Proposed amendments attached for approval by Committee and referral to full Council.

It was noted that entry in section 8.1.3 should state Director of Starting Well and this would be amended. The table in this section would also be amended to read ‘Havering post’ rather than ‘Council post’. It was also agreed that the relevant section number could be put in the header at the top of each page.

It was also agreed that a sub-note should be added in the section on Rights of Citizens (Article 3) that meetings were held in public rather than public meetings and hence there was no automatic rights for members of the public to speak.

A Member suggested that the Mayor’s opening remarks about Member behaviour should be revised, particularly as another Member had suggested including the Nolan Principles in agenda papers. The Committee Services Manager would take this forward. The suggestions of holding pre-Council prayers in another room and ceasing the playing of the National Anthem would be considered at the Constitution Working Party.

It was clarified that decisions worth less than £1m could be taken by officers, those of £1-2m value could be taken by Cabinet Members and those above £2m were taken by Cabinet as a whole.

The Committee endorsed the review the Monitoring Officer was undertaking around the governance of Mercury Land Holdings and other companies established by the Council. The Monitoring Officer emphasised that these companies remained subject to company law. Members of the Committee felt there should be more Member involvement in Mercury Land Holdings. The company did have public liability insurance but only for its core business and a Member suggested an item on Mercury Land Holdings could be brought to the next meeting of the Committee. Members were invited to send any issues regarding Mercury Land Holdings to the Leader or Monitoring Officer.

It was agreed that section 4.3 of Article 4 should make clear that the Mayor represented Havering as First Citizen unless with the Deputy Lieutenant or Monarch was present. It would also be clarified that the Deputy Mayor had to be chosen to chair a Council meeting in the absence of the Mayor, this was not automatic.

It was suggested that the Nolan Principles should also be included in Article 9 re decision making.

Subject to the changes outlined above, the Committee AGREED that the sections of the Constitution be to full Council for approval and adoption.