Agenda and minutes

The Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and Councillor Krishna James to her first meeting of the Council. 

The Mayor invited the Council to stand for one minute’s silence in memory of Jack Shrimpton, OBE who had recently passed away, the recent tragedy in South Harrow and the disaster caused by a cyclone in Burma.

The Mayor then asked the Council to join her in noting the recent election of Councillor Navin Shah to the London Assembly and the election of Boris Johns as Mayor of London.

The Mayor’s Chaplain, Reverend Mike Hall, led the meeting in prayers.

To elect a Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2008/2009.

The Mayor called formally for nominations for the Office of the Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for the ensuing Municipal Year.

Councillor Susan Hall nominated and Councillor Manji Kara seconded that COUNCILLOR JOHN NICKOLAY be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

Councillors Christopher Noyce, Mark Versallion, Eric Silver, Jeremy Zeid, Narinder Singh Mudhar, Paul Osborn, Mrs Lurline Champagnie, Chowdhury and Barry Macleod-Cullinane also spoke in support of the nomination.

Prior to the call for further nominations and with the consent of the Mayor, the Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Navin Shah, made a brief statement informing Council that his Group would not be participating in the process for the election of the Mayor, in accordance with their previously stated reasons.

There being no other nominations, the Mayor put the nomination of Councillor John Nickolay to the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor John Nickolay be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor Jean Lammiman, vacated the Chair and, after a short interval for robing, the newly elected Mayor, having made and subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, took the Chair.

The retiring Mayor handed to the duly elected Mayor the keys of the Corporate Seal.

The Mayoress, Councillor Joyce Nickolay, was then invested by the retiring Mayor’s Consort with the Medallion of Office.

The Mayor, Councillor John Nickolay, then returned thanks for his election.

Councillor Christine Bednell formally moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Jean Lammimann, and to the retiring Mayor’s Consort, Mr John Hinkley, which was seconded by Councillor David Ashton.

Councillors Christopher Noyce, Husain Akhtar, Anjana Patel, Mrs Vina Mithani, Antony Seymour, Yogesh Teli and Dinesh Solanki also endorsed the vote of thanks.

RESOLVED:  That the Council place on record its unanimous appreciation and sincere thanks to Councillor Jean Lammiman and Mr John Hinkley for their year of office as Mayor and Mayor’s Consort of the London Borough of Harrow for 2007/08.

Councillor Jean Lammiman congratulated the incoming Mayor and Mayoress, Councillors John and Joyce Nickolay, on their appointment, and thanked Members of Council for their kind words. 

A short DVD was shown which picked out highlights of Councillor Lammiman’s Mayoral Year.  She then spoke expressing her gratitude to the Mayoral staff for their dedication and guidance, and also extended thanks to the incoming Mayor, past Mayors and Alderman Toms for the occasions on which they had represented her at Mayoral engagements.  She offered special thanks to her Chaplain, Revd Mike Hall, who had served for the Municipal Year.

In recalling her Mayoral Year, Councillor Lammiman referred to the many functions she had attended, and the opportunities to meet the people of the Borough, particularly events such as the Harrow Heritage Awards and Harrow Young Musicians.  She highlighted some of her most memorable engagements, including the first Mayoral Ball and the holding of the first Mayor’s Fun Run, for which she thanked the Community & Environment and Scrutiny departments for their involvement in the running of each event. 

Councillor Lammiman paid tribute to the voluntary organisations and the volunteers of Harrow, without whom life in the Borough would not go on, and expressed thanks to the many faith groups that had invited her to visit them.  It was her hope that the different communities of Harrow would continue to work together.

Additionally, she thanked the Mayoress’s Committee and the many other people who had worked to raise funds for her special charity, Teenage Cancer Trust.

Finally, she expressed her heartfelt thanks to Members of Council and to the people of the Borough for granting her the privilege of serving as Mayor, and to her family for their support during her Mayoral Year. 

Councillor Jean Lammiman then left the Dais and was escorted by the Macebearer to her seat in the Council Chamber.

The Mayor, Councillor John Nickolay, on behalf of the Council presented a replica of the Mayor’s Medallion to Councillor Jean Lammiman in commemoration of her Mayoralty of the Borough 2007/08.

The Mayoress, Councillor Joyce Nickolay, presented to the immediate past Mayor’s Consort, Mr John Hinkley, a Medallion to commemorate his year as Mayor’s Consort of the Borough 2007/08.

To receive the Mayor’s intimation in writing of the appointment of a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor signified in writing that he had appointed Councillor Eric Silver to be Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

The Deputy Mayor, having been duly invested with the Deputy Mayor’s robe and Badge of Office, occupied the Deputy Mayor’s Chair.

The Mayoress then invested the Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Evelyn Silver, with her Medallion of Office.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Eric Silver, then returned thanks for his appointment.

To receive, the Mayor’s announcement concerning a Chaplain (as may be appropriate).

[Note:  The Order of Proceedings for Items 1-3 above is to follow].

The Mayor confirmed to Council that he had appointed the Reverend Antony Ford Rablen as his Mayor’s Chaplain for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

Paragraph 7.03 of Article 7 of the Constitution provides for the annual appointment of the Leader of the Council.

FOR DECISION

RESOLVED:  That Councillor David Ashton be elected Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Susan Hall be elected Deputy Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

To receive proposals from the Leader of the Council.

Further to the proposal from the Leader of the Council circulated in the Supplementary Summons for the meeting, it was

RESOLVED:  That the membership of the Executive (Cabinet) and the allocation of Portfolios to Executive Members for 2008/09, together with the Terms of Reference of the Cabinet and the delegations to Portfolio Holders be agreed, as set out in Appendix 1 to these Minutes.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Council Tax meeting held on 21 February 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive any communications from the newly elected Mayor as to the Civic Functions for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

Council received tabled notification of the Mayor’s Special Appeal for 2008/09, the Welldon Support Group, and of forthcoming events for the Year.

RESOLVED:  That the dates of the following Civic Functions be noted:

To consider any announcements as to the Authority’s business which the Leader of the Council needs to advise at this Council meeting.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor David Ashton, thanked his predecessor, Councillor Chris Mote, for his tireless commitment to the Council as Leader before him and expressed his wish that all Members of the Council would work together constructively in the Year ahead.

Councillor Bill Stephenson, with the permission of the Mayor, rose briefly to endorse the comments of the Leader and add the thanks of the Labour Group to Councillor Chris Mote for his work.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests arising from business to be transacted at this meeting from all Members.

No interests were declared by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

To receive and consider any procedural motions by Members of the Council in relation to the conduct of this Meeting.

[Note:  Notice of such procedural motions, received after the issuing of this Summons, will be tabled].

There were no procedural motions from Members of Council.

To confirm the Determination of the proportional allocation of Committee places for the Municipal Year 2008/09, as previously circulated to the Political Groups and to note that as agreed this will be utilised for the formal appointment to committee memberships at Item 12 below.

FOR CONFIRMATION

The Chief Executive had prepared and notified to the political Groups on the Council a Determination under the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as to their proportional entitlements to Committee places for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

RESOLVED:  That the Determination as to the proportional allocation of committee places be confirmed.

To receive the nominations of the Groups to Committee places in accordance with their proportional entitlements under the approved Determination and to formally establish Committees of the Council and their memberships for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

FOR CONFIRMATION

The Council received confirmation, in the Supplementary Summons, of the nominations by the political Groups to places on Committees of the Council in accordance with their proportional entitlements under the approved Determination. 

RESOLVED:  That the Committees of the Council be established with the memberships now agreed for the Municipal Year 2008/09 and as detailed at Appendix 2 to these minutes.

To receive a proposal from the Leader of the Council as to the appointment of Chairmen to Committees for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

FOR DECISION

(i)          In the tabled documentation, the Council received a proposal from the Leader of the Council as to the appointment of Chairmen to Committees of the Council for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

(ii)         Councillor Bill Stephenson moved and Councillor Navin Shah seconded, an amendment proposing the appointment of Councillor Mitzi Green, rather than Councillor Stanley Sheinwald, as Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(iii)        Upon a vote, the amendment was not carried.

