At a special meeting of the Borough Council held on Tuesday, 27th October 2015 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber at the Hounslow Civic Centre, Lampton Road, Hounslow

Present: The Mayor, Councillor Nisar Malik (in the Chair) The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Myra Savin

Councillors: Keith Anderson, Candice Atterton, Felicity Barwood, Lily Bath, Raj Bath, Tom Bruce, Manjit Buttar, Peter Carey, John Chatt, Samia Chaudhary, Sam Christie, Steve Curran, Samantha Davies, Katherine Dunne, Colin Ellar, Richard Foote, Linda Green, Ajmer Grewal, Pritam Grewal, Puneet Grewal, Sachin Gupta, Bishnu Bahadur Gurung, Sam Hearn, Tina Howe, Hanif Khan, Gurmail Lal, Guy Lambert, Adrian Lee, Tony Louki, Paul Lynch, Khulique Malik, Ed Mayne, Gerald McGregor, Hina Mir, Sheila O'Reilly, Robert Oulds, Surinder Purewal, Shantanu Rajawat, Daanish Saeed, Sue Sampson, Jagdish Sharma, Peter Thompson, John Todd, Gurpal Virdi and Bob Whatley

1. Apologies for Absence, Other Announcements and Declarations of Interest from Members

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Harleen Atwal Hear, Bandna Chopra, Mel Collins, Theo Dennison, David Hughes, Elizabeth Hughes, Kamaljit Kaur, Mukesh Malhotra, Amrit Mann, Shaida Mehrban, Alan Mitchell, Sohan Sangha and Corinna Smart.

An apology for lateness was received from Ruth Cadbury MP who was delayed on Parliamentary business.

There were no declarations of interest.

2. Honorary Freemen Of The Borough (CEX100)

Members considered a report by Councillor Steve Curran, Leader of the Council.

With great pleasure, the Mayor made the following statement:

“As you know, the main business tonight is to make five deserving people freemen of the Borough – so I think we can all agree that the meeting will be a joyous celebration of each of their Council careers and promises to be one of the happiest meetings of the year.

I would also like to invite everyone to join me in a Mayoral reception after the meeting in the Conference Centre which is being held in honour of our five new freemen. I hope to see you all there.

We now move to the main item this evening which is the creation of five honorary freemen. The Council has in the past awarded the title to long-serving Councillors when they have served 25 years as a Member of the authority. We are lucky that in this fiftieth

1 year of the history of our Borough, we have five people who have been Councillors for half that time. Each of them has therefore been a Councillor for exactly half the time that Hounslow has been a Council. Furthermore, that is 125 years of public service between them, which I think you will all agree is a remarkable feat. And of course, they all look far too young for anyone to believe it.

It is also lovely to note that both political parties are represented amongst the nominees, and that somehow they have arranged to reflect the current political proportionality of the Council. This helps to make tonight’s meeting a proper celebration across the political spectrum.

The five people who we are to honour tonight are Councillors Raj Bath, John Chatt, Paul Lynch and Bob Whatley and of course Ruth Cadbury MP who had just completed twenty five years before she left us to take her place in the House of Commons earlier this year. These five people have been great local champions and dedicated community representatives over a quarter of a century, serving more than six Council terms and fighting at least seven Council elections! That is some staying power!

It is my great honour to be the Mayor during the year that we are honouring these five people, who we all know so well and who are not just colleagues but in many cases our friends – and sometimes old friends at that.”

The Mayor then explained that after formal moving and seconding of the report and its recommendations, he was proposing that the Council deal with the formal nomination process for bestowing Freedom of the Borough on the five nominees by seeking speeches of support for each candidate in alphabetical order, with the exception of those speaking for Ruth Cadbury MP in order to give her the chance to arrive at the meeting in time to hear them, following her formal apology for absence.

There being general consent to this approach, the Mayor invited Councillor Steve Curran, as Leader of the Council, formally to introduce the report and propose the recommendations.

In doing so Councillor Curran made the following comments: He was delighted to see so many former Councillors, officers, friends and family of the five nominees at the meeting. He stated that serving 25 years as a Councillor was a fantastic achievement. He doubted that the Council would again see a time when five deserving Councillors were honoured in this way at the same time. Each of the five nominees were highly respected individuals who had undertaken outstanding work for their residents and it was right that they should be honoured with the Freedom of the Borough. Each nominee had repeatedly and consistently put the needs of residents first by providing strong public service to them. He commended each of them and concluded by expressing his delight at being able formally to move the report and its recommendations.

Councillor Tom Bruce formally seconded the recommendations.

Conferral of the Freedom of the Borough on Councillor Raj Bath

The Mayor invited Councillor Jagdish Sharma formally to nominate Councillor Raj Bath as a Freeman of the Borough.

2

Councillor Sharma made a speech in nomination of Councillor Raj Bath and made the following comments: The awarding of the Freedom of the Borough on long serving Councillors was a good tradition within Hounslow and each of the five nominees was fully deserving of the honour. However, the honour was not conferred purely because of age but because the nominees in each case had acted with distinction in public service. He congratulated all five nominees and thanked them all for their good work for their residents and the Borough – and he gave them each his best wishes. He also commended the entire Council tonight for acting together at events like these and he described the Council as being noble at such meetings. However, it was his privilege to be able formally to nominate Councillor Raj Bath who he considered richly deserved the honour. He had been a dedicated public servant and had earned the award of the freedom. He wished to remind Members and those present of some of the details of Councillor Bath’s career so far. Councillor Raj Bath had originally come to the United Kingdom in 1965 from Punjab in India. He had previously served in the Punjab Civil Service for about three years as a District Employment Officer which was a gazetted post. He had a Masters degree in Economics and was also a law graduate and he had come to the United Kingdom in order to study at the London School of Economics. However, soon after his arrival in the country, he was selected for a job with the Inland Revenue where, over a thirty year career, he did well and was often promoted. Councillor Bath took early retirement from his career in 1994. He had first been elected to the Council representing the Heston West Ward in 1990 and went on to serve his residents with dignity and honour for twenty five years. In 1997, Councillor Bath had become Deputy Mayor and then the Mayor in 1998. Over the years, he had also served as Chair of the Social Services Committee, Chair of the Heston and Cranford Area Committee, Chair of the Planning Committee, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Committee and was a Cabinet Member in 2010/11. Outside of the Council, Councillor Bath had also served as a governor of Cranford Community College, Heston Community School and Berkeley School as well as being Chair of the Hounslow Multicultural Centre and the Chair of the Isleworth Old People’s Society. Councillor Bath continued to be very popular and highly respected in the community as well as being a very experienced Member of the Council, continually serving in Heston West Ward for his entire political career. As such, it was a privilege to propose that Councillor Raj Bath be made a Freeman of the London Borough of Hounslow.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Shantanu Rajawat to second the nomination of Councillor Raj Bath.

