Here is a summary of the scheduled discussions for the Council meeting on 17 July 2025. The agenda included an election of a chair, declarations of interest from councillors, and an exempt report regarding staffing matters. Members were also expected to discuss excluding the press and public from part of the meeting.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Councillors were scheduled to discuss and vote on a resolution to exclude the press and public from a portion of the meeting. This exclusion would apply to an item involving exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972¹.

Election of Chair

The agenda included the election of a chair. Councillor Dr Rohit Kumar Dasgupta was listed as the current Chair of Council, and Councillor Imam Haque as Vice Chair of Council.

Declarations of Interest

Councillors were asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests² or non-pecuniary interests they might have had regarding any items on the agenda. According to the Members' Declarations of Interest Guidance, disclosable pecuniary interests, as covered by the Localism Act 2011³, must be declared, and councillors with such interests were expected to withdraw from the meeting during the discussion of the relevant matter. The guidance also stated that:

A person with whom you have a close association is someone who is more than an acquaintance, and is someone you are in contact with over a period of time, whether regularly or not. It is someone that a reasonable member of the public might think you would be prepared to favour or disadvantage when discussing a matter which affects them and so covers friends, colleagues, business associates, or someone you know through social contact.

The guidance clarified that general dispensations had been granted to all members until the Annual Council meeting in 2026, meaning members would not need to leave the meeting if their disclosable pecuniary interest arose from circumstances such as: an interest common to the majority of inhabitants in their ward; council housing (unless related to their own particular tenancy); or school meals and/or transport (unless relating to their own child's school).

Exempt Report - Staffing Matters

An exempt report concerning staffing matters related to chief officers was listed on the agenda. Access to this report by the public was to be excluded under Rule 12.1 of the Access to Information Rules, citing categories 1, 4, and 5 of rule 11.5.