Agenda item

Chair's announcements

Minutes:

Councillor Pete Gilbert (Chair of Council) made the following announcements.

 

a) Young Authority of the Year

 

Over recent years we have worked hard to attract and encourage young colleagues into a career in local government. We have recently become involved in the LGA’s National Graduate Development Programme. Through the scheme we have been able to recruit three graduates who are currently working their way through a two-year programme of placements.

 

Two of our graduates represented Warwickshire County Council at the Young Local Authority of the Year competition. This is a national competition which aims to further the professional development of people in the early stages of their careers.

 

Laura Pain and George McVerry battled against 16 other teams from across the country and I’m delighted to say that they have brought the trophy back to Warwickshire and we now officially hold the title of Young Local Authority of the Year.

 

Huge congratulations to Laura and George.

 

Members joined to congratulate Laura Pain and George McVerry.

 

b) Warwickshire County Cricket Club

 

Last Friday marked a very memorable moment in the sporting calendar. It saw the culmination of the County Cricket Championship and it gives me great delight and pride to say that the overall winners were Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

 

The County Council has excellent links with the cricket club and many of our residents are fans of the club.  Indeed, a former pupil of Warwick School scored a century in that final match, helping to seal a memorable victory for the Bears.

 

The county has a very significant cricketing heritage, and we share the great pride of all involved in the cricket club's tremendous achievement. I'm sure you will all join me in passing on the congratulations of the council to all involved.

 

Members joined to congratulate Warwickshire County Cricket Club on its achievement.

 

c) Statement of Accounts

 

I have been asked to read out this notice from the Strategic Director for Resources in his capacity as the Council’s Section 151 officer. This is to inform all councillors that it has not been possible to present accounts for approval at this meeting to meet the end of September deadline for reasons entirely outside the Council’s control.

 

The County Council finance team produced the accounts, both for the Council and the Warwickshire Pension Fund, to the agreed timetable. However, the external auditor informed us in late July that due to resourcing problems and delays on other client audits, our external audit work will not be completed until mid-October. This means we will now present the audited accounts to Audit & Standards Committee on the 4 November and Full Council on the 14 December.  The delay is solely due to Grant Thornton's inability to resource the external audit work to the originally agreed timetable.

 

I have written formally to the auditor to express my strong disappointment that the Council is in this situation for these reasons and have published a formal notice of the delay.  

 

It is worth pointing out that this situation is common across the county and an article in the Municipal Journal on 16 September suggested, based on a survey by Public Sector Audit Appointments, that as many as half of councils may miss the end of September audit deadline.

 

d) Death of Former County Councillor John Appleton

 

Again, it is my sad duty to report the death of a former County Councillor. John Appleton passed away on Monday    13 September at the age of 84. He represented the division of Southam from 2005 until 2017.

 

During his time with Warwickshire County Council John, a Conservative member, served on a range of committees including the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Pension Fund Investment Sub Committee and Staff and Pensions Committee.

 

He was also involved in outside bodies including Age Concern and the Severn Trent Regional Flood Defence Committee.

 

John also served on Stratford on Avon District Council. He was widely respected for his commitment to his constituents and for his insightfulness.

 

Our condolences go to John’s family.

 

Members made the following comments in memory of John Appleton.

 

Councillor Andy Crump stated that John Appleton had been his predecessor in Southam. He was a pleasant person to be with who sought particularly to help young people from pre-school age up to teenagers. Although softly spoken he could at times “turn into a tiger”.

 

Councillor Izzi Seccombe stated that John Appleton had served with her on Stratford on Avon District Council as well as the County Council. He had a particular eye for detail especially regarding financial matters. In order to see the correct policies developed John Appleton was prepared to be very challenging. He was a positive contributor to Council and ensured that he held the administration to account.

 

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group) echoed the views that John Appleton could be very challenging. This was helped by a sharp mind and the efforts he made to remain on top of his brief. The loss of John’s wife hit him very hard. He is to be thanked for all he did for Warwickshire.

 

Councillor Peter Butlin (Deputy Leader, Finance and Property) told the meeting that when he had joined Warwickshire County Council John Appleton had been his mentor. The advice that John Appleton had given was to know your brief and numbers. He would be much missed.

 

Councillor John Holland (Leader of the Labour Group) noted that John Appleton had served on pensions committees with him. He was always found to be friendly and helpful.

 

e) Death of Former County Councillor Brian Hawkes

 

Lastly, it is my sad duty to inform you of the death in July of former County Councillor Brian Hawkes. Brian was a Labour Councillor who lived in Bedworth and represented the Bedworth West Division from December 2013 having been selected in a by-election. He served until the Council elections of 2017.

 

As well as being a member of the County Council, Brian was a long-standing member of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. In 2014/15 he was Mayor of the borough.

 

Our condolences go to Brian’s family.

 

Members made the following comments in memory of Bryan Hawkes.

 

Councillor Izzi Seccombe stated that Bryan Hawkes was a very decent person. In his later years he had suffered ill health. Nevertheless, he was happy to welcome Councillor Seccombe to his house when she was canvassing for the May 2021elections.

 

Councillor John Holland noted that Bryan Hawkes was a councillor who stood up for his residents. His employment had been in health and safety and he was a keen advocate of safe practices wherever he was.

 

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse observed that Bryan Hawkes looked across political divides. He would always stand up for his community and was to be thanked for that.

 

Members stood in memory of John Appleton and Bryan Hawkes.