The meeting focused on several key administrative and procedural issues, including the appointment of chairs and vice chairs for various committees, a motion to defer certain appointments, and the confirmation of the new administration's cabinet members and their responsibilities.

1. Motion to Defer Appointment of Scrutiny Chairs and Vice Chairs:

   • Councillor Cumming proposed a motion to defer the appointment of scrutiny chairs and vice chairs to a future meeting. This was to allow time for a report from the monitoring officer and to ensure proper constitutional procedures were followed.
   • There was significant debate on this motion, with arguments both for and against it. Councillor Cowan argued that the current constitutional arrangements were not working and needed to be amended. Councillor Nelson and others opposed the motion, arguing it was an attempt to avoid scrutiny and accountability.
   • The motion to defer was eventually carried with 28 votes in favor and 18 against.

2. Appointment of Cabinet Members and Responsibilities:

   • The new Leader of the Council confirmed the appointments of cabinet members and their responsibilities. The cabinet includes members from the Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Independent groups.
   • The Leader emphasized the administration's commitment to transparency, financial stability, and improving services for residents. He also announced the scrapping of a cabinet post to save money and pledged not to close libraries, family centers, or dementia community support services.

3. Political Make-Up and Committee Appointments:

   • The political make-up of the Council was noted, and the details of the cabinet members and their responsibilities were confirmed.
   • The Council agreed to the appointments of councillors and substitutes to regulatory committees, the licensing subcommittee, the standards committee, and the audit committee.
   • The appointment of chairs and vice chairs for these committees was also agreed upon, with the exception of the scrutiny chairs and vice chairs, which were deferred.

4. Traffic Regulations Working Party and Outside Bodies:

   • The Council agreed to the appointments of councillors and substitutes to the Traffic Regulations Working Party.
   • For appointments to outside bodies, the Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Cox, withdrew all Conservative nominations, simplifying the approval process for the remaining names on the list.

5. Council Calendar of Meetings:

   • The Council agreed to the calendar of meetings for the municipal year 2024-2025, with amendments to the start times for cabinet and development control committee meetings.

Throughout the meeting, there were several points of order and procedural clarifications, particularly regarding the motion to defer the appointment of scrutiny chairs and vice chairs. The meeting concluded with the agreement on the calendar of meetings and the confirmation of various appointments.