Agenda and minutes

7.06pm – Mayor PJ Murphy, as the outgoing Chair, took the Chair at the start of the meeting.

Councillor Max Schmid proposed, seconded by Councillor Genevieve Nwaogbe, that Councillor Emma Apthorp be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

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

FOR:                          UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           0

The recommendation was declared CARRIED.

7.08pm – RESOLVED

That Councillor Emma Apthorp was duly elected Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the 2022/23 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.

The Mayor then made a brief speech thanking her constituents, her fellow Councillors, the outgoing Mayor PJ Murphy, and her family for their support. She announced that she was appointing Key4Life and Advance Charity as her charities for the Mayoral year.

The Mayor announced that she was appointing Councillor Trey Campbell-Simon to act as her Consort for the Mayoral year.

Councillor Stephen Cowan moved, seconded by Councillor Max Schmid, that the past Mayor's badge be presented to Mr PJ Murphy in recognition of his service to the Council in undertaking the office of Mayor, and in carrying out other associated civic duties as a Councillor, which was unanimously agreed.

Speeches of thanks were given to the outgoing Mayor by Councillors Stephen Cowan, Patricia Quigley, and Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler. Mr PJ Murphy accepted his badge and made a short speech.

A vote of thanks was given to past Consort, Mary Smith, and Deputy Mayor, Councillor Daryl Brown, in undertaking their respective civic roles in support of the past Mayor. Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech of thanks to Mary Smith, who then came forward to receive the past Consort’s badge and a gift of appreciation.

The Mayor announced that she had appointed Councillor Daryl Brown to be Deputy Mayor for the 2022/23 Municipal Year and she had appointed Mr Benito Brown to act as her Deputy Mayor’s Consort.

7.34pm - Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adronie Alford, Jackie Borland, Daryl Brown, David Morton, Ann Rosenberg, and Nicole Trehy.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that 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 disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant 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.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2022 as an accurate record.

7.34pm – RESOLVED

The minutes of the meeting held on 24 February 2022 were agreed as an accurate record.

7.35 pm - The Mayor congratulated the following young people on their recent youth election victories:

·       Ben Ruzbehan, our new Youth Mayor

·       Niamh Faleye, Deputy Youth Mayor

·       Anastasia Odusanwo, Member of Youth Parliament, and

·       Vince Bigas, Deputy Member of Youth Parliament

Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech of congratulations.

7.37pm – The report on the results of the Local Government Elections on 5 May 2022 was noted.

Councillor Stephen Cowan made a short speech on the item (for the Administration).

7.40pm – The report on the appointments made by the party groups on the Council for 2022/23 was noted.

Reorder of the agenda

7.40pm – Under Standing Order 15(e)3, Councillor Max Schmid moved, seconded by Councillor Patrick Walsh, a motion that Special Motion 7.1 relating to the Appointment of the Leader take precedence on the agenda and be considered. The motion was agreed.

7.41pm – Councillor Max Schmid moved, seconded by Councillor Genevieve Nwaogbe, the special motion in their names:

“This Council agrees the appointment of Councillor Stephen Cowan as the Leader of the Council.”

The motion was put to the vote:

FOR:                          UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.41pm – RESOLVED

This Council agrees the appointment of Councillor Stephen Cowan as the Leader of the Council.

7.41pm – The report on the allocation of seats and proportionality on committees was noted.

UPDATED: Appendices 1, 2 and 3 added on 25/5/2022

7.42pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                          UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.42pm – RESOLVED

1.    That the composition of the Cabinet set out in paragraph 6 and the Cabinet Members’ Responsibilities and Portfolios outlined in Appendix 1, be noted.

2.    That the creation of 2 additional Assistants to the Cabinet (Lead Members) positions assigned to support the Cabinet, be approved.

3.    That the Policy Unit and Oversight Board be established and the terms of reference as set out in Appendix 2, be agreed.

4.    That the changes to the Policy and Accountability Committees set out in paragraph 9 and their terms of reference as set out in Appendix 3, be agreed.

5.    That subject to the approval of recommendations above, the Council’s Constitution be adopted for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

An amendment to this report was published and circulated to members.

7.42pm – The amended report on the appointment of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Members was noted.

7.42pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                          UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.42pm – RESOLVED

1.    That the Council agrees the appointments of Chairs and Memberships of Regulatory, Policy and Accountability and other Committees under its Constitution for the Municipal Year 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 1.

2.    This Council also notes their respective portfolios / terms of reference, as set out in the constitution.

An amendment to this report was published and circulated to members.

7.42pm – The amended report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The amended report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The amended report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.36pm – RESOLVED

1.    That the Council’s appointments to Local Government Organisations for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 1 and the amendment, be agreed.

2.    That the Council’s appointments to Outside Bodies for 2022/23, as set out in Appendix 2, be agreed.

An amendment to this report was published and circulated to members.

7.43pm – The amended report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The amended report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                          34

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           8

The amended report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.43pm – RESOLVED

1.    That the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2022/23 as set out in the report and attached as Appendix 1, be approved.

2.    That the Members’ Allowances be increased by inflation (RPI in March 2022), be approved.

3.    That in future years, changes to Members’ Allowances are in line with any changes in the national local government pay award, be approved.

7.44pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                           UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                   0

NOT VOTING:            0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.44pm – RESOLVED

1.    That David Tatlow, Solicitor, Director of Corporate Resources be appointed as the Council’s Monitoring Officer on an interim basis from 25 May 2022.

2.    That the amendments to the Officers’ Scheme of delegation to reflect the role and responsibilities of the Monitoring Officer attached as appendix A, be approved.

7.44pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                          UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:                  0

NOT VOTING:           0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

7.44pm – RESOLVED

1.    That the 2022/23 Council Calendar of meetings at Appendix 1 be approved.

NOTE: Special Motion 1 was moved up the agenda order.

7.45pm – Speeches on the report were made by Councillors Omid Miri and Stala Anotoniades, who both gave their maiden speeches (for the Administration). Councillor Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler also made a speech on the report (for the Opposition).

7.59pm – The Council received and noted the Labour Administration’s Manifesto for the Council for 2022-2026.

8.00pm – The Annual Report of the Policy and Accountability Committees was noted.