Minutes:
The Worshipful The Mayor of Medway announced that Derek Esterson, a former Rochester upon Medway Councillor from 1995 to 1998 had passed away recently. She said that Members would recall that Derek was the father of Bill Esterson, also a former Medway Councillor.
On behalf of the Council, the Mayor offered her condolences to the family.
Councillor Murray addressed the Council in tribute to former Councillor Esterson. She highlighted that other family members had also served as Councillors and that Derek Esterson had also been a Kent County Council Councillor between 1993 and 1998.
The Mayor welcomed the former Mayor of Medway, Jan Aldous, to present cheques to Hands Gillingham and Parkinson’s UK following her fundraising during the previous municipal year. Daphne Stearn and Joyce Kemp were in attendance at the meeting representing Hands Gillingham and Alyson Smith and Phil Bungay were representing Parkinson’s UK.
£17,532.78 had been raised for the Mayoral charities during Jan Aldous’ time as Mayor of Medway. Each charity was, therefore, presented with a cheque for £8,766.39.
The Mayor announced that since the last full Council meeting, she had welcomed Mayors and dignitaries from across the south east and supported local residents in relation to fundraising events in Medway. These had raised over £3,000 for the Mayor’s three chosen charities, SSAFA, Medway Help for Ukrainians and Young Medway. The Mayor thanked everyone, including local business, Gurkha Brothers and the local Oasthouse Theatre in Rainham for supporting the Mayoral events.
People involved in organising the Rochester Dickensian Christmas Festival were thanked by the Mayor, including those who had collaborated with the organisers to make it a successful event that had welcomed over 100,0000 visitors over a weekend. The next big, free community event would be the Chinese New Year Festival with the main parade taking place on 17 February 2024 in Chatham High Street.
The Mayor advised the Council that it was proposed to make some changes to the way the meeting was run, following discussions between Group Leaders, Deputy Leaders and Group Whips. These changes were as set out in decisions below.
The Mayor, supported by Members of the Council moved a suspension of Council Rules.
Decision:
The Council agreed to suspend Council rules to facilitate the following changes:
a) Public questions would be extended from 30 minutes to 40 minutes with a reduction in the time allocations for the Leader’s Report from 35 minutes to 30 minutes and the Overview and Scrutiny activity report from 25 to 20 minutes.
b) Public questioners unable to attend the meeting had been allowed to send a representative to read out their question or the Mayor would put the question on their behalf. Only public questioners attending in person would be able to ask supplementary questions.
c) The order of business had been changed as indicated on the agenda. This included taking the agenda item on motions after public questions and taking any information reports or reports for noting as the last agenda items.
d) Limit the number of speakers per motion to the proposer and seconder, plus up to 10% of each group (rounded up) as follows:
Labour and Co-operative Group – 4
Conservative Group – 3
Independent Group – 1
Independent Member – 1
The same number of speakers would be allowed for each amendment to a motion.
The Mayor also advised that a Supplementary Council Agenda had been published after the main agenda. The Supplementary Agenda set out the Cabinet record of decisions of the meeting held on 16 January 2024.