Agenda and minutes
Venue: MP701, 7th Floor, Mulberry Place, 5, Clove Crescent, London E14 2BG
Contact: Elizabeth Dowuona, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4207, E-mail: elizabeth.dowuona@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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WELCOME WELCOME
The Chair extended a warm welcome to all in attendance. She introduced Melanie Clay, the newly appointed Director of Law, Probity and Governance who was in attendance to the Standards Advisory Committee for the first time. Mr McLaughlin’s appointment as a co-opted member of the Standards Advisory Committee for a term of office until February 2019, had been confirmed by Full Council meeting on 25th February 2015.
Melanie Clay spoke briefly about her career and the expertise she hoped to bring to the Council as a whole. The Committee noted and welcomed Ms Clay’s extensive professional experience in local government and her additional role as the Council’s Monitoring Officer.
APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Abjol Miah and Councillor Khales Uddin Ahmed.
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS PDF 64 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.
See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.
Minutes: There were no declarations of interests.
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To agree the unrestricted minutes of the previous meeting held on 1 July 2015.
Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2015 were agreed as a correct record of the proceedings.
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REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
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Elections 2014/2015 Legacy PDF 93 KB Minutes: John Williams, Head of Service, Democratic Service, introduced the report and updated the Committee on the 7th May 2015 – UK Parliamentary General Election, constituencies of Bethnal Green & Bow and Poplar & Limehouse. and the 11th June 2015 – Tower Hamlets Mayoral by-election and Stepney Green Ward by-election.
The Service Head, Democratic Services tabled an updated Appendix 1 and highlighted the following: · The preparatory work and planning for the delivery of the 7th May elections drew on a range of experience and lessons learnt at previous elections in Tower Hamlets, including the London Mayor and Assembly elections plus two Council ward by-elections in April and May 2012, which were the subject of a report by the Electoral Commission in relation to a number of allegations of electoral fraud; and the combined European Parliamentary, Tower Hamlets Mayor and Council elections on 22nd May 2014, which were also subject to some allegations, following which the Mayoral election was avoided by the Election Court on 23rd April 2015. A range of initiatives were developed to ensure a free and fair contest, efficient delivery of the elections and an orderly poll and count in each case.
· In turn the planning work for the 11th June 2015 elections drew on further lessons learnt in the process of delivering the 7th May polls.
· The result of the two elections was a more successful election which attracted positive feedback from a number of sources and was not been subject to any challenge.
· It was proposed that a new Chief Executive due to take up post with the Council in October 2015, would take up the role of Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer for Tower Hamlets.
A review of the delivery of the May and June 2015 elections was being undertaken to identify the lessons learnt, improvements identified etc, in order to provide a legacy for future elections in Tower Hamlets. It was considered that the review was likely also to provide useful recommendations for Returning Officers, Police forces and partner agencies elsewhere in the UK.
The Committee noted that The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP, in his capacity as UK Government Ant-Corruption Champion, was currently leading an Electoral Fraud Review and had issued a call for evidence in connection with that review with a deadline of 8th October 2015. The Returning Officer’s expectation was that the legacy report on the Tower Hamlets elections would be able to make a useful contribution to that review.
The Committee noted that the Legacy report included contributions from partner agencies that were involved in delivering or overseeing the 2015 elections locally. These including the Metropolitan Police (both Tower Hamlets Police and the Special Enquiry Team at Scotland Yard), the Electoral Commission, the DCLG Commissioners and Election Agents of candidates at the 2015 elections. The contributions included their views on how the elections were conducted – i.e. what went well, what could have been improved and what suggestions would they make for future elections.
The Service Head, Democratic Services ... view the full minutes text for item 8.1 |
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Report on Radicalisation and Extremism in Schools WITHDRAWN.
Minutes: ITEM WITHDRAWN.
Debbie Jones, Head of Service, Children’s Services, was in attendance to explain the reasons for the withdrawal of the item to the Committee. She apologised to the Committee for requesting the withdrawal of the item at short notice and undertook to submit a comprehensive report, in view of the national interest on the issue over the past few months and the range of service areas and partners who would need to provide an input in the report.
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT Minutes: There were no such items.
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EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC In view of the contents of the remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt the following motion:
“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”
EXEMPT SECTION (Pink Papers)
The exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information, which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please hand them to the Committee Officer present.
Minutes: RESOLVED –
That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the remaining agenda item contained information defined as exempt or confidential in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
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RESTRICTED MINUTES To agree the restricted minutes of the previous meeting held on 1 July 2015.
Minutes: The restricted minutes of the General Purposes Committee held on 1 July 2015 were presented for approval.
RESOLVED –
That the restricted minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 1 July 2015 be agreed and signed by the Chair, as a correct record of the proceedings.
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ANY OTHER EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT Minutes: There were no such items.
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LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS The report sets out for Members the details of applicants who have expressed an interest in being appointed to local authority school governor positions at Tower Hamlets schools. The Committee is asked to endorse or reject the appointments set out in the report.
Minutes: The report was introduced by Hania Franek, Head of School Governance & Information, who advised that none of the applications before the Committee was contentious.
It was noted that Members had no objections to the applications for reappointment submitted.
RESOLVED -
(1) That the applicants for re-appointment to Local Authority School Governor positions as set out in the report be noted.
(2) That the applications for Local Authority
Governors as detailed in the report be approved as
follows: · That Jonathan Farrell be re-appointed as a governor at Alice Model Nursery School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
· That Azizur Rahman be re-appointed as a governorat Blue Gate Fields Junior School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
· That Joy Everest be re-appointed as a governorat Marion Richardson School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
· That Dennis Jenner be re-appointed as a governor at Bowden House School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
· That Dr Sarabajaya Kumar be re-appointed as a governor at Mulberry School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
· That Salma Mahbub be re-appointed as a governor at Bygrove School under the 2007 School Governance Regulations.
(1) That the for nomination for the appointment to Local Authority School Governor positions as set out in the report be noted.
· That Ian Jones be appointed as a governor at St Paul’s Way Trust Infant School. · That Percy Aggett be appointed as a governor at the Pupil Referral Unit
(3) That the late tabled applications as set out in the report be noted.
(2) That the applications for the nominations and
appointments to Local Authority School Governor positions as
detailed in the report be approved as follows:
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