Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

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 made by Members in relation to the business 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.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2)  all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2007/08.

Councillor Mrinal Choudhury was nominated and seconded and Susan Hall was nominated and seconded.  Upon a vote it was

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor Susan Hall as Vice-Chairman of the Harrow Business Consultative Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2007/08.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 1 February 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance.

The Panel received a report from the Director of Planning, Development and Enterprise on the consultation with local businesses on Non Domestic Rates and Council Tax for 2008/09.

The officer outlined the history of the Panel and its reformatting due to consistently low attendance at formal meetings.  Discussions with local businesses were now being held at informal quarterly meetings, which had proved a more successful way of engaging with local businesses.

A Member queried what feedback had been provided at the consultation meeting.  The officer responded that businesses were primarily interested in the rate relief available to small businesses.  Members agreed that the consultation was useful and productive, but considered there had not been sufficient time for the responses to be fed back to the Panel and suggested there should be two weeks between the consultation meeting and the Panel meeting.  The Panel requested that that future reports include details of feedback from businesses at the consultation meeting.  Additionally, the officer was asked to submit feedback to the Panel after all quarterly meetings.

A discrepancy was noted in the number of small business that received rate relief and clarification was sought.  It was also queried if the deadline stated in the report was correct.  The officer would report back to the Panel with the correct details.  After a general discussion of the report, the Panel

RESOLVED:  That the report be referred to Cabinet for noting.