The meeting was opened with a prayer.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mandy Darling.

To elect The Worshipful the Mayor of Torbay for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year.

Councillor Maddison proposed and Councillor Cowell seconded a motion as set out below:

that Councillor Long be elected The Worshipful the Mayor of Torbay for the Municipal Year 2024/2025.

A recorded vote was taken on the motion. The voting was taken by roll call as follows:  For:  Councillors Amil, Atiya-Alla, Carter, Cowell, George Darling, Steve Darling, Douglas-Dunbar, Fox, Harvey, Johns, Law, Maddison, Nicolaou, Penny, Pentney and Virdee (16);  Against:  Councillors Billings, Brook, Bryant, Bye, Fellows, Hutchings, Barbara Lewis, Chris Lewis, Spacagna, Stevens, Strang, David Thomas, Jacqueline Thomas, Tolchard, Tranter, Twelves and Tyerman (17);  Standing Order A1.2(iii) Councillor Long excluded from voting (1);  and Absent: Councillor Mandy Darling (1).  The motion was declared lost.

The Chief Executive advised that, as a result of the vote, Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1972 applied, and Councillor Spacagna would continue as The Worshipful the Mayor of Torbay until the Council elected his successor.

To elect the Deputy Civic Mayor of the Council for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year.

Councillor George Darling proposed and Councillor Atiya-Alla seconded a motion, as set out below:

that Councillor Harvey be elected The Deputy Civic Mayor of Torbay for the Municipal Year 2024/2025.

A recorded vote was taken on the motion. The voting was taken by roll call as follows:  For:  Councillors Amil, Atiya-Alla, Carter, Cowell, George Darling, Steve Darling, Douglas-Dunbar, Fox, Harvey, Johns, Law, Long, Maddison, Nicolaou, Penny, Pentney and Virdee (17);  Against:  Councillors Billings, Brook, Bryant, Bye, Fellows, Hutchings, Barbara Lewis, Chris Lewis, Spacagna, Stevens, Strang, David Thomas, Jacqueline Thomas, Tolchard, Tranter, Twelves and Tyerman (17);  and Absent: Councillor Mandy Darling (1).  Therefore, in accordance with Standing Order A18.2, The Worshipful the Mayor of Torbay used his casting vote, voted against the motion and the motion was declared lost.

To consider adjourning the meeting until 5.30 pm on Thursday, 16 May 2024 to deal with the remainder of the business as set out in the separate agenda.

At this juncture, a procedural motion (in accordance with Standing Order A14.1(xii)) was proposed by Councillor David Thomas and seconded by Councillor Chris Lewis.  The Chief Executive confirmed that, following discussion with the Deputy Monitoring Officer and Director of Finance, there was no business that needed to be transacted at this meeting.  The motion was then agreed by the Council (by recorded vote) as set out below:

that the Annual meeting of the Council be adjourned to 20 June 2024 to deal with the remainder of the business as set out on the published agenda.

The voting was taken by roll call as follows:  For:  Councillors Billings, Brook, Bryant, Bye, Fellows, Hutchings, Barbara Lewis, Chris Lewis, Spacagna, Stevens, Strang, David Thomas, Jacqueline Thomas, Tolchard, Tranter, Twelves and Tyerman (17);  Against:  Councillors Amil and Carter (2);  and Absent: Councillors Atiya-Alla, Cowell, George Darling, Mandy Darling, Steve Darling, Douglas-Dunbar, Fox, Harvey, Johns, Law, Long, Maddison, Nicolaou, Penny, Pentney and Virdee (16).