Councillor Rajawat did so and made the following statement:

“Thank you Mr. Mayor.

3 I am delighted to second Councillor Rajinder Bath’s nomination as Freeman of the Borough.

A curious privilege of freemen is their ability to drive sheep through the Borough without hindrance. I must say that it feels like Councillor Bath has been practising this for about 25 years! Every year, and particularly every four years, Councillor Bath herds his trusted team around the Heston West Ward, meeting and talking to local residents. He is particularly adept at making sure Councillor Lily Bath and I are not allowed to have a day off or an easy round despite all our bleating and crying! As the elder of our team, he has a particular look which lets you know that he does not like slacking!

It is a remarkable achievement continuously to represent the same ward for 25 years. I, however, am not surprised. I recall as a new Councillor, when knocking on doors and meeting residents, I was shocked that everyone I spoke to seemed to know Councillor Bath and always had warm words about him. Having worked with him for a number of years, I now understand that Councillor Bath has a unique ability to talk to people and explain matters in a way which residents and stakeholders understand. Whilst ultimately there may be dissatisfaction or disagreement over a decision or policy, it is always understood that Councillor Bath has worked hard to achieve a positive outcome and that his efforts are always respected. Councillor Bath not only believes in an open door policy, but actively works to promote this belief.

On a personal note, Councillor Bath has been an incredible mentor and father figure to me. He is always available to offer advice and guidance. In living and working by open dialogue, he regularly seeks the views and opinions of colleagues and friends around him and genuinely makes sure to act on the advice he receives regardless of how old the individual is.

I also wish to pay tribute to his wife, Mohinder, who has been his companion, friend, and often critic, but overall has been his rock throughout the many challenges he has faced as well as the good times.

For me Councillor Bath exemplifies the best traits of an immigrant community which arrived in the United Kingdom with a strong belief in integration with their host community alongside the firm belief in democracy and social inclusion which I know Councillor Bath holds at the core of his beliefs.

In closing Mr. Mayor, much is known about Councillor Bath - his love of red wine, his even bigger love of Scotch whisky, his strong ties to the Punjab. However, I believe that when reflected on, the real story of this Freedom of the Borough award is the fact that if one were to cut Councillor Bath in half, one would find a core deeply committed to Heston West and its residents, passionate about Hounslow, with a fundamental belief in equality and opportunity. This is what has driven Councillor Bath over the last 25 years and will continue to do so for years to come and this is what gives me so much pride and honour to second this nomination.

Thank you Mr. Mayor and congratulations to Councillor Bath.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked both Councillors Sharma and Rajawat for their comments.

4 Conferral of the Freedom of the Borough on Councillor John Chatt

The Mayor invited Councillor Colin Ellar formally to nominate Councillor John Chatt as a Freeman of the Borough.

Councillor Ellar made a speech in nomination of Councillor Chatt and made the following comments: He considered it easy to list the many achievements of Councillor Chatt during his twenty five years on the Council as these included being Mayor in 1989/90, Deputy Leader of the Council in 1990/91, Leader of the Council between 1991 and 2000 and then again between 2002 and 2004. He had been Leader of the Council for eleven years in total. Councillor Ellar had been delighted to act as the Deputy Leader under him and where he had had seen at close hand how well Councillor Chatt had served the Borough. Councillor Chatt had delivered many real and concrete achievements including a number of schools built or refurbished during the years he was Leader. The early 1990s were a difficult time for Councils in terms of financial funding, but he had still been able to ensure the building of the Edward Pauling School and others too. His policy of expanding schools was against the London trend but had served the Borough well since, and helped the Council avoid a schools places crisis once the population of the Borough started growing, particularly since the expansion of the Membership of the European Union. He had also been instrumental in ensuring that Brentford, Hounslow and Feltham Town Centres were either developed or proposals for such development, which were currently still ongoing, were initiated. The development of the Western International Market was another success for the Council under Councillor Chatt’s leadership: it had started by the riverside in Brentford but then moved to a better site in Cranford and as such was a Council asset which he described using the vernacular of the marketplace as a “good little earner”. These were just some of the improvements that Councillor Chatt had overseen as Leader of the Council. He had been equally active as Mayor and had helped oversee the twinning of the Borough with Leningradski, a district of Moscow, during his mayoral year. He had also paid visits to Jalandhar in India, which had long been proposed as a possible twin town, and Issy Le Molineaux in France, with whom the Borough had already been twinned. He had helped the Borough develop its continental and international roots. Councillor Ellar considered that Councillor Chatt was untainted by the characteristics of politicians which the public most disliked such as self-serving and self-centred attitudes, taking money for services, or increasing allowances by exorbitant amounts. Councillor Chatt had never acted in this way and accepted no favours in the course of his duties, nor lied to colleagues or the public – and as such he considered him a role model. He concluded by expressing his pleasure at being able to propose that Councillor Chatt be made a Freeman of the Borough.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Khulique Malik to second the nomination of Councillor John Chatt.

5 Councillor Malik did so and made the following statement:

“Councillor John Chatt has been known to me since we were selected as candidates for the Council election in 2014. What I experienced with him was very encouraging for me while we were campaigning and canvassing together for almost a whole year - and since we both were elected and became Councillors. I found John an excellent coach, who was supportive, reliable, humble and always there when you needed him. More than anything else for me is that he passed on his knowledge and experience which made me a confident Councillor.

I would also like to pay tribute to Gail, his wife. Without her support, John could not have taken on all the tasks he performed and for 25 years. She was a “Council widow” - not seeing very much of him and, being so often away from home, she was always frightened the dog would bite him when he returned after helping residents.

I am proud to be an elected Councillor with him in the same ward. He is well known by everyone locally and he works hard for them. It is therefore my pleasure to second him for the Freedom of the Borough.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked both Councillors Ellar and Malik for their comments.

Conferral of the Freedom of the Borough on Councillor Paul Lynch

The Mayor invited Councillor Peter Thompson formally to nominate Councillor Paul Lynch as a Freeman of the Borough.

Councillor Thompson in making the nomination of Councillor Lynch made the following statement:

“It is a great honour tonight that five more freeman and women of the London Borough of Hounslow are created. Each has made a significant contribution to Hounslow and each has a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. All those who receive Freedom of the Borough are ambassadors for Hounslow - helping to improve how our Borough is perceived locally, nationally and internationally.

