Agenda, decisions and minutes

Noted - That Councillor Jit Ranabhat be appointed as the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for the municipal year 2024-2025.

Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Council moved the nomination of Councillor Jit Ranabhat to be Mayor for the new Municipal Year.  Councillor Matt Hartley, Leader of the Opposition seconded the nomination.

The Mayor put it to the vote and it was agreed unanimously.

Resolved -

That Councillor Jit Ranabhat be appointed as the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich for the municipal year 2024-25.

Noted - That Councillor Ranabhat had given notice that he intended to appoint Councillor Linda Bird as his Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2024-2025 be noted.

Councillor Jit Ranabhat stated that he intended to appoint Councillor Linda Bird as his Deputy Mayor for the municipal year 2024-25.

Resolved –

That Councillor Jit Ranabhat had given notice that he intended to appoint Councillor Linda Bird as his Deputy Mayor for the Municipal Year 2024-25 be noted.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Nas Asghar, Majella Anning, Sandra Bauer, Jo van den Broek, Maisie Richards Cottell, Lauren Dingsdale, John Fahy, Sam Littlewood, ‘Lade Olugbemi, Denise Scott-McDonald, Aidan Smith and Danny Thorpe.

Resolved –

That the list of Councillors’ membership (as Council appointed representatives) on outside bodies, joint committees and School

Governing Bodies is noted.

The Mayor spoke in tribute to Councillor John Hill who had sadly died on 24 April.  Councillor Hills had been a serving councillor for over 20 years and had served on numerous committees and panels.  He was dedicated to serving his constituents.  The Mayor sent condolences to his family.

Councillors Matt Hartley, Anthony Okereke, Cathy Dowse, Denise Hyland, Pat Greenwell, David Gardner and Leo Fletcher all spoke in tribute to Councillor Hills.

Past Councillors Nigel Fletcher and Charlie Davis also spoke in tribute.

The Council held a Minute’s silence in memory of Councillor John Hill and Fusilier Lee Rigby on the anniversary of his murder.

Noted the Members of Cabinet, as appointed by the Leader of the Council, as follows:

Councillor Anthony Okereke - Leader of the Council and Chair of Cabinet

Councillor Averil Lekau - Deputy Leader and Vice-Chair of Cabinet

Councillor Ann-Marie Cousins

Councillor Denise Hyland

Councillor Adel Khaireh

Councillor Mariam Lolavar

Councillor Pat Slattery

Councillor Aidan Smith

Councillor Jackie Smith

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan

Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Council formally moved the report.

Resolved –

That the Members of Cabinet, as appointed by the Leader of the Council, be noted as follows:

Councillor Anthony Okereke - Leader of the Council and Chair of Cabinet

Councillor Averil Lekau - Deputy Leader and Vice-Chair of Cabinet

Councillor Ann-Marie Cousins

Councillor Denise Hyland

Councillor Adel Khaireh

Councillor Mariam Lolavar

Councillor Pat Slattery

Councillor Aidan Smith

Councillor Jackie Smith

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan

Noted the allocation by the Leader of the Council of Cabinet

portfolios, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Noted the Leader’s General Scheme of Delegation for 2024-2025, as

detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

Noted the appointments made by the Leader of the Council to serve

on joint committees and outside bodies which exercise executive

functions or which advise on executive matters, as detailed in

Appendix 3 of the report.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Anthony Okereke formally presented the report.

Resolved -

1. That the allocation by the Leader of the Council of Cabinet

portfolios, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report be noted.

2. That the Leader’s General Scheme of Delegation for 2024/25, as

detailed in Appendix 2 of the report be noted.

3. That the appointments made by the Leader of the Council to serve

on joint committees and outside bodies which exercise executive

functions or which advise on executive matters, as detailed in

Appendix 3 of the report be noted.

Noted the appointment of Members by their Party Groups to the offices listed below for the 2024/25 Municipal Year:-

Council Chief Whip                      Councillor Elizabeth Ige

Deputy Chief Whip                      Councillor Leo Fletcher

Leader of the Opposition             Councillor Matt Hartley                  

Chief Whip of the Opposition      Councillor Pat Greenwell

The Mayor moved the report.