(iv)        Upon a further vote, the substantive proposal was adopted.

RESOLVED:  That the following Chairmen of Committees be appointed for the Municipal Year 2008/09:

[NOTE:  Councillors Ms Nana Asante, Mrinal Choudhury, Bob Currie, Mrs Margaret Davine, Mano Dharmarajah, Keith Ferry, Archie Foulds, B E Gate, David Gawn, Mitzi Green, Graham Henson, Thaya Idaikkadar, Nizam Ismail, Krishna James, Jerry Miles, Phillip O’Dell, Asad Omar, David Perry, Raj Ray, Navin Shah, Mrs Rekha Shah, Bill Stephenson, Mrs Sasi Suresh and Keeki Thammaiah requested that it be recorded they voted against the Resolution above and in favour of the amendment set out in paragraph (ii)].

To receive the nominations of the Groups to representation on the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

FOR CONFIRMATION

Further to Item 14 on the Summons, the Council considered a the appointment of Members to the Healthcare for London: Framework for Action pan-London Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Mrs Vina Mithani be appointed as the Council’s representative to serve on the pan-London Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Councillor Mrs Margaret Davine be appointed the reserve Member.

On a proposal from the Leader of the Council, to continue the existing arrangements as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution.

FOR CONFIRMATION

Further to Item 15 on the Summons, it was proposed that the existing arrangements as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution continue.

RESOLVED:  That the Terms of Reference and Delegated Powers for Committees of the Council, as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution, be confirmed.

On a proposal from the Chief Executive to agree the Delegated Powers assigned to Corporate Directors and Statutory Officers, following the recent changes agreed to the Senior Management structure.

FOR CONFIRMATION

At Item 16 on the Summons, the Council received a report of the Chief Executive, detailing proposals for the Delegated Powers of Corporate Directors, Statutory Officers and the Monitoring Officer, arising from the recent Senior Management restructure.

RESOLVED:  That Part 3B of the Constitution be amended to reflect the Delegated Powers and Corporate Director titles and responsibilities now agreed and detailed at Appendix 3 to these minutes.

To receive proposals from the Political Groups as to the appointment of representatives of the Authority to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

FOR DECISION

(i)          Item 17 on the Summons provided for the receipt of proposals from the Political Groups as to the appointment of representatives of the Authority to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2008/09.

(ii)         The nominations of the Groups were notified in the Supplementary Summons, within an overall proposal submitted by the Leader of the Council.  In addition, Councillor Navin Shah requested that Councillor Mrs Rekha Shah be added to the representation on the Harrow Refugee and Minorities Forum, in line with that organisation’s stated desire to seek representation from all political parties of the Council.

RESOLVED:  That the Outside body appointments for the Municipal Year 2008/09, including the addition of Councillor Mrs Rekha Shah to the Harrow Refugee and Minorities Forum, be approved as set out in Appendix 4 to these minutes.

(1)    SCHEDULED MEETINGS

To note and confirm the dates of ordinary meetings of the Council for the 2008/09 Municipal Year, as follows:-

         10 July 2008

         30 October 2008

         19 February 2009   (Council Tax)

         2 April 2009

         7 May 2009             (Annual Council)

FOR CONFIRMATION

(2)    EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

Council is requested to approve that an Extraordinary Meeting be convened for 7.30 pm on Thursday 5 June 2008, to consider a Core Strategy document of the Local Development Framework.

FOR DECISION

RESOLVED:  That the following dates for meetings of the Council in the Municipal Year 2008/09 be confirmed:

The Mayor, on a Point of Order raised by a Member, and with the agreement of the Council accepted the following petitions presented by Members of the Council in accordance with Rule 11 as the next Ordinary Council would not be held until 10 July 2008.  He reminded Council that this was not usual business for its Annual Meeting and did not create a precedent for future Annual meetings: