Minutes:
The Mayor made the following announcements.
Reverend Dr Steve Griffiths from St Andrews Church, Enfield was thanked for offering the blessing at the start of the meeting.
1. Update on Mayoral Engagements
The Mayor took the opportunity to highlight the range of engagements he had been involved in supporting, since taking up office. This had included:
· engagements across the borough and further afield;
· meeting Royalty, marking Armed Forces Day, visits to organisations involved in supporting the young and elderly and attending the London Youth Games at Crystal Palace, where Enfield had achieved a respectable 8th place;
· welcoming a number of new citizens to Enfield;
The Mayor advised that he had been particularly impressed by the welcome and hospitality he had received when visiting Murrayfield Care Home and from the children of the Prince of Wales School who were undertaking a wonderful project in terms of growing and producing their own food.
During August, the Mayor advised that he would be taking a long overdue trip to visit his parents in Turkey and so he took the opportunity to wish all councillors a relaxing summer.
2. KRATOS (Children in Care Council)
The Mayor then moved on to welcome representatives from KRATOS (Children in Care Council) who he had invited to attend the meeting in order to highlight the range of work they were involved in supporting. The Mayor informed members that KRATOS had been formed to represent the views of looked after children and care leavers in Enfield, with the organisation actively engaged in supporting looked after children and care leavers.
Over the past year over 100 young people had been involved in a variety of events and activities organised through KRATOS, giving them a say about the support they received from Children Services, Health and Education.
The Mayor invited five representations from KRATOS to come forward and briefly address Council, in order to highlight the range of work and support being provided and priorities for their organisation moving forward.
The representatives invited to address the meeting included the chair and three young people currently in foster care. The range of support and activities highlighted included:
· the provision of a safe and supportive environment in which to meet and interact with people from similar backgrounds.
· The opportunity to take part in training and development of other skills e.g. young leaders programme; Duke of Edinburgh Award; young inspectors programme; professional development of social care staff and Princess Diana awards
· The provision of an advocacy service for young people in care or care leavers.
Members thanked the representatives for the attending the meeting in order to highlight the work being undertaken by KRATOS.
3. Members Conduct
The Mayor completed his announcements by reminding members, as this was the first Council business meeting of the new Administration, that he would be seeking their co-operation in ensuring that meetings were conducted with due respect for each other, the office of Mayor and the Constitution.
Members were reminded of the need to conduct themselves in a manner which upheld the reputation of their office and of the Council and to comply with the rules of debate, which included refraining from interruption or private conversations whilst other members were speaking.
Whilst not wanting to use them, he reminded members of the power he had as chair (under Council Procedure Rule 19) to ensure good conduct at Council meetings. These included, moving that the member concerned be not heard further or leave the chamber.