Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Upton.

Councillor Jeal requested that a thank you for their service to the Council be recorded in the minutes for former Councillors Cameron, Hacon, P Hammond, Hanton, Myers, Price, Talbot, B Walker & C Walker who were not successful at the recent borough elections.

There were no declarations of interest given at the meeting.

That Councillor Penny Carpenter, one of the Councillors of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, be and is hereby elected Mayor of the said Borough for the Municipal Year 2023/2024.

Her Worship, The Mayor, made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and thanked Council for her election.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: His Worship, The Mayor, Councillor Plant, from his seat.

That Councillor Penny Carpenter is elected Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2023/2024.

CARRIED

Her Worship, The Mayor, presented Councillor Graham Plant with his Past Mayor badge and a certificate to thank him for his services to the Borough as Mayor of Great Yarmouth in the Municipal Year 2022-2023.

Councillor Plant gave a speech to Council recounting the highlights of his year of Mayor which he would not have been able to carry out without the support of his wife, Laraine.

That Councillor Paula Waters-Bunn be nominated for the position of Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2023/2024.

The Deputy Mayor made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and thanked Council for electing her.

Proposer: Councillor Wainwright

Seconder: Councillor Jeal

That Councillor Paula Waters-Bunn is elected as Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

CARRIED

Her Worship, The Mayor, informed Council that she had appointed Revd Albert Cadmore to be her Chaplain.

Her Worship, The Mayor, signed the Declaration of Office and Revd Cadmore gave a short blessing.

Her Worship, The Mayor, asked Mrs Laraine Plant, Mayoress of the Borough of Great Yarmouth for the Municipal Year 2022/2023, to present the Consort Badge to Councillor Graham Carpenter.

Councillor Carpenter thanked Mrs Plant and presented the ex-Mayoress, Mrs Plant, with a bouquet of flowers.

Her Worship, The Mayor, informed Council that she had appointed Police Cadet, Harry Love, to be her Mayor's Cadet.

Her Worship, The Mayor, presented Harry with his Mayor's Cadet badge and a shield with the Great Yarmouth Crest on it.

That the Council minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2023 be confirmed.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant.

CARRIED

Mr Cannell addressed Council and asked the following question:-

The Great Yarmouth and District Trades Union Council would like to question what the Council knows about the quality of the water in the Trinity group of Broads, where the Boroughs drinking water extraction takes place.

Due to the spraying of various chemicals and the use of irrigation that takes place with local salad crop production on surrounding land, surely GYBC should be monitoring the situation by taking independent water samples. If you are not, then can you please explain why.

We own and manage Trinity Broads through a partnership with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Broads Authority and the Environment Agency regulate what we do. The EA would regulate the abstraction from the Trinity's whether for public water supply or agricultural abstraction. The BA would be for conservation.

 
Essex & Suffolk Water carry out regular, extensive sampling of these Broads which includes monitoring for pesticides and herbicides. This is carried out to check the quality of the water abstracted for Ormesby Water Treatment Works. 

 
Essex & Suffolk Water also have Catchment Advisors, who work with landowners around Ormesby to understand their land use. This helps us decide what we need to monitor and keeps us informed about any issues for our treatment process.  

 
The sampling data from the Broads is submitted to our regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate. We can provide this data if it helps. The Environment Agency may also know about the quality of the Broad water.  

 
Additionally, the treatment process readily removes pesticides and herbicides. Our customer tap water meets the drinking water standards.

The Leader of the Council replied that the Council owned and managed Trinity Broads through a partnership with Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Broads Authority and the Environment Agency regulate what we do. The EA would regulate the abstraction from the Trinity's whether for public water supply or agricultural abstraction. The BA would be for conservation.

 
Essex & Suffolk Water carry out regular, extensive sampling of these Broads which includes monitoring for pesticides and herbicides. This is carried out to check the quality of the water abstracted for Ormesby Water Treatment Works. 

 
Essex & Suffolk Water also have Catchment Advisors, who work with landowners around Ormesby to understand their land use. This helps us decide what we need to monitor and keeps us informed about any issues for our treatment process.  

 
The sampling data from the Broads is submitted to our regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate. We can provide this data if it helps. The Environment Agency may also know about the quality of the Broad water.  

 
Additionally, the treatment process readily removes pesticides and herbicides. Our customer tap water meets the drinking water standards.

Mr Cannell asked a supplementary question to Council, as was his right. The Leader thanked Mr Cannell for his question and reported that he did not have any knowledge of the alleged spillage but would make further enquiries and get back to him.

Her Worship, The Mayor, took nominations for the election of Leader of the Council. Councillor Plant proposed Councillor Smith and the proposal was seconded by Councillor Candon.

The Leader thanked Council for the honour of being re-elected Leader of the Council and hoped that Council would work together for the benefit of the residents of the Borough of Great Yarmouth.

The Leader announced the following Cabinet Portfolio Holders:-

• Councillor Smith - Leader, Governance, Finance & Major Projects
• Councillor Plant - Deputy Leader Operational Property & Asset Management
• Councillor Bensly - Tourism, Culture & Coastal
• Councillor Candon - Economic Development & Growth
• Councillor Flaxman-Taylor - Housing, Health & Communities
• Councillor Wells  - Environment & Sustainability, Waste & Licensing.

