To be moved by Councillor Thompson and seconded by Councillor Wright.

“That Councillor Martha Lloyd Jones be elected Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2025/26”

To be moved by Councillor Hutchinson and seconded by Councillor S. Hill.

“That Councillor Pamela Wallace be elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2025/26”

          Moved by Councillor Thompson and seconded by Councillor Wright:-

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Martha Lloyd Jones be elected Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

Moved by Councillor Hutchinson and seconded by Councillor S. Hill:-

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Wallace be elected Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

          The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 5 March 2025, having been circulated, were taken as read and signed as a correct record.

          The Mayor announced that her Charities for the year would be Nightstop Communities North West and Halton Speak Out with Ella Performance Group.

There were no Leader’s announcements.

To formally approve the following recommendations of the Executive Board (Selection Committee).

(N.B. The Executive Board will be meeting on 13 May 2025 to consider these recommendations.  Any amendments will be reported to Council).

          The following results of the Executive Board (Selection Committee) were moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor.

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor:-

“That Councillor Wharton be appointed as Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor: -

“That Councillor Thompson be appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2025/26”.

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Mike Wharton be appointed Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2025/26 and Councillor Dave Thompson be appointed Deputy Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor:

“That the following Boards, Committees and Panels be constituted with the membership as shown for the Municipal Year 2025/26”

(N.B. information regarding membership will be circulated as soon as possible)

          RESOLVED: That the Boards and Committees be constituted with the membership as shown for the Municipal Year 2025/26:-

Executive Board (10)

Councillors Wharton, (Chair), Ball, Bevan, Dennett, Harris, T. McInerney, P. Nolan, Thompson, Wall and Wright.

Health & Wellbeing Board

Councillors Wright (Chair) Ball, T. McInerney and Woolfall.

Corporate and Inclusion Policy and Performance Board (11)           

Councillors Gilligan (Chair), Philbin (Vice Chair), Carlin, C. Loftus, Davidson, Leck, Logan, N. Plumpton Walsh, McDermott, McDonough and A. McInerney.

Health and Social Care Policy and Performance Board (11)

Councillors Dourley (Chair), Baker (Vice Chair), Davidson, Lowe, Goodall, S. Hill, Hughes, McDonough, N. Plumpton Walsh, Skinner, and Stretch.

Environment and Regeneration Policy and Performance Board (11)

Councillors Woolfall (Chair), P. Lloyd Jones (Vice Chair), V. Hill, Hutchinson, K. Loftus, McDermott, Nelson, L. Nolan, C. Plumpton Walsh, Stockton and Wainwright.

Local Economy Policy and Performance Board (11)

Councillors Jones (Chair), Teeling (Vice Chair), Connolly, Begg, Garner, Gilligan, Hutchinson, K. Loftus, Rowe, Skinner and M. Ryan.

Children, Young People and Families Policy and Performance Board (11)

Councillors Logan (Chair), Goodall (Vice Chair), Baker, Dourley, Fry, Jones, P. Lloyd Jones, C. Plumpton Walsh, Ratcliffe, Ryan and Skinner.

Housing and Safer Policy and Performance Board (11)

Councillors Fry (Chair), Carlin (Vice Chair) Bramwell, Connolly, Garner, C. Loftus, A. McInerney, L. Nolan, Ratcliffe, Stretch and Teeling.

Development Management Committee (11)

Councillors Leck (Chair), Thornton (Vice Chair), S. Hill, Hughes, P. Nolan, Philbin, C. Plumpton Walsh, Polhill, Rowe, Thompson and Woolfall.

Audit and Governance Board (7)

Councillors Polhill (Chair), Connolly (Vice Chair), Abbott, V. Hill, Ratcliffe, Thornton and Wallace.

Regulatory Committee (11)

Councillors Wallace (Chair), Abbott (Vice-Chair), Begg, Bramwell, Fry, Hughes, K. Loftus, Lowe, Nelson, Stockton, and Wainwright.

Mayoral Committee (5)

Councillors M. Lloyd Jones, Wainwright, Gilligan, Philbin and Wright.

Appointments Committee (6)

Councillors Wharton (Leader), Thompson (Deputy Leader), Dennett (or another portfolio holder as selected by Leader), Wainwright (or a Chair of a PPB, selected by Leader) Ratcliffe and Davidson.

