Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplin offered prayer.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 6 March 2012 be approved.

There were none.

The Worshipful Mayor regretted to announce the death Councillor Lynne Hillan who passed away on the 4 April 2012. Councillor Hillan Served on the Council for 14 years, being first elected as Councillor in 1998 for the Brunswick Park Ward.

She was first appointed to the Cabinet in 2002 as the Cabinet Member for Children and Community Development and went to hold a number of other roles including;

·               Cabinet Member for Children’s Service, Education and Lifelong Learning

·               Cabinet Member for Policy and Performance

·               Cabinet Member for Community Services

·               Cabinet member for Resources

·               Cabinet Member for Strategy and Communities

In 2009, Councillor Hillan was appointed Deputy Leader of the Council and shortly in December 2009, was appointed as Barnet’s first female Leader of the Council.

Through out her service as an elected Member, Councillor Hillan fulfilled her duties with diligence, effectiveness, compassion and the upmost integrity.

The Worshipful Mayor extended Council’s condolences to Councillor Hillan’s mother, son and the other members of her family at this sad and difficult time.

At the invitation of the Worshipful Mayor, Councillor Richard Cornelius, Leader of the Council, Councillor Alison Moore, Leader of the Labour  and Councillor Jack, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group spoke in tribute of Councillor Hillan.

A minutes silence was held in remembrance of a departed friend and colleague.

The Worshipful Mayor formally welcomed Councillor Arjun Mittra who was elected as a Ward Councillor for East Finchley in the by-election held on the 11 April 2012

The Worshipful Mayor confirmed to Council that Detective Superintendent Adrian Usher had been appointed as the new Police Borough Commander for the London Borough of Barnet. Mr. Usher joins the Borough from Islington where he was Deputy Borough Commander. On behalf of Council the Worshipful Mayor thanked the outgoing Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Neil Basu, for his excellent service to Barnet and wished him well in his future career.

Moved by the Deputy Mayor and duly seconded.

RESOLVED - We the Members of the Council of the London Borough of Barnet, hereby express to The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Lisa Rutter, our appreciation of the excellent service she has rendered to the London Borough of Barnet as its Mayor during the period May 2011 to May 2012, and for the friendly and conscientious way in which she has performed the duties of that office.

We offer her our sincere gratitude for the concern that she has shown at all times in promoting the welfare of the Borough and its residents, particularly for her willingness to support the many organisations and individuals who called on her time and services during her Mayoralty. We congratulate her on the success of her appeals for Barnet Young Carers And Siblings 'BYCAS',  The Outward Bound Trust and The Alzheimer's Society.

We compliment her on the manner in which she has represented the Borough and upheld the dignity of her office when carrying out her Mayoral duties. 

The Council also offers thanks to the Mayor’s Consort, Mr.Mark Rutter, for the support he has given to the Mayor during her year of office.  

We resolve that the foregoing resolution be engrossed over the common seal of the corporation and presented to The Worshipful the Mayor at the Annual Meeting.

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

Councillor Alison Moore, duly seconded, moved under Council Procedure Rule 14.1 the suspension of Standing Orders asking Council to agree to a Emergency Motion to suspend Council Procedure Rule 31.1 to agree the Emergency Motion as a matter of urgency. Upon being put to the vote, the Motion in name of Councillor Alison Moore was declared lost.

RESOLVED – That  Council do not agree the suspension of Standing Orders to permit consideration of the Emergency Motion in the name of Councillor Alison Moore as a matter of urgency.

Councillor Richard Cornelius moved the Administration Business Item in his name. Councillor Alison Moore move the amendment in her name.  Debate ensued. Upon being put to the vote the amendment in name of Councillor Moore 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 congratulates Mayor Boris Johnson on the achievements of his first term of office and looks forward to further success for London and Barnet in particular, during the next four years.

Councillor Kath McGuirk moved the Opposition Business Item in her name. Councillors Arjun Mittra and Geoff Johnson moved their amendments. Debate ensued. Upon being put to the vote the amendment in name of Councillor Mittra was declared lost. Upon being put to the vote the amendment in name of Councillor Geoff Johnson was declared lost. Upon being put to the vote the Opposition Business Item in the name of Councillor Kath McGuirk was declared lost

At least ten Members rose in their places and demanded a formal division on the voting on the Opposition Business Item in the name of Councillor Kath McGuirk  Upon being taken the results of the Division were declared as follows:

RESOLVED – That the Opposition Business Item in the name of Councillor Kath McGuirk is lost

Councillor John Hart  moved the Non-Executive Business Item in his name. Debate ensued. Upon being put to the vote, the Non-Executive Business Item was declared carried. 

RESOLVED -  Council welcomes the decisions both of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and of HM Secretary of State, the Right Hon. Eric Pickles, not to call in the planning application of Saracens Rugby Club to redevelop Copthall Stadium; and moreover calls upon Saracens Rugby Club to ensure the smooth redevelopment of the stadium with full regard for the interests of other users as much of Copthall Open Space as of the Stadium; and to honour fully the Club's commitments to manage traffic movements on match days so as to lessen any impact on the amenity of local residents

Councillor Pauline Coakley Webb moved the Non-Executive Business Item in her name.  Councillors Brian Coleman and Alan Schneiderman moved their amendments In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31.5, the item was voted on without discussion. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Coleman was declared carried. Upon being put to the vote, the amendment in the name of Councillor Schneiderman was declared lost. Upon being to the vote the Non-Executive Business Item as amended by Councillor Coleman was declared carried. 

