Agenda and draft minutes

To appoint the Chair of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Keith Martin was nominated by Councillor Andrew Scarth and seconded by Councillor Tom Smith.

There being no further nominations, it was RESOLVED by general assent that Councillor Keith Martin be appointed Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 municipal year.

The Chair Elect to make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and to acknowledge the honour conferred.

Councillor Keith Martin received the Chain of Office from the retiring Chair, past Councillor Stephen King, and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The retiring Chair to reply and to receive a scroll from the new Chair thanking the retiring Chair for their Term of Office. (Retiring Chair to take the Vice-Chair’s seat and to move to the main chamber area after their reply).

The Council recorded its thanks and appreciation to Councillor Stephen King for his service as Chair during the 2025/26 municipal year. Tributes were paid by Councillors Cox, Giles-Medhurst, Lloyd, Mitchell and Cooper.

To elect the Vice-Chair of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Reena Ranger OBE was nominated by Councillor Oliver Cooper and seconded by Councillor Debbie Morris.

There being no further nominations, it was RESOLVED by general assent that Councillor Reena Ranger OBE be appointed Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2026/27 municipal year.

The Vice-Chair Elect to make the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and to acknowledge the honour conferred

Councillor Reena Ranger OBE received the Vice-Chair Chain of Office and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Chair also recorded the Council’s thanks to Councillor Tony Humphreys for his service as Vice-Chair.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bentley and Khiroya.

Members are invited to declare any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and Non Pecuniary Interests they may have with respect to matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

No Declarations of Interest were made.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 27 January 2026, 24 February 2026 and 10 March 2026.

The minutes of the meetings held on 27 January 2026, 24 February and 24 April be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair to make their announcements.

The Chair thanked officers, polling station staff and count staff for their work in delivering the District Elections. The Chair announced that his chosen charity for the year would be the UK Sepsis Trust and encouraged Members to work constructively with officers in relation to amendments to Council reports.

To appoint the Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst was nominated by Councillor Chris Lloyd and seconded by Councillor Louise Price.

Councillor Oliver Cooper was nominated by Councillor Vicky Edwards and seconded by Councillor Kerry Milliken.

A recorded vote was called for by Councillor Oliver Cooper and supported by Councillors Edwards, Reed, D Morris, Trivedi and Fraser.

For Councillor Giles-Medhurst,

Councillors, Stephen Cox, Harry Davies, Elinor Gazzard, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Shelley Gormley, Tony Humphreys, Joan King, Chris Lloyd, David Major, Keith Martin, Chris Mitchell, Louise Price, Kevin Raeburn, Paul Rainbow, Andrew Scarth, Narinder Sian, Tom Smith, Cheryl Stungo, Jon Tankard, Chris Whately-Smith. (21)

For Councillor Oliver Cooper,

Councillors, Chris Alley, Ian Campbell, Anaika Chopra, Oliver Cooper, Vicky Edwards, Andrea Fraser, Lisa Hudson, Matthew Hunt, Kerry Milliken, Debbie Morris, Krutika Patel, Reena Ranger, Ciaran Reed, Kavan Trivedi. (14)

Abstentions

Councillors Ian Morris and Mike Sims.

RESOLVED

That Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst OBE be appointed as Leader of the Council for the 2026/27 municipal year.

The Leader to advise the Council in relation to:

a)    The appointment of the Deputy Leader

b)    The appointment of Lead Members and their portfolio areas

For Council to then make the appointments.

The Leader paid tribute to former Deputy Leader Sarah Nelmes following her departure from the Council.

Councillor Louise Price was nominated as Deputy Leader by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst and was seconded by Councillor Chris Lloyd.

On being put to the vote, the voting being 21 votes For, 0 votes against and 16 Abstentions. It was RESOLVED that Councillor Louise Price be appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst proposed Lead Members and to take a vote encompassing all appointments. Councillor Louise Price seconded.

On being put to the vote, the voting being 21 votes For, 0 Against and 16 Abstentions. It was RESOLVED:

That the following be appointed as Lead Members for the 2026/2027 municipal year:

·         Councillor Louise Price as Lead Member for Resources, Regeneration and Economic Development

·         Councillor Aidan Bentley as Lead Member for Sustainability and Climate Change.

·         Councillor Chris Lloyd as Lead Member for Leisure

·         Councillor Steve Drury as Lead Member for Community Engagement, Public Safety and Housing

·         Councillor Paul Rainbow as Lead Member for General Public Services.