I use the term, ‘honour’, for that indeed is what it is - an honour to say “thank you”, for all the hard work and commitment that you have each displayed over the last 25 years. The world has changed enormously since Paul was first elected – in the same month that he joined the Council, Latvia declared independence, east and west Germany were reunited and Romania held its first post-communist elections.

Labour was more than 20 points ahead of the Tories and the militant left had finally been routed in the party as those on the hard left choose to function outside Labour's ranks, forming the Socialist Party. How the world has changed!

Paul has always brought professionalism to the responsibility of being a Councillor. When he speaks, you listen – occasionally when he sings you have no choice but to listen.

6 He must have served on all the committees going at various times, but if I could single out roles where he had a very real impact, it would be on the Executive as Cabinet Member for Children’s Services where he served the young people of Hounslow with a dignity and professionalism that is admired by all who know him.

And secondly his time as Mayor – one highlight of this must have been the granting of the Freedom of the Borough to the 2nd battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and our Gurkha Victoria Cross (VC) heroes who we are proud have made Hounslow their home. It was indeed a magnificent display which brought the colour of pomp and ceremony to the streets of Hounslow. Paul was at the very heart of the proceedings, and I’m sure that everyone will agree that he did Hounslow proud on what was an extremely memorable day for all concerned.

Paul has always embraced, welcomed and respected the wonderful diversity of our Borough, the number of people who give of their own time to make life better for others and of the importance in the lives of so many of our residents of faith and religion. Throughout his mayoralty, he attended a staggering number of engagements. There are only 365 days in the year and how you found the energy to do all that you did – when there were many other demands on your time and thoughts in what was a challenging year for you and your family – I will never know. Actually I do have an inkling as to what made all that possible – the support of his wife, Prudence, and his sons, Harry and James.

Paul was once tempted by politics beyond Hounslow when in 1999 he put himself forward as Conservative candidate for Mayor of London – he created his wonderful image of a London festooned with blue posters urging voters to “Lynch Your Conservative Candidate” – sadly the party opted for Jeffrey Archer instead!

When I proposed Paul as Mayor in 2009 I said that he would bring a sense of duty, style, fun, and humour to the role - he did - but actually that pretty much sums up what he has brought to Hounslow over the last 25 years.

The Borough of Hounslow awards the Freedom of the Borough sparingly – but when it is awarded, it is to remarkable people.

Let me conclude with a personal thank you to Paul – your strength, your courage, your resilience serves as a beacon to all of us in public life – sometimes we may feel things are becoming difficult to cope with and wonder why we continue – you inspire us by your example and good common-sense. Over the years you have entertained us and served our residents well – on behalf of all of them – a sincere and heartfelt thanks to you and to your family.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Sam Hearn to second the nomination of Councillor Paul Lynch.

Councillor Hearn did so and made the following comments: It was a pleasure to support and second the nomination. It was some trepidation that he found himself making a speech after his Group Leader who had spoken so well in praise of Councillor Lynch.

7 However, he and Councillor Lynch were friends and colleagues, although Councillor Lynch had served the Chiswick Riverside ward for many years more before he (Councillor Hearn) had been elected. Councillor Lynch had been the beacon which had inspired him to seek election as a Councillor and he still depended on his advice and knowledge. He also thanked his wife, Prudence, and his sons for “lending him to us” and he considered that “our gain is their loss”. However, people may not be aware that Councillor Lynch was one of three generations of his family to dedicate themselves to public service and the community: his father had served in the Second World War in the Royal Air Force and his son, Harry, was a doctor who currently worked at the local West Middlesex Hospital. It was difficult to sum up Councillor Lynch for he had done so much – everything from being an auctioneer to being the embodiment of Father Christmas for many local children, from being a Mayor to being a father. He had a very engaging affable style and had achieved a lot by being open, friendly and showing humanity. The main lesson he had learned from Councillor Lynch was that being kind and friendly was more effective than being extremely party political. Councillor Lynch had also been active in the story of Chiswick House, helping to bring together all the interested bodies to ensure that it was reopened successfully. It was something about which the whole Council should be proud as its success was of national and international significance. More recently, Councillor Lynch’s grandson, Sam, had been born with some disabilities and this had opened his eyes to the struggles experienced by others. It was a measure of his abilities and his humanity that he could still learn about life’s experiences and wished to do so – and this had resulted in “a wonderful flowering late in his career”. It was almost unbelievable that anyone should serve as a Councillor for twenty five years and he (Councillor Hearn) saluted all who had done it. He considered that Councillor Lynch’s legacy was likely to be the little improvements that he had made happen – such as an improved Thames-side footway that was raised to avoid flooding, or a repaired fountain. In each case, Councillor Lynch had seen that something could be made better and acted to try to make it happen. Councillor Lynch improved and enriched the lives of many people quietly and without show. He therefore expressed his delight at being able to second the proposal to confer the Freedom of the Borough on Councillor Lynch and thanked him and his family for their tireless efforts on behalf of the community.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked both Councillors Thompson and Hearn for their comments.

Conferral of the Freedom of the Borough on Councillor Bob Whatley

The Mayor invited Councillor Tom Bruce formally to nominate Councillor Bob Whatley as a Freeman of the Borough.

Councillor Bruce made a speech in nomination of Councillor Whatley and made the following comments:

8 He considered it an honour to nominate Councillor Whatley as a Freeman of the Borough. Councillor Whatley had worked for over fifty years in the community; he had first joined the Labour Party when he was sixteen years old, which was fifty years ago this year. He had always been an active trade unionist and had also supported other community organisations. It was therefore a natural development that he should become a Councillor and he had subsequently been first elected to the Council in 1982 to the Hounslow Central Ward. He had now served twenty five years as a ward Councillor in different parts of the Borough but always with passion. He had previously been Chair of the Environment Committee and was now Chair of the Planning Committee. He had also worked with Friends of the Earth and it was there that he had met his partner, Rose McManus. They had now been together for thirty years – and she was another example of a long suffering spouse of a long serving Councillor. Councillor Bruce stated that he had only known Councillor Whatley for three years but he (Councillor Whatley) had shown him the proper way to campaign in an election – insisting on every front door being knocked upon. Councillor Whatley was well known to everyone in the ward which was the sign of a diligent Councillor. When Councillor Bruce introduced himself as the local candidate he was frequently told by residents that they thought their local Councillor was Councillor Bob Whatley. He had also asked Councillor Whatley’s friends for anecdotes that he might share with Members, but whilst he received a great many excellent and characteristic tales, few were suitable for use at such a meeting: he suggested that interested Members ask Councillor Whatley for details outside of the meeting, particularly in relation to a story involving a horse and a pub chair. He noted that Councillor Whatley had finally won the Hounslow South seat after three attempts in 2014, and had been congratulated by former Councillor Brad Fisher, the previous incumbent, who had said at the time “If I had to lose, I am glad to be leaving the ward to Bob Whatley”. He concluded by stating that it was a privilege to propose that Councillor Bob Whatley be made a Freeman of the London Borough of Hounslow.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Katherine Dunne to second the nomination of Councillor Whatley.

