Agenda item

The Mayor reported to full Council the events and functions she had attended and participated in, representing the borough, since November 2015.

The Mayor had spoken at Haringey’s Holocaust Memorial at Bruce Castle Museum on 24^th January 24. The theme of the multi-faith event was “learning lessons from the past to create a safer, better future”.

On 27^th January – the UKs national commemoration day, the Mayor had attended LB Southwark’s Holocaust memorial where wreaths were laid in the Garden of Imperial War Museum (IWM) – including one from the Russian Ambassador. It was noted that the IWM has a permanent Holocaust Memorial Exhibition.

Celebrating Success in Education in Haringey

The Mayor had celebrated success in Education in Haringey by:

• Welcoming the student council of Woodside High School on 7 January to her parlour as part of their visit to the civic centre and their Q&A session with the Leader of the Council Claire Kober.
• Visiting, on 26 January, Holy Trinity primary school celebrations marking the school being ranked first in the league tables for Haringey and also included in the top Ten London Schools.

• By visiting The Mulberry School on 1 February, visiting all classrooms, sharing a science based assembly which explained climate change, and congratulating pupils and staff on being one of the first schools in the borough to have solar panels installed.

It was noted that Chinese New Year had been celebrated across London and the Mayor had attended and will attend these celebrations in Camden, Islington, Westminster and Haringey.

On the auspicious first day of Chinese New Year the Mayor briefly met some of the borough’s traders at the Haringey Business Alliance meeting.

The Mayor sadly reported on attending two funeral services of Former Haringey Councillors:

Former Mayor and Councillor Lawrence Bains died on 5th December, after a short illness. Lawrence was born and grew up in Hornsey. He was elected as Councillor for Hornsey Borough Council in 1949 at the young age of 29. He served as member and then chairman of a number of committees of the council, and was Hornsey Borough Council’s last mayor in 1964 before its merger when Haringey Council was formed.  He continued to serve on Haringey Council until 1971. He also served on the GLC and the health authority. The Mayor attended his funeral service out of respect for such a lengthy career in public service.

The Mayor also spoke of the sad passing of Former Councillor Chris Hannington, who had died on 21 January 2016.

The Mayor first got to know Chris Hannington in the 90s when involved in a Justice and Peace project related to a global perspective on asylum seekers at their parish church.

Chris Hannington was elected to Haringey Council in 1964 representing Stroud Green Ward and was a Haringey Councillor for 22 years. He became chair of the Housing Committee. Whilst in that post he initiated the policy of partnership with housing associations and this led to the building of many, many homes.

Chris Hannington later worked for housing associations and played a major role in the creation of many thousands of homes for social housing and later when working with the LB of Hammersmith & Fulham, devoting time to major improvements of council estates.

Chris Hannington was a great advocate of fairness in policing and well respected across the political spectrum

Chris was awarded an OBE for political and public service in 1989.

Chris Hannington was Chair of the Haringey Police Consultative Group for some time.

The meeting noted that Chris Hannington was a proud and steadfast supporter of multi-racial harmony through the Haringey Community Relations Council and later the Haringey Race and Equality Council and represented this body and laid a wreath on behalf of it at the Borough Remembrance Service in Wood Green on 8^th November 2015.

The Mayor had last seen Chris a few weeks later in St Peter in Chains Church making a strong appeal for a CAFOD project to support farmers whose land and livelihood is threatened by climate change.

Although Chris did not share the same political views as the Mayor, he had been supportive and encouraging when the Mayor stood as a councillor for Hornsey Ward in 2014.

The Mayor reported that she was privileged to represent Haringey Council at his Funeral Mass in their parish church on 5^th February.

The Mayor further called on Councillors Peacock and Rice to speak in memory of Chris Hannington. They shared similar warm memories of Chris Hannington and spoke fondly of his character and his significant work for the borough, lasting over 50 years. This included: his  hard work for the Haringey Race Equality Council,  leading  with the borough’s  well known collective voices in speaking against apartheid in South Africa in the 80’s and 90’s  and  locally as a member of the Police Consultative Committee with a firm belief  in the importance of maintaining good trusting ,working relationships between the Community and Police.

All Councillors stood for a minute’s silence in a mark of respect of former Councillors Lawrence Bains and Chris Hannington.