Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Cooke, Councillor Freedman, Councillor Hart, Councillor Levine, Councillor Mittra, Councillor O-Macauley, Councillor Smith, Councillor Williams and Councillor Zubairi.

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

Reverend Nigel Taylor was called upon by the Worshipful the Mayor to speak to Council and say prayers.

None.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 25^th January 2022 were agreed as a correct record.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed Council that at the previous Council Meeting she had announced the death of Bridget Perry, former Councillor for High Barnet Ward, and that she had subsequently attended her funeral in Chesterfield on Thursday 24 February together with , Councillor Richard Cornelius and Councillor Prentice.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed  Council of the sad passing of Councillor Anthony Finn on the 21 February 2022.

Councillor Anthony Finn was educated at Hasmonean Grammar School, Gateshead Talmudical College and the London School of Economics where he gained a degree, a BSc in Economics. He became a Chartered Accountant and a senior partner in a West Hampstead firm.

He became a Councillor in 1990 and represented Hendon Ward for 32 years until his death..  During his years on the Council, he served as Deputy Leader of the Council from 2002 to 2005 whilst holding the Cabinet portfolio for Resources, and from 2005 to 2009 he was the Cabinet Member for Regeneration. Councillor Finn was also the Chairman of the Budget and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee and more recently  the Chairman of the Audit Committee.

He also served as a Governor of Hasmonean High School and was a Governor of Pardes House Primary School when he died.

On 17 May 2010, Councillor Finn was elected as the 46^th Mayor of Barnet with his wife, Anita, as his Mayoress.

During his Mayoral year, Councillor Finn supported two charities: Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, a local vibrant charity providing practical support to life-limited children and their families and Camp Simcha, a Hendon based charity aimed at improving the quality of life for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

The Worshipful the Mayor commented that Councillor Finn would be remembered as an extremely diligent Councillor who served his residents faithfully and that his sense of humour, dedication and expertise would be greatly missed.

The Worshipful the Mayor invited Councillor Shooter, Councillor Fluss, Councillor Richard Cornelius, Councillor Rajput, Councillor Thompstone, Councillor Rozenberg, Councillor Rawlings, Councillor Moore and Councillor Thomas to speak in memory of Councillor Finn.

The Worshipful the Mayor invited Council to join in a minute’s silence to reflect on the achievements of his life and to remember his wife Anita, his son Zalmi and all of his family and friends.

The Worshipful the Mayor paid tribute to Her Royal Majesty the Queen on the 70^th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Her Royal Majesty acceded to the throne on the 6 February 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI. On the 6 February 2022 she became the longest reigning Monarch, not only of the United Kingdom, but in the world. The Worshipful the Mayor announced that she had written to Her Majesty on behalf of the residents of the Borough

The Worshipful the Mayor asked Council to join her in standing for the national anthem.

None.

The Deputy Mayor moved the following resolution:

“At a meeting of the Council held at Hendon Town Hall on Tuesday 1 March 2022, it was resolved that we, the Members of the Council of the London Borough of Barnet, hereby express to The Worshipful the Mayor, Councillor Alison Cornelius, our appreciation of the excellent service she has rendered to the London Borough of Barnet as its Mayor during the period May 2021 to May 2022, 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 and empathy she has shown at all times in promoting the welfare of the Borough and its residents and 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 her charities Unitas Barnet Youth Zone and Darlands Conservation Trust.”

This was duly agreed, with the foregoing resolution to be engrossed over the common seal of the corporation and presented to the Worshipful Mayor at the Annual Meeting.

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The Worshipful the Mayor called for the nominations for election of Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet for the Municipal Year 2022/23. She noted there were two nominations for the Mayor Designate.

Conservative Group Nomination:

Councillor Jajeh, duly seconded by Councillor Simberg, moved that Councillor Gurung be proposed for the appointment of the Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet at the Annual meeting of the Council on 24 May 2022.

Labour Group Nomination:

Councillor Farrier, duly seconded by Councillor Hutton, moved that Councillor Moore be proposed for the appointment of the Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet at the Annual meeting of the Council on 24 May 2022.

On the Conservative nomination for the Mayor Designate 2022/23 being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 34

Against: 17

Abstain: 2

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Councillor Gurung be nominated as Mayor Designate for the municipal year 2022/23.

The Mayor Designate, Councillor Gurung, nominated Councillor Grocock as the Deputy Mayor Designate for the municipal year 2022/23.

RESOLVED that Council note that Councillor Grocock be nominated as the Deputy Mayor Designate for the municipal year 2022/23.

