Agenda and minutes

1.1      Motion moved by the Lord Mayor and seconded by Councillor Ellie Ormsby, that Councillor Patrick Lilley be elected as Relief Chair.

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

To present the past Lord Mayor’s badge and other insignia and Vote of Thanks.

2.1      Councillor Tim Roca moved the Vote of Thanks to Councillor Hamza Taouzzale and his Consort, Ms Soad El-Gharras. Councillor Iman Less spoke to second the motion.

2.2      Motion put, and on a show of hands, the Lord Mayor Declared the motion CARRIED following which Councillor Taouzzale replied.

RESOLVED:

1.        That the Council resolved to record a Vote of Thanks to Councillor Hamza Taouzzale for the distinguished service rendered by him as Lord Mayor and to his Consort, Ms Soad El-Gharras for the constant and invaluable help given by her as the Lord Mayor’s Consort.

2.        We assure them of our gratitude for, and high appreciation of, the dignity and ability with which they have carried out their many duties in accordance with the highest traditions of the City and this Vote of Thanks be inscribed under the Common Seal and presented to them.

To sign the Minutes of the Meetings of the Council held on 17 May.

3.1      The minutes of the proceedings at the Council meeting held on Wednesday 17 May 2023 were, with the assent of the Members present, signed by the Lord Mayor as a true record of the proceedings.

4.1      The Lord Mayor referred to these as set out on the agenda.

5.1      There were no declarations of interest.

With the approval of the Chair of the meeting, the Leader of the Council may make a statement on an urgent matter and the Leader of the Opposition will have an equivalent right of reply.

6.1      There were no urgent matters.

7.1      Councillor Paul Swaddle presented a petition from local residents requesting that Labour Cabinet Members donate their recent 45% increase in allowances to charity. The petition was referred to the relevant Chief Officer for reporting to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform.

7.2      Councillor Ed Pitt Ford presented a petition from local residents to support the Sussex Street playground in Pimlico. The petition was referred to the relevant Chief Officer for reporting to the Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality.

The Lord Mayor will invite members of the public who have been chosen to present their question or petition.  After which the relevant Cabinet Member or Committee Chair will respond.

8.1      Members of the public presented two petitions and asked three questions which were responded to by the relevant Cabinet Members. The questions and responses are available on the Council’s website.

The Lord Mayor will call Members who have indicated that they wish to ask a question after the Leader of the Opposition has asked her questions

9.1      The questions, supplementary questions and replies are included as a recording on the Council’s website.

Councillor Jessica Toale – ‘Preserving the Character of the West End’

10.1    Preserving the Character of the West End

Councillor Jessica Toale spoke, and Councillor Geoff Barraclough replied.

To consider any items for debate.

11.1    No items were selected for debate.

To receive, consider and debate, if chosen, the following report which contains recommendations to the Council for approval and adoption.

12.1    The Lord Mayor put the recommendations of the General Purposes Committee report to the vote and on a show of hands declared the recommendations adopted.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council approved the Amended Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2023-2024 which included amending the number of SRAs payable to Cabinet Members from six to seven and Deputy Leaders of the Opposition from one to two.

Motion 13a – Fairer Westminster

13.1    The Majority Party had selected for debate the notice of motion as set out on the agenda. The notice of motion was moved by Councillor Ellie Ormsby and seconded by Councillor James Small-Edwards.

13.3    During the debate it was noted that Councillor Lorraine Dean raised a point of personal explanation and Councillors Selina Short and Ralu Oteh-Osaka raised points of order.

13.2    Following the debate, The Lord Mayor put the motion to the vote and following a show of hands declared the motion CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

That this Council notes that:

·        This administration was elected with a commitment to build a Fairer Westminster. Creating a more equitable economy and society in Westminster, which puts our residents and communities first. It notes the principles and plans set out in the 2023/24 Fairer Westminster Delivery Plan.

·        The Council has recently become a signatory to the Unison Ethical Care Charter, making a commitment to improving protections for care workers and improving outcomes for service users. It has also created a unique Dirty Money Charter with the New West End Company (NWEC), the Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA), the Fair Tax Foundation and others to call for national change to tackle economic crime and corruption, whilst doing what we can here in Westminster.

·        Westminster is proud of its vibrancy and diversity, and its history of welcoming refugees and displaced people from around the world fleeing conflict, climate change, inequality, discrimination and violence. On the latest published figures, Westminster is home to 763 people who are here on the Homes for Ukraine scheme, 997 asylum seekers of which 851 are in Home Office Contingency hotels, 7 refugee families resettled through the UK Resettlement and Afghan Resettlement pledge, and we are responsible for 54 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and 212 former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children care leavers.

·        Council of Sanctuary designation is awarded by the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network to institutions that are welcoming to those fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries, and protecting the rights of all migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees. There are 33 members in total (10 in London, including recently in Camden where this designation was adopted unanimously) and 11 that have achieved the full award (1 in London).

·        Councils can have a significant impact on their local area by promoting better mental health. Westminster takes its responsibility to care for its residents’ mental health seriously and recognises the impact it can have.

·        Councillors represent their community and where possible Councillors, as a whole, should reflect the diversity of their community, particularly those with protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation). The Co-operative Party’s Diverse Councils Declaration sets out ideas for increasing diversity in local government by suggesting ways to remove barriers standing in the way of a more diverse and inclusive democracy.

This Council believes that:

·        Our vision for a Fairer Westminster must extend to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.