Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 28 February 2013, the Annual meeting held on 21 May 2013 and the extraordinary meeting held on 23 May 2013, be taken as read and signed as correct records.

Councillor David Perry rose to move amendments to the minutes, which were duly seconded by Councillors Sachin Shah and Keith Ferry respectively, in relation to the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2013:

(i)                 in relation to Minute 290, ‘Election of Mayor’ in that the Minute was incorrect.   Upon a vote, and clarification that the minutes were not a verbatim record, the amendment proposed was not carried.

(ii)               in relation to Minute 298 ‘Leader of the Council’, the Minute should be amended.  Upon a vote, the amendment proposed was not carried.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2013, the Annual meeting held on 21 May 2013 and the Extraordinary meeting held on 23 May 2013 be taken as read and signed as correct records.

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 5 – Petitions

During this item, and following the submission of a petition relating to Park High School, Councillor Marilyn Ashton declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a governor of Park High School.

Item 10 – Health and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation Plan

Councillor Henson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his wife worked for an organisation that had been referenced to in the report.

Item 12 – Questions with Notice

During this item and when asking supplemental question 5, Councillor Barry Macleod Cullinane declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he worked for London Councils Limited.

Item 13(1) – A&E Crises

Councillor Husain Akhtar declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his son worked for the National Health Service (NHS).

Councillor Mrs Lurline Champagnie OBE declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a member of the Royal College of Nurses.

Councillor Ann Gate declared a pecuniary interest in that she worked for a Chair of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and at a local walk-in centre.  She would leave the Chamber during consideration of this item.

Councillor David Gawn declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his sister worked for the National Health Service (NHS).

Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his children worked for the National Health Service (NHS).

Councillor Krishna James declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a qualified nurse and her sister worked at Northwick Park Hospital.

Councillor Mrs Vina Mithani declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she worked for the Health Protection Agency, which was part of Public Health England.

Councillors Chris Mote and Janet Mote declared non-pecuniary interests in that their daughter worked for the National Health Service (NHS).

Councillor Chris Noyce declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his wife was undergoing treatment by the National Health Service (NHS).

Councillor Christine Robson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she worked for the National Health Service – but not in this borough.

Councillor Sachin Shah declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he worked for the Royal College of General Practitioners.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.  Information as to recent Mayoral engagements will be tabled.

The Mayor requested that Council note the engagements she had undertaken and was proud to have attended the 100^th Birthday Celebration of Mrs Dorothy Shires on 2 July 2013 to whom she offered her congratulations.

To receive and consider any procedural motions by Members of the Council in relation to the conduct of this Meeting.  Notice of such procedural motions, received after the issuing of this Summons, will be tabled.

(i)                 The Leader of the Council rose to move a Procedural Motion that Rule 17.1.1 be suspended in relation to Item 8.  Upon a vote, the Procedural Motion was carried.

(ii)               The Mayor announced that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 6.2, given the special circumstances set out in the Supplemental Summons, she had agreed that Items 14 and 16 be considered as a matter of urgency.

(iii)             In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.1, Councillor David Perry rose to move a Procedural Motion that the Labour Group be allowed to ask questions without notice on Items 8 - 11.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               Procedural Motion under Rule 15.1, seeking suspension of Council Procedure Rule 17.1.1 in relation to Item 8, Members’ Allowances, be agreed;

(2)               Item 14, Appointment of Returning Officer, and Item 16, Severance Payments of £100,000 or Greater, be considered as a matter of urgency;

(3)               Under Rule 12.1, Members of the Council ask questions of the Members of the Executive questions without notice in relation to Item 8, Members’ Allowances, Item 10, Health and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation, and Item11, West London Waste Authority Infrastructure Loan.

To receive any petitions to be presented:

(i)                 by a representative of the petitioners;

(ii)               by a Councillor, on behalf of petitioners;

(iii)             by the Mayor, on behalf of petitioners.

In accordance with Rule 10, the following petitions were presented:

(i)                 Petition submitted by a resident containing 37 signatures of residents calling upon the Council to allow residents to park with two wheels on and two wheels off the kerb of Hutton Lane and make changes to allow residents to park in their own driveway or to have the kerb reduced to allow for parking on both sides of the road.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Safety.]

(ii)               Petition submitted by Councillor Richard Romain containing 34 signatures of residents of Kerry Court and Kerry Avenue requesting that the parking times be extended, as parking had become difficult with Jubilee Cars mini-cabs and other people using parking spaces.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Safety.]

