Announcements
To receive announcements and business brought forward by the Mayor, Leader, and Members of the Cabinet or the Chief Executive.
4.1 By the Mayor:
4.2 By the Chief Executive:
4.3 By the Group Leaders: Any apologies for absence
4.4 Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:
Councillor Williams Leader of the Council
Councillor Griffiths Housing
Councillor Williams Corporate and Contracted Services
Councillor Barrett Environmental Services
Councillor Banks Community and Regulatory Services
Councillor Anderson Planning and Infrastructure
Councillor Elliot Finance and Resources
Decision:
4.1 By the Mayor:
The Mayor announced the sad passing of former Dacorum Borough Councillor and Mayor, Allan Lawson. One minutes silence was held in remembrance.
4.2 By
the Chief Executive:
None.
4.3 By the Group Leaders:
Councillor Williams
gave apologies on behalf of Councillors Arslan, Banks, Bassadone,
Bhinder, Elliot, Harden, Sinha and Sutton.
Councillor Tindall
gave apologies on behalf of Councillors McDowell, Stevens,
Symington, Townsend and Woolner.
4.4 Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:
(Full details are in the minutes under Announcements of the Leader and Cabinet).
Minutes:
4.1 By the Mayor:
The Mayor announced the sad passing of former Dacorum Borough Councillor and Mayor, Allan Lawson.
Councillors Williams, Tindall and Guest shared their fond memories of Allan.
Councillor Williams: “Allan served as a Councillor for Adeyfield East from 2007 to 2015 and as Mayor of Dacorum in 2014/15. Allan was very committed to Adeyfield serving not only as a Councillor but also as a Governor of Adeyfield School for many years, as well as a Trustee of Adeyfield Community Centre; a role to which he gave a lot of time in supporting the centre.
Prior to his retirement Allan had a long career as a police officer, rising to a senior rank in the Metropolitan Police and in the later part of his service working overseas in Africa helping train and develop their police officers. Following his retirement and prior to being elected, he briefly worked for Dacorum in the CCTV control room.
Allan will be remembered as a gentleman who was always happy to help and support colleagues, he will be greatly missed.”
Councillor Tindall: “Although Allan was a Councillor in a neighbouring ward, we meet on occasions, particularly at the Adeyfield Neighbourhood Group meetings. A pleasure to be with, Allan was a thoroughly nice man, and our conversations ranged across a number of subjects, mainly to the benefit of local residents, and very seldom on politics. He will be missed.”
Councillor Guest: “I have fond memories of how when one year Sir Mike Penning MP was not available to switch on the Warners End Christmas lights, Allan as Mayor stepped up to the mark and did so, making the Warners End Christmas switch-on a memorable occasion. He was not just a good councillor, but a human being. When my husband and I often visited the Crown and Sceptre at Bridens Camp on a Saturday lunchtime, Allan would be habitually found propping up the bar. We would have a chat and the conversation would always turn around to the Council. He will be sorely missed.”
4.2 By the Chief Executive:
None.
4.3 By the Group
Leaders:
Councillor Williams gave apologies on
behalf of Councillors Arslan, Banks, Bassadone, Bhinder, Elliot,
Harden, Sinha and Sutton.
Councillor Tindall gave apologies on behalf of Councillors McDowell, Stevens, Symington, Townsend and Woolner.
4.4 Council Leader and Members of the Cabinet:
Councillor Williams, Leader of the Council
The Leader had nothing specific to update but welcomed questions.
Questions
Councillor Tindall asked if the Leader agreed with him that the present situation was undemocratic for the members having to self-isolate and therefore not being able to participate in hybrid meetings.
The Leader agreed and felt that the guidance should have been extended even though he wasn’t a supporter of the virtual meetings and wouldn’t have wanted them long-term. He said he would have fully supported an extension of the rules but we have to follow the guidance issued by the government.
Councillor Wilkie asked if the Leader accepted it was a complete contradiction ... view the full minutes text for item 4