Agenda and minutes

To note that there are no Reserve Members appointed to this Committee.

RESOLVED:  To note that there are no Reserve Members appointed to this Committee.

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

(a)               all Members of the Committee;

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

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

(i)         Report on Local Authorities (Alcohol Consumption in Designated Public Places) Regulations 2007, and to Extend the Existing Zone to the Whole of the Borough and to Withdraw the Existing Zone

Prior to the consideration of the Minutes, and with the consent of the Chairman, a Member raised a number of concerns with regard to the controlled drinking zone, in particular relating to the wording on the signage for the zone, the monitoring of its enforcement, and its impact on the licensing trade and residents.

Officers advised that they did not believe the police collected data on the enforcement of the zone, as alcohol was usually confiscated and disposed of on the spot.  However, they undertook to seek information from the police and local businesses, and then to produce a report including any information received and addressing the issue regarding signage for the next meeting.

RESOLVED:  That a report with further information on this matter be submitted to the next meeting.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 June 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

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 at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17.

The Conservative Group has proposed that Councillor Robert Benson be replaced as 2^nd Reserve on the Pension Fund Investment Panel.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Tom Weiss be appointed as second Conservative Group Reserve Member on the Pension Fund Investment Panel for the remainder of the 2008/09 Municipal Year, in place of Councillor Robert Benson.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services which, in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, was admitted late to the agenda on the grounds of urgency, as it needed to be considered by the Committee before the statutory deadline for the publication of the revised Register of Electors on 1 December 2008.  The report had not been available at the time that the agenda was printed, as it set out recommendations arising from a meeting of the Polling Districts and Polling Stations Review Working Group which had only taken place on 11 November 2008.

It was noted that the Committee had previously agreed that a review of polling districts and places be undertaken annually.  However, the statutory requirements in relation to reviews had now been clarified, and annual reviews would not negate the need for a full review every four years.  Annual reviews were also resource intensive and created difficulties in election years.  It was therefore agreed that the next review should be a full review in 2011.

A Member expressed concern about the location of a polling station in Roxeth Ward.  In response, it was reported that the polling station, and the issues relating to its location, had been considered by the Working Group, but that no alternative venue was available at the present time.

RESOLVED: That (1) the recommendations in relation to polling districts as set out in the Appendix to the report be agreed; and

(2) the next review be completed by 31 December 2011 in accordance with the statutory requirement to conduct a review of all the Borough’s polling districts every four years.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance.

Members received a report of the Corporate Director of Finance, which reminded Members of the provisions of the Council’s flexible retirement policy.  A confidential appendix to the report setting out the cases agreed to date and their financial impact was included elsewhere on the agenda (see Resolution 100 below).

Clarification was sought on a number of issues relating to the operation of the policy, in response to which further information was provided.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

RESOLVED:  That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items for the reasons set out below:

Appendix to the report of the Corporate Director of Finance.

Further to Resolution 98 above, the Committee considered the confidential appendix to the report, which set out the cases agreed to date under the flexible retirement policy, and their financial impact.

During discussion, Members expressed concern about the impact of the policy on service delivery.  In response, officers undertook to amend the business case proforma which Directors were required to complete in support of each flexible retirement application, in order to capture whether Departments were recruiting to fill resultant gaps in staffing.

RESOLVED:  That the information be noted.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance.

Members considered a confidential report of the Corporate Director of Finance, which advised of four new transferee admission bodies participating in the London Borough of Harrow Pension Fund.

Members asked a number of detailed questions on issues arising from the report.  Members also questioned the usefulness of the Committee receiving reports that were for information only, and at Members’ request officers undertook to give this further consideration prior to the next meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance

The Committee received a confidential report of the Corporate Director of Finance, which set out details of the strain on the London Borough of Harrow Pension Fund arising from the Council’s organisational review.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.