(iii)             Petition submitted by Councillor Jean Lammiman containing 100+ signatures of residents objecting to the planning application for Pickwick Walk, Hatch End, which involved the closure of 10 retail units.  The petition stated that the loss of the units would seriously undermine the diversity of the Hatch End shopping area, have a detrimental effect on the whole retail mix and loss of 52 jobs and livelihoods.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration.]

(iv)             Petition submitted by Councillor Manji Kara containing 149 signatures objecting to the change in  planning application P/0940/13 by Park High School, to vary Condition 14.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration.]

(v)               Petition submitted by Councillor Stephen Wright containing 41 signatures asking for action to be taken to address the craters and bumps in Barrow Point Avenue, including the pavements which needed work.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Safety.]

(vi)             Petition submitted by Councillor Jerry Miles containing 173 signatures from residents of Windsor Crescent/Close urging the Council to construct new pavements on their roads. The petitioners asked when action would be taken and whether it would have to take another serious or fatal injury to the elderly, children and infirm residents for action to be taken.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Community Safety.]

(vii)           Petition submitted by Councillor Keith Ferry containing 395 signatures appealing for a zebra crossing on Kenton Lane outside St Joseph’s School to help keep children, parents and residents safer when crossing this busy main road.

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Community Safety and Children, Schools and Families.]

(viii)         Petition submitted by Councillor John Nickolay containing 73 signatures of residents of Cecil Park calling for Harrow Council to take urgent action to remedy the traffic gridlock, increased traffic flow, volume of cars, regular obstruction to property and escalating pollution on Cecil Park created by the parents of Reddiford School on their twice daily school run.  For the safety of their local community, the petitioner suggested parking restrictions be enforced on Cecil Park between 0815 and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 315.

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for members of the public to ask questions of members of the Executive, Portfolio Holders and Chairmen of Committees, of which notice has been received no later than 3.00 pm two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting.  Any such questions received will be tabled.

In accordance with Rule 11, the questions submitted by a member of the public and responded to by the Leader of the Council is contained at Appendix I.

To receive a presentation from the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holders on business since the last ordinary meeting, followed by a question and answer session.  The item is allotted 20 minutes.

(i)                 The Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, introduced his report highlighting the achievements, challenges and proposals since the last ordinary meeting;

(ii)               The Portfolio Holders for Children, Schools and Families, Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and Planning and Regeneration, introduced their reports highlighting achievements and proposals since the last ordinary meeting;

(iii)             At the conclusion of the item, the Mayor proposed that the time limit for this item be extended by 10 minutes to allow Members to ask questions of the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holders. This proposal was agreed;

(iv)             Councillors Susan Hall, Barry Macleod-Cullinane, David Perry, Christine Bednell, Sachin Shah, Mrinal Choudhury, Janet Mote, Graham Henson, and Kairul Kareema Marikar asked questions of the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holders, which were duly responded to.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

(i)                 Further to item 8 on the Supplemental Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, moved the recommendation set out in the report;

(ii)               The Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor David Perry, moved an amendment to the recommendation in the following terms: To delete the SRA allowance for the non-Executive Non-Voting Members of the Executive; To delete the increased SRA allowance for the Leader of the third largest Group from £2,040 to £6,630;

(iii)             Following debate, and upon a vote the amendment was lost;

(iv)             Upon a further vote, the substantive recommendation was agreed.

RESOLVED:  That the Members’ Allowances Scheme, as amended and set out at Appendix II to the minutes, be adopted and payments be backdated to the relevant date of the individual Members’ appointment.

Recommendation I:            Cabinet

                                                (20 June 2013)

Further to item 9 on the Supplemental Summons, the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration moved Recommendation I of the Cabinet meeting held on 20 June 2013.

RESOLVED:  That the Harrow and Wealdstone Area Action Plan Local Plan, the Site Allocations Local Plan and the Development Management Policies Local Plan be adopted.

Recommendation I:            Health and Wellbeing Board

                                                (19 June 2013)

Further to item 10 on the Supplemental Summons, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing moved Recommendation I of the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting held on 19 June 2013.

RESOLVED:  That the Reference from the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting of 19 June 2013 on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Implementation Plan be noted.

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance

Further to item 11 on the Supplemental Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, moved the recommendation set out in the report.

RESOLVED:  That an addition of £15 million to the Capital Programme to be loaned to the West London Waste Authority be agreed and that the Section 151 Officer be delegated authority for final approval after consultation with the Portfolio Holder after receiving assurance from legal officers on the terms.

