The Chair will call for nominations for the election of the Leader of the Council.
Following the seeking of other nominations, a vote will be taken on the nomination of the Leader.
The term of office for the Leader of the Council will expire at the next post-election Annual Meeting of the Council unless determined before then in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
The outgoing Leader of the Council has previously announced his intention not to seek re-election to this role.
Minutes:
The Chair called for nominations for the election of the Leader of the Council.
At this point, Councillor Nick Clarke, Leader of the Conservative Group, requested whether it was possible for a recorded vote to be taken on any nominations put forward for the election of the Leader.
The Chair duly invited the Monitoring Officer to set out the position. As the request to seek a recorded vote on nominations for the election of the Leader did not accord with Council Procedure Rule 13.6, ‘Voting on appointments’, contained in Part 4 of the Constitution, it would be necessary to suspend the Council Procedure Rules if it were the wish of the Council to proceed with a recorded vote on this appointment.
Councillor Nick Clarke proposed that in accordance with paragraph 19.1 of the Council Procedure Rules of Part 4 of the Constitution, Council Procedure Rules be suspended to allow a recorded vote to be taken on the nominations put forward for the election of Leader of the Council. Councillor Clarke explained his reasons for the proposal. In addition to other views expressed, he felt it would promote greater openness and transparency if members were to clearly state the councillor they wished to be their new leader and for this to be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. The proposal was duly seconded by Councillor Cliff Waterman, Leader of the Progressive Alliance Grouping, who responded to the views expressed by Councillor Clarke and also felt that in the interests of promoting openness and transparency, supported the motion to suspend the procedure rules to allow a recorded vote to be taken on the election of leader.
On the motion of Councillor Clarke, duly seconded by Councillor Waterman, it was put to the vote and with the vote being unanimous, it was
Resolved
That, in accordance with paragraph 19.1 of the Council Procedure Rules of Part 4 of the Constitution, Council Procedure Rules be suspended to allow a recorded vote to be taken on the nominations put forward for the election of Leader of the Council. Normal Council Procedure Rules will resume immediately prior to the recorded vote being taken on the item.
Councillor Victor Lukaniuk, Leader of the Independents, nominated Councillor Cliff Waterman for the election of Leader of the Council. Councillor Andrew Smith, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, nominated Councillor Nick Clarke. No other nominations were received.
As previously requested by Councillor Nick Clarke, the nominations were put to a recorded vote. Each member was asked to clearly state whether they were voting for Councillor Waterman, Councillor Clarke or abstaining from the vote. The outcome was recorded as follows:
For Councillor Cliff Waterman:
Councillors Richard Alecock, Peter Armitage, Mick Bradshaw, Tony Brown, Dawn Dicker, Roger Dicker, Paul Firman, Luke Halpin, Pat Hanlon, Donna Higgins, Diane Hind, Janne Jarvis, Gerald Kelly, Rowena Lindberg, Jon London, Aaron Luccarini, Victor Lukaniuk, Andrew Martin, Lora-Jane Miller-Jones, Andy Neal, Sue Perry, Jools Savage, Marilyn Sayer, Ian Shipp, David Smith, Liz Smith, Frank Stennett, David Taylor, Jim Thorndyke, Julia Wakelam, Don Waldron, Cliff Waterman, Tracy Whitehead, Indy Wijenayaka, Phil Wittam and Kevin Yarrow.
For Councillor Nick Clarke
John Augustine, Sarah Broughton, Carol Bull, Mike Chester, Patrick Chung, Nick Clarke, Andy Drummond, Susan Glossop, John Griffiths, Beccy Hopfensperger, Ian Houlder, Charlie Lynch, Birgitte Mager, Margaret Marks, Joe Mason, Sara Mildmay-White, Sarah Pugh, Joanna Rayner, Karen Richardson, Richard Rout, Marion Rushbrook, Andrew Smith, Andrew Speed, Karen Soons and Sarah Stamp.
Abstentions
None
Once the process for the recorded vote had been completed, the Chair announced that normal Council Procedure Rules now applied.
With 36 votes for Councillor Waterman and 25 votes for Councillor Clarke, the Chair,
Declared:
That Councillor Cliff Waterman be elected Leader of West Suffolk Council until the next post-election Annual Meeting of Council unless determined before then.