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Agenda and minutes

Venue: This meeting will be held remotely. View directions

Contact: Annette Wiles 020 872 6000 x64877  Email: annette.wiles@croydon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

129/20

Disclosure of Interests

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that it is a requirement to register disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and gifts and hospitality to the value of which exceeds £50 or multiple gifts and/or instances of hospitality with a cumulative value of £50 or more when received from a single donor within a rolling twelve month period. In addition, Members and co-opted Members are reminded that unless their disclosable pecuniary interest is registered on the register of interests or is the subject of a pending notification to the Monitoring Officer, they are required to disclose those disclosable pecuniary interests at the meeting. This should be done by completing the Disclosure of Interest form and handing it to the Democratic Services representative at the start of the meeting. The Chair will then invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3. Completed disclosure forms will be provided to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion on the Register of Members’ Interests.

 

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of pecuniary interests. Members confirmed their disclosure of interest forms were accurate and up-to-date.

 

130/20

Urgent Business (if any)

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

 

131/20

Election of the Leader

Members of the Council are asked to note that, in accordance with Article 4.1(e) and Article 7.03 of the Constitution, the Council is asked to elect a Member of the Council as Leader of the Council until the day of the Annual Meeting following the local elections in May 2022.

Minutes:

Madam Mayor informed Council that in accordance with Article 7.3 of the Constitution, the Extraordinary Council Meeting had been called within ten working days of receiving Councillor Newman’s resignation to elect a new Leader of the Council. The new Leader was to be elected for the period up until the day of the Annual Council meeting following the local elections in May 2020.

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Collins to move a nomination for the election of the Leader of the Council. Councillor Collins thanked Madam Mayor and nominated Councillor Hamida Ali.

 

Madam Mayor invited Councillor Ben-Hassel to second the motion. Councillor Ben-Hassel thanked Madam Mayor and seconded the nomination of Councillor Hamida Ali for election as the Leader of the Council.

 

Madam Mayor invited all Members in favour of the motion to indicate their agreement verbally by saying yes. All Labour Group Members gave their assent.

 

Madam Mayor invited all Members not in favour of the motion to indicate their descent verbally by saying no. All Conservative Group Members gave their descent.

 

Before the vote was declared, Madam Mayor informed the meeting that there were 38 Labour Members and 27 Conservative Members in attendance at that point in the meeting.

 

On this basis Madam Mayor notified the meeting that the motion had been carried and congratulated Councillor Hamida Ali on having been elected as the Leader of the Council. Madam Mayor invited the Leader to make her first address to the Council.

 

In her address, the Leader described how it was an honour and privilege to be elected to lead the Council and to serve her own community. This built on the 20 years she had spent working in the public sector to advance equality. The Leader described how life chances of the local community could be supported through local and national democracy. Councillor Hamida Ali highlighted that she was the Council’s first BAME Leader which was not only significant for those with the same background but also for the Borough.

 

Councillor Newman was recognised for his leadership during two Administrations including the aftermath of the Sandilands tram crash.

 

The scale of the challenge facing the Council was described as immense not just because of the pandemic but also because of the Council’s financial situation. Further concerns were expected to come forward in the immediate period following the meeting. These were expected to be shocking to staff and residents.

 

The Leader described her priority as being to retain local democratic control over the Borough which was not something that could be guaranteed. It was not known if the Council would be able to secure the agreement on the Croydon Renewal Plan from Government, whether a Section 114 Notice would need to be issued or if the Government would intervene.

 

Emphasis was placed on working together to achieve the systemic change required. It was noted that change was needed from all parties involved, including Cabinet, across the Chamber and in the officer core. It was stressed that every Member of Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 131/20

132/20

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

 

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

 

Minutes:

This item was not required.