The Leader of the Conservative Group, Leader of the Labour Group and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, moved the motion to thank all Councillors who would not be standing in the Local Elections on the 5 May 2022.

Councillor Prentice, Councillor Weeden-Sanz and Councillor Ryde all gave speeches as retiring Councillors.

The Worshipful the Mayor moved to vote on the motion of thanks, which was unanimously agreed by Council.

RESOLVED that:

Council note that:

1.    Not all Councillors will be standing as candidates in the forthcoming Local Election.

2.    These Councillors have devoted years, and in some cases decades, of their lives to their Wards and to the Borough.

Council believes that:

1.    Councillors make many sacrifices within their personal lives to fulfil their public duties.

2.    Each Councillor has worked to make Barnet a better place to live and work.

Council resolves to:

1.    Recognise the public service provided by those Councillors not seeking re-election, for which the Council is sincerely grateful.

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None.

None.

The Worshipful the Mayor moved suspension of Council Procedure Rule 17.7 to allow the initial speeches on the budget to be up to the following lengths:

10 minutes for the Leader, 8 minutes for the Labour Group and 7 minutes for the Liberal Democrat Group.

Councillor Thomas, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, then moved the reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Councillor Rawlings moved the Labour Group alternative budget in his name. Debate ensued.

The Head of Governance informed Council that the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and Council Procedure Rule 12.4 requires that voting decisions relating to the budget and Council tax be recorded.

On the Labour Group amendment being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that the Labour group amendment in the name of Councillor Rawlings is therefore LOST.

On the Conservative group amendment being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

Councillor Thomas, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, moved the reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Debate ensued.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 34

Against: 19

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council:

1.    Notes the contents of the report (Annex 1) and the Inspector’s Report on the North London Waste Plan (set out in Appendix A).

2.    Agrees to the adoption of the North London Waste Plan (Appendix B).

Councillor Melvin Cohen, Chairman of the Constitution & General Purposes Committee, moved the reception and adoption of the recommendation in the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council approves the Annual Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2022/23 (Appendix A). 

Councillor Melvin Cohen, Chairman of the Constitution & General Purposes Committee, moved the reception and adoption of the recommendation in the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council:

1.    Notes the report to the Constitution & General Purposes Committee on 7 February 2022 as set out in Annex 1.

2.    Approves the Constitution amendments as set out in Appendices A and B.

3.    Authorises the Monitoring Officer to implement these revisions and publish a revised Constitution.

Councillor Mark Shooter, Chairman of the Pension Fund Committee, moved the reception and adoption of the recommendation in the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council notes the Annual Report of the Local Pension Board, as outlined in Annex 1 and Appendices A-C.

The Worshipful the Mayor introduced the report. Councillor Rawlings and Councillor Thomas spoke in relation to the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 34

Against: 19

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that:

1.    Council has regard to the recommendations of the Independent Panel on the Remuneration of Councillors in London as attached as Appendix A.

2.    Council approves the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2022/23 attached as Appendix B with effect from 1 April 2022 and agree that if the national pay award is not agreed at 1.75% then the Scheme will be amended to reflect the final nationally agreed pay award.

3.    Council notes that following approval of the scheme, a notice will be advertised pursuant to Regulation 16 of the Local Authorities (Member’s Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 (as amended).

The Worshipful the Mayor introduced the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council designates Jessica Farmer as the Council’s Monitoring Officer for the purposes of Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 for a period to be co-terminus with the agreement with the London Borough of Harrow for a shared legal service. 

The Head of Governance introduced the report, outlining various constitutional and administrative matters for Council’s agreement.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that:

1.    Council agrees the changes to the calendar of meetings as outlined in Appendix A and Appendix A2.

2.     Council agrees the changes to Committee Memberships as outlined in Appendix B.

The Worshipful the Mayor introduced the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that:

1.    Council notes the political balance of the Council is:

a.    36 Members of the Conservative Group;

b.    23 Members of the Labour Group;

c.    2 Members of the Liberal Democrat Group and

d.    1 Independent Member.

2.    Council agrees the allocation of seats as set out in the tables in Appendix A in order to comply with the political regulations requiring seats to be allocated proportionately to the political groups on the Council.

The Worshipful the Mayor introduced the report.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

For: 53

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 9

Total: 62

RESOLVED that Council:

1.    Notes the Examiner’s Report dated 15 February 2022 at Appendix B.

2.    Approves the new Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule as set out in Appendix A subject to the recommended modification by the Examiner with effect from 1 April 2022 (the Commencement Date’).

3.    Approves the Infrastructure Payments Policy as set out in Appendix C and if approved to allow infrastructure payments with effect from 1 April 2022.