Agenda and minutes

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to items on the agenda. 

There were no declarations of interest. 

To elect the Mayor of the London Borough of Enfield for the municipal year 2021/22.  

Councillor Caliskan moved and Councillor Stewart seconded the nomination of Councillor Sabri Ozaydin as Mayor of the London Borough of Enfield for the 2021/22 municipal year. 

In nominating Councillor Ozaydin, Councillor Caliskan was looking forward to working with him in the year ahead.  Councillor Caliskan paid tribute to all those who had lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic and welcomed the three new councillors.

The Conservative Group and the Community First Group stated they would be abstaining from the election of Councillor Sabri Ozaydin for a second term as Mayor.

AGREED that Councillor Sabri Ozaydin be elected Mayor of the London Borough of Enfield, for the 2020/21 municipal year.

Councillor Ozaydin then made and signed a declaration of acceptance of office. 

To elect the deputy Mayor of the Council for the municipal year 2021/22. 

Councillor Nesil Caliskan proposed and Councillor Stewart seconded the nomination of Councillor Christine Hamilton as the new deputy mayor.

Councillor Nesil Caliskan was pleased to nominate Councillor Christine Hamilton, a councillor who had served the people of Enfield for many years.

The Conservative Group and the Community First Group stated that they could not nominate Christine Hamilton as she felt that she had too recently been Mayor and that someone else should have had the opportunity.

AGREED that Councillor Christine Hamilton be elected as the Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Enfield, for the 2020/21 municipal year.

4.1       Appointment of Mayor’s Consort

The Mayor to announce the appointment of the Mayor’s Consort for the Municipal Year 2021/22.

4.2       Appointment of Deputy Mayor’s Consort

The Mayor to announce the appointment of the Deputy Mayor’s Consort for the Municipal Year 2021/22. 

1.            Appointment of Mayor’s Consorts

The Mayor thanked members for nominating him and announced the appointment of Ozlem Ozaydin and Emre Ozaydin as his consorts for the 2021/22 Municipal Year. 

2.            Appointment of Deputy Mayor’s Consorts

The Deputy Mayor announced the appointment of Ian Hamilton as her consort for the 2021/22 Municipal year.  

The Mayor will announce the appointment of the Young Mayor and Deputy Young Mayor for 2021/22. 

The Mayor said that it gave him great pleasure to be able to introduce Nevaeh West-Lawson as Enfield’s new Young Mayor, and  Mustafa Berk as the Young Deputy Mayor. 

The new Young Mayor, Young Deputy Mayor and Former  Young Mayor were unable to attend the Council’s Annual Meeting due to Coronavirus restrictions but would be invited to a ceremony in July 2021. 

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Anderson, Brett, Demirel, Eren, Hasan, Hayward, Lemonides and Rye.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Council meeting held on Tuesday 2 March 2021. 

The minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2021 were agreed as a correct record. 

The Mayor thanked councillors for allowing him to fulfil another year as Mayor and hoped that there would a celebration for his appointment in July 2021.

Members paid tribute to Monty Meth, the Chair of the Over 50s Forum. It was felt it was a great loss to Enfield as he had been an advocate for the borough his whole life.

The Mayor thanked officers, his friends family and colleagues for their support and work over the last year.

To note the appointments to Cabinet made by the Leader of the Council as detailed under item 10 on the agenda. 

Councillor Nesil Caliskan asked members to note the Cabinet appointments as set out below and as detailed on the list circulated before the meeting. 

1.            Cabinet Members

Deputy Leader:  Councillor Ian Barnes

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services:  Councillor Rick Jewell

Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability:  Councillor Guney Dogan

Cabinet Member for Finance & Procurement:  Councillor Mary Maguire

Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care: Councillor Alev Cazimoglu

Cabinet Member for Licensing and Regulatory Services:  Councillor George Savva

Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Cohesion:  Councillor Nneka Keazor

Cabinet Member for Public Health:  Councillor Mahtab Uddin

Cabinet Member for Social Housing:  Councillor Gina Needs

2.            Associate Cabinet Members

Enfield North:  Councillor Ahmet Hasan 

Enfield South East:  Councillor Mustapha Cetinkaya

Enfield West:  Councillor Katherine Chibah

Non Geographical:  Councillor Ergin Erbil

To receive a report of the Director of Law and Governance asking the Council to determine the constitution and political balance of the committees, joint committees and panels that have been set up for discharge of the Council’s functions.

Councillor Claire Stewart moved and Councillor Nesil Caliskan seconded the report of the Director of Law and Governance seeking Council approval to determine the constitution and political balance of the committees, joint committees and panels that had been set up for the discharge of the Council’s functions. 

AGREED

1.            That the seats allocated to each political party on the committees and boards to which section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 apply, be approved as set out in Appendix A to the report.

2.                  That in accordance with paragraph 3.3 of the report, the Council resolves (without dissent) that the rules of political proportionality should not apply to those bodies marked with an * in Appendix A. 

11.1    To establish Council bodies for the coming Municipal Year and to appoint memberships to these.

11.2    To confirm the terms of reference of those bodies. 

1.            Appointment of Council Bodies 2021/22:  Committee Membership List

Councillor Claire Stewart moved and Councillor Nesil Caliskan seconded the list of Council bodies to be established and membership appointments for the 2020/21 municipal year. 

AGREED to the establishment of the Council bodies for the 2021/22 Municipal Year and the appointment of their memberships as set out on the list circulated during the meeting with the amendments set out above. 

This was agreed unanimously. 

