Agenda and minutes

To receive nominations for the election of a Mayor for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

To appoint a Deputy Mayor for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

7.00 pm – Councillor Adronie Alford, as the outgoing Mayor, took the Chair at the start of the meeting.

Councillor Mark Loveday, proposed, seconded by Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, that Councillor Frances Stainton  be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

There being no further nominations, the proposal was formally put to the vote:

            FOR                              Unanimous

            AGAINST                     0

            ABSTENTIONS           0

Councillor Frances Stainton  was duly declared Mayor of the Borough for the 2011/12 Municipal Year, following which she made the statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office and signed the statutory undertaking to observe the Code of Conduct for Councillors.

Under Standing Order 21 (d), the Mayor suspended the meeting while she put on the Mayor’s robes.

The motion was declared CARRIED.

(The meeting was adjourned until 7.06pm)

The Mayor invited Reverend Jo Hawes of All Saints Church to offer a blessing for the Municipal Year. 

The Mayor announced that she had decided to appoint Mr William Proger, Comte Edouard de Guitaut and Mrs Pauline Lyle-Smith as her consorts and Mayoress for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.  The Mayor then announced that she had appointed Councillor Belinda Donovan as Deputy Mayor for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, proposed, seconded by Councillor Mark Loveday, that the past Mayor's badge be presented to Councillor Adronie Alford in recognition of her service to the Council in undertaking the office of Mayor, and in carrying out other associated civic duties as a Councillor.

The Leader then made a speech about the excellent work the outgoing Mayor had undertaken during her term of office.  Councillor Stephen Cowan, Leader of the Opposition, also thanked the outgoing Mayor for her work.  Councillor Adronie Alford then accepted her badge and made a brief speech.

The Leader of the Council then moved, on behalf of the Council, seconded by Councillor Mark Loveday, a vote of thanks to the past Mayoresses Miss Lavender Hastie and Mrs Diana Sulimirski, and Consort, Mr George Sulimirski for their work in supporting the past Mayor in carrying out her civic functions.  Miss Lavender Hastie, Mr George Sulimirski and Mrs Diana Sulimirski then came forward to receive their respective badges.

To approve and sign as an accurate record the Minutes of the Budget Council Meeting held on 23 February 2011.

The minutes of the Council Meeting held on 23 February 2011 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rachel Ford and Peter Tobias.

The past Mayor’s Announcements were circulated and tabled at the meeting.  (Copy attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes).

7.36 pm - The Mayor announced the sad death of Mrs Hazel Gray on 13^th March 2011 who was a Deputy Mayoress, Mayoress and Honorary Mayoress to former Councillor and Mayor Mr Ian Gray.  She also informed the meeting of the sad death of former Councillor Mrs Doris Banfield on 26^th April 2011 who was Mayoress to former Councillors and Mayors Mr Frank Banfield and Mr Hugh Duff.  Mrs Doris Banfield was elected to serve as a Councillor representing Crabtree Ward in May 1971 until May 1978.

The meeting stood for one minute in their memory.

Councillors Michael Cartwright, Adronie Alford and Lisa Homan paid tribute to the former Councillors.

If a Councillor has any prejudicial or personal interest in a particular report he/she should declare the existence and nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of the item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a prejudicial interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter. The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken, unless a dispensation has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

Where members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance, then the Councillor with a prejudicial interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration, unless the disability has been removed by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To note the Chief Executive’s report on the various appointments made by the Party Groups on the Council for the 2011/12 Municipal Year. 

7.44 pm - The report of the Chief Executive on the various appointments made by the Party Groups on the Council for 2011/12 was noted.

To receive the Monitoring Officer’s report detailing the annual review of the Council’s Constitution, and to agree to re-adopt it, with amendments, for a further municipal year.

7.45 pm - The report of the Monitoring Officer on the Council’s Constitution was moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Colin Aherne (for the Opposition) and Councillor Mark Loveday (for the Administration).

