
Councillor Mike Rice, former Chairman of the Standards Committee, paid tribute to Mr Moss. He had enjoyed working with Mr Moss who guided, corrected and made sure the right path was taken and without that support it would have been a poorer place. He thanked him for the work he had undertaken so far for North Herts District Council and congratulated him on his award.
The Chairman presented Mr Moss with a token gift in recognition of his award.
Mr Moss thanked the Council for the gift and the kind words.
(4) Chairman’s Chosen Charity
The Chairman announced that her chosen charity for this year was Parkinsons UK North Herts and Stevenage Branch
(5) Declarations of Interest
The Chairman reminded Members that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and the nature of any interest declared was required to be notified to the Chairman at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members who declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest had to withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members who declared a Declarable Interest, who wished to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, had to declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then leave the room before the debate and vote.
(6) Register of Interests Forms
The Chairman advised that a number of Members had yet to complete their online Register of Interests form.
Anyone having difficulty in doing so were requested to contact the Committee, Member and Scrutiny team for support .
(7) Rules of Debate
The Chairman reminded Members that, in accordance with the Constitution, no speech was to exceed five minutes without the consent of the Chairman.
(8) Refreshments
The Chairman invited all Councillors to refreshments after the meeting in Committee Rooms 2/3.
(9) Additional Item of Business
The Chairman advised that she had agreed to an additional Item of business, the Nomination of a Representative to Bedford and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board, which was as a result of a recommendation made at the Annual Council meeting.