Councillor Dunne did so and made the following statement:

“I’m delighted to second Bob’s nomination.

I’ve only known Bob for around three years, but our connection goes back to before I was born - to when my parents lived in London and were involved in left-wing politics. They remember “Comrade Bob” fondly.

Bob has a fantastic record; he’s been a Labour Party Member since he was 16, was a shop steward for 40 years, a Member of Friends of the Earth, residents’ associations

9 and community groups - and now he has been a Councillor for 25 years. From everything I’ve heard, he has always strived to do his best for the people he represents.

What’s so great about Bob receiving the Freedom of the Borough is that now he has permission to knock on every door in the Borough. He’s already knocked on every one in Hounslow South, and quite a few other wards too! The Labour Party contact rate in Hounslow South was unparalleled in the run up to the 2014 election. We could never catch up in Syon Ward, despite having a pretty crack team ourselves!

I have a great working relationship with Bob. It was a pleasure to be Vice-Chair to his Chair on the Planning Committee last year, and a greater pleasure to dissect things afterwards in the pub.

So – to keep things short and sweet – congratulations to Bob. I know he’s really proud to receive this honour, despite his anti-establishment leanings, and I know that Rose and the family are proud of him too.

I know this is the last thing he wants to hear, but Bob, here’s to your next 25 years on the Council!”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked both Councillors Bruce and Dunne for their comments.

Conferral of the Freedom of the Borough on Ruth Cadbury MP

The Mayor was delighted to observe that Ruth Cadbury MP had been able to attend the meeting in time to hear the speeches of nomination, so he invited Councillor Lily Bath formally to nominate Ruth Cadbury MP as a Freeman of the Borough.

Councillor Lily Bath made a speech in nomination of Ruth Cadbury and made the following comments: She congratulated all five nominees present at the meeting on whom the honour of the Freedom of the Borough was to be conferred. It was however her pleasure to be able to propose former Councillor Ruth Cadbury as a Freeman of the Borough. She observed that Ms Cadbury had telephoned her only two days ago to ask her if she would act as her proposer. Whilst she had been delighted to do so, she did observe that this had been an excellent example of her “famous advance planning”. Ms Cadbury’s timekeeping was also notorious and Councillor Bath observed that you could set clocks by it – but only when the clocks went back an hour in October. Councillor Bath also suggested that her own speech might pay tribute to Ms Cadbury’s non-concise way of speaking but observed that if she did, Members might still be present in the Council Chamber at 11.00pm. However, she clarified that despite her jocular observations, she had huge admiration for Ruth Cadbury and her public service over the years. Councillor Bath had been first elected to the Council in 2006 which was the year that the Labour Group lost control of the Administration – a situation she likened to “winning a raffle at a funeral – a mixture of personal happiness in a sad environment”. However, Ruth Cadbury had been supportive, knowledgeable and had acted as her mentor – and she was very grateful to be able to share her vast experience.

10 Ms Cadbury had been first elected to the Council in 1986 at the age of twenty-seven in the then Gunnersbury Ward. Within a year she had been elected the Chair of the Planning Committee. She had faced some blatant sexism from Councillors at the time and on one occasion was asked by a male Councillor when she was going to get married and “stop causing trouble” to which she had replied that the Councillor in question had been married for a long time and it had not stopped him. Ms Cadbury was re-elected in 1990 and after having a child, Joe, in 1992, she brought him to meetings as a baby where he would usually sleep under the committee table: On one occasion, he woke up and his crying surprised a number of guests who were present at the meeting. Finding that combining being a Councillor with looking after children was hard, Ms Cadbury and then Councillor Pam Wolfe were instrumental in persuading the Council to allow childcare expenses to be reclaimed in order to help them, as elected Councillors, to attend meetings. More recently, in 2014, Ms Cadbury had worked hard in the General Election campaign and the Labour Group had been proud that she had been successful in becoming the Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth. She considered that Ruth Cadbury had many skills and talents – probably too many comfortably to list given time constraints at the meeting, but her attempt to make elderflower champagne was not one of them – and had nearly resulted in her blowing up Brentford. She concluded by expressing her delight that Ms Cadbury was being honoured by the Council and so proposed that she be made a Freeman of the Borough in recognition of her impressive public service.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Myra Savin to second the nomination of Ruth Cadbury MP.

Councillor Savin did so and made the following statement:

“After first being elected in 1986, and serving to 1994, Ruth took a four year break but clearly, the allure of the Civic Centre was too much, and she stood in the 1998 elections for the then Clifden Ward, covering the other half of Brentford. The boundaries changed for the 2002 elections and Ruth won the new Brentford ward, along with Labour’s Patrick Edwards, and to the surprise of everyone, the Brentford Football Club’s fan’s party representative, Luke Kirton.

Ruth was Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport for two years and is proudest of the Heathrow Campaign; taking the issues that we face of noise and congestion directly to ministers, civil servants and national journalists. Often going with Hounslow officer Rob Gibson, perhaps the UK’s leading expert on aviation noise outside of the aviation industry As a result we retained runway alternation and the night flight regime and won £25m for Hounslow’s schools for noise insulation.

Councillor Colin Ellar, on becoming Leader in 2004 persuaded Ruth, despite her initial resistance, to become the Education and Children’s Services lead, a role she eventually admitted to enjoying.

Labour went into opposition in the 2006 election with Ruth becoming Jagdish’s deputy. Ruth spent more time in Scrutiny than previously, which proved good learning for her

11 present role in Parliament! During this time she worked for the Local Government Association Leadership Academy, supporting senior Councillors from authorities across England and Wales. She also worked for national cycling charity Sustrans advising them on working with local and national government.

On Labour’s return to power in Hounslow in 2010, Ruth became Deputy Leader, and for three years had the Economic Development and Regeneration role. Anticipating the impact of the new Coalition Government’s welfare “reforms” [cuts to most of us] Jagdish agreed to give Ruth and additional portfolio – Financial Inclusion. She set up a council/public and voluntary sector working group to address what she knew would be extreme hardship problems for many local residents. From that work emerged the Hounslow Community Foodbox, which now ensures hundreds of families in crisis every month get emergency food.

