Agenda and minutes

1.                  To elect the Mayor for the ensuing year.

[The Local Government Act 1972 provides as follows with regard to election of Mayor:-

Schedule 2, paragraphs 2(1) and 13(3) – The Mayor shall be elected annually by the Council from among the Councillors.

Schedule 2, paragraph 3(1) – The election of the Mayor shall be the first business transacted at the Annual Meeting of the Council.

Schedule 2, paragraph 3(3) – In the case of an equality of votes, the person presiding at the meeting shall give a casting vote in addition to any other vote he/she may have.

The Mayor called for Nominations for the Office of Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

Councillor Kober moved and Councillor Meehan seconded that Councillor Gina Adamou be elected Mayor.

RESOLVED:

1.      That Councillor Gina Adamou be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/12.

2.      The Mayor made and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, which was witnessed by Councillors Kober and Meehan.

3.      The Mayor then addressed the Council, gave thanks for her election and outlined her objectives for her year of office.

4.      The Mayor’s consort, Mr Andreas Adamides was then invested with his Badge of Office.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Alexander and Strang.

See Minutes  9,10, 11, 12, 14 and 15.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/orif it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Members were asked by the Mayor to declare any personal interest in respect of items on the agenda.  In accordance with Part 2 of the Members Code of Conduct set out in the Council Constitution, any Member disclosing a personal interest which was also prejudicial would be asked to withdraw from the Chamber during consideration of the item and neither were they to seek to improperly influence a decision on the said item.

No declarations were made.

Copies of the Minutes of the last meeting having been circulated were taken as read.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 4 April 2011 be signed as a true record.

[The Local Government Act 1972 provides as follows with regard to the appointment of Deputy Mayor:-

Schedule 2, paragraph 5(1) – The Mayor may appoint a Councillor of the Borough to be Deputy Mayor, and the person so appointed shall, unless he/she resigns or becomes disqualified, hold office until a newly elected Mayor becomes entitled to act as Mayor (whether or not he/she continues until that time to be a Councillor).

Schedule 2, paragraph 5(2) – The appointment of a Deputy Mayor shall be signified to the Council in writing and be recorded in the minutes of the Council.]

The Chief Executive reported that the Mayor had signified in writing the appointment of Councillor David Browne as Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year.

Councillor Browne was invested with his Badge of Office. The Deputy Mayoress Ana Lecic was then invested with her badge of office.

A vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress and the retiring Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s Consort was moved by Councillor Claire Kober and seconded by Councillor Robert Gorrie.

The retiring Mayor was presented with a badge marking his year of office. The Leader also presented the retiring Mayor with a montage of photographs of his year in office.

RESOLVED:

That the Council extend to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Eddie Griffith, the retiring Mayoress Mrs Hazel Griffith,  Deputy Mayor, Councillor Gina Adamou, the retiring Deputy Mayor’s Consort  Andreas Adamides, its sincere thanks and appreciation for the services they had rendered to the Borough during the past year.

The retiring Mayor addressed the Council and presented ex-councillor Basil  Lewis with a certificate commemorating his service to the Borough.

The Mayor announced that she had chosen to support a number of organisations who work with carers in Haringey and in particular to fundraise for the Haringey Carers Centre and the BME Carers Groups.  The Mayor advised that she would be giving further details on the charity and fundraising events on her Mayor’s webpage, and making further announcements about fundraising events at a later date.

(List of Committees, Sub-Committees and other bodies to be appointed, with Chairs and Vice Chairs indicated, to be tabled).

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. Appointments had only recently been finalised at Party Group Meetings and needed approval to permit committees to be convened.

Councillor Williams moved an amendment that Councillor Hare be appointed Chair of the Alexandra Palace and park Board. Councillor Whyte seconded.

On a vote there being 20 for and 32 against, the amendment was LOST.

Councillor Reece moved a further amendment that Councillor Schmitz be appointed Chair of the Regulatory Committee. Councillor Whyte seconded.

On a vote there being 20 for and 32 against, the amendment was LOST.

