Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note there were no declarations of interest made by Members in relation to the business to be transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 27 November 2007, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To defer the signing of the special meeting held on 19 February 2007 and the ordinary meeting held on 5 March 2007 (Special) meeting held on 14 May 2007 until printed into the Council Bound Minute Volume.

[Note: The above minutes are published on the Council's intranet and website].

RESOLVED:  That (1) the minutes of the ordinary meeting held on 27 November 2006, be taken as read and signed as a correct record; and

(2)  the minutes of the Special meeting held on 19 February 2007, the ordinary meeting held on 5 March 2007 and the Special meeting held on 14 May 2007 be deferred until printed in the Council Bound Minute Volume.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put, or petitions or deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rules 19, 16 and 17 (Part 4B of the Constitution) respectively.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

FOR CONFIRMATION

RESOLVED:  To note and, insofar as is necessary, to confirm the decision taken with the approval of the Chairman and Nominated Member since the beginning of the Municipal Year, as listed at Appendix A to the officer report.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services, which advised of the necessity to review Harrow’s polling districts and stations in accordance with legislation, and sought the establishment of a working group to undertake the work.

Further to the Electoral Administration Act 2006, authorities were duty bound to review polling districts and stations by 31 December 2007.  It was noted that this review was the first on this scale in twenty years but thereafter would take place every four years.  Members were asked to consider the setting up of a cross-party working group which would include representation from the Harrow Association of Disabled People and a Councillor from the Liberal Democrat Group to consider issues such as reasonable access and facilities for electors.

Responding to questions, an officer provided the following information:

·                     The working party would be a non-political group which would operate on the same basis as scrutiny review groups.

·                     Any Recommendations from the working party would be referred to the Licensing and General Purposes Committee in the first instance, with Recommendations (if any) going to Council for approval in October 2007.

·                     The Returning Officer would act as a conduit between the working party and the Licensing and General Purposes Committee.

·                     The proposed timetable was determined by the dates of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee and Council meetings, the publication of the Electoral Register on 1 December 2007 and the deadline of 31 December 2007 set by the Electoral Administration Act 2006.  The timetable could be amended if required.

·                     The representative from the Harrow Association of Disabled People and a Liberal Democrat Councillor would be contacted following approval of the working party membership.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the establishment of an informal Review Working Group to undertake the review of the polling districts and polling stations in Harrow, be agreed;

(2)  Councillors Robert Benson, Mrinal Choudhury, G Chowdhury, Mano Dharmarajah and John Nickolay be appointed to serve on the Review Working Group;

(3)  a Liberal Democrat Councillor be invited onto the Review Working Group;

(4)  a representative from Harrow Association of Disabled People be invited onto the Review Working Group;

(5)  the proposed timetable referred to in the officer report be amended to read:

1.                29 June 2007 Notice of review published

2.                10 August 2007 Deadline for submissions

3.                September 2007 Meeting(s) of the Working Group to consider representations.

(6)  the Licensing and General Purposes Committee meeting scheduled for 10 September 2007 be moved to either 26 or 27 September 2007 in order to accommodate the amended timetable (see (5) above);

(7)  any Member of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee could act as a  Reserve, should a Councillor of the Working Group be unavailable to attend a meeting;

(8)  the terms of reference of the Review Working Group be agreed.