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Annual Meeting, Council - Thursday, 22nd May, 2025 11.00 am

May 22, 2025 View on council website  Watch video of meeting or read trancript
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Summary

Cambridge City Council held a meeting where members discussed and made decisions on several key issues, including the adoption of a new council constitution, recommendations for councillor allowances, and committee appointments. The council approved the draft constitution and agreed to consider the Independent Remuneration Panel's recommendations on allowances.

Cambridge City Council Constitution

The council approved the draft constitution, including the Local Government Association (LGA) model Code of Conduct1, to take effect at the annual council meeting in May 2025. The Monitoring Officer has the responsibility to ensure the constitution is up to date and lawful, including making 'housekeeping changes' to ensure it is comprehensible and consistent as required. The constitution will be reviewed within nine months, and any further changes will be adopted through the correct channels.

The council commissioned the Association of Democratic Services Officers (ADSO) to support the council in developing an up-to-date constitution and leader and cabinet decision-making arrangements in accordance with the relevant legislation, guidance, and best practice.

Areas of update in the constitution include:

  • Opposition Chairs for Scrutiny Committees
  • Naming of Scrutiny Committees
  • Referral of Motions by the Mayor
  • Requirement for Motions to be Seconded
  • Substitutes on Committees
  • Cabinet Assistants (Executive Assistants)
  • Debate Rules and Amendments
  • Non-Key Decisions and Forward Plan

Report of the Independent Remuneration Panel

The committee agreed to recommend to the council the adoption of the allowances and expenses as recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel.

The Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) met in January 2025 to review the current Members’ Allowances Scheme. The panel's report sets out its findings and recommendations. All councillors were invited to make representations to the panel via an online survey, and several councillors were invited to meet the panel to discuss a series of questions to help inform the panel when completing their recommendations.

The panel made several recommendations, including:

  • The basic allowance payable to all Councillors as £7,629 per annum, indexed annually for the next four years in line with percentage increase in staff salaries based on Spinal Column point 56 of the Council’s pay scales, starting in April 2025.
  • The 'Stationery Allowance' payment of £75 per annum for each Councillor be withdrawn.
  • That no councillor shall be entitled to receive at any time more than one Special Responsibility Allowance for any internal Council role and that a Councillor may receive up to ‘one additional Special Responsibility Allowance when representing the Council on any external body or organisation.
  • Specific Special Responsibility Allowances for various positions, including Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, Executive Members, Leader of the Main Opposition Group, Scrutiny Committee Chairs, and others.

Committee Appointments

The committee agreed to recommend to the council the appointments to city council committees and joint partner bodies.

The following appointments were made:

  • Performance, Assets & Strategy Overview & Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Gawthrope-Wood, Griffin, Baigent, Davey, Sheil, Porrer, Dalzell, Bennett
  • Services, Communities & Climate Overview & Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Gardiner-Smith, Pounds, Baigent, Divkovic, TBC, Young, Hauk, Payne, Glasberg
  • Civic Affairs & Audit Committee: Councillors McPherson, Gawthrope Wood, Robertson, Sheil, Dalzell, Bick, Bennett
  • Employment Committee: Councillors Moore, Ashton, Davey, Nestor, Bick, Martinelli, Howard
  • Licensing Act 2003 & Gambling Act 2005 Committee (Statutory Committee) & General Purposes & Licensing Committee: Councillors McPherson, Bird, Swift, Moore, Wade, Divkovic, Blackburn-Horgan, Lokhmotova, Bick, Clough
  • Planning Committee: Councillors Smart, Baigent, Thornburrow, Todd-Jones, Dryden, Flaubert, Illingworth, Bennett
  • Joint Planning Advisory Group: Councillors Thornburrow, S Smith, Gardiner-Smith, Porrer, TBC
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority: Councillor TBC
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Councillors Davey, Clough
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Audit and Governance Committee: Councillor Divkovic
  • Greater Cambridge Partnership Joint Assembly: Councillors S Smith, Thornburrow, Bick
  • Joint Development Management Committee - Cambridge Fringes: Councillors S Smith, Baigent, Smart, Thornburrow, Porrer, Flaubert
  • Cambridge Joint Area Committee: Councillors Baigent, Thornburrow, Swift, Ashton, Lee, Payne

The following nominations for Chairs and Vice Chairs were made:

  • Performance, Assets and Strategy: Chair - Councillor Porrer, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gawthrope-Wood
  • Service, Communities and Climate: Chair - Councillor Young, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gardiner-Smith
  • Civic Affairs & Audit: Chair - Councillor McPherson, Vice-Chair - Councillor Gawthrope-Wood
  • Licensing: Chair - Councillor McPherson, Vice-Chair - Councillor TBC
  • Planning: Chair - Councillor Smart, Vice-Chair - Councillor Baigent
  • Joint Planning Advisory: Chair/Vice-Chair - Councillor Thornburrow

Appointments to Outside Bodies, Working Groups and Combined Authority Thematic Committees

The council noted the appointments to outside bodies subject to appointment of the Leader and Cabinet, the working groups, and the appointments to the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, final names subject to confirmation by the Leader.


  1. The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities in England and Wales. It provides a range of services to its member councils, including advocacy, advice, and training. 