Following a meeting in 2010 of 1000 West London residents in Hammersmith, Ruth committed the Borough to adopting the London Living Wage for its workforce and those of its contractors, so Hounslow became one of the first accredited living wage authorities.

She was also Hounslow’s Olympics and Jubilee lead Member. It didn’t get her free tickets for the Olympics, but did mean she met the Duke of Edinburgh.

After a short stint as Chair of Planning, Ruth went to the backbenches in late 2013, as she had been selected by party Members to be Labour’s candidate in this year’s General election, which as you know, she won. She stood down from the Council in June, after 25 years and one month service as a Councillor.

Everyone in Hounslow knows Ruth Cadbury who has served the community with dedication and integrity for many years. She often also shows small acts of kindness to others which she does not talk about. She has been a great Councillor: many Councillors and volunteers in the Labour Party are there due to Ruth – and I don’t know how we’ll manage without her. I therefore am pleased to second the nomination. Well done, Ruth.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked both Councillors Lily Bath and Savin for their comments.

Speeches of General Appreciation

The Mayor stated that he knew that there were many people in the Council Chamber who would like to speak in praise of the proposed freemen this evening: each of the nominations were popular and accomplished Councillors or former Councillors - and there were many stories to tell. However, he was also aware that there was only limited time and so he stated that he would be inviting one speech from each of the political groups on the Council celebrating the dedication of all five our proposed freemen.

He therefore invited Councillor Tony Louki, on behalf of the Labour Party, to address Members.

Councillor Louki did so and made the following statement which was received by all Members in a jocular vein:

12 “Please indulge me and let me start off with a couple of clichés. There’s not much I can say about these giants of the Hounslow political scene, these legends in their own luncheon clubs, these trouble makers, that hasn’t already been said and I could sit back down right now (as many of you would wish I would). But some of you know me, I’ve never been one to waste a good gig.

25 years? You get less for murder but multiply that by five and were talking of a Texas style jail term or an execution (Hounslow style – plug them all in to the Council’s planning portal – as a cheap and haphazard alternative for a real good show).

Had circumstances been different and I the bottle (and the confidence of my party and the voters) there might be six mugs getting the gong tonight plus the freedom to drive the wrong way round the Ossie Garvin Roundabout and their feet washed by His Grace the Duke of Northumberland every Leap Year Michaelmas.

Like Councillors Bath and Lynch the first time I had the pleasure (perhaps the only time I had any) was in 1990. Theirs however has been continuous until now and I say fair play to both of them.

Councillors Cadbury, Chatt and Whatley were from an earlier class - that of 86 and each skipped an election: Ruth in 94 for babies, John in 06 because he saw sense and Bob in 02 when he started the tunnel works in Hounslow South. He was captured twice, only to emerge safely in May 2014.

So we’ve got these five guys, with quite a bit in common, some more common than the rest but each with their own superlatives. All have stood for Council seven times and all bar Bob Whatley won each time.

Fortitude? I would say it’s a toss up between Bob and Paul Lynch on who is the bravest of these five. Whatley because of his dogged conviction that Hounslow South Ward would be won again and won well with hard work, even at the third attempt. But maybe Lynchey, a close second if you knew his running mates in Chiswick Riverside back in the day (even the ones he has now), plus his best out of three arm wrestle win over the unmissed Nirj Deva MP to break the tedium during the five early morning Turnham Green Ward recounts back in 94.

Top of the pops? It depends, Ruth Cadbury MP who led the poll twice in Gunnersbury Ward and five times in Brentford? Or Raj Bath who has clocked up some 14,400 votes since 1990?

I know that if you added the 25,000+ we got for her in that famous victory back in May she’d be well out in front but I would I still give it to Raj. He has consistently called me brother for the past 25 years and I think he might have meant it, even if he doesn’t know how much I like it.

Look, I know I haven’t said much about local boy made good, John Chatt, but out of the lot of them, as Mayor, Deputy Leader, Leader and stunt double for Jackie Pallo, he’s had his head above the parapet and arms twisted more times than the rest of them put together although Ruth is no doubt about to find this out for herself.

For some strange reason, John and I always got on, sometimes too well, occasionally getting him in to trouble with his lovely and much brighter other half, Mrs Chatt, Gail.

13 Now he’s really worried, I can see it, he’s thinking, “is that Louki about to pass around those 10 x 8s from the Labour Local Government Conference, Nottingham 1993?” (I’d be worried too Ruth - let me see, who else?). “Has he got those telephone answering messages from way back in the 90s cued and ready to go?” Well, as it happens….roll it please, Thomas! [silence] No, don’t worry John, don’t worry anyone. All your real secrets both political and personal are safe with me; past, present and, I hope, future.

We’ve all seen colleagues and comrades come and go and each has left a mark, not just here in the Civic Centre but across, around and about Hounslow. Friends, family and residents often ask what do you do? What’s it like? Occasionally I tell them being a Councillor can often annoy or it can satisfy and a bit of both in between. But it’s tempered by a reasonably friendly, occasionally sincere but always entertaining (in my little mind anyway, don’t ask) bunch of colleagues of which these five: Raj Bath, Ruth Cadbury, John Chatt, Paul Lynch and Bob Whatley we honour tonight.

I should also ask that it be recorded and that we mark here tonight, the sad passing of a former Mayor of Hounslow and Councillor for Hounslow Central Ward. I would request that the Mayor, at the end of this item, asks the chamber to stand in silence for the late Councillor Sham Singh Jassar. Didn’t make it as a Freeman of the Borough of Hounslow but the holder of a different and rare for us, honour of being a Freeman of the City of London as well as being an honest, good, ordinary comrade and well loved family man.

Thank you.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Louki for his speech. He then invited Councillor Gerald McGregor, on behalf of the Conservative Party, to address Members.