Resolved –

That the appointment of Members by their Party Groups to the offices listed below for the 2024-25 Municipal Year be noted:-

Council Chief Whip                      Councillor Elizabeth Ige

Deputy Chief Whip                      Councillor Leo Fletcher

Leader of the Opposition             Councillor Matt Hartley                  

Chief Whip of the Opposition      Councillor Pat Greenwell

Agreed to establish the following Member-level Bodies for 2024/25 to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions:

          Standing Member-Level Bodies

Audit and Risk Management Panel

Borough-wide Housing Panel (Vice-Chair only)

Corporate Parenting Partnership Board

General Purposes Committee

Health and Well-Being Board

Licensing Committee

Local Area Planning Committee

Local Housing Panels (Vice Chairs only)

Margaret McMillan Field Study Centre Sub-Committee

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Overview and Scrutiny Call In Sub-Committee

Pension Fund Investment and Administration Panel

Planning Board

Scrutiny Panels (x6)

Standards Committee

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)

Consultative Bodies

Greenwich Council Joint Committee

Schools Forum

Agreed the allocation of seats on Member-level bodies as set out in Appendix A, and that Part 3 Schedule B of the Constitution [membership numbers] be updated accordingly (Annexe 1).

Agreed the terms of reference of all Member level bodies for 2024/25 (Appendix B) and that Part 3 of the Constitution (Responsibility for Functions) be updated accordingly.

Agreed the Chairs of the Scrutiny Panels for 2024/25 (Appendix C).

Agreed that Dr Susan Blackall be appointed as Chair of the Standards Committee (and consequently Vice-Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Panel) and that Dr Susan Blackall (vice-chair) be appointed as an independent member of the Standards Committee.

Agreed that the Chief Executive be authorised to (a) establish, in consultation with the Party Group Leaders, individual Appointment Panels based on the requirements of the post; and (b) appoint, in consultation with the Leader and Party Whips, Members to Appointment Panel.

Agreed that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the relevant Party Whip, be authorised to appoint to any vacancies on the bodies listed above or any that may arise during the Municipal Year 2024/25.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Anthony, moved the recommendations in the reports.

The Mayor put the recommendations to the vote and it was unanimously

Resolved –

1.       That it be agreed to establish the following Member-level Bodies for 2024-25 to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions:

         Standing Member-Level Bodies

Audit and Risk Management Panel

Borough-wide Housing Panel (Vice-Chair only)

Corporate Parenting Partnership Board

General Purposes Committee

Health and Well-Being Board

Licensing Committee

Local Area Planning Committee

Local Housing Panels (Vice Chairs only)

Margaret McMillan Field Study Centre Sub-Committee

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Overview and Scrutiny Call In Sub-Committee

Pension Fund Investment and Administration Panel

Planning Board

Scrutiny Panels (x6)

Standards Committee

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE)

Consultative Bodies

Greenwich Council Joint Committee

Schools Forum

2.       That the allocation of seats on Member-level bodies as set out in Appendix A, and that Part 3 Schedule B of the Constitution [membership numbers] be updated accordingly (Annexe 1) be agreed.

3.       It be agreed that the terms of reference of all Member level bodies for 2024/25 (Appendix B) and that Part 3 of the Constitution (Responsibility for Functions) be updated accordingly.

4.       That the Chairs of the Scrutiny Panels for 2024/25 (Appendix C) be agreed.

5.       That Dr Susan Blackall be appointed as Chair of the Standards Committee (and consequently Vice-Chair of the Audit and Risk Management Panel) and that Dr Susan Blackall (vice-chair) be appointed as an independent member of the Standards Committee.

6.       That the Chief Executive be authorised to (a) establish, in consultation with the Party Group Leaders, individual Appointment Panels based on the requirements of the post; and (b) appoint, in consultation with the Leader and Party Whips, Members to Appointment Panel be agreed.

7.       That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the relevant Party Whip, be authorised to appoint to any vacancies on the bodies listed above or any that may arise during the Municipal Year 2024/25 be agreed.

Appointed Members to the Member-Level Bodies that deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions for the 2024/25 Municipal Year.

The Chief Whip, Councillor Elizabeth Ige, moved the report.

The Mayor put the recommendations in the report to the vote and it

was unanimously

Resolved -

That Members be appointed to the Member-Level Bodies that deal with

matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive

functions for the 2024-25 Municipal Year, as detailed in the report.

Approved the outline calendar of meetings of the Council and other Member-Level Bodies for the Municipal Year 2024/25.

The Mayor moved the report.

Resolved –

That the outline calendar of meetings of the Council and other Member-Level Bodies for the Municipal Year 2024-25 be approved.

Appointed Members to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2024/25  in accordance with the Chief Whip’s Nominations as listed in the appendix to the report

The Chief Whip, Councillor Elizabeth Ige, moved the nominations for the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s representatives on outside bodies, as detailed in the appendix to the report.

Councillor Sarah Merrill commented that she was also on the Board of Woodlands Farm Trust and had been for about 10 years.

The Mayor put the Chief Whip’s nominations to the vote and it was unanimously

Resolved –

That the appointment of Members to serve on outside bodies for the Municipal Year 2024-25, in accordance with the Chief Whip’s Nominations as listed in the appendix to the report be agreed