To appoint the committees of the Council for the ensuring year, to determine the number of Members on each committee and to review the political proportionality of the committees.

a)    Policy and Resources Committee

b)    General Public Services and Community Engagement Committee

c)    Climate Change and Leisure Committee

d)    Planning Committee

e)    Licensing Committee

f)     Regulatory Services Committee

g)    Audit Committee

h)    Council Tax Setting Committee

The Council considered a report setting out the proposed committee structure for the 2026/27 municipal year together with the allocation of seats and the consequential political proportionality calculations.

The Chair advised that the item would be considered in stages comprising the establishment of committees, establishment of sub-committees, approval of committee sizes and approval of the political proportionality arrangements.

Each Stage was agreed by general assent.

RESOLVED:

That:

(a)  The Committees of the council for the 2026/27 Municipal Year be established;

(b)  The Local plan Sub Committee and Shareholder and Commercial Ventures Scrutiny Panel be established;

(c)   The number of seats on each committee be approved; and

(d)  The political proportionality be approved.

To appoint Chairs and Vice-Chairs to the Committees established in item 11,  Review of Political Proportionality and Appointment of Committees.

In accordance with the allocation of seats, as determined at Review of Political Proportionality and Appointment of Committees, and having regard to the nominations of the political groups (to be laid on the table), to appoint Members to the following Committees for the 2026/27 Municipal Year:

a)    Policy and Resources Committee

b)    General Public Services and Community Engagement Committee

c)    Climate Change and Leisure Committee

d)    Planning Committee

e)    Licensing Committee

f)     Regulatory Services Committee

g)    Audit Committee

h)    Council Tax Setting Committee

The Council considered the nominations received for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Committees for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst proposed the appointments as set out in the circulated schedule. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Louise Price.

On being put to the vote, the voting being for 23 votes For, 0 votes Against and 14 Abstentions, it was RESOLVED:

That:

·         Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst be appointed as Policy and Resources Chair

·         Councillor Louise Price be appointed as Policy and Resources Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Steve Drury be appointed as General Public Services and Community Engagement Chair

·         Councillor Paul Rainbow be appointed as General Public Services and Community Engagement Vice-Chair.

·         Councillor Chris Whately-Smith be appointed as Planning Chair

·         Councillor Elinor Gazzard be appointed as Planning Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Chris Lloyd be appointed as Climate Change and Leisure Chair

·         Councillor Aidan Bentley be appointed as Climate Change and Leisure Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Harry Davies be appointed as Licensing Chair

·         Councillor Raj Khiroya be appointed as Licensing Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Tony Humphreys be appointed as Audit Chair

·         Councillor Keith Martin be appointed as Audit Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst be appointed as Council Tax Setting Committee Chair

·         Councillor Louise Price be appointed as Council Tax Setting Committee Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst be appointed as Local Plan Sub-Committee Chair

·         Councillor Louise Price be appointed as Local Plan Sub-Committee Vice-Chair

·         Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst be appointed as Shareholder and Commercial Ventures Scrutiny Panel Chair

·         Councillor Louise Price be appointed as Shareholder and Commercial Ventures Scrutiny Panel Vice-Chair

In accordance with the allocation of seats, as determined at Review of Political Proportionality and Appointment of Committees, and having regard to the appointments of the political groups (to be laid on the table), to appoint Members to the following Committees for the 2026/27 Municipal Year:

a)    Policy and Resources Committee

b)    General Public Services and Community Engagement Committee

c)    Climate Change and Leisure Committee

d)    Planning Committee

e)    Licensing Committee

f)     Regulatory Services Committee

g)    Audit Committee

h)    Council Tax Setting Committee

The Council considered the noominations received from the political groups for membership of Committees for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

Councillor Stephen Cox proposed that Councillor Mike Sims be appointed to the vacancy on the Audit Committee. The proposal was accepted by the Council.

Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst proposed that the committee memberships be approved as circulated and amended by the appointment of Councillor Mike Sims to the Audit Committee. The proposal was seconded by Councillor Cooper.

Upon being put to the vote, the appointments were agreed by General Assent.

