Agenda and minutes

It was proposed by Councillor Neil Dallen, seconded by Councillor Clive Woodbridge and resolved by the Council:

That Councillor Robert Leach be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

a)            Vote of Thanks to the retiring Mayor

b)            Presentation of badge to the retiring Mayor and gift to the Mayoress

c)            Retiring Mayor’s retiring address

The retiring Mayor will vacate the Chair and, with the consent of the Council, will leave the Hall with the Dias Party and the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress elect.

On returning to the Hall, the newly elected Mayor will take the Chair.

d)            Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

It was proposed by Councillor John Beckett, seconded by Councillor Clive Woodbridge and resolved by the Council:

That Councillor Lucie McIntye be elected Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/26.

It was proposed by Councillor Kim Spickett that a vote of thanks be recorded to the Outgoing Mayor, Councillor Steve Bridger. Accordingly, it was resolved:

That the Council place on record its high appreciation of the excellent and devoted service rendered by Councillor Steve Bridger during his term of office as Mayor.

The Chief Executive, on behalf of Members of the Council, presented a Badge of Office to Councillor Steve Bridger in recognition of his services to the Office of Mayor and the Council’s Badge to Mrs Bridger in recognition of her services as Mayoress. The gifts were acknowledged by Councillor Bridger who spoke of his privilege and pleasure to have been Mayor of the Borough, thanking all who had helped him during his term of office.

(The retiring Mayor, Councillor Steve Bridger, thereupon vacated the Chair and the newly elected Mayor, Councillor Robert Leach, took the Chair)

Councillor Robert Leach and Councillor Lucie McIntyre made and subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Mayor and Deputy Mayor respectively.

The Mayor spoke in acknowledgement of his election, announcing that he had selected the following organisations to help as his chosen charities:

·                 Good Company

·                 Citizen’s Advice Bureau

·                 Epsom and Ewell Phab

To receive declarations of any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or other registrable or non-registrable interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made by Councillors regarding items on the agenda.

To appoint the Leader of the Council.

The Mayor informed the Council that in accordance with section 100B(4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972 he had agreed to the inclusion of this item on the agenda. This item was required following the amendments to the Constitution which were agreed at the meeting of Full Council on 6 May 2025.

It was proposed by Councillor Neil Dallen, seconded by Councillor Clive Woodbridge that Councillor Hannah Dalton be appointed the Leader of the Council for 2025-2026.

It was proposed by Councillor Chris Ames, seconded by Councillor Kate Chinn that Councillor Alex Coley be appointed the Leader of the Council for 2025-2026.

There being two nominations, the Mayor requested the Council to vote on each nomination separately.

The results of the votes were as follows:

Councillor Hannah Dalton: 17 votes for, 9 abstentions

Councillor Alex Coley: 9 votes for, 13 votes against, 3 abstentions

Accordingly, the Council resolved:

That Councillor Hannah Dalton be appointed the Leader of the Council to hold office until the Annual Meeting of the Council in May 2026.

The purpose of this report is to seek the Council’s approval of the Constitution.

The Council received a report seeking approval of the Constitution.

Following consideration, it was resolved with 18 votes for and 8 abstentions to:

(1)            Approve the Constitution of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.

To note the allocation of seats on Committees and Advisory Panels, approve the appointments to Committees and Advisory Panels and the appointments of Chairs and Vice Chairs to such.

The Council considered a report seeking approval o the allocation of seats on Committees and Advisory Panels; the appointments to Committees and Advisory Panels, the appointment of Chairs and Vice-Chairs and arrangements for substitutes for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. The report also sought approval to establish two OfficerMember working groups for this municipal year in advance of the first meeting of their parent Committees.

Following consideration, it was resolved unanimously that the Council:

(1)            Noted the allocation of seats based on political balance and proportionality;

(2)            Allocated seats on the Committees, Advisory Panels and Working Groups in accordance with the wishes of the political groups set out in Appendix 1 to the report and detailed below;

(3)            Appointed Chairs and Vice Chairs in light of the nominations received as set out in Appendix 1 to the report and detailed below.

