Agenda and minutes

The Chief Executive opened the meeting and invited nominations for the positions of Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly for the 2017/18 municipal year.

The Assembly resolved to appoint Councillors Ghani and Ramsay as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly respectively.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 February 2017 were confirmed as correct.

The Director of Law and Governance introduced a report on the annual process of appointments to the various elements of the political structure and other internal and external bodies.

The Chair invited the Labour Group Secretary, Councillor Carpenter, to advise on the Labour Group’s nominations to the various positions to be appointed to.  The Labour Group Secretary referred to the schedule that had been tabled at the meeting.

Assembly resolved to agree the appointments to positions as set out in Appendix 1.

The Assembly received and noted the minutes of the JNC Appointments Panel held on 4 April 2017.

The Leader presented a report on the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2017/18.

The Leader advised that, in view of the continuing pressures on public sector funding and the Council’s finances in particular, it was proposed that no changes be made to the scheme for 2017/18, representing a freeze in allowances levels for the ninth successive year.

Assembly resolved to:

(i)  Agree that no increase be applied to Members’ basic and special responsibility allowances for the 2017/18 municipal year, representing a freeze in allowance levels for the ninth successive year; and

(ii)  Adopt the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2017/18, attached as Appendix A to the report, to come into effect from 18 May 2017.

The Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement introduced a report regarding the appointment of a parent governor (Secondary) Co-optee to the Children’s Services Select Committee.

The Assembly resolved to agree the appointment of Dr Jo Finch to the position of Parent Governor (Secondary) Co-optee on the Children’s Services Select Committee for a term of four years.

Moved by Councillor Bright and Seconded by Councillor Ashraf:

“This Council:

·  Notes that 2017 is the twenty-second anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which saw over 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed by Serbian nationalist forces;

·  Notes that in 2009 the European Parliament passed a resolution that 11 July should be recognised as the day of commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide all over the EU; and in 2015 urged the development of educational and cultural programmes that promote an understanding of the causes of such atrocities and raise awareness about the need to nurture peace and to promote human rights and interreligious tolerance;

·  Applauds the work of those involved in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their surviving relatives, including the International Commission of Missing People (ICMP) and the Mothers of Srebrenica, whose courage and humility in the face of unthinkable horror is an inspiration to us all; and

·  Commends the work of the charity, Remembering Srebrenica, in raising awareness of this tragic and preventable genocide and working in communities across Britain to help them learn the lessons of Srebrenica.

The Council resolves to:

·  Offer support to Remembering Srebrenica delegates from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham who visited Bosnia on the ‘Lessons from Srebrenica’ education programme and who have been working tirelessly in the community to raise awareness of the genocide and learn the lessons of Srebrenica;

• Support Srebrenica memorial events in July each year throughout the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham as part of the UK-wide Remembering Srebrenica Memorial Week; and

• Support the work of Remembering Srebrenica in communities across the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham to learn the lessons from Srebrenica and to tackle hatred and intolerance to help build a better, safer and more cohesive society for everyone.”

The Assembly voiced its support of the motion and welcomed the opportunity to further bring the Borough together as one community.

The motion was put to the vote by way of a show of hands andcarried.