Issue - meetings

Before moving the first item listed on the main Council agenda, the Mayor advised Members that he had agreed to the inclusion of two urgent items for consideration at the meeting.  He then invited John Austin (Assistant Director Governance Projects) to make a brief statement advising how it was intended to deal with both items.

John Austin referred members to the Supplementary Council Agenda, which contained a report from the Director of Finance, Resources & Customer Services (No.213) detailing two petitions, which although still subject to final verification, appeared to contain the required number of signatures for debate at Council.  The required figure was 3124 (1% of the assessed population based on the 2011 census population).

Members were advised that the first petition related to the site of the Green Dragon Public House and the second to the former Middlesex University site in Trent Park.  It was confirmed that the Mayor had agreed to deal with both petitions as urgent items (pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended) on the grounds that they had firstly been received after the dispatch of the main Council agenda and secondly as both petitions concerned live applications under the Assets of Community Value nomination process and could not therefore await consideration at the next ordinary business meeting in July 2015.

In addition, members were advised that the main Council agenda included a motion (Agenda Item 14.4) submitted in the name of Councillor J.Charalambous which also directly related to the petition on the former Middlesex University site in Trent Park.

Council was informed that the Leaders of both Groups had therefore agreed to recommend a change in the order of the agenda (under paragraph 2.2 (page 4-6) of the Council Procedure Rules) in order to enable both petitions to be considered as follows:

·                Firstly to receive and consider the petition on the Green Dragon Public House, in accordance with the Council’s Petition Procedure.  Under the procedure the lead petitioner (Mike McLean) would have 5 minutes to address Council.  This would be followed by a 15 minute period for debate by Council, prior to Members being asked to consider the recommendations in the report circulated with the Supplementary Agenda.

·                Having dealt with the petition on the Green Dragon Public House, Council would then move on to consider the petition relating to the former Middlesex University site in Trent Park as part of the motion submitted on the same issue with Councillor J.Charalambous (as lead petitioner) having agreed to combine both items.  The normal rules of debate in relation to motions would apply for this item.

The change in the order of agenda (as set out above) was agreed unanimously without a vote with the minutes reflecting the order in which the items were dealt with at the meeting.

Councillor Stewart moved and Councillor Taylor seconded a proposal to change the order of business on the agenda under paragraph 2.2 (page 4-6) of the Council Procedure Rules to enable the meeting to take the following as the next item of business:

Item 14.4: Motion in the name of Councillor Barry seeking support on the campaign for tax justice.

The change in the order of the agenda was agreed, without a vote.

Please note the minutes reflect the order in which the agenda items were dealt with at the meeting.