Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Committee arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the Chair be given the authority to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2004, as a correct record of that meeting when they have been published in the next bound Council Minute Volume.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record when published in the Bound Minute Volume.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no public questions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 13 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no deputations to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To be discussed.

[The Papers relating to this item will be circulated under separate cover to Members of the Panel only].

The Panel, having received a draft copy of the Spring Edition of the Harrow People by mail, received various tabled supplemental texts at the meeting. The Communications and Publications Manager informed the Panel that this was the first draft and that there were still a number of articles and pictures to be included together with an improvement of the colouring of the magazine. Consideration was given to each page of the magazine.  A number of drafting proposals and issues of clarification were discussed, as follows.

Front Cover:  This was to feature the Queen. The Communications and Publications Manager explained to the Members of the Panel that the Queen’s visit to Harrow would be further highlighted through a 12 page supplement mainly consisting of pictures to appear at the beginning of the magazine. A Member of the Panel asked that the 50^th and 25^th anniversary logos be displayed on the front cover as well. The Member also suggested that the supplement be set out in the middle of the magazine so it could easily be saved as a souvenir by the reader.

Page 5

Expansion of brown bin scheme:  Members requested a clarification on the bidding for extra funding and asked the Communications and Publications Manager to check to which phase in the bidding the article referred.

Page 6

Scrutiny update:  It was noted that the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Sub-Committee had completed the report on delayed transfers of care and that the visit to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital had taken place.

Interpreter for deaf at Harrow Council:  The Panel asked for a minicom phone number to be included.

Action stations;  A Member queried whether it was appropriate to display pictures of children in the magazine and whether permission from the parents had been sought

Page 11

Harrow 50 years, Celebrate with us: The Communications and Publications Manager informed the Panel that all the dates of the events would be reconfirmed prior to publishing. A Member of the Panel suggested that the 1 May should be excluded from the list since the events were not open to the public. The Member also informed the meeting that the Harrow in Europe 25^th anniversary celebration of international friendship was to take place on 2 May and the May Day celebrations on 3 May. Another Member suggested that an explanation of Charter Day be provided and that the name of the months be displayed only once. It was also suggested that an interfaith event in October should be added to the list of events.

Page 12

In brief:  An inclusion of the Sai School’s performance on 2 May was suggested

Page 22

Community safety survey: The Publications and Communications Manager informed the meeting that the survey was an extract from the Annual Crime Survey and might not be subjected to changes. However, the Members of the Panel noted the following amendments to the survey be put forward:-

• To include garden vandalised in the list of crimes in question  ...  view the full minutes text for item 127.

Which the Chair has decided is urgent and cannot otherwise be dealt with.

Homing In:  A Member noted that is was still unclear who had produced the publication and that there was no Council logo on the cover. It was also requested that Members of the Panel be sent a draft copy prior to its publication.

Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Handbook:  The Chair expressed concern that this was a Council publication which had not been forwarded to the Panel. The Development, Housing and Best Value Portfolio Holder informed the meeting that the recently distributed copy was not a new publication but an updated version of an already existing handbook that had been reprinted.

Apostrophes:  A Member of the Panel noted the existence of the incorrect use of apostrophes in a number of Council publications and especially in the committee agendas and minutes. The Member stressed the importance of correct grammar in official documents and suggested that staff might be provided with additional training in these matters.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the use of the Harrow crest be an item on the agenda of the next meeting;

(2) the printing schedules of Harrow People, Area Newsletters and Homing In be circulated to Members and included as an item on the agenda of the next meeting.