RESOLVED - Council notes the following:

According to the Policing London Business Plan 2011-14 the number of police officers across London has already been cut by at least 507 posts last year, with a further 682 to be cut this coming year, and another 178 to be cut in 2013/14.  The number of London PCSOs were cut by 814 in 2011/12, with a further 100 to be cut in 2012/13. Council notes that the number of warranted Police Officers has increased by more than 1000 since 2008 and the number of special constables has more than doubled to 5000.

Barnet itself has 45 fewer PCSOs than its full quota, and our Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) are not at full strength, with Woodhouse ward SNT officers, for example, at half strength, and most other Teams similarly affected.

In addition, SNT officers are being taken off their dedicated ward duties and deployed elsewhere - abstraction rates have been as high as 12 percent in recent months. Particularly dealing with the issue of Burglary. There were a further 74 patrols per month in Barnet in January 2012 than in April 2008

Meanwhile, crime levels in Barnet are rising for burglary, mugging and rape. Domestic burglaries are up by 28 per cent from 2692 burglaries in 2007/8 to 3454 this year. Muggings are up from 892 last year to 1076 this year. And the number of recorded rapes is up from 51 in 2007/8 to 80 this year.

However total crime levels have fallen in Barnet by 16 %including youth violence down by 14.1 %, Robbery down by 11.6 % and bus crime 14.8 % since 2008. The murder rate in London is the lowest for thirty years Council particularly welcomes the reductions in Burglary and hate crime in the last 12 months

Council asks Cabinet to confirm they agree that there is a need to reduce abstraction rates, whilst recognising the overwhelming need to properly police the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

Furthermore Council thanks Chief Superintendent Neil Basu for his dynamic and effective leadership of Policing in Barnet as Borough Commander and welcomes his replacement Chief Superintendent Adrian Usher and asks Cabinet to ensure the close working relationship between the Council and the Police continue.

Finally Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Deputy Mayor of London for Policing expressing the Council’s gratitude to the men and women who police Barnet on a daily basis.

There were none.

There were none.

Councillor Melvin Cohen moved adoption and reception of the report Special Committee (Constitution Review) 13 dated March 2012.

RESOLVED –

1.         That the changes set out in the attached matrix (enclosure 1) to the report and associated appendices be agreed by Council.

2.         That Council approve the amendment to the Financial Regulations as identified in the report at enclosure 2 of the report.

3.         That Council approve the amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules as set out in the report at enclosure 3 of the report.

4.         That Council approve the amendments to the Responsibility for Functions as set out in the report at enclosure 4 of the report.

5.         That Council change the governance framework for the management of senior officer reward in response to the Localism Act 2011 by establishing a Remuneration Committee

6.         That Council approve the proposed Terms of Reference, subject to the amendments identified above, as set out in the report at enclosure 5 of the report.

7.         That the Head of Governance be instructed to make the necessary changes to the Council’s Constitution.

Draft Calendar of Meeting

RESOLVED - That subject to the proposed changes set out items 4.4.1 and 4.4.4 the draft Calendar of meetings 2012/13 attached as Appendix A to the report was approved.

Report Exempt from Call-in

RESOLVED – Council noted the report.

Acting Head of Legal & Interim Deputy Monitoring Officer

RESOLVED - Council noted the appointment of Sheila Saunders as Acting Head of Legal and Deputy Monitoring Officer on and interim basis and instructs the Head of Governance to make the necessary           changes to the Constitution.

Appointment of Membership to Remuneration Committee

RESOLVED – The following Members were appointed to the Remuneration Committee.

·                     Councillor Richard Cornelius (Chairman)

·                     Councillor Daniel Thomas (Vice-Chairman)

·                     Councillor Joan Scannell

·                     Councillor Alison Moore

·                     Councillor Jack Cohen

·                     Councillor Melvin Cohen (substitute)

·                     Councillor Barry Rawlings (substitute)

·                     Councillor Susette Palmer (substitute)

Council noted the decision of the First Tier Tribunal.

From Councillor Pauline Coakley-Webb

Given the delays in the planning process for the proposed Waste Treatment

Plant at Pinkham Way and the fact that the plant is not necessary for those Councils that reach their recycling target does Councillor Coleman still support the building of the plant at Pinkham Way?

Councillor Brian Coleman provided a response at the meeting.

FromCouncillor Brian Salinger

(a)        What discussions, and when,  have been held at Arts Depot Board evel with regard to the possibility of a major library being housed within the Arts Depot building?

(b)        How many times in each of the last two years have events been staged in the main theatre of the Arts Depot that have involved raising the auditorium floor to create a level surface with the stage, and what was the nature of each of the events?

Councillor Kath McGuirk provided a response at the meeting.