RESOLVED that:

The membership of the standing committees of the Council for 2026/27 be as follows:

Policy and Resources Committee

Oliver Cooper, Chris Alley, Vicky Edwards, Andrea Fraser, Kavan Trivedi, Narinder Sian, Stephen Cox, Steve Drury, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Chris Lloyd, Paul Rainbow, Louise Price and Aidan Bentley. (13)

Planning Committee

Debbie Morris, Oliver Cooper, Reena Ranger, Chris Mitchell, Stephen Cox, Raj Khiroya, Tom Smith, Elinor Gazzard and Chris Whately-Smith (9)

Planning Committee (Named Substitutes)

Vicky Edwards, Andrea Fraser, Krutika Patel, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Andrew Scarth, Louise Price, Chris Lloyd and Steve Drury

Licensing Committee

Ciaran Reed, Anaika Chopra, Debbie Morris, Narinder Sian, Harry Davies, Raj Khiroya, Keith Martin and Andrew Scarth (9)

Regulatory Services Committee

Ciaran Reed, Anaika Chopra, Debbie Morris, Narinder Sian, Stephen Cox, Harry Davies, Raj Khiroya, Andrew Scarth, Keith Martin (9)

General Public Services and Community Engagement Committee

Chris Alley, Ian Campbell, Krutika Patel, Cheryl Stungo, Joan King, Steve Drury, Paul Rainbow, Kevin Raeburn, Shelley Gormley (9)

Climate Change and Leisure Committee

Andrea Fraser, Kerry Milliken, Kavan Trivedi, Chris Mitchell, Raj Khiroya, Chris Lloyd, Aidan Bentley, Jon Tankard (9)

Audit Committee

Ciaran Reed, Lisa Hudson, Matthew Hunt, Chris Mitchell, Tony Humphreys, Keith Martin, Shelley Gormley, David Major, Mike Sims (9)

Council Tax Setting Committee

Oliver Cooper, Matthew Hunt, Kavan Trivedi, Chris Mitchell, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Chris Lloyd, Louise Price (7)

To appoint council representatives to outside bodies:

·       East of England Local Government Association – Reserved to Leader

·       Chilterns Conservation Board

·       Denham Aerodrome Consultative Committee

·       Herts Waste Partnership

·       LGA General Assembly – Reserved to Leader

·       Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust LTD

·       Herts County Council Health Scrutiny Committee

·       Three Rivers Museum Trust

·       Moor Park Mansion Heritage Foundation Trust

·       New Agreement Traffic Management Act 2004 Adjudication Joint Committee- PATROLAJC

·       Abbots Langley Community Centre Management Committee

·       Hertfordshire Police and Crime Scrutiny Panel

·       Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant

·       Herts Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership

·       Herts Growth Board

·       South Oxhey Community Board

·       South West Herts Strategic Planning Members Group

·       Watford and Three Rivers Trust

·       Seniors Champion

·       Young Persons Champion

·       Member Training Champion

The Council considered the appointments to Outside Bodies for the 2026/27 Municipal Year.

Members considered the nominations set out in the circulated schedule. During consideration of the report, Members agreed that the role of Seniors Champion should be shared between Councillors Lisa Hudson and Cheryl Stungo and that the role of Young Person Champion should be shared between Councillors Tom Smith and Ciaran Reed.

Upon being put to the vote, the voting being by General Assent, it was RESOLVED that the Council appoints representatives to outside bodies as set out below:

East of England Local Government Association

Stephen Giles-Medhurst

Chilterns Conservation Board

Louise Price

Denham Aerodrome Consultative Committee

Raj Khiroya

Herts Waste Partnership

Paul Rainbow, Substitute Stephen Giles-Medhurst

LGA General Assembly

Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Substitute Louise Price

Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust Ltd

Elinor Gazzard

Herts County Council Health Scrutiny Committee

Tony Humphreys, Substitute Steve Drury

Three Rivers Museum Trust

Steve Drury

Moor Park Mansion Heritage Trust

Andrew Scarth, Cheryl Stungo, Reena Ranger

New Agreement Traffic Management Act 2004 Adjudication Joint CommitteePATROLAJC

Paul Rainbow, Substitute Stephen Giles-Medhurst

Abbots Langley Community Centre Management Committee

David Major

Hertfordshire Police and Crime Scrutiny Panel

Andrew Scarth, Substitute Tony Humphreys

Hertfordshire Armed Forces Covenant

Jon Tankard

Herts Climate Change and Substainabiulity Partnership (HCCSP)

Chris Mitchell, Jon Tankard, Substitute Chris Lloyd

Herts Growth Board

Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Substitute Louise Price

South West Herts Strategic Planning Members Group (SPMG)

Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Substitute Louise Price

Watford and Three Rivers Trust (Observer)

Narinder Sian

Seniors Champion

Cheryl Stungo and Lisa Hudson Co-Chair

Young Persons Champion

Tom Smith and Ciaran Reed Co-Chair

Member Training Champion

Louise Price

To appoint the following Sub Committees of the Council and to appoint the membership thereof having regard to the nominations of the political groups, as laid:

·         Local Plan Sub Committee

·         Shareholder Scrutiny Committee

·         Connecting Three Rivers

·         Community Safety board

·         Environmental Forum

·         Equalities Forum

·         Seniors Forum

·         Youth Council

·         Internal Complaints Panel

·         Staff Employer Forum

The Council considered the proposed Memberships of the Local Plan Sub Committee, Shareholder and Commercial Ventures Scrutiny Panel and the other bodies of the Council.