The Monitoring Officer’s report and recommendations were put to the vote:

            FOR                            27

            AGAINST                   15

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.51 pm RESOLVED:

1.         That the updates, amendments and corrections proposed to the Council’s Constitution, as set out in Annex 1 to the report, be agreed.

2.         That subject to agreement of the above, that the Council’s Constitution be re-approved and re-adopted for the 2011/12 Municipal Year.

To receive the annual report to Council on the operation of the Petitions Scheme.

7.51 pm - The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

            FOR                            Unanimous

            AGAINST                   0

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.52 pm RESOLVED:

That the Council’s Petitions Scheme be amended as follows:-

(1)               The courses of action available to the Council or the Cabinet in response to a valid petition to explicitly provide that the content of a petition may be taken into account when reaching a decision on the relevant report.

(2)               Where a report to Council concerns an executive function (not being exercised in a manner inconsistent with the Budget & Policy Framework) the matter shall be referred to Cabinet for consideration together with any comments the Council resolves to make.

To consider and determine any Special Motions:

7.53 pm – Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh moved, seconded by Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, the special motion standing in their names.

"This Council notes the following appointments by the Leader to the Cabinet and their respective portfolios.” 

The motion was put to the vote:

            FOR                            Unanimous

            AGAINST                   0

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

7.53 pm RESOLVED:

This Council notes the following appointments by the Leader to the Cabinet and their respective portfolios.

7.53 pm – Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh moved, seconded by Councillor Nicholas Botterill, the special motion standing in their names.

"This Council agrees the appointments of Chairmen and Memberships of Regulatory, Scrutiny and other Committees under its Constitution for the Municipal Year 2011/12 as set out in Annex 1”.

The motion was put to the vote:

            FOR                            Unanimous

            AGAINST                   0

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

7.53 pm RESOLVED:

"This Council agrees the appointments of Chairmen and Memberships of Regulatory, Scrutiny and other Committees under its Constitution for the Municipal Year 2011/12, as set out in Annex 1 of the report and also notes their respective Portfolios/Terms of Reference, as set out in the Council’s Constitution.”

7.53 pm - Councillor Mark Loveday moved, seconded by Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, the special motion standing in their names.

"This Council agrees the Council’s appointments to Local Government Organisations for 2011/12, as set out in Annex 1”.

The motion was put to the vote:

            FOR                            Unanimous

            AGAINST                   0

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

7.53 pm RESOLVED:

That the Council agrees the appointments to Local Government Organisations for 2011/12, as set out in the Appendix of the report.

7.54 pm - Councillor Andrew Johnson moved, seconded by Councillor Greg Smith, the special motion standing in their names:

"This Council agrees that, for the Municipal Year 2011/12, meetings of the Council, its Committees and Panels, be held on the dates specified, as set out in the Council Calendar.”

Councillor Needham (for the Opposition) made a speech on the motion before being put to the vote.

The motion was put to the vote:

FOR                            27

            AGAINST                   15

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

7.56 pm RESOLVED:

"This Council agrees that, for the Municipal Year 2011/12, meetings of the Council, its Committees and Panels, be held on the dates specified, as set out in the Council Calendar, attached as an Annex to the report”.

7.57 pm – The Council received an oral report from the Leader, Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh.  Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech on behalf of the Opposition.

The report outlines the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Select Committees and Scrutiny Task Groups during the course of the 2010/11 Municipal Year.

8.14pm - The Council received the Annual Scrutiny report of the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Board, Select Committees and Scrutiny Task Groups during the course of the 2010/11 Municipal Year.

Speeches on the report was made by Councillors Andrew Jones, Stephen Cowan, Colin Aherne and Rory Vaughan  (for the Opposition) and Councillor Alex Karmel and Mark Loveday (for the Administration), before being put to the vote:

The report was put to the vote:

            FOR                            27

            AGAINST                   15

            ABSTENTIONS         0

The report was declared CARRIED.

8.29 pm RESOLVED:

That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report be received.

8.31 pm - The summary report of Members’ attendance at principal committee meetings of the Council in 2010/11 was duly noted.

* * * * *   CONCLUSION OF BUSINESS    * * * * *