Agenda and minutes

To elect a Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

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

Councillor Anthony Seymour nominated and Councillor Dinesh Solanki seconded that COUNCILLOR ERIC SILVER be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

Councillors Benson, Champagnie, Davine, Narinder Mudhar, Macleod-Cullinane, Janet Mote, Noyce, O’Dell and Zeid also spoke in support of the nomination.

The Council also agreed to hear from Honorary Alderman Toms who added his support to the nomination before the Council.

There being no other nominations, the Mayor put the nomination of Councillor Eric Silver to the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Eric Silver be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor John Nickolay, 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 Mayoress, Mrs Evelyn Silver, was then invested by the retiring Mayoress with her Medallion of Office.

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

Councillor Susan Hall formally moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor John Nickolay, and to the retiring Mayoress, Councillor Joyce Nickolay, which was seconded by Councillor Manji Kara.

Councillors Akhtar, David Ashton, Choudhury, Dharmarajah, Lammiman, Mrs Kinnear, Mithani, Noyce, Chris Mote and Anjana Patel endorsed the vote of thanks.

RESOLVED:  That the Council place on record its unanimous appreciation and sincere thanks to Councillor’s John and Joyce Nickolay for their year of office as Mayor and Mayoress of the London Borough of Harrow for 2008/09.

Councillor John Nickolay congratulated the incoming Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Eric and Mrs Evelyn Silver, on their appointment and thanked Members of Council for their kind words. 

In recalling his Mayoral Year, Councillor Nickolay referred to the many functions he had attended and the opportunities to meet the people of the Borough.  He highlighted some of his most memorable engagements, including the Royal Opening of Petts Hill Bridge and the return of the Battle of Britain Service. 

Councillor Nickolay paid tribute to the voluntary organisations and the volunteers of Harrow.  He spoke on the generous funding towards his Special Appeal “Welldon Activity Group”, particularly the purchase of a minibus by the Kenton Temple advising that approximately £34,000 had been raised during the year.  Additionally, he emphasised the challenges that faced the Council in ensuring the continued support to those groups that provided significant benefit to the community of Harrow and the importance of exploring new and further opportunities to more fully utilise the Mayoralty.

Councillor Nickolay expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Mayoral Team for their hard work during his year in office and conveyed his regret at the imminent departure of the Mayoral and Civic Services Manager.  He also thanked the Deputy Lieutenant and his Chaplain for their support at the many functions he attended.  He then thanked his wife for serving as his Mayoress and for the commitment and skill she had brought to her role and in serving alongside him.  Finally, he thanked the Members of Council and the people of the Borough for granting him the privilege of serving as Mayor, and stated that he left his office with the overriding impression of how important the borough was to its community, the people living within it. 

Councillor John Nickolay then left the Dais and was escorted by the Macebearer to his seat in the Council Chamber.

The Mayor, Councillor Eric Silver, on behalf of the Council presented a replica of the Mayor’s Medallion to Councillor John Nickolay in commemoration of his Mayoralty of the Borough 2008/09.

The Mayoress, Mrs Evelyn Silver, presented to the immediate past Mayoress, Councillor Joyce Nickolay, a Medallion to commemorate her year as Mayoress of the Borough 2008/09.

To receive the Mayor’s intimation of the appointment of a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

The Mayor advised he had signified in writing that he had appointed Councillor Charles Christopher Mote to be Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

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, CouncillorMrs Janet Mote, with her Medallion of Office.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Charles Christopher Mote, then returned thanks for his appointment.

To receive the Mayor’s announcement concerning a Rabbi (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 Rabbi Mendel Lew as his Chaplain for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor David Ashton be elected Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Susan Hall be elected Deputy Leader of the Council for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

To receive proposals from the Leader of the Council.

(i)                   Further to the proposal from the Leader of the Council circulated in the Supplementary Summons, the Council considered the membership of the Executive (Cabinet) and the allocation of Portfolios to Executive Members for the Municipal Year 2009/10.

(ii)                 Councillor Bill Stephenson moved and Councillor O’Dell seconded, an amendment proposing that a Cabinet of 10 Members be appointed, comprising Councillor Bill Stephenson and the nine Members identified on Supplementary Summons.

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

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

RESOLVED:  That the membership of the Executive (Cabinet) and the allocation of Portfolios to Executive Members for 2009/10, 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 2 April 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Council meeting held on 2 April 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Council received tabled notification of the Mayor’s Special Appeal for 2009/10, the Easy?Riders Wheelchair 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.

No announcements were made by the Leader.

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

No interests were declared.

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].

No Procedural Motions were moved.

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 2009/10.

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. 

RESOLVED:  That the Committees of the Council be established with the memberships now agreed for the Municipal Year 2009/10 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 2009/10.

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 2009/10.

(ii)                 Councillor Bill Stephenson moved and Councillor O’Dell 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 2009/10:

Further to Item 13 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 2009/10.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Mrs Vina Mithani be appointed as the Council’s representative to serve on the 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 arrangements as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution, following the amendment to the Terms of Reference of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and the reconfiguration to a single Planning Committee.

FOR CONFIRMATION

Further to Item 14 on the Summons, it was proposed that the existing arrangements as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution continue, incorporating the amended terms of reference of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the reconfiguration to a single Planning Committee.

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.

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 2009/10.

FOR DECISION

(i)                   Item 15 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 2009/10.

(ii)                 The nominations of the Groups were notified in the Supplementary Summons, within an overall proposal submitted by the Leader of the Council. 

(iii)                Councillor Mrs Kinnear moved and Councillor Mrs Rekha Shah seconded, an amendment proposing the nomination of Councillor Mrs Kinnear to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for a four years term from 30 June 2009.

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

(v)                 Councillor Hall moved and Councillor Bednell seconded, an amendment proposing the nomination of Councillor Paul Osborn to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for a four years term from 30 June 2009.

(vi)               Upon a vote, the amendment was carried.

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

RESOLVED:  That

(1)                 the Outside Body appointments for the Municipal Year 2009/10, be approved as set out in Appendix 3 to these minutes.

(2)                 that Councillor Paul Osborn be nominated to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for a four years term from 30 June 2009.

To receive a proposal from the Leader of the Council with respect to the seeking of a Member Development Charter.

FOR DECISION

The Leader, under the general provisions of Rule 14.1, moved the adoption of the Harrow Council Policy for Member Development, it being an area of responsibility within his Portfolio.

RESOLVED:  That the Harrow Council Policy for Member Development be agreed and adopted.

To note and confirm the dates of ordinary meetings of the Council for the 2009/10 Municipal Year, as follows:-

FOR CONFIRMATION

RESOLVED:  That the following dates for meetings of the Council in the Municipal Year 2009/10 be confirmed: