Agenda and minutes

At the commencement of the Annual Meeting, preceding Prayers, the outgoing Mayor’s Chaplain, Deacon Tony Martin, thanked the Council for the support provided through the last year, and the dedication and passion with which Members of the Council carried out their duties.

To elect a Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2004/2005.

[Local Government Act 1972:  Schedule 2, Paragraph 3(1)]

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

Councillor Mrs Bath nominated and Councillor John Nickolay seconded that COUNCILLOR MRS LURLINE CHAMPAGNIE be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2004/2005.

Councillors Foulds, Branch, Silver, Williams, Osborn, Myra Michael and Dighé also spoke in support of the nomination of Councillor Mrs Champagnie.

There being no further nominations, the Mayor, Councillor Dharmarajah, asked for a vote by a show of hands.

The election of Councillor Mrs Champagnie was secured unanimously by the whole number of the Council present. The Mayor declared Councillor Mrs Champagnie as duly elected Mayor.

RESOLVED:

THAT COUNCILLOR MRS LURLINE CHAMPAGNIE BE ELECTED MAYOR OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HARROW FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/2005.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor Manoharan Dharmarajah, 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 Mayor’s Consort, Mr Clive Champagnie, was then invested by the retiring Mayoress with his Medallion of Office.

The Mayor, Councillor Mrs Champagnie, then returned thanks for her election.

Councillor Toms formally moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Dharmarajah and to the retiring Mayoress, Mrs Seedevi Dharmarajah, which was seconded by Councillor Currie.

Councillors Chris Mote, Miss Lyne, Idaikkadar, Ismail, Ray, Jean Lammiman, Lavingia, Mark Ingram, Anne Whitehead, Thammaiah and Gate also endorsed the vote of thanks.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE COUNCIL PLACE ON RECORD ITS UNANIMOUS APPRECIATION OF AND SINCERE THANKS TO COUNCILLOR MANOHARAN DHARMARAJAH AND MRS SEEDEVI DHARMARAJAH FOR THEIR YEAR OF OFFICE AS MAYOR AND MAYORESS OF THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HARROW FOR 2003/2004.

Councillor Manoharan Dharmarajah congratulated the incoming Mayor, Councillor Mrs Champagnie, on her appointment to the Office of Mayor.  He added that the office of the Mayor was a symbol of our community, a prestigious position with which comes great responsibilities and privileges.  He added that as the servant of the Borough he had attended nearly all the functions to which he had been invited. 

He expressed his heartfelt thanks to his wife, Mrs Seedevi Dharmarajah, and his daughters for the wonderful support and encouragement they had given to him in his role as Mayor through the last year. 

He offered his special thanks to the Mayoral staff, Mrs Ball, Mrs Gresty, Mr Deans and Mr Carlin and other staff for their support and guidance. They were a commendable team who had contributed so much to his Mayoral Year.

Councillor Dharmarajah also thanked the Borough Solicitor and the Democratic and Member Services’ Manager for their assistance, guidance and advice relating to the Constitution and chairing Council which, as a result, had not been as traumatic as he had originally envisaged.

In recalling his Mayoral Year, Councillor Dharmarajah referred especially to the many functions which he had attended and the opportunities to meet the people of the Borough.  He had been impressed by the generosity and kindness of the people of the Borough and the welcome given everywhere to the Mayor and the sense of well?being he had derived from these occasions. 

He added that the highlight of his Mayoral Year had been the visit by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to mark the 50^th Anniversary of the Borough’s Charter.  He added that it had been a privilege to be the Mayor during the 50th Anniversary of Harrow’s incorporation as a Borough.  Additionally, the granting of the Freedom of the Borough to Sir Roger Bannister to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his 1954 world record mile run had been a joyous occasion.

In conclusion, Councillor Dharmarajah extended his thanks to the Council for the honour of being the Borough’s Mayor in 2003/04 and offered his best wishes to the new Mayor and Mayor’s Consort, Councillor Mrs Lurline Champagnie and Mr Clive Champagnie, for their Mayoral Year ahead.  He also thanked the people of Harrow for making his Mayoral Year special.

The Mayor, Councillor Mrs Champagnie, on behalf of the Council presented a replica of the Mayor’s Medallion to Councillor Dharmarajah in commemoration of his Mayoralty of the Borough 2003/04.

The Mayor’s Consort, Mr Clive Champagnie, presented to the immediate past Mayoress, Mrs Seedevi Dharmarajah, a Medallion to commemorate her year as Mayoress of the Borough 2003/04.

Councillor Dharmarajah then left the dais and was escorted by the Macebearer to his seat in the Council Chamber.

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

[Local Government Act 1972:  Schedule 2, Paragraph 5(1) and (2)]

The Mayor signified in writing that she had appointed Councillor Asad Omar to be Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2004/2005.

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

The Mayor’s Consort then invested the Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Kausar Omar, with her Medallion of Office.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Asad Omar, 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 Item 1-3 above is attached as an appendix to this Summons.)

The Mayor confirmed to the Council that she had appointed the Reverend Clive Pearce as her Mayor’s Chaplain for the Municipal Year 2004/05.

