Agenda item
ELECTION OF SPEAKER
To elect a Speaker of the Council to serve for the municipal year 2012/13.
Decision:
The outgoing Speaker of the Council, Councillor Mizan Chaudhury, addressed the Council about his year of office. He then sought nominations to serve as Speaker during the coming municipal year.
DECISION
That Councillor Rajib Ahmed be elected to serve as Speaker of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council until the Annual Council Meeting in May 2013.
(Action by: John S. Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services)
Minutes:
The Speaker of the Council, Councilllor Mizan Chaudhury, addressed the meeting about his year in office. He thanked all Members for pledging their faith in him as a young Councillor and commented that he had done his best to attend all possible engagements. He had had many rewarding experiences, including lunch with Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh; had met Sir David Attenborough; planted a tree in Poplar Park; welcomed new citizens from all over the world in citizenship ceremonies; and participated in the Lord Mayor’s Parade.
Councillor Chaudhury added that he had been particularly excited by the achievements of young people in the Borough and had attended graduation and awards ceremonies. The recent civic awards had provided examples of outstanding people in the Borough, including young achievers under 25. He had worked with the City Gateway and had participated in several events in Brick Lane and the Canary Wharf East Wintergarden. Through his charity he had raised some £22,000 which would benefit charities for women and young people – he thanked all who had made contributions.
Councillor Chaudhury continued that he had attended many non-political events and had made two visits to Bangledesh, representing Tower Hamlets at the first World Conference in Dhaka, where he had met Members of Parliament, Mayors, Civil Servants, the Chamber of Commerce and the Press. He concluded by thanking the staff of the Civic Office for their support throughout the year.
Councillor Joshua Peck thanked Councillor Mizan Chaudhury for the work he had undertaken in raising money and in an ambassadorial role. He congratulated him on his work in upholding the special nature of the office of First Citizen, which was older than the existing Borough and had been held by many auspicious persons. Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Peter Golds and Fozol Miah also addressed the meeting on the excellent manner in which Councillor Chaudhury had represented the Borough.
The Speaker then called for nominations to serve as Speaker of Tower Hamlets Council for the coming year.
It was MOVED by Councillor Joshua Peck, SECONDED by Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman and
RESOLVED
That Councillor Rajib Ahmed be elected to serve as Speaker of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Council until the Annual Council Meeting in May 2013.
Councillor Joshua Peck and Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman then came forward to witness the Speaker of the Council signing the statutory declaration of acceptance of office.
The Speaker of the Council, Councillor Rajib Ahmed, in the Chair
The incoming Speaker thanked Councillor Mizan Chaudhury for his hard work over the last year. He then thanked Members of the Council for their confidence in electing him and he was humbled by their support and excited at the opportunity to be the Borough’s First Citizen, which marked a most auspicious moment in his life.
He commented that Tower Hamlets was home to many communities that worked together in harmony and was one of the most culturally diverse areas in the country. The challenges facing the borough were changing fast and more must be achieved with limited resources, particularly to ensure the best start for children and caring for the elderly. The community put much trust in Councillors, so it was Members’ duty to ensure that every decision made and pound spent was in the interests of improving residents’ quality of life.
The Speaker indicated that he had chosen three charities to support during his term of office. These were SOUL (Social Organisation for Utility and Leisure), which united people through sports and leisure; THESIS Trust, an education support charity; and DEESHA, an organisation which delivers English for speakers of other languages through an adult learning programme for women unable to access mainstream education and training.
The Speaker concluded by stating that it was his privilege and honour to act as Speaker of the Council and he looked forward to working with Councillors from all political parties.