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor:-

“To appoint a Scrutiny Co-ordinator for the Municipal Year 2025/26 as set out in the tabled document”

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Wainwright be appointed Scrutiny Co-ordinator for the Municipal Year 2025/26

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor:-

“That the following appointment be confirmed:

1)    The re-appointment of Mr David Wilson as the Healthwatch Halton representative and non-voting Co-optee to the Health Policy and Performance Board for the Municipal Year 2025/26; and

2)    Professor David Norman and Mrs Diane Howard be re-appointed as Independent Persons for the purposes of the Localism Act 2011, for a further period of 4 years”.

     RESOLVED: That

1)    Mr David Wilson be re-appointed as the Healthwatch Halton representative and non-voting Co-optee to the Health and Social Care Policy and Performance Board for the Municipal Year 2025/26; and

2)    Professor David Norman and Mrs Diane Howard be re-appointed as Independent Persons for the purposes of the Localism Act 2011, for a further period of 4 years.

To be moved by the Mayor and seconded by the Deputy Mayor:-

“That Council consider the list of outside bodies circulated”.

          The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive, regarding the appointment of Members to serve on various Outside Bodies. A document was tabled showing the recommendations put forward.

          RESOLVED: That representatives be appointed to Outside Bodies in accordance with the tabled document.

The Leader will report on the Portfolio holders for Executive Board for the Municipal Year 2025/26 which will also be tabled.

          The Leader confirmed that the Executive Board would consist of the following Portfolio holders for the Municipal Year 2025/26:-

Leader - Councillor Wharton - Overall Leadership and Corporate Strategy, Communications and Liverpool City Region matters

Deputy Leader - Councillor Thompson - Leadership on Cheshire Sub-Regional matters and Major Projects

Councillor T. McInerney - Children and Young People

Councillor Ball - Adult Social Care

Councillor Dennett - Corporate Services

Councillor Wright - Health and Wellbeing

Councillor Wall - Community Safety

Councillor P. Nolan - Environmental & Urban Renewal

Councillor Bevan - Employment, Learning & Skills and Community

Councillor Harris -  Housing and Environmental Sustainability

          RESOLVED: That the Portfolios be noted.

Executive Board considered a report of the Director – Legal and Democratic Services, which sought approval of a number of changes to the Council’s Constitution.

RECOMMENDED: That Council approve the revised Constitution, including the matters set out in the appendices.

          Executive Board had considered a report of the Director, Legal and Democratic Services, which sought approval of a number of changes to the Council’s Constitution.

          RESOLVED: That Council approve the revised Constitution, including the matters set out in the appendices, attached to the report

          The Council considered a report of the Chief Executive, on the urgent decisions taken since the last meeting of the Council.

          RESOLVED: That Council note the report.

Under Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, permission is sought for:

·       Councillor Stretch to be granted a period of absence from attending Council meetings for a period of 3 months, concluding on 4 September 2025, due to personal reasons.

          This item was withdrawn.

          RECOMMENDED: That Council adopts this Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2025/26.

          The Council considered a report of the Corporate Director, Chief Executive’s Delivery Unit, on the Pay Policy Statement for 2025/26.

          The Localism Act 2011 required every local authority to prepare a Pay Policy Statement each year, which detailed the Council’s approach to a range of issues relating to the pay of its employees, principally its senior staff (Chief Officers) and the Authority’s lowest paid employees.

          The purpose of the Statement was to provide transparency with regards to the Council’s approach to setting the pay of its employees by identifying the following:-

·       The methods by which salaries of all employees were determined;

·       The details and level of remuneration of its most senior staff (i.e. its Chief Officers) as defined by relevant legislation; and

·       The Committee responsible for ensuring the provisions set out in the Statement were applied consistently throughout the Council and recommending any amendments to the Full Council.

The following information was included in the report:-

·                  Background to the Pay Structure;

·                  Senior Management Remuneration;

·                  Recruitment of Chief Officers;

·                  Additions to Salaries of Chief Officers;

·                  Pensions Contributions;

·                  Payments on Termination;

·                  Publication of the Statement;

·                  Lowest Paid Employees; and

·                  Accountability and Decision Making.

          RESOLVED: That the Pay Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2025/26 be adopted.

To note that the Mayor’s Civic Sunday Service will be held at St Michaels and All Angels CofE Church, Greenway Road, Runcorn on Sunday 29^th June 2025, at 10.30 am.

          The Mayor announced her intention to attend a Civic Service at St Michaels and All Angels CofE Church, Greenway Road, Runcorn, on Sunday 29^th June 2025, at 10.30am.