Agenda and minutes

(a)       To elect the Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2012/13.

Motion on behalf of the Administration

That Councillor Lynden Thorpe be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2012/13

(b)       To receive notice of the appointment of the Deputy Mayor of the Borough for the Municipal Year 2012/13.

Note: details of the ceremonial proceedings are set out in the booklet

“Election of the 49^th Mayor of Havering”

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

That Councillor Lynden Thorpe be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2012/13.

The Conservative Group proposal was AGREED without a vote.  It was, therefore, duly RESOLVED:

That Councillor Lynden Thorpe be elected Mayor for the Municipal Year 2011/2012

Councillor Lynden Thorpe,having made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Mayor as required by the Local Government Act 1972, then took the Chair and thanked the Council for the honour conferred upon her.   The Mayor indicated that her Consort would be David Thorpe.

The Leader of the Council and other Members expressed the thanks of the Council to Councillor Melvin Wallace for his services in 2011/12.  Councillor Wallace suitably replied.

In accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, the Mayor signified in writing his appointment of Councillor Eric Munday as Deputy Mayor for the ensuing year and to carry out the duties of the Mayor in case of the Mayor’s illness or absence. 

Councillor Munday made the Declaration of Acceptance of Office accordingly. The Mayor indicated that the Deputy Mayoress for the year would be Peggy Munday.

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 28 March 2012 (attached)

It was RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 28 March 2012 be signed as a true record.

Members are invited to declare any interests in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting.

Members may still declare an interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

The Members present named in minutes 3, 4 and 10 (the Mayoralty and various Committee Chairmanships) who were candidates for offices attracting a Special Responsibility Allowance, each declared a personal interest under paragraph 8 of the Members’ Code of Conduct as, if elected, they would benefit from the Members’ Allowance Scheme 2012.

To receive announcements (if any)

The Mayor made the following announcements:

May I take the opportunity to thank the Council for conferring on me the great honour of being Mayor Havering?

I look forward to my year in office and to serving the Council and the people of the borough and I will wear my Badge of Office with immense pride, as my father and my grandfather have done before me in 1951 and 1931 respectively.

My charities for the coming year will be St Francis Hospice, helping to establish the Havering Autism Centre and the work of the Havering Theatre Trust.

There were no announcements by the Chief Executive on this occasion.

To consider the Chief Executive’s report about appointing Committees (attached)

There was before Council a report of the Chief Executive concerning the appointment of the Committees of the Council, and advising upon political balance issues. The report referred in particular to the consequences of the repeal of the legislation requiring appointment of a Standards Committee.

The report was AGREED without debate or division and it was RESOLVED:

That:

(1)       The Committees listed in Appendix 1 be appointed for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

(2)       Those Committees be appointed with:

(a) the membership sizes and

(b) the political balance

indicated in Appendix 1

(3)       The voting co-optees, the two representing Church of England and Roman Catholic interests and the three parent governor co-optees selected in accordance with the appropriate Regulations, be appointed to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

(4)       The other non-elected member “appointments” and invitations to attend shown in Appendix 1 of the report submitted be confirmed.

(5)       The Standards Committee (including the three Independent Members appointed to it [Jack Knowles, Tracey Moran and Kevin Madden], notwithstanding the expiration of their original terms of office) continue in existence beyond 30 June 2012 for so long only as is necessary to deal with any investigation then incomplete and

(a)       that the current Chairman (Jack Knowles) and Vice-Chairman (Tracey Moran), both Independent Members, continue in office  until its abolition is effected and

(b)       that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to take all steps necessary to complete its abolition once all outstanding cases within its jurisdiction have been disposed of.

To consider the attached motion on behalf of the Administration and amendments by the Independent Residents’ Group and the Residents’ Group

See also the attached Explanatory Note

See attachment

To consider the attached motion on behalf of the Administration

Motion on behalf of the Administration

That the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning be appointed Statutory Lead Member for Children’s Services and Champion for the new Diploma Scheme.

The motion was AGREED without division, and it was RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning be appointed Statutory Lead Member for Children’s Services and Champion for the new Diploma Scheme.

To consider the attached motion on behalf of the Administration

Motion on behalf of Administration

That the following be appointed Champions as indicated:

For Diversity                                                           Councillor Robby Misir

For the Over Fifties                                                Councillor Pam Light

For the Historic Environment                                Councillor Andrew Curtin

For Standards                                                        Councillor Wendy Brice-

                                                                                       Thompson

For the Voluntary Sector Compact                      Councillor Andrew Curtin

For Younger Persons                                            Councillor Rebecca Bennett

The motion was AGREED without division, and it was RESOLVED:

That the following be appointed Champions as indicated:

For Diversity                                                            Councillor Robby Misir

For the Over Fifties                                                Councillor Pam Light

For the Historic Environment                             Councillor Andrew Curtin

For Standards                                                         Councillor Wendy Brice-

                                                                                                Thompson

For the Voluntary Sector Compact                   Councillor Andrew Curtin

For Younger Persons                                           Councillor Rebecca Bennett

To receive a statement by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Michael White

Council received a Statement by the Leader of the Council (attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes).