Agenda and minutes

(a)            To elect the Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.

(b)            Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the newly elected Lord Mayor.

1.1           Proposed by Councillor Peter Freeman and seconded by Councillor Christabel Flight that Councillor Lindsey Hall be elected Lord Mayor of Westminster for the ensuing year.

1.2           Proposed by Councillor Guthrie McKie and seconded by Councillor Tim Roca that Councillor Ruth Bush be elected Lord Mayor of Westminster for the ensuing year.

1.3           Upon a show of hands, the Lord Mayor declared that Councillor Lindsey Hall had been elected Lord Mayor.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Lindsey Hall be elected Lord Mayor of Westminster for the ensuing year.

Councillor Lindsey Hall thereupon made and subscribed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office of Lord Mayor and of the Office of Deputy High Steward of Westminster.  Having done so, she took the Chair and thanked the Council for her election and reported that Mr Robert Hall would be her primary Consort.

To sign the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council meeting held on 18 April 2018.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 18 April 2018 were, with the assent of the Members present, signed by the Lord Mayor as a true record.

The Lord Mayor announced that she had appointed Father Gary Bradley as her Chaplain.  The Chaplain then led the Council in a moment of reflection.

The Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Council, presented Councillor Ian Adams with a past Lord Mayor’s badge and the Vote of Thanks on Vellum as agreed by the Council at its previous meeting and also presented a past Lord Mayor’s badge to Mr Christopher Colosimo.  Councillor Adams then thanked the Council on behalf of Mr Colosimo and himself.

(a)      Notification by the Lord Mayor of appointment of the Lord Mayor’s Chaplain.

(b)      To present the past Lord Mayor’s badge and other insignia.

(c)      Other Communications (if any).

The Lord Mayor informed the Council that the Annual Civic Service would be held at Westminster Abbey at 11.00am on Sunday 1 July 2018 and all present were welcome to attend.

The Chief Executive to submit a return of Councillors elected for the 20 wards in the City at the elections held on 3 May 2018 and details of the notification received of Members of the Political Groups including Leaders, Deputy Leaders and Party Whips.

The report of the Chief Executive was noted.

To be moved by the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.

Proposed by Councillor Tim Mitchell and seconded by Councillor David Harvey that Councillor Nickie Aiken be elected Leader of the Council.

Motion put, and on a show of hands, declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Nickie Aiken be elected Leader of the Council.

To consider and receive a report of the Chief Executive and the Director of Law.

The report was noted.

To receive from the Leader of the Council, notification of:

(a)            The Cabinet Members, including the Wards they represent and their delegated authorities;

(b)            The terms of reference of the Cabinet and any Cabinet Committees;

(c)             Any delegation of executive functions to any area committees or in any joint arrangements and delegations of executive functions to officers;

(d)            To notify any Lead Members and the areas of responsibility.

The report of the Leader of the Council was noted.

To receive and consider the report and recommendations of the Chief Executive and the Director of Law as to the appointment and proportional allocation of places on Standing Committees to the Political Groups on the Council in accordance with the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 (as amended) and as to the appointment of members to Committees in accordance with those regulations.

The report of the Chief Executive and the Director of Law was submitted.

The Lord Mayor put the recommendations set out in the report to the vote and on a show of hands declared these to be AGREED.

RESOLVED:

1.       That the Standing Committees be established as listed in 2 below and their Terms of Reference as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

2.       That the Council confirm the proportional division of seats on the Standing Committees as shown in column 3 of Appendix B of the report circulated at the meeting, as set out below:

          Committee                                            Members     Proportionality

                                                                                           Cons       Labour

          Audit and Performance                           4                  3              1

          General Purposes                                  4                  3              1

          Westminster Scrutiny Commission          6                  4              2

          Family and People Services P&S            8                  5              3

          City Management and Public                  8                  5              3

          Protection P&S

          Economic Development, Education,        8                  5              3

          Community and Place Shaping P&S

          Committee

          Housing, Finance and Customer             8                  5              3

          Services P&S

          Standards P&S                                      8                  5              3

          Pensions Fund                                       4                  3              1

          Planning and City Development              19                14            5

          Licensing Committee                              15                11            4

                                                                       90                62            28

3.       That the Members appointed to the Standing Committees by the Chief Executive following notification received from the respective party Chief Whip under the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as amended, set out in Appendix B of the report tabled at the meeting, be noted.

4.       That he Council’s Constitution, including the Scheme of Delegations to Officers in respect of Non-executive function, be endorsed.

5.       That the Joint Committees established in accordance with Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972, as detailed in paragraph 3.8 of the report, be agreed.

6.       That the Members Allowances Scheme be amended to reflect a 2% increase in the Basic Allowance and each Special Responsibility Allowance with effect from 1 June 2018 and officers be authorised to amend the Scheme accordingly.