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for asking written questions by Members of Council of a member of the Executive or the Chairman of any Committee:-

(i)                 of which notice has been received at least two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting; or

(ii)               which relate to urgent matters, and the consent of the Executive Member or Committee Chairman to whom the question is to be put has been obtained and the content has been advised to the Director of Legal and Governance Services by 12 noon on the day of the Council Meeting.

Any such questions received will be tabled.

In accordance with Rule 12, the questions submitted by Councillors and responded to by Portfolio Holders are contained at Appendix III.  Responses to those questions which were not reached during the period allowed for questions are also included and were circulated to Members in written form.

The following Motions have been notified in accordance with the requirements of Council Procedure Rule 14, to be moved and seconded by the Members indicated:

MOTION – A&E Crises

(i)                 At Item 13 (1), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors David Perry and Margaret Davine in the following terms:

“The Council is proud of our National Health Service (NHS) and its achievements since its inception.  We congratulate NHS on its 65th birthday and resolve to work to make it even stronger and better for the sake of improved health and wellbeing of the people of Harrow and this Country. 

However, this Council is extremely worried about the crisis in local A&E services in Northwick Park Hospital.  The people of Harrow deserve better services and the Coalition Government is failing local people.  Recent statistics suggest that the A&E waiting times of over 4 hours are the second worst in London at Northwick Park.  This is even before the disastrous closure of other local A&E services in neighbouring Boroughs.  Alternative provision, in Harrow such as Alexandra Polyclinic has reduced its walk-in hours and locally it is difficult to get a convenient GP appointment quickly.

It also means that the Coalition Government's own target that no more than 5% of patients should wait for more than four hours has been breached.

Furthermore cuts in social care driven by Eric Pickles' reductions to Council budgets is causing patients to stay in hospital longer, blocking beds for operations and for those admitted to A&E.

In Harrow, our residents who are most in need are suffering unnecessarily due to David Cameron’s crippling policies in the NHS and beyond.  The elderly and parents with children are especially affected by these recent developments and the situation in Harrow is set to get worse.

This Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to:

1)                 Write to Jeremy Hunt MP (Secretary of State for Health) urging for a local review.

2)                 Call on local GPs through the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to increase the hours at Alexandra Clinic for walk-in patients.

3)                 Invite the Chief Executives of Northwick Park & CCG to attend a meeting in the Council Chamber open to the public to allow local people to discuss the crisis and its causes with the key health service providers and users.”

(i)                 There was a tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Barry Macleod-Cullinane and Councillor Susan Hall, which sought to amend the Motion but this was withdrawn.

(ii)               There was a further tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Krishna James and Husain Akhtar, which sought to amend the Motion as follows:

“The Council is proud of our National Health Service (NHS) and its achievements since its inception.  We congratulate NHS on its 65^th birthday and resolve to work to make it even stronger and better for the sake of improved health and wellbeing of the people of Harrow and this Country. 

This Council would like to draw attention to the Harrow Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee response to the Joint Overview and Health Scrutiny Committee which in its report, highlighted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 323.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services

Further to item 14 on the Supplemental Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, moved the recommendation set out in the report.

RESOLVED:  That the Chief Executive be appointed as the Council’s Returning Officer and the Director of Legal and Governance Services be appointed the Deputy Returning Officer.

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence, or of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

Further to item 15 on the Supplemental Summons, and following debate on whether Item 16 should be debated in the public domain, it was

RESOLVED:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business, on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence, or of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

Item 16 – Severance Payments of £100,000 or greater - Information under paragraph 1 (contains information relating to any individual).

Report of Divisional Director Human Resources, Development & Shared Services

(i)                 Further to item 16 on the Supplemental Summons, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar, moved the recommendation set out in the report.

(ii)               Following debate, and upon a vote the recommendation was carried.

RESOLVED:  That the payment of the contractual and statutory payments to the employee who has been given notice of the termination of his/her employment, as set out in Table 1 of the exempt report, be approved.

(i)                 At 10.28 pm, upon the conclusion of Item 13(1), (Motion: A&E Crises), the Mayor put forward a proposal that the closure of time for the Council meeting be extended for the purposes of Item 16 (Severance Payments of £100,000 or Greater).  This proposal was agreed;

(ii)               At 10.30 pm, following consideration of Item 13(1) (Motion: A&E Crises), the Mayor advised that the ‘guillotine’ procedure had come into operation for the determination of the remaining business on the Summons, except for Item 16 which would be debated, and was applied to Items 13(2) (Planning: Change of Use allowing conversion of Offices to Residential Accommodation), 13(3), (PRISM), 13 (4) (Domestic Extension), 13 (5) (Supporting the Financial Transaction (FTT)) and 14 (Appointment of Returning Officer).