Agenda and minutes

The Worshipful the Mayor will welcome everyone to the meeting and will advise all present of the premises evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency.

The Worshipful the Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised all present of the premises evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency.

The Mayor will invite nominations for the office of Mayor 2025/26.

Councillor Lynn Hall will propose and Councillor Tony Riordan will second that Councillor Stephen Richardson be elected Mayor.

The motion will be put to the meeting.

The elected Mayor will read and sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and will be dressed with the chains of office.

Moved by Councillor Lynn Hall and seconded by Councillor Tony Riordan, that Councillor Stephen Richardson be appointed Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/2026.

RESOLVED that Councillor Stephen Richardson be appointed Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/2026.

The Mayor will invite nominations for the office of Deputy Mayor 2025/26.

Councillor Jim Beall will propose and Councillor Eileen Johnson will second that Councillor Bob Cook be appointed Deputy Mayor.

The motion will be put to the meeting.

The appointed Deputy Mayor will read and sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and will be dressed with the chains of office.

Moved by Councillor Jim Beall and seconded by Councillor Eileen Johnson, that Councillor Robert Cook be appointed Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/2026.

RESOLVED that Councillor Robert Cook be appointed Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2025/2026.

The Mayor will move for approval the Council’s Constitution

The Council’s Constitution is available on the Council’s website at:

https://www.stockton.gov.uk/the-council-constitution

Council was invited to approve the Council's Constitution. Members had been provided with a link to the Constitution.

RESOLVED that the Council's Constitution be agreed.

To agree meetings of the Council being held at 6.00pm (except where otherwise stated) during the Municipal Year on the following dates:

21 May 2025

23 July 2025

24 September 2025

19 November 2025

21 January 2026

18 February 2026

18 March 2026

1 April 2026 at 11.00 am (Annual Meeting)

RESOLVED that meetings of the Council be held at 6.00pm (except where otherwise stated) during the Municipal Year on the following dates:

21 May 2025

23 July 2025

24 September 2025

19 November 2025

21 January 2026

18 February 2026

18 March 2026

1 April 2026 at 11.00 am (Annual Meeting)

Councillor Paul Rowing moved and Councillor Eileen Johnson seconded that Councillor Lisa Evans be appointed Leader of the Council for the Municipal Years 2025 - 27.

Councillor Niall Innes moved and Councillor Lynn Hall seconded that Councillor Tony Riordan be appointed Leader of the Council for the Municipal Years 2025 - 27.

On being put the vote it was:

RESOLVED that Councillor Lisa Evans be appointed Leader of the Council for the Municipal Years 2025-27.

The Leader of the Council will address the meeting and will announce the Cabinet Members for 2025 – 2027.

The Leader announced her Cabinet for the Municipal Years 2025/27:

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transport – Councillor Paul Rowling

Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care – Councillor Pauline Beall

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People – Councillor Clare Besford

Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture – Councillor Nigel Cooke

Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing – Councillor Richard Eglington 

Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety – Councillor Norma Stephenson

RESOLVED that the following amendments/ appointments be made for the Municipal Years 2025 - 2027:

Audit Committee

Remove: Cllrs Paul Rowling and Katie Weston - Add: Cllrs Eileen Johnson and Carol Clark

General Licensing Committee

Remove: Cllr Clare Besford - Add: Cllr Jim Beall

Statutory Licensing Committee

Remove: Cllr Clare Besford - Add: Cllr Jim Beall

Executive Scrutiny Committee

Remove: Cllr Paul Rowling and Cllr Richard Eglington - Add: Cllr Ann McCoy and Cllr Jim Beall

Adults Social Care and Health Select Committee

Remove: Cllr Ray Godwin - Add: Cllr Sylvia Walmsley

Children and Young People’s Select Committee

Remove: Cllr Paul Rowling - Add: Cllr Bob Cook

Community Safety Select Committee

Remove: Cllr Sylvia Walmsley - Add: Cllr Ray Godwin

Remove: Cllr Paul Rowling and Cllr Richard Eglington – Add: Cllr Katie Weston and Cllr Bob Cook

Place  Select Committee

Remove: Cllr Richard Eglington - Add: Cllr Bob Cook

Members’ Advisory Panel

Remove:  Cllr Bob Cook - Add: Cllr Paul Rowling

River Tees Port Health Authority

Add Cllr Paul Weston

Tees Valley Joint Health Scrutiny Committee

Remove: Cllr Jack Miller - Add: Cllr John Coulson

The Mayor will sign the Corporate Parenting Commitments on behalf of the Council accepting Members role as Corporate Parents. All Members will have an opportunity to add their signatures to the Corporate Parenting Commitments at a later date.