Attendees

Profile image for CouncillorMark Ashton
Councillor Mark Ashton  Labour and Co-operative •  Labour •  Cherry Hinton
Profile image for Councillor Dave Baigent
Councillor Dave Baigent  Labour •  Romsey
Profile image for Councillor Naomi Bennett
Councillor Naomi Bennett  Leader of the Green Group; Green (Spokes) Finance and Resources •  Green •  Abbey
Profile image for CouncillorTim Bick
Councillor Tim Bick  Leader of Liberal Democrat Group and Lib Dem (Spokes) Culture, Economy and Skills •  Liberal Democrat •  Market
Profile image for CouncillorGerri Bird
Councillor Gerri Bird  Cabinet Member for Housing •  Labour •  East Chesterton
Profile image for CouncillorImmy Blackburn-Horgan
Councillor Immy Blackburn-Horgan  Liberal Democrat •  Queen Edith's
Profile image for Councillor Hugh Clough
Councillor Hugh Clough  Green (Spokes) Finance & Resources, Culture, Economy & Skills •  Green •  Newnham
Profile image for Councillor Mike Davey
Councillor Mike Davey  Leader of the Council; Transformation •  Labour •  Petersfield
Profile image for CouncillorIva Divkovic
Councillor Iva Divkovic  Labour •  Arbury
Profile image for Councillor Robert Dryden
Councillor Robert Dryden  Labour and Co-operative •  Labour •  Cherry Hinton
Profile image for Councillor Ingrid Flaubert  Lib Dem
Councillor Ingrid Flaubert Lib Dem  Liberal Democrat •  Trumpington
Profile image for CouncillorBeth Gardiner-Smith
Councillor Beth Gardiner-Smith  Labour •  Romsey
Profile image for Councillor Jenny Gawthrope Wood
Councillor Jenny Gawthrope Wood  Labour •  King's Hedges
Profile image for CouncillorJean Glasberg
Councillor Jean Glasberg  Green (Spokes) for Communities, Climate, Action & Environment, Open Spaces & City Services •  Green •  Newnham
Profile image for Councillor Tim Griffin
Councillor Tim Griffin  Labour •  Coleridge
Profile image for CouncillorOlaf Hauk
Councillor Olaf Hauk  Lib Dem (Spokes) Open Spaces & City Services and Climate Action and Environment •  Liberal Democrat •  Trumpington
Profile image for CouncillorCameron  Holloway
Councillor Cameron Holloway  Leader •  Labour •  Newnham
Profile image for CouncillorDelowar Hossain
Councillor Delowar Hossain  Conservative •  King's Hedges
Profile image for Councillor Matthew Howard  Green
Councillor Matthew Howard Green  Green (Spokes) Planning & Transport •  Green •  Abbey
Profile image for CouncillorDaniel Lee
Councillor Daniel Lee  Liberal Democrat •  Queen Edith's
Profile image for Councillor Nadya Lokhmotova  Cambridge City Council
Councillor Nadya Lokhmotova Cambridge City Council  Liberal Democrat •  Trumpington
Profile image for CouncillorAnthony Martinelli
Councillor Anthony Martinelli  Lib Dem (Spokes) Housing •  Liberal Democrat •  Market
Profile image for CouncillorRuss McPherson
Councillor Russ McPherson  Labour •  Cherry Hinton
Profile image for CouncillorRosy Moore
Councillor Rosy Moore  Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Environment •  Labour •  Coleridge
Profile image for Councillor Antoinette Nestor  Cambridge City Council
Councillor Antoinette Nestor Cambridge City Council  Cabinet Member for Culture, Economy and Skills •  Labour •  Castle
Profile image for CouncillorCheney Payne
Councillor Cheney Payne  Lib Dem (Spokes) Communities •  Liberal Democrat •  Castle
Profile image for Councillor Katie Porrer
Councillor Katie Porrer  Deputy Leader of Liberal Democrat Group and Lib Dem (Spokes) Planning & Transport •  Liberal Democrat •  Market
Profile image for CouncillorDinah Pounds
Councillor Dinah Pounds  Mayor of Cambridge •  Labour •  Romsey
Profile image for CouncillorRichard Robertson
Councillor Richard Robertson  Labour and Co-operative •  Labour •  Petersfield
Profile image for Councillor Patrick Sheil
Councillor Patrick Sheil  Labour •  Arbury
Profile image for Councillor Martin Smart
Councillor Martin Smart  Cabinet Member for Open Spaces and City Services •  Labour •  King's Hedges
Profile image for CouncillorAnna Smith
Councillor Anna Smith  Cabinet Member for Communities •  Labour •  Coleridge
Profile image for Councillor Simon Smith  Cambridge City Council
Councillor Simon Smith Cambridge City Council  Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources •  Labour •  Castle
Profile image for CouncillorRichard Swift
Councillor Richard Swift  Deputy Mayor of Cambridge •  Labour •  West Chesterton
Profile image for CouncillorBaiju Thittala
Councillor Baiju Thittala  Labour •  East Chesterton
Profile image for Councillor Katie Thornburrow
Councillor Katie Thornburrow  Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport •  Labour •  Petersfield
Profile image for Councillor Mike Todd-Jones
Councillor Mike Todd-Jones  Cabinet Member for Safety, Wellbeing and Tackling Homelessness •  Labour •  Arbury
Profile image for CouncillorElliot Tong
Councillor Elliot Tong  Deputy Leader of Green Group and Green (Spokes) Housing, Safety, Wellbeing & Tackling Homelessness •  Green •  Abbey
Profile image for CouncillorRachel Wade
Councillor Rachel Wade  Deputy Leader •  Labour •  West Chesterton
Profile image for CouncillorKaren Young
Councillor Karen Young  Lib Dem (Spokes) Safety, Wellbeing and Tackling Homelessness •  Liberal Democrat •  Queen Edith's
Profile image for Councillor Jamie Dalzell
Councillor Jamie Dalzell  Lib Dem (Spokes) Finance & Resources •  Liberal Democrat •  West Chesterton
Profile image for Councillor Bob Illingworth
Councillor Bob Illingworth  Liberal Democrat •  East Chesterton
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