Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  To note that this Extraordinary Council meeting had been convened in accordance with Rule 3.1.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members of the Council.

The Mayor invited appropriate declarations of interest.

Item 3 – Technical Reforms of Council Tax Discounts and Exemptions; Item 4 – Localisation of Council Tax Benefit

Councillor Husain Akhtar declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his children qualified for Council Tax Support.

Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his mother was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Councillor Chris Mote declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his brother was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Councillor Janet Mote declared a non-pecuniary interest in that her brother in law was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Councillors John Nickolay and Joyce Nickolay declared non-pecuniary interests in that their son was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Councillor Anthony Seymour declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his sister was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Councillor Lynda Seymour declared a non-pecuniary interest in that her sister in law was in receipt of Council Tax Benefit.

Recommendation I:             Cabinet

                                                (22 November 2012)

Further to item 3 on the Extraordinary Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, moved Recommendation I of the Cabinet meeting held on 22 November 2012.

RESOLVED:  That the discounts and exemptions, as set out in the detailed proposals and summarised in appendix I to these minutes, be agreed with effect from 1 April 2013.

Recommendation II:                        Cabinet

                                                (13 December 2012)

(i)                 Further to item 3 on the Extraordinary Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, rose and moved tabled amendments to the recommendations contained at Recommendation II of the Cabinet meeting held on 13 December 2012.

(ii)               During the debate on this item, Councillor Keith Ferry moved a Motion that the question now be put.  Upon a vote this Motion was carried.

(iii)             Upon the rising of 10 Councillors making the request a Roll Call Vote was held on the recommendations:

            FOR:  The Mayor (Councillor Ismail), the Deputy Mayor (Councillor Asante), Councillors Akhtar, Anderson, Bond, Choudhury, Currie, Davine, Dharmarajah, Ferry, Gate, Green, Henson, Idaikkadar, James, Khalid, Marikar, Maru, Miles, O’Dell, Omar, Parmar, Perry, Phillips, Ray, Navin Shah, Sachin Shah, Silver, Stephenson, Krishna Suresh, Sasikala Suresh and Wealthy.

            AGAINST:  Councillors Ashton, Bath, Bednell, Champagnie, Chana, Chauhan, Ferrari, Greek, Hall, Kara, Macleod-Cullinane, Mithani, Moshenson, Chris Mote, Janet Mote, John Nickolay, Joyce Nickolay, Osborn, Romain, Anthony Seymour, Lynda Seymour, Teli and Wright.

            ABSTAIN:  Councillor Noyce.

(iv)             Upon the Roll Call vote, the amended recommendations were agreed.

RESOLVED:  That

(i)                 the new Harrow Localised Council Tax Support Scheme, at appendix II to these minutes, be agreed and adopted;

(ii)               the Council agree and adopt the parameter configuration set out in Scheme 1 for the two year period April 2013 to March 2015 as recommended by officers, which fully manages the funding gap, unless a policy decision is taken at annual review to replace or alter the scheme following consultation;

(iii)             the Scheme remain in perpetuity after the two year period, with parameters uprated as per the Scheme rules, unless a policy decision is taken to replace or alter the Scheme at annual review;

(iv)             the existing s13A policy on hardship agreed by Cabinet on the 3 August 2006 and now known as s13A(1)(c) be continued.