2.            Appointment of Council Bodies 2021/22 Terms of Reference

Councillor Claire Stewart moved and Councillor Nesil Caliskan seconded the motion to approve the terms of reference as set out in Part 2 of the Council’s Constitution. 

AGREED to confirm the terms of reference of those bodies as agreed in the report on changes to the committee structure above and as set out in Part 2 of the Council’s Constitution. 

This was agreed unanimously. 

To consider the Council’s representation on outside bodies and organisations as required.

Councillor Claire Stewart moved and Councillor Glynis Vince seconded the list of nominations to outside bodies for the 2021/22 Municipal Year as circulated during the meeting. 

AGREED the Council’s representation on outside bodies, as detailed on the green list circulated ahead of the meeting. 

This was agreed unanimously. 

The Council is asked to agree the authority’s Scheme of Delegation as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution. 

Constitution - Part 3

Councillor Claire Stewart moved and Councillor Glynis Vince seconded the authority’s scheme of delegation.

AGREED the authority’s scheme of delegation, as set out in Part 3 of the Constitution. 

This was agreed unanimously. 

To receive a report from the Executive Director Place on Enfield’s Blue and Green Strategy. The reports for this item will be to follow.

Council is asked to approve the strategy. 

Councillor Guney Dogan moved and Council Ian Barnes seconded the report of the Executive Director of Place.

NOTED

1.    The following key points were highlighted by Councillor Dogan, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability:

·         This replaces the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy and brings together water ways and green spaces;

·         The aim of the plan is to increase green cover in the borough by 25% by 2031;

·         The Strategy will create 12 new wetlands and greater accessibility to woodland space; and

·         Water quality in the borough will improve as a result.

2.    The comments of the majority groups included:

·       Officers have worked hard to produce the Strategy;

·      The input from residents and councillors had been the highest yet proving the need for the Strategy;

·      This Strategy sits alongside the Corporate Plan and the Council’s other documents;

·      The Strategy will provide access to all residents to green and blue spaces in the borough; and

·      Food production in the borough will be improved and increased.

3.    The comments of the majority opposition included:

·         Concerns remain as the Strategy does not consider health inequalities and green tourism;

·         There is a need for more sports facilities and sustainable farming in the borough;

·         The Green Belt and Crews Hill are not mentioned in the Strategy and assurances are needed for their future;

·         All parks and the green belt in the borough need to be protected;

·         The Regeneration and Economy Scrutiny Panel discussed the growth plan for 25,000 new homes;

·         Low Traffic Neighbourhoods were listed as a point of concern;

·         Concerns were raised around the cleanliness of the streets in the borough and large-scale events in Trent Park.

4.    The comments of the minority opposition included:

·         Felt the Strategy needs greater priorities and objectives focusing time, resources and delivery; and

·         Wanted to see more family sized homes being built in the borough.

After the debate the recommendations in the report were put to the vote and agreed with the following result:

For: 31

Against: 17

Abstentions: 1

To receive a report of the Director of Law and Governance containing amendments to the Council Constitution.

Council is asked to approve the changes to the Constitution as set out in the report. 

Councillor Nesil Caliskan moved and Councillor Claire Stewart seconded the report of Director of Law and Governance.

Members from the Main Opposition additionally made the below comments:

·         The Environment Forum focuses on the built environment with the changes the proposed terms of reference;

·         Having four scrutiny panel meetings per year with one of those being a work planning meeting will lead to the oppositions groups being unable to hold the administration to account;

·         The Statutory Scrutiny Officer instead of the Monitoring Officer should decide if there is enough resource to hold two additional meetings if required;

·         Raised concerns about only using a recorded vote when dealing with the Budget, although it was noted that members could still call for a roll call; and

·         That members of staff should be required to complete paperwork when making a complaint about a member.

Community First Group felt that the amendments benefitted those in power whereas the Constitution should limit them.

Councillor Caliskan responded by stating the new ways of working following the scrutiny review increased the Council scrutiny functions focus, and created a balanced and fair way of working.

After the debate the recommendations in the report were put to a vote and agreed with the following result:

For: 31

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

AGREED:

1.    To note the amendments made by the Monitoring Officer during the 2021/21 year.

2.    To agree the Monitoring Officer’s response to the matters raised by councillors throughout the year as detailed in the table contained in paragraph 29 of the report.

To receive a report of the Director of Law and Governance on the appointment of the Council’s Independent Persons. The reports for this item will be to follow.

Councillor Claire Stewart moved the report and reserved her right to speak, and Councillor Vince seconded the report. Councillor Vince stated she was looking forward to working with the appointments.

The appointments were unanimously agreed.

1.         To approve the calendar of Council meetings, including the proposed date for the next ordinary Council meeting on Wednesday 14 July 2021 at 7.00pm. 

2.         The Council is asked to approve the calendar for 2021/22, subject to any further changes/additions being delegated to the Director of Law and Governance in consultation with all party groups. 

AGREED

1.            The calendar of meetings of the Council for 2021/22 including the date for the next ordinary Council meeting on 14 July 2021.

2.            That approval of any further amendments to the calendar be delegated to the Director of Law and Governance in consultation with all groups. 

1.            To note that subject to Item 16.1 above, the next ordinary meeting of the Council will be held on Wednesday 14 July 2021 at 7.00pm. 

2.            To note that two extraordinary meetings have also been arranged for Thursday 20 May and Wednesday 9 June 2021. 

NOTED that the next ordinary meeting of Council will be Wednesday 14 July 2021; and, that two Extraordinary meetings will be held on 20 May and 9 June 2021.