Agenda item

a)    Special Standard Committee Report No 2 14/15 TO FOLLOW

The Mayor agreed to the admission of the TABLED report as urgent business, as the Special Standards Committee had not met until 12 May 2015.

a.         Standards Committee Report No 1 2015/16

The Mayor asked the Chair of Standards committee -  Councillor Rice to move the tabled report.

Councillor Rice introduced the TABLED reports of the Standards Committee which were  considered by Standards Committee on 12 May 2015. In respect of the report entitled  the abolition of Area Committees and Area Forums, marked A,   he moved that the recommendations of the Standards Committee as detailed be agreed; in respect of the report entitled Amendment to the Member Allowances Scheme for 2015/16 marked B,  he moved that the recommendations of the Standards Committee as detailed as  be agreed; and in respect of the report entitled  Removal of the designated independent person requirement for the dismissal of the Head of paid Service, Monitoring Officer, and Chief Financial Officer as marked C,  he moved that the recommendations of the Standards Committee as detailed be agreed.

The Mayor asked if there were any questions or comments from members.

Councillor Newton commented that as the last Chair of the Muswell Hill, Alexandra, Fortis Green and Highgate Area Forum and Committee he was raising objections to the wholesale abolition of these Forums, and that what was particularly galling was the lack of consultation with residents and residents associations. Councillor Newton quoted the comments of the chair of a residents association with around 300 members:
"No I have not been consulted and am very unhappy about this. We would certainly wish the Forum to continue." , and from members of CrossSafe N10, WalkSafe N10 and Pinkham Way Campaign:
"What a shame. They're such a good way to share important local news and developments" "these forums are necessary but perhaps that is why they are being scrapped; so that things can be done in secret, keeping residents in the dark"

Councillor Newton further commented that Area Forums could work, and in the case of the Muswell Hill Area, had been very successful attracting up to 100 residents for each meeting to discuss a wide range of topics and allowing residents to be involved which could only be a positive thing for the Council. There was no detail of what was being proposed for ward budgets, and there had been such budgets before, previously labelled 'Making the Difference' and he further quoted from a Cabinet paper of 25 January 2011 on the abolition of Neighbourhood Management, which says of the Making the Difference funding "...is expensive to operate and can be divisive. The current process requires vast amounts of officer time to administer."
He commented that he understood that the administration of the Making the Difference actually cost more than the grants themselves.

Councillor Newton MOVED an amendment to the recommendation 1 that proper public consultation should take place and detailed costing should be provided for ward budgets and for Area Forums to continue in their current form where there was demand. Councillor Hare seconded the amendment.

In respect of the amendment to recommendation 1 as moved by Councillor Newton, and seconded by Councillor Hare, on a vote by way of a show of hands,  there being 9 for 43 against, and no abstentions the amendment was lost.

The substantive recommendations were put to the vote.

On recommendation 1, a vote by way of a show of hands was  taken  - there  being 43 for, 9 against, and no abstentions  the recommendation 1 was agreed.

On recommendation 2, a vote by way of a show of hands was  taken  - there being 43 for, 0 against, and 9 abstentions  the recommendation 2 was agreed.

On recommendation 3, a vote by way of a show of hands was  taken  - there being 52 for, 0 against, and 0 abstentions  the recommendation 3 was agreed.

 RESOLVED

i.              That approval be given to the abolition of Area Committees and Area Forums with immediate effect, as recommended in the tabled report from the Standards Committee of 12 May 2015, marked A;

ii.            that approval be given to the Amendment to the Member Allowances Scheme for 2015/16, as recommended in the tabled report from the Standards Committee of 12 May 2015 marked B; and

iii.           that approval be given to the removal of the designated independent person requirement for the dismissal of the Head of paid Service, Monitoring Officer, and Chief Financial Officer as recommended in the tabled report from the Standards Committee of 12 May 2015, marked C.