Proposer: Councillor Plant 

Seconder: Councillor Candon



That Councillor Smith be elected as Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2023/24. 

CARRIED

Council were asked to agree the Timetable of meetings for 2023/24 which had been presented for approval this evening.

Councillor Jeal proposed that an amendment be made to the proposal that evening meetings to begin at 18:30 as opposed to 18:00 to allow those Members who worked or who had to arrange childcare to attend. This amendment was seconded by Councillor Martin.

Following a vote, the amendment was carried.

In regard to the substantive motion:-

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant.

That the Timetable of meetings for the Municipal Year 2023/24  be approved with the amendment agreed at the meeting that evening meetings to commence at 18:30. 

CARRIED

Council were asked to agree the Committee Memberships for 2023/24 which had been presented for approval this evening.

The Corporate Services Manager informed Council that there was one amendment; Councillor McMullen to be replaced by Councillor Newcombe on Audit, Risk & Standards Committee.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council agree the Committee Memberships for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

CARRIED

Council were asked to approve the Chair and Vice-Chair appointments for the period 2023/24 which had been provided this evening.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council approve the Chair and Vice-Chair appointments for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

CARRIED

Council were asked to consider the Working Group Appointments for the period 2023/24 which had been presented this evening.

The Leader highlighted that there was an amendment to the Gorleston Seafront Member Working Group; that Councillor Wells be added to the membership.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council approve the Working Group Appointments for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.

CARRIED

Council were asked to consider the Outside Body Appointments 2023/24 which had been provided this evening.

Following a vote, the following Members were appointed where there was more than one nomination:-

• Councillor Mogford to No.3 Broads Authority
• Councillors Candon & Plant to No.6 Norfolk Chamber of Commerce-Great Yarmouth Committee
• Councillor Flaxman-Taylor to No.14 GY Health & Wellbeing Partnership. Councillor Martin withdrew her nomination.
• Councillors Bird & Lawn to No.18 GY Racecourse
• Councillor Flaxman-Taylor to NO.27 JPH NHS Trust Governors' Council.
• Councillors Bensly & Galer to NO.32 Norfolk Coastal Board Member Group
• Councillor Plant to No.40 Norfolk Strategic Planning Framework
• Councillor Galer to No.49 Youth Advisory Board.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council approve the Outside Body Appointments for the Municipal Year 2023/24.

CARRIED

Council were asked to consider and note the report from the Licensing & Elections Manager which provided the results of the Local Elections held on Thursday, 4 May 2023.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council note the results of the Local Elections held on Thursday, 4 May 2023.

CARRIED.

Council received the report from the Corporate Services Manager.

The report informed Members that the Council required an Independent Remuneration Panel to give recommendations on the Members allowances and special responsibility allowances once the Executive Model Constitution has been adopted.

Councillor Wainwright requested that the review be undertaken as quickly as possible to ensure that Members on both sides did not endure any financial hardship for an extended period of time.
 

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Wainwright.

That Council:-

(i) Agree to the Independent Remuneration Panel being asked to convene to review the Scheme of Members Allowances based upon an Executive Model Constitution for the Council.

(ii) Agree to the re-appointment of the Independent Remuneration Panel Members as follows, Sandra Cox, Karen Forster and Stuart Rimmer.

(iii) Agree to the fee of £100 per meeting to be payable to each panel member upon completion of the review; and 

(iv) Note that any special responsibility allowances for the Executive model would be deferred, until completion of the Independent Remuneration Panel’s review. 

CARRIED

Council received and considered the report from the Monitoring Officer which detailed the change to an Executive model of governance and formal adoption of the new Constitution.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

That Council:-

(i) adopt the form of the Constitution as appended, incorporating the amendments
described in this report, with immediate effect; and

(ii) acknowledge the cessation of the committee system of governance and
implementation of the Executive (Leader-Cabinet) model, bringing into immediate
the effect Council’s resolution under section 9KC of the Local Government Act 2000,
made at Annual Meeting of May 2022.

CARRIED

The Leader reported that Council had in its establishment the post of Executive Director – Property & Housing Assets.  An extensive and thorough recruitment process was undertaken to recruit to this role, which did not provide a suitable permanent candidate for the role. 

Following a review of the recruitment process and candidate market it was felt that an interim solution and appointment to this role would be appropriate at this time and that recruitment to the post of a permanent basis should be reconsidered later in the year.

Therefore, it is recommended that Council agree the interim appointment of Chris Furlong as the Executive Director – Property & Housing Assets.

Proposer: Councillor Smith

Seconder: Councillor Plant

CARRIED

Her Worship, The Mayor, informed Council that her chosen charities for the Municipal Year 2023/24 as follows:-

• Caister Lifeboat
• Caister Scouts
• Redwings Horse Sanctuary
• Marie Curie.

Her Worship, The Mayor, informed Council that the dates for her Civic Reception and Civic Service would be announced in the next few weeks. She thanked everyone for attending Council this evening and invited Members to join her in the Assembly Room folowing the closure of the meeting.