Councillor McGregor did so and made the following comments: The Conservative Group was delighted that there five freemen of the Borough to be elected and that the make up of the five individuals and of the event as a whole was celebratory and non-partisan. He praised Councillor Louki for the humour in his speech which had been much appreciated by all those present in the Council Chamber. He knew that sometimes being a Councillor could be thankless and there were times when all Members wondered why they did it. However, the answer was always the wish to help local residents – and tonight the Council was rightly recognising five phenomenal people who had dedicated themselves to precisely that sense of public service over twenty five years. He praised Councillor Raj Bath for his loyalty and commitment to his residents. He considered that this was reflected in his work for the Hounslow Multicultural Centre where he was a much admired figure. He praised Councillor John Chatt for his fair chairing of the Pension Fund Panel and the Audit Committee, of which they had both been Members. He considered that both bodies had worked well and Councillor Chatt had shown all the attributes of good leadership. He praised Councillor Bob Whatley for his commitment to social justice throughout his career. He considered that the Council needed to be a “broad church” fully to represent residents and there was a place for sincere ideology. Councillor Whatley had served

14 well and positively as a Councillor, but, in a light hearted manner, he described his election to the Hounslow South Ward as “a lease rather than a freehold”. He praised Ruth Cadbury for always being kind, generous and pleasant, and her public service was underpinned by her strong Quaker beliefs which he much appreciated. Whilst he was sad that the Conservatives had lost the Brentford and Isleworth Constituency to her as a Labour candidate, he considered that she deserved to be in Parliament and he was certain that she would do a good job for all residents. He praised Councillor Paul Lynch as a dear friend and a great orator – he recalled the speech he had given at the hustings for the London Mayor some years ago which he considered the best of the night. He had a great capacity for things which was wonderful. He concluded by declaring all the nominees as worthy of the honour of Freeman of the Borough and commended them all to the Council.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor then thanked Councillor McGregor for his speech and praised both him and Councillor Louki for their “wonderful words”

Speeches from the Nominees

The Mayor advised that it was right and fitting that the Council hear from the nominees themselves and stated that he would be asking each of them to address Members.

He therefore invited Councillor Raj Bath to address Members.

Councillor Bath did so and made the following statement:

“Mr Mayor,

First of all I am very grateful to all the Members for honouring my services with this award tonight. I means a great deal not just to me but also to my family, friends, Labour supporters and all my constituents. I am very proud to be receiving this honour.

As many of you know, I have been serving the Council for over 25 years. I was first elected in 1990 in a ward that had previously been a Conservative ward, and since then I have been elected 7 times in a row, with an increased majority at every election. I am fortunate to hold the highest majority of any Councillor in the whole of this Borough.

But none of this would have been possible without the tremendous help and hard work of my supporters and constituents - all of whom have shared in the belief that we can make a difference to the area; that we can make the area a better place to live for all its residents, and I am pleased that some of you are here this evening.

This honour is one we share together.

I would also like to add that I regard myself very fortunate to be living and representing my constituents in one of the world’s most democratic and tolerant societies. As an immigrant, the welcome and support I have received has given me the encouragement to take on the responsibility of representing my constituents to the best of my ability. I am very grateful to this country for this honour.

15 Finally, I couldn’t leave tonight without giving special thanks to my family, especially my wife, who has been acting as my unpaid secretary for the last 25 years. I’ve lost count of the number of phone calls she has taken on my behalf, and I am grateful to her for providing a warm welcome to all constituents from all walks of life. I also wish to express my thanks for my doctor, who is here tonight, for taking care of my health during my illness.

And of course, I’d like to thank you, Mr Mayor, for agreeing to hold tonight’s special meeting and the reception afterwards and also my fellow Councillors here in this chamber tonight. Last but definitely not least, thank you to all the staff at Member Services for their kind support. A big thank you to all of you.

This is everyone’s honour.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Raj Bath for his comments and then invited Councillor John Chatt to address Members.

Councillor Chatt did so, and he made the following comments: His family had first come to Hounslow 191 years ago and he was sure that they would be proud of him if they had been at the meeting: it had taken them all this time to be recognised by the Council – whereas it had only taken him 25 years. He thanked Councillor Nisar Malik as the Mayor, Councillor Steve Curran as the Leader of the Council and Councillor Peter Thompson as Leader of the Opposition for their kind words about him and the other proposed freemen. He observed that he had spent a third of his life on the Council which was quite a time to dedicate to any project. He recalled how both he and Ruth Cadbury had been first elected at the same time in 1986 and was amazed at how long they had known each other. He was proud that the Chatts had lived in the area for so long a time – and he considered that Hounslow had been good to him and given him a good education. He was proud that the Borough’s schools were so good and had been so for so long – and he was happy to have been able to increase the number of them in Hounslow by building more. It was such foresight that had subsequently saved the Council much money. He thanked Councillor Louki for his humourous speech and stated that “he puts such a wonderful slant on things”. He thanked Dierdre Lewis, the then Labour Party Ward Secretary, and stated that it was because of her that he had been persuaded to stand as a Councillor in 1986. He then added thankfully that “you can’t buy the experiences I’ve had here…I’ve seen so much of life that I wouldn’t have seen if I hadn’t been elected and pushed into it”. He thanked Council staff for the help given to him and other Members over many years. He then thanked Councillors Colin Ellar and Khulique Malik for their kind speeches proposing and seconding him for the honour. He thanked all Members, of all parties, for “putting up with me” and paid tribute to all Councillors for the healthy respect and debate that they offered each other both behind and across the political divide. He concluded by thanking his wife, Gail, who had had to live with him all the time he had been a Councillor, and put up with the demands that made on them both: he recalled with gratitude how she had had to take time off work in order to attend events with him

16 as his mayoress, but he paid tribute to her by declaring that “I couldn’t have done it without her”. He then thanked everyone for the honour of being made a Freeman of the London Borough of Hounslow.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Councillor John Chatt for his comments and then invited Councillor Paul Lynch to address Members.

Councillor Lynch did so by making the following statement:

“It is, as my colleagues have said, a great honour to be joining this select company of Freemen. It is humbling to think of those whose admittance as freemen I worked for, the VC holders, and the difference between what they did to achieve it, display incredible bravery, and what I did, hang on for 25 years. It is a great privilege to be part of group which includes the world’s bravest men.

It is a point from which to look back over a political career which was largely accidental. It began in 1983 when I saw a quote from the Leader of the Council, in the paper, announcing moves to “raise the political consciousness of residents.” I saw that as a proposal for far left propaganda on the rates, and vowed to fight back. At that moment, Dick Langton knocked on the door on a Membership drive, and I was off !

I have held many important and interesting posts in this Council, Leader of the Opposition, Lead Member for Children’s Services, Mayor. Never Leader of the Council, but there is a local election in 2018, so who knows.

It must be said that life as a Councillor does not enhance family life. My family has endured much, and supported me solidly. It would have been impossible otherwise.

The truly astonishing part of life as a Councillor is the involvement with the people of the Borough. I feel sure that I have been a better, more compassionate person by frequent exposure to real life tragedy, and even to lives far less comfortable or secure than my own. Sometimes one can help, all too often one cannot, truly hard are those times one realises that no one could help.

The truth is Councillors actually do very little, we facilitate. We put people in touch with those who do things, and so I have tried to include among my guests this evening representatives of some of the groups and committees where I have been able to contribute. If I have achieved anything it is with the help, support and urging of these and other groups.

Dharma Tamang is here from the Ghurka Nepalese community, who have made me one of their own, and given far more than they receive.

Rosemary Day is here from the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust. This Borough has achieved a breathtakingly beautiful restoration of a unique landscape of global importance through clever partnership working.

17 Cadet Petty Officer Amy Bales is here from Chiswick Sea Cadets, whose support I have had my whole 25 years, parading for me on Remembrance Day without fail, and leading my mayoral procession down Chiswick High Road.

David Clarke of the RNLI represents my links with the river Thames, which has been an important strand through everything I have done in the last 25 years.

It is people such as these, many more of them all over the Borough, in so many groups, who have helped and encouraged me just as I tried to help and encourage have them. I hope and pray colleagues that we can all continue to value and be valued by the people. That is what gives meaning to our role.”

Councillor Lynch then concluded his speech of thanks by observing that when Councillor Louki had read out the list of names of the five people to be made freemen at the meeting, he had realised that they might be sung comfortably to the tune of an old British folk song that had come to mind, and so he ended the speech with an impromptu rendition of Widdecombe Fair, to wit:

“Tom Pearce, Tom Pearce, lend me your grey mare. All along, down along, out along lea. For I want for to go to Widdecombe Fair, With Raj Bath, John Chatt, Paul Lynch, Ruth Cadbury, And Old Uncle Bob Whatley and all, Old Uncle Bob Whatley and all.”

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Paul Lynch for his comments and then invited Councillor Bob Whatley to address Members.

Councillor Whatley did so by making the following comments He did not feel it would be easy to follow Councillor Lynch’s singing. He had come from two generations of Labour Party activists and so he had been happy to first stand as a Labour candidate in the Spring Grove Ward despite not winning. Then, after a Councillor stood down in Hounslow Central Ward, he was invited to stand for the vacancy which he considered a great honour as it was where he had been born and brought up. He had been raised in Myrtle Road by a “fairly poor working class family” which welcomed education and self improvement and had encouraged him to think. He had been delighted then to be elected in the ward in 1982 where, in addition to serving the public, he had made many lifelong friends. He had enjoyed sitting on Committees and sometimes chairing them, as now as Chair of the Planning Committee, but he found most pleasure in trying to deal with the problems of everyday people. As all Councillors knew, members of the public come to Members because they cannot “open doors” with organisations like the Council. It was his great delight to be able to help and to win little victories. He recalled other successes such as the work he did with the late Councillor Crawshaw to create the Bedfont Lakes Country Park; he was pleased how together they had been able to push officers to make it a reality and do a deal with Thames Water to create a nature reserve from the old reservoir basin.

18 He also recalled fondly the fight to prevent a previous Government building a motorway on greenbelt land in the Borough including in Hanworth Park and on Hounslow Heath. Working with Councillor John Chatt, they had created a leafletting campaign and organised the community in Hanwoth and Feltham to object to the proposals and this had resulted in a mass meeting, and a march which had been successful in persuading Stephen Norris MP, then Minister for London that he was mistaken that people wanted the new road. He considered that it was the victories that had made the work worthwhile for him. He thanked all Members who had expressed kind words about him at the meeting, and in particular Councillors Tom Bruce and Katherine Dunne. He concluded by reminding Councillor Bruce that he was not finished yet and that there were still more political leaflets for him to deliver.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Bob Whatley for his comments and then invited Ruth Cadbury MP to address Members.

Ruth Cadbury did so by making the following comments: She wished to reassure everyone in the Chamber that she would not be singing. She also self-deprecatingly apologised to everyone for the many times she had arrived late at a meeting – including this evening, although she clarified that it was for the excellent reason that she had been voting in Parliament. She thanked Councillors Lily Bath and Myra Savin for their kind words, particularly as they had only had relatively short notice in terms of being asked. She regretted that not everyone she would have liked to attend had been able to come to the meeting but she extended her thanks to all those who had helped her succeed in her career as a Councillor over twenty five years and now as a Member of Parliament – including her husband Nick, her sons Joe and Sam, and the Labour Party activists who had helped her in her election campaign earlier in the year. She observed that people often asked her what it was like to be in Parliament and she observed that she had experienced a culture shock on moving from the Soviet Style architecture of the Civic Centre to the fantasy neo-gothic Hogwarts-style Houses of Parliament. She had not missed the time it took to get things done in the Council, and the out of date ICT (information and communication technology), nor the enforced cuts to frontline Council services arising from Government budgetary reductions. She did miss being in power and she felt frustrated that she was not in a position to make decisions to improve people’s lives as she had been able to do when a Councillor. However, most of all she had missed her Councillor colleagues and friends. She thanked Seema Malhotra MP for being her mentor and observed that it had once been the other way round. She then recalled how she had been persuaded to stand for election in 1986 when the then Gunnersbury Ward had only just been created. She had been the ward secretary within the Labour Party locally and it had been suggested to her that she should stand as she was “less scary than other possible candidates” – and she had been subsequently elected to the Council where she was to serve for twenty-five years. She recalled that after a few years on the Council, she had been invited to serve as Mayor for a year, but this had been to remove her from front bench politics, so she had declined.

19 She then recalled with pride her continued involvement in the campaign to improve the lives of residents in the face of planned expansions of Heathrow Airport. The long running campaign had really commenced with the decision to build Terminal Five without any mitigation for people living nearby. Consequently, she had then persuaded the Council to employ a public affairs consultant which resulted in the key players in the aviation world becoming aware that Hounslow was the Borough most affected by the Airport which in turn had led to improved negotiating power and benefits for residents. She also expressed pride in the smaller achievements that had improved lives locally, such as the introduction of zebra crossings in various places, the regeneration of the Clayponds Estate, etc. She paid tribute to the area of Brentford where she lived and which was the ward she had long represented. She also thanked “the many wonderful Council officers” with whom she had worked over twenty-five years, and she added that if she had to single one out over all others it would be Rob Gibson, from the Environment Department (as was). She thanked Carol Pearce and Jennifer Morgan in Members Services for making so many of the arrangements for the meeting and then concluded by expressing her delight at being made a Freeman of the Borough and doing so on the same day as so many other colleagues and friends in the Council.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

The Mayor thanked Ruth Cadbury MP for her comments.

The Mayor then made the following statement:

“I think it is an honour for all us to have so many freemen in the building with us tonight – both as serving Councillors and as former Councillors who have come back for tonight’s meeting.

