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 that there were no declarations of interests.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2009 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2009 as a correct record subject to an amendment to Minute 123 to read:

·                     a full consultation with Members had not taken place;

RESOLVED:  That, in accordance with Committee Procedure Rule 4.1, Councillor Eileen Kinnear, be allowed to speak on item:

7.         Review of Polling Districts and Polling Stations

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, petitions or deputations were received.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services Department.

The Committee received a report that provided an update on the current arrangements in relation to the review of the Council’s Polling District and Stations.

The officer explained that the Elections Team had been updating the Register of Electors for publication on 1 December.  Any changes to the Polling District and Stations had to be agreed prior to the publication of the register.   Given the timescale this was not possible but that in accordance with statutory requirements the next review would be completed by 31 December 2011.

In response to questions by Members of the Committee, the officer confirmed that:

·                     investigations into alternative venues to accommodate additional polling station sites, had been unsuccessful;

·                     venues suggested by Members of the Committee, including Harrow Town Cricket Club, would be added to the list of potential sites;

·                     ward Councillors could advise officers of suggested locations within the borough for polling stations;

·                     plans for the location of portacabins at the McDonalds Site would be circulated after the meeting and a risk assessment report would be circulated as soon as this was available.

RESOLVED:  That the next Polling District and Places review would be completed by 31 December 2011, in accordance with the statutory requirement.

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they involve 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:

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

Report of the Corporate Director (Finance)

A report of the Corporate Director of Finance which updated the Committee on the experience of early retirements and the financial impacts to date was received.

In response to questions raised by Members of the Committee, an officer advised that:

·                     the 85 year rule was not applicable for members who joined the Local Government Pension Scheme after 30 September 2006 but there are protections applied to pre 1 October 2006 members;

·                     members of the scheme that had retired on grounds of redundancy also received a one?off lump sum redundancy payment.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.