(Article 7 of the Constitution - “The Executive”).

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

(i)                 The Council is requested to agree the re-appointment of Councillor Foulds as the Leader of the Council.

(ii)               The Council is requested also to agree the re-appointment of Councillor Navin Shah as the Deputy Leader of the Council.

For the information of the Council, the Groups have notified the following appointments-

FOR DECISION

Further to Item 4 on the Council Summons and the provisions of Article 7 of the Constitution (“The Executive”), Paragraph 7.03 thereof provided for the annual appointment of the Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED:

THAT COUNCILLOR ARCHIE FOULDS BE RE-ELECTED LEADER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/2005.

Item 4 on the Annual Council Summons also proposed that the Meeting consider the appointment of a Deputy Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED:

THAT COUNCILLOR NAVIN SHAH BE RE-ELECTED DEPUTY LEADER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/2005.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE CONFIRMATION PROVIDED BY THE THREE POLITICAL GROUPS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE LEADERS AND DEPUTY LEADERS FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/05 BE NOTED AS FOLLOWS:

To receive the proposals from the Leader of the Council.

Under Article 7 of the Constitution the Executive Functions for the following Municipal Year are reported to Annual Council by the Leader.  Further to Item 5 on the Summons and the confirmation provided in a document circulated within the Supplemental Summons, it was,

RESOLVED:

THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS FOR 2004/2005 BE APPROVED (as set out at Appendix 1 to these Minutes).

To defer the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 29 April 2004 until they are printed into the Council Minute Book.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, HELD ON 29 APRIL 2004, BE DEFERRED UNTIL PRINTED INTO THE COUNCIL MINUTE BOOK.

To receive any communications from the newly elected Mayor as to the Civic Functions for the Municipal Year 2004?05.

Further to the notification provided by the Mayor of forthcoming functions,

RESOLVED:

THAT THE COUNCIL NOTE THE DATES OF THE FOLLOWING CIVIC FUNCTIONS:-

(1)                 Annual Civic Service at St. Mary’s Church, Harrow-on-the-Hill, at 10.30 am on Sunday 27 June 2004.

(2)                 Fiftieth Anniversary Garden Party at the Grimsdyke Hotel on Monday 21 June 2004.

(3)                 Battle of Britain Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 19 September 2004.

(4)                 Fiftieth Anniversary RAF Bentley Priory Freedom of the Borough March through Harrow on Friday 24 September in celebration of the Borough’s 50^th Anniversary.

(5)                 Remembrance Day Service at the Civic Centre on Sunday 14 November 2004.

The Mayor, Councillor Mrs Champagnie, advised the Council that her Special Appeal for the forthcoming Municipal Year would be in aid of Save the Children.

The Mayor also advised the Council that she had been invited to be Patron of the West House and Heath Robinson Charity for 2004/05, a charity she intends to offer her unqualified support in her Mayoral Year 2004/05.

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

It was noted that there were no announcements to be made by the Leader of the Council.

It was noted that there were no declarations of interest to be made by Members of Council in relation to the business on the Annual Council Summons.

(1)               DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:  To receive any declarations of interest by Members of Council arising from the remaining business for this Annual Meeting.

(2)               PROCEDURAL MOTIONS:  To receive and consider any procedural motions by Members of Council under the relevant Council Procedure Rules in relation to the conduct of the remaining business for this Annual Meeting of the Council.

It was noted that there were no procedural motions from Members of the Council.

(N.B. It is understood that there is consensus between the political groups that the Ad-hoc Audit Committee should comprise five Members and be designated as non-proportionate).

There being consensus between the political groups that the Ad-hoc Audit Committee should comprise five members and be designated as non?proportionate, it was

RESOLVED: 

THAT AN AUDIT COMMITTEE BE ESTABLISHED WITH THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF REFERENCE:

“To approve the Council’s Statement of Accounts”.

(Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990).

To receive and confirm the Determination as to the proportional allocation of Committee places for the Municipal Year 2004-05 under the 1990 Regulations.

(A draft Determination based on the 2003/04 number and size of Committees of the Council has been prepared by the Borough Solicitor and advised to the political groups on the Council).

FOR CONFIRMATION

(Note:  The Determination as agreed would be utilised for the formal appointment of Committee memberships - see Item below).

Further to the provisions of the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990, the Borough Solicitor had prepared and notified to the political groups on the Council, a Determination under the Regulations as to their proportional entitlements to places on Committees for the Municipal Year 2004/05.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE DETERMINATION AS TO THE PROPORTIONAL ALLOCATION OF COMMITTEE PLACES BE HEREBY CONFIRMED.

To receive the nominations of the groups to Committee places in accordance with their proportional entitlements under the approved Determination and formally to establish Committees of the Council and their memberships for the Municipal Year 2004/05.

FOR CONFIRMATION

The Annual Council Meeting received in a Supplementary Summons further to Item 12 on the original Summons, confirmation of the nominations by the political groups to places on the Committees of the Council in accordance with the formal Determination as to the proportional entitlement of the Groups.  In addition, the membership of the Audit Committee was received in the form of a paper tabled at the meeting.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL BE ESTABLISHED WITH THE MEMBERSHIPS NOW AGREED FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004-05 (as set out in Appendix 2 to these minutes).

