Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplin offered prayer.

RESOLVED – That subject to the amendment set out in the Supplemental Report of the Head of Governance at Item 3, the minutes of theExtraordinary and Ordinary meetings of the Council held on 6 November 2013 were approved.

The Worshipful Mayor regretted to announce the death of formerMayoress Mrs. Lorna Dippel who passed away on Thursday 29^th November 2012.

Mrs. Dippel was Mayoress to Councillor Dennis Dippel, who was mayor during the Municipal year 1986-87.

Council’s thoughts are with her daughter Anne, at this sad time.

The Worshipful Mayor presented Vellums to Councillors Melvin Cohen and Agnes Slocombe expressing Council’s appreciation for their dedicated service to local government and to the residents of Barnet over a period of 30 years.

There was none.

These questions, together with the answers provided and the text of any supplementary questions and answers, are set out in Appendix 1 to these minutes.

Council noted the correction to the response to Council question 34 as set at Item 4 in the Supplemental Report of the Head of Governance.

Councillor Alison Moore, duly seconded, moved under Council Procedure Rule 10.2.2, that the order of business relating to Part 4 on the agenda, be varied so that Item 4.1 - Petition for Debate, be heard immediately after Part 2 - Question Time.  Councillor Joan Scannell also moved the same motion. Upon being put to the vote, the Motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED – That the order of business be varied to allow agenda item 4.1, Petition for Debate to be heard immediately after Part 2 Question Time.

The Council heard representations from Dr Azi Khatiri. The petition with over 8,000 signatures called on Council put an immediate stop to the One Barnet Programme until the issue is put to the electorate in the form of a simple YES or NO referendum on the One Barnet Programme.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources and Performance, Councillor Daniel Thomas spoke in response to the petition. Further comments in support of the referendum were heard from the Leader of the Labour Group, Councillor Alison Moore and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Jack Cohen.

Upon being put to the vote, the request for a referendum on the One Barnet Programme was declared lost.

At least ten Members rose in their places and called for a formal division on the voting on the referendum.

RESOLVED - Upon being put to the vote the request for referendum on the One Barnet Programme was declared lost.

Councillor Richard Cornelius moved the Administration Business Item in his name. Councillors Susette Palmer and Brian Coleman moved their amendments.  Debate ensued. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Susette Palmer was declared lost. Upon being put to the vote the amendment in the name of Councillor Brian Coleman was declared lost. Upon being put to the vote, the Administration Business Item in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius was declared carried.

RESOLVED - Council regrets the decision by Labour to enact the Local Government Act 2000 and to abolish a tried and tested system of governance moving to the Cabinet model of running the administration of the Council.

Council welcomes the Localism Act 2011 and its provisions permitting a return to the "Committee System" and resolves to call upon the Constitution, Probity and Ethics Committee to devise alterations to the Constitution of the Council to replace the Cabinet, Cabinet Resources Committee, Business Management Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Budget and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee with suitable operating Committees to lead on policy, budgetary and operational matters, to further devise changes to full Council proceedings to ensure the involvement of all Members in the democratic control of the business of council.

Council appreciates that this will increase the workload and responsibilities of most Members but emphasises that at a time of budgetary restraint the changes must be cost neutral.

Council notes that the provisions of the Localism Act allow for changes to the system from an Annual meeting of the Council for a minimum of five years and asks officers and the Constitution Probity and Ethics Committee to bring forward proposals to enable early approval of such change to commence operationally from the Annual meeting 2014.

Councillor Alex Brodkin moved the Opposition Business Item in his name. Councillors Barry Rawlings and Arjun Mittra moved their amendments.  Debate ensued. Councillor Brodkin accepted Councillor Kath McGuirk’s amendment. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Barry Rawlings was declared lost. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Arjun Mittra was declared lost.

At least ten Members rose in their places and called for a formal division on the voting on the amendment in the in the name of Councillor Arjun Mittra. Upon being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

Upon being put to the vote, the substantive Opposition Business Item as amended by Councillor Kath McGuirk was declared lost.

Councillor Joan Scannell, duly seconded, moved under Council Procedure Rule 10.2.2, that the order of business relating to Agenda Item 3 be varied so that Non-Executive Business Item 3.5 be heard first.  Upon being put to the vote, the Motion was declared carried.

RESOLVED – That the order of business be varied to allow Non-Executive Business Item 3.5 to be debated and voted upon in advance of votes being taken on the other Non-Executive Business Items on the Agenda.

Councillor Brian Salinger moved the Non-Executive Item in his name. Councillor Ansuya Sodha move the amendment in her name.  Debate ensued. Councillor Brian Salinger accepted Councillor Sodha’s amendment. Upon being put to the vote, the substantive Non-Executives Business Item as amended by Councillor Ansuya Sodha was declared carried.

RESOLVED - Council recognises that it is 40 years since Idi Amin expelled the Ugandan Asianpopulation from that country.

Council recognises that this has proved to be a major turning point in the life ofBarnet and the United Kingdom.

Council recognises the importance of the wider Asian community to the life of Barnet and Council calls on the Leader and the Mayor to find an appropriate way to celebrate the beneficial contribution that the community have made to the Borough, in particular in the last 40 years.

