The Councillors will take their allotted seats.

The Mayor, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor, the Mayor’s Chaplain and the Chief Executive, will enter the Council Chamber.  The Mace will be placed in position by the Macebearer.

A Motion will then be proposed and seconded for the election of a Mayor for the ensuing Municipal Year.  All Councillors may vote on this motion.

The retiring Mayor will notify the Mayor Elect of her appointment and enquire whether she is willing to make the required declaration.

The declaration, which will be read by the Chief Executive, will be made and subscribed and the retiring Mayor will then invest the newly elected Mayor with the chain of office.

The new Mayor will then take the Chair and invite the retiring Mayor to address the Council.

A vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor will then be moved and seconded.

The new Mayor will address the Council.

The retiring Mayor, Clare Head, presiding.

Moved by Councillor True and seconded by Councillor Knight:

‘That Councillor Rita Palmer be elected as Mayor for the 2012/13 Municipal Year or until her successor becomes entitled to act as Mayor.’

The motion was put to the vote and declared to be CARRIED.

Councillor Palmer signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and was invested with the Chain of Office.

The Mayor, Councillor Palmer, presiding.

The retiring Mayor was invited to address the meeting:

Councillor Head stated that she had been honoured to serve the Borough as Mayor and had experienced a fantastic year in office.  The highlight of her Mayoral Year had been welcoming the Queen to Richmond as part of the Jubilee Celebrations. She extended her thanks to all the Officers who had organised and supported the event. Councillor Head explained that during her year as Mayor, she had met many inspirational people from across the Borough including those as young as aged 4 in nursery class and a 94 year old war veteran who had survived an attack in a Lancaster Bomber. She acknowledged the passion and enthusiasm of the entire Richmond community and in particular, those volunteers whom she had met during her Mayoral Year.

She announced that in excess of £27,500 had been raised for her designated charity, the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Councillor Head thanked staff in Democratic Services for their support during her Mayoral year. She presented gifts to Amanda Farrell, Jane Andress and Leanne Corneille, all of whom had undertaken the role of Mayor’s Support Officer during the course of the year and to Macebearer and Chauffeur, John Carpenter.

Thanks were expressed to Deputy Mayor Meena Bond and her consort Mr Tim Bond for their hard work, commitment and kindness in undertaking their roles.

Councillor Head thanked her Chaplain for the year, Reverend Jeffrey Hopkin-Williams.

The Leader of the Council, Lord True, thanked the retiring Mayor and Deputy Mayor on behalf of the Council. He commended Councillor Head for her enthusiasm, good humour and commitment to the role and as an excellent ambassador for the Borough, in particular during the Royal Visit. The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Knight also proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor. He noted in particular her enthusiasm at events including the Chestnut Sunday Parade and meeting budding future Olympic sportsmen and women.

The retiring Mayor and her consort were presented with Mayoral Badges. The retiring Deputy Mayor and her consort were also presented with Mayoral Badges.

The Mayor, Councillor Palmer announced that her consort would be her husband, Mr Adrian Palmer. Her charities for the forthcoming Mayoral Year would be The Horse Rangers Association, Hampton Court and The Poppy Factory, Richmond. She invited all in attendance to share in the Civic Service which would be held at 11.30am at St Mary’s Church, Twickenham.

The Mayor will appoint and invest the Deputy Mayor with the chain of office.

The Mayor appointed Councillor Lisa Blakemore as Deputy Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor’s Consort would be Lorna Blakemore.

The Mayor will announce the appointment of the Mayor’s Chaplain.

The Mayor announced that her Chaplain would be Reverend Jeffry Hopkin Williams.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader, Members of the Cabinet or the Head of Paid Service.

Members of the Council paid their respects to John Brooker, former Macebearer and Chauffeur to the Mayoralty who passed away in early May. His contribution to the work of the Council was praised and the Council observed a moment of silence.

Members are asked to declare any interests in matters for consideration at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest on this occasion.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council held on 27 March 2012 attached.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 March 2012 be signed by the Mayor as a correct record.

To note the number of Members to be appointed to the Cabinet and the appointment of those members by the Leader of the Council, in accordance with the Council’s executive arrangements.

Resolved: That the Leader of the Council’s appointments of Deputy Leader and other Members of the Cabinet set out below be noted:

To appoint Overview and Scrutiny Committees, a Standards Committee and other Committees which the Council considers appropriate to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are Executive functions (as set out in Part 3, Sections 1 and 2 of the Constitution).

Resolved:

2.1  That the establishment of four Overview and Scrutiny Committees,  Finance and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Health, Housing and Adult Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee with ten members on each and an Education and Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an Environment, Sustainability and Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee with nine members on each be agreed and the Councillor appointments, including the Chairman and Vice-chairman, to the Overview and Scrutiny Committees as notified by the Group Leaders be agreed.

(1)       Finance and Performance Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 10 Members of the Council (6 Cons + 4 LD)

(2)        Education and Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members of the Council (5 Cons and 4 LD)

(3)       Environment, Sustainability and Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee – 9 Members of the Council (5 Cons + 4 LD)

(4)        Health, Housing and Adult Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 10 Members of the Council (6 Cons + 4 LD)

2.2  That it be agreed that the Opposition continue to be given half the Chairmanships of Scrutiny Committees.

2.3  That an Audit Committee, Planning Committee, Statutory Accounts Committee, Regulatory Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee, Appeals Sub-Committee, Pupil and Student Support Appeals Panel, Appointments Committee, Pension Fund Committee and Education Appeals Panel as detailed in paragraphs 3.8 to 3.13 below, be appointed for the 2012/13 Municipal Year and the appointments, including the Chairman and Vice-chairman, as notified by the Group Leaders be agreed.

(1)        Audit Committee – 5 Members of the Council (3 Cons + 2 LD)

 (2)      Planning Committee – 23 Members (12 Cons + 11LD)

(3)       Statutory Accounts Committee – 4 Members of the Council (2 Cons + 2 LD)

(4)        Regulatory Committee – 15 Members of the Council (8 Cons + 7 LD)

(5)       Pupil and Student Support Appeals Panel – 4 Members of the Council (2 Cons + 2 LD)

(6)        Appointments Committee –  7, 5 or 3 Members of the Council to be nominated as required

(7)        Pension Fund Committee – 5 Members of the Council (3 Cons + 2 LD)

2.1  That the membership of each Licensing Sub-Committee be three Members drawn solely from the membership of the Regulatory Committee.

2.2  That the full members of the Council form the ‘pool’ for the Appeals sub-committee

2.3  That an Investigation and Disciplinary Committee, Appeals Committee (Chief Officers) and Remuneration Committee be appointed.

(1)        Investigating and Disciplinary Committee – 4 Members of the Council including at least 1 Cabinet Member (2 Cons + 2 LD)

(2)        Appeals Committee (Chief Officers) – 4 Members of the Council including at least 1 Cabinet Member (2 Cons + 2 LD)

(3)        Remuneration Committee – 3 Members of the Council (2 Cons + 1 LD)

2.4  That although by law, the Standards Committee is not included in the political balance calculation, the Councillor appointments to the Standards Committee and Sub-Committees, as set out in the report and as notified by the Group Leaders be agreed.

(1)        Standards Committee – 4 Members of the Council (2 Cons and 2 LD)

Standards Assessment Sub-Committee – 3 Members of the Standards Committee

            Members of Standards Committee

Standards Review Sub-Committee – 2 Other Members of the Standards Committee

            Members of Standards Committee

Standards Hearing Sub-Committee

            Members of Standards Committee

2.5  That three Special Standing Committees, as agreed at the meeting of Council in November 2010 be appointed and the appointments, including the Chairman and Vice-Chairman as notified by the Group Leaders be agreed:

Special Standing committees -

(a)   Heathrow

(b)   Local Post Offices

(c)   Royal Parks

2.9 Where appointments are not notified at the time of the Annual Meeting, they be delegated to the Chief Executive for confirmation after consultation with Group Leaders.

No changes are proposed at this stage to the scheme of delegation (as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution).

There were no reports to consider under this item.

To approve a programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the year 2011-12.

Resolved: That the programme of Council meetings for the 2012/13 Municipal Year be approved and the schedule of meetings attached at Appendix A be noted.

Attached

Resolved: That in Accordance with the Local Authorities (Members Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003, the Members Allowances Scheme for 2012/13 as set out in the Appendix to the report be agreed.

To follow.

Resolved: That the current Members Code of Conduct and supporting Guidance for Members be retained until 3 July 2012 or at least until such time as a new local Code of Conduct is approved by the Council.