Agenda and minutes

Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method.  Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting.  Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on.  By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Mayor referred to the details as shown on the summons in relation to filming at meetings.

NOTED

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Clare Bull, Carroll, Diakides, Ejiofor, Gunes, Hare,  Ibrahim, Ryan, and Ross,  and for lateness from Councillors Akwasi, M Blake, and  Opoku.

NOTED

In accordance with Part Four – Section A(4.2) of the Constitution, it being a extraordinary meeting of the Council no other business shall be considered other than those items stated on the summons. Any tabled items will only relate to those items shown on the Summons.

There were no items of urgent business.

NOTED

There were no declarations of interests.

NOTED

The Chief Executive advised that  his report before the meeting for consideration sought approval of Full Council to changes to political group composition, and resultant changes to appointments to Committees for 2015/16, and outside bodies.

The Chief Whip MOVED that the recommendations in the report be agreed, and it was:

RESOLVED

i.              That the changes to Political Group composition, and political group officers as detailed in paragraphs 4.3 of the report be noted, and  as follows:

a.   that following a By-Election on 17 September 2015, Councillor Stephen Mann was elected to represent Noel Park Ward, and Councillor Peter Mitchell was elected to represent Woodside Ward. Councillors Stephen Mann and Peter Mitchell are members of the Labour Group.

ii.         That the additional changes to Labour Group memberships of committees and outside bodies be agreed as follows and as also detailed in Appendix 1 attached the report:

·         Councillor Peter Mitchell to fill the vacancy on the Regulatory Committee.

·         Councillor Stephen Mann to fill the outside body vacancy on the Alexandra Park and Palace Statutory Advisory Committee

·         Councillor Stephen Mann to be appointed to the Council, Collage Arts (outside body)

Following the sudden death of Councillor George Meehan on 16 July 2015,  the Full Council is convened to pay its respect and give tribute to Councillor George Meehan.

In attendance will be Councillor Meehan’s close family.

The Mayor will address the meeting and this will be followed by a few words from Councillor Meehan’s son, Michael.

The Mayor will then invite Tony Hartney CBE, Head Teacher of Gladesmore Community  School, to say a few words, together with any other external attendees who may wish to speak in memory of Councillor Meehan.

The Mayor will then invite both current and former Members of the Council to speak in memory of Councillor Meehan.

At the conclusion of addresses the Mayor will give closing comments and will then formally ask that the following MOTION be MOVED.

MOTION B 2015/16

Councillor Kober has given notice that she will move the following MOTION B, to be seconded by Councillor Engert :

‘That this Council formally places on record its heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Councillor George Meehan who died on 16 July 2015.

This Council wishes to record the enduring care and diligence with which Councillor George Meehan  undertook his duties during his term of office spanning 40 years, from 1971, serving Green Lanes Ward from 1971 to 82, then for Tottenham Central Ward from 1982 to 1986. Councillor George Meehan was re-elected as a councillor in 1990, and serving  Coleraine Ward from 1990 -98, and then Woodside Ward from 1998 to July 2015.

We remember his time served as Leader of the Council for three periods, from 1983 to 1985; 1999 to 2004 and from 2006 until 2008, as also Deputy Leader of the Council in 1978-79 and 1996-99, and in serving as a school governor in a number of local schools.

We remember, as those who had worked with Councillor George Meehan would be well aware, that Councillor Meehan believed passionately in delivering quality public services and in involving local people in the decisions that affect their everyday lives. We recall his strong advocacy of the power of education in helping young people to fulfil their potential, and that it was this commitment to education that saw the state-of-the-art new community school Heartlands High open during Councillor Meehan’s leadership, alongside countless improvements to the borough’s existing secondary schools thanks to his determination to bring significant Building Schools for the Future funding to Haringey.

This Council also recognises the contribution that Councillor George Meehan had made to the Labour Group, Labour Party, and Borough as a whole, and that he will be remembered fondly by Councillors - both past and present from both political groups, and in extremely high esteem and regard, and from many officers of the Council, and local residents. 

This Council also formally passes its condolences to Councillor George Meehan’s  wife Mary, his children Martin and Michael, his daughter in law Debbie , his grandchildren Olivier and Gabriel,  his brother, and his extended family, at the loss of such a wonderful  ...  view the full agenda text for item 116.

tThe Mayor announced that, following the sudden death of George Meehan on the 16^th July, Full Council had been convened this evening in memory of George. She welcomed George’s family, his wife Mary, his children Michael and Martin and his daughter in law Debbie to the meeting and announced that Michael would say a few words shortly.

The Mayor also welcomed to the meeting Tony Hartney CBE, headteacher of Gladesmore Community School, all councillors past and present and Sean Fox from Unison.

The Mayor said that she would also like to say a few words. She said that when she joined the Labour Party and went along to Hornsey and Wood Green meetings, George Meehan was a huge presence in the party as an activist, a campaigner and so full of knowledge and understanding of how the party worked, procedures, rules etc. Years later, when she was selected alongside Elin Weston and Adam Jogee as candidate for Hornsey Ward they were fortunate to have George as their mentor. George proved to be, as you would imagine, an excellent guide as to how and what to do as a candidate and a campaigner – how to do it, how to speak to people, approach voters and so on. He was so experienced, and they were very fortunate candidates. The Mayor said that many speakers tonight would relate anecdotes and stories of their longer and deeper knowledge and friendship with George, and his tremendous achievements and the huge amount of work for the borough and for the people of Haringey so she would finish by saying that she always found George to be a tower of strength and knowledge, whom she was very fortunate to have known.

Michael Meehan addressed the meeting and, on behalf of his family, thanked the Council for arranging this special Council meeting in honour of his dad and he was sure that he would have been very pleased that so many of his colleagues both past and present were present. He said that just after his father died, he and his wife Debbie went to Haringey’s 50^th anniversary party at Bruce Castle Park and the event reminded him just how much of this borough’s history his dad had been a part of. He first became a councillor in 1970 and remained one for all but four of the next 45 years. The Council was a huge part of both his and the family’s lives and this building was a home from home for him. He loved being a local councillor, and for him politics was a way of making ordinary people’s lives better. He had strong and unwavering political beliefs, and was a Labour party man through and through, however he had friends across the political spectrum, and always saw the person before the politician. Like many of his generation in Ireland, he left school at 14 and came to England to work, first laying roads, then as a bus conductor, before learning his trade  ...  view the full minutes text for item 116.