Adjournment

At this point the Mayor will indicate that a short adjournment will be taken.  The Mayor will then process out of the meeting and join the Civic Party.  When the Mayor has left the meeting room, all Members should make their way directly to the auditorium for the civic/ceremonial part of the meeting.

The Worshipful the Mayor signed the Corporate Parenting Commitments on behalf of the Council accepting all Members’ role as Corporate Parents.

The Worshipful the Mayor will welcome everyone to the meeting and will advise all present of the premises evacuation procedure in the event of an emergency.

The Worshipful the Mayor addressed the meeting by way of civic welcome and advised all of the premises evacuation procedure.

The Chief Executive will invite Councillors to speak in support of the Mayor’s recent appointment.

Councillor Lynn Hall and Councillor Tony Riordan spoke in support of the Mayor’s appointment.

The Mayor will address the meeting and thank the Council for his recent appointment.

The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Stephen Richardson, returned thanks for his appointment and addressed the meeting regarding his ambitions for the year ahead.

Reverend Paul Neville will present the Bible to the Mayor.

Reverend Paul Neville presented the Bible to the Worshipful the Mayor.

The retired Mayoress presented the Mayoress Chains to the new Mayoress.

The retired Deputy Mayoress presented the Deputy Mayoress Chains to the new Deputy Mayoress.

The Mayor will invite Councillors to speak in support of the Deputy Mayor’s recent appointment.

Councillor Jim Beall and Councillor Eileen Johnson spoke in support of the Deputy Mayor’s appointment.

The Deputy Mayor will thank the Council for their appointment.

The Deputy Mayor returned thanks for his appointment.

Councillor Tony Riordan will propose, and Councillor Niall Innes will second a vote of thanks to the retired Mayor for the admirable way in which he has discharged his duties during his term of office.

Moved by Councillor Tony Riordan and seconded by Councillor Niall Innes, that a vote of thanks be extended to the retired Mayor for the admirable way in which he has discharged his duties during his term of office.

RESOLVED that thanks be extended to the retired Mayor for the admirable way in which he has discharged his duties during his term of office.

The Worshipful the Mayor presented the retired Mayor and Mayoress with Medallions and a commemorative album.

The retired Mayor addressed the meeting to reflect on his year in office.

-           Parkinsons UK

-           Leo’s Neonatal

A presentation was made to the Mayor’s Charities.

The Worshipful the Mayor presented Sam Johnston and Tracy Westgarth from Parkinson’s UK and Lottie King and Lucie Pitman from Leo’s Neonatal with cheques for £18,666.45 raised during his civic year.

The Retired Mayor will recognise the contribution of long serving staff by presenting them with a certificate of achievement.

The Worshipful the Mayor recognised the special contribution of a unique group of staff who had all achieved 25 years’ service as a Local Government employee:

Helen Betts

Clare Bowser

Rebecca Marshall

Emma Rennie

Christine Richardson

Clare Bowser, Rebecca Marshall and Christine Richardson were in attendance at the meeting and the Worshipful the Mayor invited them to come to the stage to receive their long service certificates.

The Retired Mayor will recognise the achievements of those who have been successfully nominated for a Mayor’s Civic Award.

·         The Green Award – Mill Lane Community Garden

·         Young Person Award – Amelia Howson and Myles Siverwright

·         Services to the Community Award – Groups/Organisations – Blue Light Babies

·         Services to the Community Award – Individual – Joanne Owen

·         Services to the Community Award – Business – Hampton by Hilton

·         Health & Wellbeing Award – Women’s Health Team (Hartlepool & Stockton Health)

·         Carer / Foster Carer Award – Lindsay Taylor

·         Mayor’s Special Award – Les Southerton

The Worshipful the Mayor recognised the achievements of those who had been successfully nominated for a Mayor’s Civic Award:

The Green Award – Mill Lane Community Garden

Young Person Award – Amelia Howson and Myles Sivewright

Services to the Community Award – Groups/Organisations – Blue Light Babies

Services to the Community Award – Individual – Joanne Owen

Services to the Community Award – Business – Hampton by Hilton

Health and Wellbeing Award – Women’s Health Team (Hartlepool & Stockton Health)

Carer / Foster Carer Award – Lindsay Taylor

Mayor’s Special Award – Les Southerton

The Retired Mayor will, on behalf of the Council, present the Retired Deputy Mayor with a Silver Salver in recognition of his work during the preceding year.

On behalf of the Council, the retiring Mayor presented a silver salver to the retiring Deputy Mayor for his services during 2024/25.

Floral arrangements were presented to the Mayoress, the retired Mayoress and the Deputy Mayoress.

The Mayor closed the meeting and invited guests to the civic reception.