Being a Freeman of the Borough is to be part of a select club and rightly so, for serving the Borough and its residents faithfully for twenty five years is an impressive record and it is right that we should mark it.

Therefore, it is my great pleasure to ask Members if they agree with the recommendation in the report which is to admit Councillors Raj Bath, John Chatt, Paul Lynch and Bob Whatley and Ruth Cadbury MP to become freemen of the London Borough of Hounslow.”

Having put the proposals to the vote, it was unanimously

RESOLVED –

That Councillors Raj Bath, John Chatt, Paul Lynch and Bob Whatley and Ruth Cadbury MP be admitted as Freemen of the London Borough of Hounslow.

The Mayor then invited the five new freemen to join him at the mayoral dais where he presented them with the formal certification in the form of an illuminated scroll bestowing upon them each the Freedom of the Borough.

Members showed their support with a round of applause.

20 After the presentation, the Mayor and the freemen returned to their seats.

The Mayor thanked all those present for their contributions to the discussion and advised that at the conclusion of the meeting, he was holding a reception in honour of the five new freemen and he invited everyone to attend. He also expressed his respect and gratitude to the five new freemen for their dedicated public service over so long a period.

3. Proposed Town Twinning Arrangements with Jalandhar (CEX101)

Members considered a report by Councillor Steve Curran, Leader of the Council

The Mayor invited Councillor Curran to introduce the report and to propose the recommendations. Councillor Curran did so and made the following comments: The Council had been exploring the possibility of twinning with the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation in the Punjab region of India. He noted that the area had a connection with the Borough which reached back to 1847 and the annexation of the Punjab, when the 13th Light Dragoons who were based at the Hounslow Barracks, practiced on Hounslow Heath in anticipation of the first Anglo- Sikh war. The relationship continued to this day as there were many familial and business connections between current residents of the Borough and Jalandhar. The Council itself had previously planned to twin with the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation in 1995 and although this had not happened, there had been a political wish from both Authorities for it to take place. Councillors John Chatt and John Connelly had visited Jalandhar in the past. The idea of twinning with Jalandhar was important to many in the Indian community within Hounslow. As there was no associated cost to residents, he supported the proposal.

Councillor Shantanu Rajawat seconded the proposal.

The Mayor invited discussion on the report and the following comments were made: Councillor Peter Thompson observed that the proposals had “arrived out of the ether” and had only been made public on the publication of the agenda last week. He regretted that the Labour Administration had not had the courtesy to advise the Conservative Group of the plans. He considered that in all proposals to initiate town twinning plans, a clear public benefit needed to be identified and plans drawn up to make the twinning successful. The report had not mentioned either of these. He also wondered if residents had the means and enthusiasm to develop the town twinning relationship properly as this had not been the case in the past. However, he clarified that it was the process to which the Conservative Group was objecting rather than town twinning itself. Nonetheless, the Conservative Group would not be able to support the proposals due to the lack of information in the report. However, he appreciated that the meeting had been a joyous and good natured one so far, and he was keen to keep things on that footing, so he intended to leave it at that. Councillor Gerald McGregor observed that the report had stated on page nine that no consultation had taken place in relation to the proposal. He also noted that the London Borough of Hillingdon had recently undertaken a thorough review of its town twinning and he proposed that Hounslow did something similar. He then expressed his own position which was that he opposed the proposals in the report due to the nature of the pre-independence campaign that took place prior to 1947; he considered that the Indian

21 Congress Party had acted badly by trying to stir up trouble in the region which had resulted in increased tensions between those of different religions, which had been used by the predominantly Hindu population to push Muslims out of the area. Attempts had also been made to deprive Sikh residents of their land which were only just defeated. He considered that the proposal to twin with Jalandhar was a poor use of Council resources, particular as in his opinion there was some democratic deficit in the political and administrative operations in Jalanhdar, such as extreme corruption amongst the judiciary there. Councillor Gurpal Virdi stated that he did not agree with the assessment of Councillor McGregor. He supported the proposals as a way of helping to encouraging stronger links between the two areas and the two countries, which in turn would help improve the situation in India. He was aware that a number of women had travelled to Jalandhar in the past and subsequently disappeared in suspected “shame killings”. It was his view that closer links would help stop this happening. Councillor Shantanu Rajawat expressed disappointment that the Conservative Group was unable to support the proposals, although he appreciated the even handed comments of Councillor Thompson. He reminded all Members that the proposals were contemporary and not backwards looking in that the Council was proposing to twin with Jalandhar as it was today. He accepted that they might be good reason to do a review of all town twinning links but he did not think that it was a reason not to proceed in this case. Councillor Raj Bath expressed his strong disagreement with the comments of Councillor McGregor. In his view, the Punjab region was a very democratic state and the town twinning proposal would help increase the opportunities for people in Hounslow to invest there. There being no more comments, the Mayor invited Councillor Curran to sum up the debate. Councillor Curran did so and made the following comments: He was disappointed with the comments made by Councillor McGregor which he considered to be outside of the spirit of the meeting. He was of the view that Councillor McGregor’s comments was backward looking and stopped people moving forward. Hounslow as a multicultural area and so he supported the town twinning proposals.

The Mayor then put the proposals to the vote and it was

RESOLVED –

That the London Borough of Hounslow twin with the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation.

This was a majority decision.

4. Local Code of Corporate Governance (CEX102)

Members considered a report by Councillor Corinna Smart, Cabinet Member for Corporate Performance and Customer Care.

In the absence of Councillor Smart, the Mayor invited Councillor Curran to propose the recommendation.

22 It was proposed by Councillor Curran, seconded by Councillor Katherine Dunne and unanimously

RESOLVED –

The Code of Governance at Appendix 1 of the report be agreed and for this to be published on the Council’s website; That responsibility be delegated to the Head of Governance and the Head of Audit in consultation with the Chair of the Audit Committee to make amendments to the Code as may be necessary ; and That, subject to 2 above, authority be delegated to the Head of Governance to arrange for the Council’s website to be updated to reflect up to date versions of the Code

5. Date of Next Meeting

Members noted that the next ordinary meeting of the Council was scheduled for Tuesday 24th November 2015 and would commence at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber.

The Mayor then informed Members of the sad news of the recent death of former Councillor Sham Singh Jassar, who had been a Councillor representing the Hounslow Central Ward between 1986 and 2006. He had also been Mayor of the Borough in 1990-91.

Members then stood in silent tribute in memory of former Councillor Jassar for one minute.

The Mayor thanked Members and then closed the meeting.

The meeting ended at 9.45pm

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