Agenda and minutes

7.04pm – Mayor Emma Apthorp, as the outgoing Mayor, took the Chair at the start of the meeting.

Councillor Max Schmid proposed, seconded by Councillor Patrick Walsh, that Councillor Patricia Quigley be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the 2023/24 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.

7.07pm – RESOLVED

That Councillor Patricia Catherine Mary Quigley was duly elected Mayor of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for the 2023/24 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 meeting was adjourned for the Mayor to put on her robe.

7.26pm – The Mayor then made a brief speech thanking her constituents, her fellow Councillors, the outgoing Mayor Emma Apthorp, and her family for their support. She announced that she was appointing Dad’s House and Dance West as her charities for the Mayoral year.

The Mayor announced that she was appointing Councillor Florian Chevoppe-Verdier 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 Councillor Emma Apthorp 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, which was unanimously agreed.

Speeches of thanks were given to the outgoing Mayor by Councillors Stephen Cowan and Andrew Dinsmore. Councillor Emma Apthorp accepted her badge and made a short speech.

A vote of thanks was given to the past Consort, Councillor Trey Campbell-Simon, in undertaking his civic role in support of the past Mayor. Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech of thanks to Councillor Trey Campbell-Simon, 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 2023/24 Municipal Year and she had appointed Mr Benito Brown to act as her Deputy Mayor’s Consort.

7.52pm – Niamh Faleye (Acting Youth Mayor), Anastasia Odusanwo (Member of Youth Parliament), and Ealaf Al-Najar (Member of Youth Council) addressed the Council and gave a verbal presentation on the work of the Youth Cabinet and Youth Council.

Speeches on the presentation were made by Councillors Alex Sanderson (Cabinet Member for Children and Education) and Aliya Afzal-Khan.

8.03pm – Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adronie Alford, Paul Alexander, Sally Taylor, and Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler.

Councillor Ann Rosenburg attended the meeting online. She did not participate or vote on decision items.

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.

8.04pm – There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23 Feb 2023.

8.04pm – The minutes of the meeting held on 23 February 2023 were agreed as an accurate record.

8.04pm – There were no announcements.

8.05pm – The report on the appointments made by the party groups on the Council for 2023/24 was noted.

8.05pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

A speech on the report was made by Councill Alex Karmel (for the opposition).

The report and recommendations were put to the vote:

FOR:                      35

AGAINST:               8

NOT VOTING:        0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.14pm – RESOLVED

1. That the amendment to the Members’ Code of Conduct related to The Local Government (Disqualification) Act 2022 in paragraph 6 be noted.

2. That the Commercial Revenue Committee be dissolved, and its functions transferred to Cabinet.

3. That the amendment to the Lead Member for European Co-operation and Digital Innovation position detailed in Appendix 1 be approved.

4. That the creation of the Lead Member for Wellbeing and Early Access to Support position detailed in Appendix 1 be approved.

5. That the proposed increase in paragraph 10 to each Chief Officer’s limit for

payments made in settlement of claims where the Council considers that action taken by it (or on its behalf) amounts, or may amount, to maladministration as detailed in paragraph 3.6 of General functions delegated to the Chief Executive and Chief Officers (Part 3 – Responsibility for Functions) be agreed.

6. That subject to the approval of recommendations above, the Council’s

Constitution be adopted for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.

8.14pm – The report on the appointment of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Members was noted.

8.14pm – The report on the allocation of seats and proportionality on committees was noted.

8.15pm – 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.

8.15pm – 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 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 1.

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

8.15pm – 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.

8.15pm - RESOLVED

1. That the Council’s appointments to Local Government Organisations for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 1, be agreed.

2. That the Council’s appointments to Outside Bodies for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 2, be agreed.

8.16pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

Speeches on the report were made by Councillor Alex Karmel (for the Opposition) and Councillor Stephen Cowan (for the Administration).

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote:

FOR:                      35

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        8

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.21pm – RESOLVED

1. That the revised Members’ Allowances Scheme 2023/24 as set out in the report and attached as Appendix 1, be approved.

8.21pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote:

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.22pm – RESOLVED

1. The Council approves the appointment of Sharon Lea as the Chief Executive and the Head of Paid Service.

2. The Council approves the appointment of the Chief Executive as the Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer

8.22pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote:

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.23pm – RESOLVED

1. That His Honour Judge John Rylance, Mr Tom Babbedge and Ms Dilina Ostborn be re-appointed as Independent Persons for a fixed term of 2 years.

2. That the Council pay each appointed person a flat rate allowance of £504 per annum payable in line with the Members’ Allowance scheme.

8.23pm – The report and recommendations were formally moved for adoption by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan.

The report and recommendations were then put to the vote:

FOR:                      UNANIMOUS

AGAINST:               0

NOT VOTING:        0

The report and recommendations were declared CARRIED.

8.23pm – RESOLVED

1. That the 2023/24 Council calendar of meetings at Appendix 1 be approved.

8.24pm – The Council received a verbal report from the Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Andrew Dinsmore, made a speech on behalf of the Opposition.

8.30pm – Councillor Lisa Homan, Chair of the Policy and Oversight Board, made a speech on the report (for the Administration).

8.36pm – The annual report was noted.

8.36pm – The monitoring report was noted.