(4)            Appointed all members of Council as substitutes for their group members on committees, where the group member is unable to attend a meeting.

(5)            Establish the following Officer/Member Working Groups for this municipal year, appointing the nominated Members as set out within Appendix 1:

·                 a Constitutional Working Group, to take forward the work of the  Standards and Constitution Committee, and

·                 a CIL Working Group, to take forward the work of the Strategy and Resources Committee

Audit and Scrutiny Committee (8): Steven McCormick (Chair), Phil Neale (Vice Chair), Chris Ames, Steve Bridger, Tony Froud, Alison Kelly, Jan Mason, Chris Watson.

Community and Wellbeing Committee (8): Clive Woodbridge (Chair), Bernice Froud (Vice Chair), Rob Geleit, Graham Jones, Rachel King, Bernie Muir, Humphrey Reynolds, Kim Spickett.

Environment (8): Liz Frost (Chair), Alan Williamson (Vice Chair), Arthur Abdulin, Steve Bridger, Christine Cleveland, Julian Freeman, Graham Jones, Julie Morris.

Crime and Disorder Committee (6): Shanice Goldman (Chair), Tony Froud, Christine Howells, James Lawrence, Bernie Muir, Alan Williamson.

Licensing and Planning Policy Committee (10): Peter O’Donovan (Chair), Neil Dallen (Vice Chair), Steve Bridger, Alex Coley, Julian Freeman, Rob Geleit, Shanice Goldman, Phil Neale, Humphrey Reynolds, Clive Woodbridge.

Planning Committee (10): Steven McCormick (Chair), Clive Woodbridge (Vice Chair), Kate Chinn, Neil Dallen, Alison Kelly, Jan Mason, Phil Neale, Kieran Persand, Humphrey Reynolds, Chris Watson.

Strategy and Resources Committee (8): Neil Dallen (Chair), Hannah Dalton (Vice Chair), John Beckett, Kate Chinn, James Lawrence, Jan Mason, Lucie McIntyre, Humphrey Reynolds.

Shareholder Sub-Committee (5): To be appointed by the Strategy and Resources Committee.

Standards and Constitution Committee (6): John Beckett (Chair), Rachel King (Vice Chair), Chris Ames, Julian Freeman, Shanice Goldman, Alan Williamson.

Financial Strategy Advisory Group (6): Neil Dallen (Chair), Kate Chinn, Alex Coley, Liz Frost, Peter O’Donovan, Clive Woodbridge.

Health Liaison Panel (6): Christine Cleveland (Chair), Alex Coley, Liz Frost, Bernice Froud, Bernie Muir, Kim Spickett.

Human Resources Panel (6): Phil Neale (Chair), Bernice Froud, Julie Morris, Kieran Persand, Kim Spickett, Chris Watson.

Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee (3): Julian Freeman, Christine Howells, Tony Froud.

Surrey Police and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

This report seeks appointments to representation on external bodies.

The Council received a report seeking appointments to representation on external bodies. The following matter was considered:

a)              Ballot. The Council undertook a ballot for a vacancy for which the number of nominations exceeded the number of available places, as set out in the agenda. At the invitation of the Mayor, the Chief Executive informed the Council that the results of the ballot were as follows:

·                 Epsom and Ewell Community Safety Partnership (1 vacancy):

Following consideration, it was resolved unanimously that the Council:

(1)        Appointed representatives to the external bodies and inter authority partnerships set out in Appendix 1 to the report and detailed below;

(2)        Appointed the Member Champions set out in Appendix 1 to the report and detailed below;

(3)        Delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Strategy and Resources Committee, the authority to determine and submit the nomination of a councillor to the vacancies advised by the Surrey Leaders’ Group should more than one candidate be put forward in relation to the particular vacancy;

(4)        Noted the Officer/Member Working Groups appointed by Committees set out in Appendix 1 to the report and detailed below.

To approve a programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the year.

The Council received a report requesting it to approve a programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the year.

Following consideration, it was resolved unanimously:

(1)            That the Council approved the programme of ordinary meetings for the year.