[Note:  The Annual Council meeting noted that the Panels of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee and the Sub-Committees of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be appointed at their special meetings scheduled to be held on Monday 17 May 2004].

To receive a proposal from the Leader of the Council as to the appointment of Chairs to Committees of the Council for the Municipal Year 2004/05 (further to Rule 1.1 (xii) of the Constitution’s Council Procedure Rules).

FOR DECISION

Further to Item 13 of the Summons, the Council Meeting received in a Supplementary Summons confirmation from the Political Groups of nominations to the office of Chair of certain Committees of the Council, which were formally approved.  In addition, the Labour Group’s nomination for the Chair of Audit Committee was received in the form of a paper tabled at the meeting.

Two of the appointments as Committee Chair were determined on a vote.

Councillors Idaikkadar and John Cowan were each nominated to be Chair of the Audit Committee:  Councillor Idaikkadar was appointed.

Councillors Anne Whitehead and Marilyn Ashton were each nominated to be Chair of the Development Control Committee:  Councillor Anne Whitehead was appointed.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE FOLLOWING CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES BE APPOINTED FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004-05:-

[Notes: (1) The above appointments are also reflected in Appendix 2 of these Minutes – see Resolution 217 above.

(2)  The Chair of the Cabinet is the Leader of the Executive (the Leader of the Council) as elected at Resolution 205 above.

(3)  The Chair of the Standards Committee would be appointed at its first meeting, to include the two Independent Persons as part of the Committee’s membership.

(4)  A Chair of the School Organisation Committee and of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education is each required to be appointed respectively at a meeting of the School Organisation Committee and SACRE].

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 the Constitutional requirement to receive a proposal from the Leader of the Council as to the terms of reference and delegated powers for Committees of the Council, it was advised 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 IN PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION BE CONFIRMED.

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 the Constitutional requirement to receive a proposal from the Leader of the Council as to certain delegations to Chief Officers of the Council it was advised that the existing arrangements as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution continue.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE DELEGATIONS TO OFFICERS IN PART 3 OF THE CONSTITUTION BE CONFIRMED.

(1)  SCHEDULED MEETINGS

To note and confirm the dates of the Meetings of Council for the Municipal Year, as follows:-

The above dates were included in the Authority's Calendar of Meetings for 2004/05 as approved by the Cabinet and circulated to all Members.

(*Note: the 20 January 2005 reserved date is omitted, on the basis that the Council will agree to delegate fixing the Council Tax Base to Cabinet : item 18 below refers).

FOR CONFIRMATION

(2)  EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

Council is requested to approve that an Extraordinary Meeting be convened for 8.00 pm on Thursday 24 June, 2004, to receive a Recommendation from the Cabinet meeting on that evening (proposed to commence at 6.30 pm) on the adoption of a replacement Unitary Development Plan.

FOR DECISION

A.                  SCHEDULED MEETINGS:

Further to the information provided at Item 16 of the Summons, it was

RESOLVED:

THAT THE FOLLOWING DATES FOR MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL IN THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/05 HEREBY BE CONFIRMED

B.                  EXTRAORDINARY MEETING:

Further to the proposal at Item 16 of the Summons that an Extraordinary Council Meeting be convened for 24 June 2004, upon a vote this was not agreed.

RESOLVED:

THAT AN EXTRAORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING NOT BE CONVENED ON 24 JUNE 2004.

To receive proposals from the Groups as to the appointment of representatives of the Authority to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2004/05.

(i)                   Item 17 on the Summons provided for the receipt of proposals from the Groups as to the appointment of representatives of the Authority to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2004/05.

(ii)                 The nominations of the political Groups to places on outside bodies were notified in the circulated Supplemental Summons.  In addition, corrections and appointments to vacancies in the places on outside bodies in the circulated Supplemental Summons and amendments from the Conservative Group were received in the form of a paper tabled at the meeting.

(iii)                The Council received and agreed the following changes to the nominations as had been proposed:-

(iv)                Councillor C Mote moved and Councillor D Ashton seconded an amendment proposing the deletion of certain nominations and their substitution by new nominations, as follows:-

The Council undertook a separate vote on the proposal in relation to each outside body as listed above.  In all but one of these votes an equality was recorded for and against the amendment proposals.  Upon there being an equality of votes, the amendment was not carried.  In respect of “55.  North West London Strategic Health Authority – Continuing Care Criteria Review Panel” the amendment was carried on the vote.

(v)                  The substantive proposal, as varied at (iii) and (iv) above, was approved.

RESOLVED:

THAT THE SUBSTANTIVE MOTION AS TO THE OUTSIDE BODY APPOINTMENTS FOR THE MUNICIPAL YEAR 2004/05 (INCLUDING THE AGREED AMENDMENTS) BE APPROVED (the list of the appointments is attached as Appendix 3 to these Minutes).

Report of the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED:

THAT CONSIDERATION OF THIS REPORT BE DEFERRED TO A FUTURE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.