Agenda and minutes

Further to the decision of Council on 14 April 2011, there will be a presentation to Councillor Lurline Champagnie OBE, marking her 25 years’ service on Harrow Council which she completed in May 2011.

Council had previously agreed, by Resolution 192 on 18 July 1985, that Members who completed 25 years’ service with the Council be presented with framed, illuminated copy resolutions of appreciation.  Councillor Mrs Lurline Champagnie OBE had completed 25 years’ service as a Member of the Authority in May 2011, and her resolution of appreciation had been adopted by Council on 14 April 2011.

The Mayor, Councillor Asad Omar, on behalf of the Council, now formally congratulated Councillor Champagnie OBE and presented her with a framed, illuminated copy resolution to mark her long service achievement.  Councillors Husain Akhtar, Nana Asante, James Bond, Paul Osborn and John Nickolay spoke in appreciation of Councillor Champagnie’s service.

Councillor Champagnie returned thanks for her presentation.

Further to the decision of Council on 14 April 2011, there will be a posthumous presentation to Richard and Martin Cowan, in memory of their father Councillor John Cowan, marking his 25 years’ service to the Borough.

Council had previously agreed, by Resolution 192 on 18 July 1985, that Members who completed 25 years’ service with the Council be presented with framed, illuminated copy resolutions of appreciation.  Councillor John Cowan had given 25 years service to the Authority, and his posthumous resolution of appreciation had been adopted by Council on 14 April 2011.

The Mayor, Councillor Asad Omar, on behalf of the Council, formally congratulated the family of past Councillor John Cowan and presented his sons, Richard and Martin Cowan, with a framed, illuminated copy resolution to mark the long service achievement, expressing his sadness at Councillor Cowan’s recent death.  Councillors Christine Bednell, Kareema Marikar, Chris Noyce and Richard Romain spoke in appreciation of Councillor Cowan’s service.

Richard and Martin Cowan thanked the Council and briefly spoke on the memory of their father.

To elect a Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

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

Councillor Ajay Maru nominated and Councillor Bill Phillips seconded that COUNCILLOR MRINAL CHOUDHURY be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

Councillors Krishna James, Chris Noyce and David Perry also spoke in support of the nomination.

There being no other nominations, the Mayor put the nomination of Councillor Mrinal Choudhury to the meeting.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Mrinal Choudhury be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

The retiring Mayor, Councillor Asad Omar, 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 Mayor, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, announced that his Mayoress would be his wife, Mrs Rama Choudhury. 

The Mayor, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, returned thanks for his election.

Councillor Brian Gate formally moved a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Asad Omar, which was seconded by Councillor Phillip O’Dell.

Councillors Susan Hall, Husain Akthar, James Bond, Mrs Camilla Bath, Mrs Lurline Champagnie OBE, Manji Kara, Zarina Khalid, Jean Lammiman, Kareema Marikar, Barry Macleod-Cullinane, Chris Mote, Janet Mote, Chris Noyce, Lynda Seymour and Mark Versallion endorsed the vote of thanks.

The Council also agreed to hear from Honorary Alderman Toms who added his support to the vote of thanks.

RESOLVED:  That the Council place on record its unanimous appreciation and sincere thanks to Councillor Asad Omar for his year of office as Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for 2010/11.

Councillor Asad Omar congratulated the incoming Mayor, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, on his appointment and thanked Members of Council for their kind words. 

In recalling his Mayoral Year, Councillor Omar, advised that he had undertaken 650 engagements and had held a faith celebration in the Mayor’s Parlour for every major faith which had been open to attendance by officers.

Councillor Omar paid tribute to the voluntary organisations and the volunteers of Harrow.  He spoke on his awareness raising of his chosen Special Appeal “Ovarian Cancer”, advising that he was confident that this was a charity that was now in the forefront of awareness, noting that approximately £17,000 had also been raised during the year towards its aims and objectives.  He also referred to his additional Disaster Appeal in aid of the Pakistan Flood noting that this had raised in excess of £60,000 and had resulted in homes being built in the disaster area for those families in the most need. 

Councillor Omar registered his sincere thanks and appreciation of the Mayoral Team for their hard work during his year in office.   

Councillor Omar also thanked his Deputy Mayor and Alderman Toms for their contribution to his Mayoral year.  He then thanked Nye Toms for chairing the Mayoresses Committee and his family for the support he had received.   

He then spoke on the many Councillors who had attended a variety of functions as his Mayoral guest.  Finally, he thanked the Members of Council and the people of the Borough for granting him the privilege of serving as Mayor. 

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

The Mayor, Councillor Mrinal Choudhury, on behalf of the Council presented a replica of the Mayor’s Medallion to Councillor Asad Omar in commemoration of his Mayoralty of the Borough 2010/11.

CouncillorAsad Omar was then presented with a bouquet in memory of his late wife.

To elect a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

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

Councillor Bill Stephenson nominated and Councillor Kareema Marikar seconded that COUNCILLOR NIZAM ISMAIL be elected Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

There being no other nominations, the Mayor put the nomination of Councillor Nizam Ismail to the meeting.

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, Mrs Rama Choudhury, then invested the Deputy Mayoress, Mrs Zahafaran Ismail, with her Medallion of Office.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Nizam Ismail, then returned thanks.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor NizamIsmail be elected Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

To receive the Mayor’s announcement concerning a Chaplain (as may be appropriate).   The order of proceedings for Items 1-5 above is to follow.

The Mayor confirmed to Council that he had appointed Mr Srutidharma Das as his religious representative for his Mayoral Year.

To receive any communications from the newly elected Mayor as to the Civic Functions for 2011/12.

Council received tabled notification of forthcoming events for the Year.  The Mayor also nominated Harrow Association of Disabled People (HAD) and Harrow Mencap as his special appeals for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

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

An Extraordinary Council Meeting is required to allow the Leader of the Council to advise the membership of his Cabinet and Portfolios, to establish the Committees of the Council and their membership and the Allocation of Responsibility (Scheme of Delegation) as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution.

The Extraordinary Council will be held at 7.30 pm on Thursday 12 May 2011.

RESOLVED:  To note that an Extraordinary Meeting of Council would be held on Thursday 12 May 2011.

To note and confirm the dates of ordinary meetings of the Council for the 2011/12 Municipal Year, as follows:-

FOR CONFIRMATION

RESOLVED:  That the following dates for meetings of the Council in the Municipal Year 2011/12 be confirmed: