Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall

Contact: Anthony Clements tel: 01708 433065  Email: anthony.clements@oneSource.co.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

29.

PROTOCOL ON THE OPERATION OF FULL COUNCIL DURING THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS pdf icon PDF 311 KB

Attached for noting.

Decision:

Noted by Council, without division.

Minutes:

The protocol on the operation of meetings of full Council during the Covid-19 restrictions was noted by Council, without division.

30.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies have been received from Councillor Ron Ower.

 

To receive any other apologies for absence.

 

Decision:

Received from Councillors Tony Durdin, Tele Lawal and Ron Ower.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillors Tony Durdin, Tele Lawal and Ron Ower.

31.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 1 MB

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 8 July 2020 (attachded).

 

Decision:

Subject to clarifications regarding the identity of the Chairman of the meeting and the receipt of a petition by the Mayor, minutes AGREED as a correct record.   

Minutes:

It was clarified that the meeting had been chaired by Councillor Mylod rather than as stated in the minutes.

 

On minute 19, Council agreed, without division, that the minute text should read as follows:

 

The Mayor presented a petition concerning a request to restrict use of lorries of the East Hall Lane junction with Wennington Road. The Monitoring Officer advised that adequate notice of the petition had not been given in accordance

with the Council Procedure Rules. The Mayor nevertheless exercised his discretion to receive the petition.

 

It was also noted that, in response to a Council question, details of the rent levels in Joint Venture properties would be provided to Councillor McGeary.

 

The minutes were otherwise agreed as a correct record.

32.

DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

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

 

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

 

Decision:

There were no disclosures of interest.

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of interest.

33.

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE MAYOR, BY THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL OR BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To receive announcements (if any).

Minutes:

A minute’s silent reflection was held in memory of former Councillor Ivor Cameron who had passed away recently. Tributes to firmer Councillor Cameron were paid from all sides of the Chamber.

 

The Leader of the Council paid tribute to all those involved in the recent Armed Services commemoration in the borough.

 

There had been a recent rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in Havering and an all-Member briefing on this issue had been arranged for next week. A toolkit on the issue would be circulated to Members shortly and two new walk-in testing centres would be opening in Havering.

34.

PETITIONS

NOTE: The deadline for giving notice of an intention to

present a petition is midnight, Friday 28 August 2020

 

Councillors Graham Williamson and Melvin Wallace have given notice of intention to present a petition.

 

To receive any petition presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23.

Decision:

Received from Councillors Wallace and Williamson.

Minutes:

A petition was presented by Councillor Williamson concerning a request from residents for resurfacing of Cherry Tree Lane.

 

A petition was also presented by Councillor Wallace relating to a proposed house of multiple occupation for young adults from another borough to be located in Gidea Park.

35.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS pdf icon PDF 241 KB

Attached.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

14 supplementary questions asked and answers given.

Minutes:

Fifteen questions were submitted. The text of all questions submitted with answers and, where asked, summaries of supplementary  questions and answers is attached at appendix 1 to these minutes.

36.

CONSTITUTION REVIEW pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Attached.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

A.   CONSTITUTION REVIEW

 

Composite amendment on behalf of all Groups AGREED to be submitted without division; procedural motion that composite amendment be dealt with on a vote only basis AGREED by 34 votes to 16 with one abstention; composite amendment on behalf of all Groups AGREED by 47 votes to 0 with seven abstentions.

 

B.   SCHOOL PERORMANCE

 

Following debate a amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group AGREED by 34 votes to 14 with three abstentions.  

 

 

Minutes:

 

Motion on behalf of the Residents’ and Upminster and Cranham Residents Associations’ Groups

 

Democracy, Fairness and the Rule of Law is the backbone of what makes Britain great and the envy of many countries around the world. However, in Havering, under the current Leadership, these principles have been eroded over the past two years to the detriment of this Council.

 

As a result, this council calls for an urgent review of the relevant parts of the Constitution such as the Council Procedure Rules, Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules and the Committee Procedure Rules to strengthen procedures and bring forward to the Governance Committee appropriate changes to the constitution to bring back democracy, fairness, transparency and adherence to rules and the law.

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

Democracy, Fairness and the Rule of Law is the backbone of what makes Britain Great and the envy of many countries around the world.

 

As part of this, Council recognises the well-developed system of overview and scrutiny that exists within the London Borough of Havering, empowering all non- Executive Councillors to take part within democratic debate. Furthermore, it notes the approach adopted by the Administration in seeking to keep all members of the council informed and updated during the national lockdown with weekly all member briefs and weekly group leader meetings, going significantly above and beyond what many other authorities did. Whilst recognising that democracy, fairness, transparency and the adherence to the rules of the law are the hallmark of the London Borough of Havering, Council requests that the Monitor Officer examines the constitution and make recommendations to the Governance Committee for any areas that require modernisation.

 

Replacement Composite Amendment on behalf of all Groups

 

The Group Leaders have agreed to form a Working Group to meet monthly to review the relevant parts of the Constitution such as the Council Procedure Rules, Overview and Scrutiny Committee Procedure Rules and the Committee Procedure Rules to further strengthen our governance arrangements. The Working Group will liaise with and report to the Governance Committee to put forward any recommended changes to our Constitution for approval by Council.

 

 

 

Council discussed whether an agreement had been reached that the motion should be dealt with on a vote only basis.

 

The composite amendment on behalf of all Groups was AGREED to be submitted without division; a procedural motion that the composite amendment be dealt with on a vote only basis was AGREED by 34 votes to 16 with one abstention (see division 1); the composite amendment on behalf of all Groups was AGREED by 44 votes to 0 with seven abstentions (see division 2).

 

 

37.

SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Labour Group

 

This Council is concerned at the decline in the performance of many of Havering‘s Secondary Schools and calls on the Executive to re-evaluate its role in maintaining and improving schools.

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

 

The Council recognises that every secondary school within Havering is an academy, which is separate from the Local authority and responsible to the regional schools commissioner for their individual performance. However, it welcomes the Administration’s support for all schools within Havering, and work already done though the various schools forums to help support schools and drive up performance. Therefore the Council requests that a report be submitted to the Children and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee outlining the measures of support currently provided to Havering schools by the Council to look at any other support it is felt could be provided by the authority to further enhance school performance.

 

 

During debate, the Leader of the Council clarified that whilst, there could not be a commitment to additional funding for First Step, no funding would be withdrawn from that organisation.

 

Following debate, the amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group was AGREED by 34 votes to 14 with 3 abstentions (see division 3).

 

38.

APPOINTMENT OF A MONITORING OFFICER pdf icon PDF 111 KB

Report attached.

Decision:

Report AGREED without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Chief Executive asked Council to agree that Abdus Choudhury, Deputy Director of Legal and Governance be authorised to exercise the responsibilities of the Council’s Monitoring Officer, with immediate effect.

 

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED:

 

 

1          That the following individual be authorised to exercise the responsibilities of the statutory officer indicated:

Monitoring Officer Abdus Choudhury, Deputy Director Legal & Governance (oneSource), with immediate effect.

2.         Pursuant to that appointment the delegations and references made to that statutory role in the Constitution be amended accordingly.

3.         To note that the Monitoring Officer appoints Daniel Fenwick as Deputy Monitoring Officer, who will exercise the responsibilities of the statutory officer in his absence.

 

 

39.

DATES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS 2020/2021 pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Report attached.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Report AGREED without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Chief Executive asked Council to agree the dates of its meetings for the remainder of the 2020/21 municipal year as shown below:

 

 

 

DATES FOR REMINDER OF 2020/21 MUNICIPAL YEAR

 

2020

18

November

 

 

 

2021

20

January

24

February (Council Tax Setting)

24

March

19

May (Annual Meeting)

 

The report was AGREED without division and it was RESOLVED that:

 

  1. The Council fixes the date of its meetings for the remainder of the 2020/21 municipal year (as shown above);
  2. Changes to the date of meetings of Council be determined by the Mayor, following consultation with Group Leaders;

 

40.

EXEMPTIONS TO THE CALL-IN PROCESS pdf icon PDF 274 KB

Report attached.

Decision:

Procedural motion that this item be withdrawn from the agenda AGREED without division.

Minutes:

A procedural motion that this item be withdrawn from the agenda was AGREED without division.

41.

DELEGATION OF POWERS TO LONDON COUNCILS CREATE A DOCKLESS BIKES BYELAW pdf icon PDF 17 KB

Report attached.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Procedural motion that this item be withdrawn from the agenda AGREED without division.

 

Minutes:

A procedural motion that this item be withdrawn from the agenda was AGREED without division.

 

42.

ANNUAL REPORTS OF COMMITTEES AND MEMBER CHAMPIONS pdf icon PDF 5 KB

Attached.

Additional documents:

Decision:

All reports received.

Minutes:

The annual reports of the following Committees and Member Champions

were received:

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE

 

PENSIONS COMMITTEE

 

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY BOARD

 

CHILDREN & LEARNING OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY SUBCOMMITTEE

 

CRIME & DISORDER SUB-COMMITTEE

 

ENVIORNMENT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY SUB-COMMITTEE

 

HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY SUB-COMMITTEE

 

INDIVIDUALS OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY SUB-COMMITTEE

 

TOWNS & COMMUNITIES OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY SUBCOMMITTEE

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR THE ARMED FORCES

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR THE OVER 50s

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR COMPACT

 

MEMBER CHAMPION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

 

43.

VOTING RECORD pdf icon PDF 243 KB

Minutes:

The record of voting decisions is attached as appendix 2 to these minutes.