Council also recognises that Barnet is twinned with Jinja in Uganda, and that in the aftermath of the terrible floods a few years ago LB Barnet organised a successful fundraising dinner to help support projects in Jinja and the surrounding areas.

Council asks that the Mayor to work with the High Commissioner and the local Ugandan Asian community, as well as the broader Asian community to bring forward proposals for this celebration.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31.5 Councillor Geoff Johnson requested that his item be referred directly to Cabinet.

Councillor Brian Gordon moved the Non-Executive Business Item in his name.  In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31.5, the item was voted on without discussion.

RESOLVED - Council sends its congratulations to Bishop Justin Welby on his appointment as the next Archbishop of Canterbury and Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (a Minister within this Borough) on his appointment as the next Chief Rabbi.

Council declares its pride that Barnet is a harmonious multi ethnic Borough where religious identity, faith schools, inter-faith relations and institutions such as the Mayor’s Chaplain play a major role in community life. 

Council believes that the majority of Barnet’s citizens will salute the appointment of the said eminent gentlemen to their respective distinguished posts and instructs the Chief Executive to send letters of congratulations to Bishop Welby and Rabbi Mirvis wishing them every success.

The Worshipful Mayor in accordance with the Constitution moved that the period for the transaction of business be extended to 10.30pm.

Councillor Daniel Thomas moved adoption and reception of the report from Cabinet. Upon being put to the vote the recommendations set out in the Cabinet re were declared carried.

1.1              RESOLVEDTo note the results of the public consultation exercise undertaken from 1 August to 24 October 2012 on the principles and possible features of the new scheme;

1.2              To note the range of possible options to address the shortfall in revenue from government and reflect the outcomes of consultation, together with the associated impacts on population segments and risks of each option;

1.3              To endorse the adoption of the following features of the scheme for 2013/14, thereby enabling government transitional funding of £0.6m to be secured:

·                     Contribution of 8.5% of Council Tax liability from all working age claimants;

·                     Simplified system of non-dependent allowances;

·                     Protection from the impact of the scheme for war pensioners;

1.4              To agree that technical changes to existing Council Tax discounts and exemptions in relation to Class A and C exemptions and second home discounts, and the introduction of an empty homes premium of 50% on those properties that have been empty for more than two years, should be adopted, to take effect from 1 April 2013;

1.5              To endorse the proposal that any surplus generated by the above measures should be allocated to the Crisis Fund being set up to support those in exceptional hardship in the borough;

1.6              To endorse the proposed implementation programme, including communications to the public;

1.7              To agree that the chosen scheme option should be adopted by Barnet, in line with the Government's requirement for every local authority to adopt a new scheme by 31 January 2013.

There were none.

Councillor Andreas Tambourides moved adoption and reception of the report.

RESOLVED – Council approved the recommendations set out in report of the Licensing Committee dated 26 November 2012.

1.         CHIEF OFFICER APPOINTMENTS

An amendment to recommendations was moved byCouncillor Brian Coleman. Upon being put to the vote the amendment in the name of Councillor Brian Coleman was declared carried.

RESOLVED – That Council note;

(1)        1.         Ms. Kate Kennally is appointed as the Director of People.

2.         Ms. Pam Wharfe is appointed as the Director of Place.

3.         Ms. Maryellen Salter is appointed as the Director of Assurance.

4.         Ms. Dawn Wakeling is appointed as the Director of Adults and Communities.

(2)        Council  welcomes these appointments but instructs the Head of Governance to bring further recommendations to replace the daft and meaningless job titles with ones that are in plain English and understandable by the residents of this Borough.

2.         STATUTORY PROPER OFFICER: HEAD OF GOVERNANCE

RESOLVED – That Council note Mr. Andrew Nathan has been appointed Head of Governance with effect from 1 April 2013. Council is asked to confirm Mr. Nathan as statutory proper officer for:

·             All Head of Governance functions in the constitution.

·             Members’ declaration of acceptance of office.

·             Members’ notice of resignation.

·             Giving notice of casual vacancies.

·             Convening Council to fill Mayoral casual vacancy.

·             Signing summonses for council meeting and receiving notices as to Members’ addresses for summonses.

·             Receiving notification of political groups for the calculation of political balance.

·             Returning Officer for election of parent governor representatives to Committee

·             Deposit of documents.

·             Certification and authentication of documents, byelaws and copy minutes and signing of other relevant formal notices and documents.

3.         POLITICAL BALANCE

RESOLVED –

1.         That Council note the political balance of the Council is 37 Members of the Conservative Group; 22 Members of the Labour Group; 3 Members of the Liberal Democrat Group and 1 Independent (non-aligned) Member.

2(b)     That Council approve the allocation of seats on committees in accordance with the political balance regulations on the basis of seats being allocated to the political groups represented on Council and an allocation of a seat on such Overview and Scrutiny Committee (excluding Business Management Overview & Scrutiny Committee) as Council may determine.

3.         That Council approve the allocation of seats as set out in the tables in the report.

There was none.

From Councillor Brian Coleman

Will the Leader report on discussions at London Councils Leaders Committee on Airport expansion and what line did he take on behalf of Barnet?

Response from Councillor Richard Cornelius

There have been general discussions without a conclusion and I have not been called upon to deliver a Barnet view.