Agenda and minutes

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, David Marlow, presiding.

Moved by Councillor True and seconded by Councillor Knight.

“That Councillor Clare Head be elected as Mayor for the 2011/12 Municipal Year or until her successor becomes entitled to act as Mayor.”

Motion put to the vote and declared to be CARRIED.

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

The Mayor, Councillor Head, presiding.

The retiring Mayor was invited to address the meeting.

Having been born, and spent his whole life in the borough, Councillor Marlow stated that it had been a great privilege and most enjoyable to be the Mayor. As Mayor, he had engaged with people who work in the borough, especially young people and volunteers, who make Richmond a better place to live.  He announced that more than £22,000 had been raised for his charity, the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, and thanked residents and fellow councillors for their support for this cause which worked so hard to support young people in the most difficult circumstances.

Some key highlights from his time as Mayor included welcoming the Pope to the borough and seeing the officers and crew of HMS Richmond, the borough’s adopted ship, march through Twickenham.  He had also represented the borough at the New Year’s Day Parade.  He commented that the smaller events he had attended were often very moving, and noted in particular his presentation of new football kit to boys with special educational needs. More recently the Royal Wedding celebration had been a great success, as Richmond borough had the most street parties of any borough.

Councillor Marlow thanked staff in Democratic Services for their support during his Mayoral year and presented gifts to Amanda Farrell, the Mayor’s Support officer and to the Macebearer and Chauffeur, John Carpenter.

Councillor expressed special thanks to his Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rita Palmer and her consort, Mr Adrian Palmer, who had both worked tirelessly during the year and had enjoyed great popularity at a number of events.

Councillor Marlow concluded his address by thanking his Mayoress, Mrs Jane Marlow and presenting her with flowers in recognition of the key role she had played during the year.

The Leader of the Council thanked the retiring Mayor and the retiring Deputy Mayor on behalf of the Council. He commended Councillor Marlow for his popularity across party lines and his charitable fund raising. He considered that Councillor Marlow had served as an excellent example for generations of future Mayors. The Leader of the Opposition also proposed a vote of thanks for the retiring Mayor, Deputy Mayor and their Consorts, on behalf of the Council, for their hard work and dedication to serving the borough.

The retiring Mayor and Mayoress were presented with Mayoral Badges.

The retiring Deputy Mayor was also presented with a badge and her Consort was presented with a gift.

The Mayor, Councillor Head, announced that her Consort would be her son, Mr George Head. She announced that the charity which she would be supporting for the year would be Citizen’s Advice Bureau.

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

The Mayor appointed Councillor Meena Bond as Deputy Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor’s Consort would be Mr Tim Bond.

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

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

It was confirmed that the Civic Service would be held on Sunday 22 May at

11.30am at Mary’s Church, Twickenham.

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

There were no announcements from the Mayor, Leader and Head of Paid Service.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Council held on 5 April 2011 attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 April 2011 were taken as read and were approved 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 new executive arrangements.

RESOLVED:

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

Councillor Geoffrey Samuel as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources;

Councillor Christine Percival as Strategic Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Children’s Services;

Councillor Paul Hodgins as Cabinet Member for Schools;

Councillor Pamela Fleming as Strategic Cabinet Member for Community, Business and Culture;

Councillor Samantha Salvoni as Cabinet Member for Community Development;

Councillor Virginia Morris as Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment, Planning, Parks and Highways;

Councillor Chris Harrison as Cabinet Member for Highways and Street Scene;

Councillor Tony Arbour as Cabinet Member for Performance;

Councillor Nicola Urquhart as Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing.

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:

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.

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

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

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

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

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

3. That an Audit Committee, Planning Committee, Statutory Accounts Committee, Regulatory Committee, Appeals Sub-Committee, Pupil and Student Support Appeals Panel, Appointments Committee, and Pension Fund Committee as detailed in paragraphs 3.8 to 3.13, be appointed for the 2011/12 Municipal Year and the appointments, including the Chairman and Vice-chairman, as notified by the Group Leaders be agreed.

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

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

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

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

Appeals Sub-Committee –  3 or 5 Members of the Council

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

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

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

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

5. That the full membership of the Council form the ‘pool’ for the Appeals Sub-Committee.

6. That an Investigating and Disciplinary Committee, Appeals Committee (Chief Officers) and Remuneration Committee be appointed.

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

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

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

7. 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.

Standards Committee – 4 Members of the Council (2 Cons + 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

8. 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

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 the Group Leaders.

To agree the scheme of delegation (as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution).

The Leader of the Council moved an amendment at the request of the Opposition, which was seconded, in the following terms, 

“That Item 11 c, “Local Authority Governors’ Appointment Panel” is withdrawn.

In order to ensure that this Council continues to have a mechanism for appointing Local Authority Governors to the Governing Bodies of our schools, I further move that the current responsibility is retained by the Cabinet Member for Schools, and that the following clause is re-instated within the Cabinet’s scheme of delegation,

       “to consider applications for school governorships and make appointments, after consulting any appropriate advisory body”

And that the recommendation before you is to agree the arrangements included in Part 3, Section 3 with this additional clause.”

He thanked the Mayor for her work as Cabinet Member for Traffic in 2010/11 and welcomed the newly appointed members of Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

1. That item 11 c, “Local Authority Governors’ Appointment Panel” be withdrawn

2. That the arrangements for delegation and functions of Cabinet included in Part 3, Section 3 of the Constitution set out in the Appendix A be agreed, subject to the inclusion within the responsibilities of the Cabinet Member for Schools of an additional clause,

“to consider applications for school governorships and make appointments, after consulting any appropriate advisory body”.

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

RESOLVED:

That the programme of Council meetings for the 2011/2 Municipal Year be approved and the Schedule of Meetings attached at Appendix A be noted.

Attached.

RESOLVED:

That the amendments to the constitution set out in the revised Appendix A and Appendix B be approved.

To follow.

RESOLVED:

That, in accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances

(England) Regulations 2003, the Members’ Allowances Scheme for

2011/12 as set out in the Appendix to the report be agreed.

Attached.

Item withdrawn.