Members noted that the Environmental Forum remained open to attendance by all councillors.

On being put to the vote, the voting being by General Assent, the appointments were RESOLVED as follows:

Local Plan Sub Committee

Oliver Cooper, Vicky Edwards, Krutika Patel, Chris Mitchell, Stephen Cox, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Louise Price, Steve Drury and Kevin Raeburn (9)

Shareholder and Commercial Ventures

Oliver Cooper, Matthew Hunt, Kavan Trivedi, Narinder Sian, Stephen Cox, Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Louise Price, Steve Drury and Chris Lloyd (9)

Appointments and Appeals Committees

To be constituted as 7 members, being 3 Liberal Democrat, 2 Conservative, 1 Green and 1 Labour, to be nominated by group leaders if meetings are convened.

Standards Committee

To be nominated as per the constitution if convened

Other organisations and bodies:

Connecting Three Rivers

Louise Price and Narinder Sian

Community Safety Board (Police and Crime Commissioner Board)

Andrew Scarth

Environmental Forum Chair

Jon Tankard

Environmental Forum Vice-Chair

Chris Mitchell

Equalities Forum Chair

Narinder Sian

Equalities Forum Vice-Chair

Kevin Raeburn

Seniors Forum

Lisa Hudson and Cheryl Stungo

Youth Council

Cheryl Stungo, Ciaran Reed, Tom Smith and Stephen Cox.

Internal Complaints Panel

To be notified on as required basis

Staff Employer Forum

To be notified on as required basis

Council considered the proposed appointments to the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair of the Local Area Forums for the ensuing municipal year.

The Council considered nominations for the positions of Chair and Vice Chair of the Local Area Forums.

For Chorleywood and Sarratt Local Area Forum, Councillors Giles-Medhurst advised that the Liberal Democrat Group would withdraw its nomination for Vice Chair, allowing Councillor Matthew Hunt to be appointed unopposed.

On being put to the vote, the appointments were agreed by General Assent.

For Rickmansworth Local Area Forum, nominations were received for Councillor Mike Sims and Councillor Kerry Milliken for the position of Chair.

On being put to the vote, Councillor Sims was appointed Chair, the voting being 23 votes For, 14 votes Against. Councillor Milliken was subsequently appointed Vice-Chair.

For Abbots Langley Local Area Forum, Councillor Gazzard was appointed Chair. Nominations were received for the position of Vice-Chair, with Councillro Jon Tankard and Councillor Ian Campbell being nominated.

On being put to the vote, Councillor Jon Tankard was appointed Vice-Chair, the voting being 22 votes For, 14 votes Against and 1 Abstention.

For Croxley Green Local Area Forum, Councillors Chris Mitchell and Steve Drury were nominated for Chair and Vice-Chair Respectively. Councillor Chris Mitchell was appointed Chair and Councillor Steve Drury was appointed Vice-Chair by General Assent.

For Watford Rural Local Area Forum, Councillor Andrew Scarth was appointed Chair by General Assent. Nominations were received for the position of Vice-Chair for Councillor Joan King and Councillor Chris Alley.

On being put to the vote, Councillor Joan King was appointed Vice-Chair, the voting being 19 For, 15 Against and 3 Absentions.

RESOLVED:

That the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the Local Area Forums for the 2026/27 Municipa Year be appointed as below:

Chorleywood and Sarratt

Chair: Louise Price

Vice- Chair: Matthew Hunt

Rickmansworth

Chair: Mike Sims

Vice-Chair: Kerry Milliken

Abbots Langley

Chair: Elinor Gazzard

Vice-Chair: Jon Tankard

Croxley Green

Chair: Chris Mitchell

Vice-Chair: Steve Drury

Watford Rural

Chair: Andrew Scarth

Vice-Chair: Joan King

To note the results of the recent District Council elections.

The Council received a report summarizing the results of the District Council Elections held on 07 May 2026.

The Chair thanked all candidates who had stood for election and acknowledged the work undertaken by officers and election staff in delivering the election process.

On being put to the vote, the recommendations were approved by General Assent

RESOLVED:

That the summary of District Council Election Results be noted.