Councillor Wilson moved a further amendment that Councillor Winskill be appointed Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Councillor Whyte seconded.

On a vote there being 21 for and 32 against, the amendment was LOST.

In moving the recommendations, Councillor Egan proposed that Councillor Peacock replace Councillor Basu as a member of the Planning Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.      That the process for appointing to Committees, Sub-Committees and Chairs/Vice Chairs be approved on the “slate” basis prescribed.

2.      That the membership of committees, sub-committees and appointment of Chairs be agreed as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report subject to an amendment that Councillor Peacock replace Councillor Basu as member of the Planning Sub-Committee.

3.      That the Scheme of Delegation to Officers, as detailed in the                             Council’s Constitution at Appendix E, be confirmed with respect to                     non-executive functions.

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business.  Appointments had only recently been finalised at Party Group Meetings and needed approval to permit appointments to outside organisations to be made.

RESOLVED:

That the appointments to outside bodies be approved, as detailed in the Appendix to the report.

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business as it dealt with matters considered at Party Group meetings within the last few days. 

RESOLVED:

That the composition of the following political groups be noted:

The Labour Group

Leader:                      Councillor Claire Kober

Deputy Leader:         Councillor Lorna Reith

Chief Whip:               Councillor Pat Egan

Chair:                         Councillor Reg Rice

Vice Chair:               Councillor George Meehan

Secretary:                  Councillor Gmmh Rahman Khan

Assistant Whips:       Councillors Sheila Peacock  & Councillor Kaushika Amin

Group Treasurer       Councillor Sheila Peacock

Non-Executive Members     Councillors Bull, Mallett and Stewart. 

Councillors:

Adamou                     Demirci                   Stennett

Adje                            Diakides                 Strickland

Basu                         Dogus                     Vanier

Bevan                         Ejiofor                     Waters              

Brabazon                   Gibson                       Watson          

Browne                     Goldberg

Canver                       Griffith

Christophides           McNamara           

Cooke                      Stanton

The Liberal Democrat Group

Leader:                                  Councillor Richard Wilson

Deputy Leader:                    Councillor Jim Jenks

Chief Whip:                          Councillor Monica Whyte

Deputy Whip                          Councillor Katherine Reece

Group Chair                        Councillor David Beacham

Councillors:

Alexander                   Reid

Alison                         Schmitz              

Bloch                          Scott                

Butcher                      Solomon          

Engert                        Strang   

Erskine                       Weber

Gorrie                            Williams               

Hare                           Winskill

Newton                          

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. The draft calendar for the Municipal Year 2011/12 was not available at the time of despatch as it required changes proposed following party group meetings.

RESOLVED

That the schedule of meetings for 2011/12 be agreed.

RESOLVED

That the Acting Head of Legal Services be appointed as the Council’s Monitoring Officer with effect from 24 May 2011 until permanent recruitment to the post of Head of Legal Services.

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. The statement of attendance was not available at the time of despatch due to the receipt and checking of data for attendances during the Municipal Year 2010/11.

RESOLVED:

That the statement of members’ attendance for 2010/11 be noted.

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. The financial statement was not available at the time of despatch due to the verification of information contained therein.

RESOLVED:

That the allowances paid to each Member for 2010/11 be noted.

1.      Governance Review Delivery Group Report No. 2 – 2010/11.

Governance Review Delivery Group Report No 2 – 2010/11

Councillor Kober moved the recommendations contained in the report subject to amendments at page 55 of the circulated report 8.1 – the time 9.30pm to  change to 10.00pm,  and page 88 – point 5.1- 1^st paragraph – 2^nd line , the word agreement be changed to ’consultation’.

 RESOLVED

1.      That approval be given to the detailed text changes to the Constitution for implementation of the Governance Review from 23 May 2011 subject to amendments at page 55 of the circulated report paragraph 8.1 – the time 9.30pm to change back to 10.00pm, and page 87/8 paragraph 5.1 - the word “agreement” be changed to “consultation”.

2.      That approval be given to the established informal Delivery Group of Members to monitor the implementation of the Governance Review throughout 2011/12.