At the annual meeting of the Westminster City Council, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg was elected as the new Lord Mayor, succeeding Councillor Robert Rigby. The council also approved changes to the Procurement Code and confirmed the allocation of places on standing committees.

Here's a more detailed look at the key discussions:

• Election of the Lord Mayor
• Vote of Thanks to the Outgoing Lord Mayor
• Constitutional Matters
• Changes to the Council's Constitution

Election of the Lord Mayor

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg was elected as the new Lord Mayor of Westminster. Councillor Ruth Bush proposed the motion, which was seconded by Councillor Hamza Taouzzale. Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg then signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, officially assuming his responsibilities.

Vote of Thanks to the Outgoing Lord Mayor

The council expressed its gratitude to the outgoing Lord Mayor, Councillor Robert Rigby, and his consort, Emiko Murai Rigby, for their service. Councillor Rachael Robathan moved the vote of thanks, highlighting Councillor Robert Rigby's hard work, dedication to the community, and successful fundraising efforts for his chosen charities, the Cardinal Hume Centre and the MCC Foundation. Councillor Paul Swaddle seconded the motion, praising Councillor Robert Rigby's energy and commitment.

Councillor Robert Rigby, in his response, thanked members for the opportunity to serve and highlighted some of the special moments from his year, including community events, visits to care homes, and marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day. He also expressed his delight in promoting Japan and his Catholic faith during his time in office.

Constitutional Matters

The council addressed several constitutional matters, including the allocation of places on standing committees. The council approved the allocation of seats on the standing committees and noted the names of the members appointed to them, as detailed in Appendix A of the report.

The confirmed proportional division of seats on the standing committees is as follows:

Changes to the Council's Constitution

The council approved changes to the Procurement Code, as summarised in Section 4 and displayed in Appendix A of the report. The council also approved the Council's Constitution, inclusive of the changes, as set out in Appendix B.

The changes to the Procurement Code include:

• Replacing the wording on 'acceptable' waivers with a statement advising that waivers can be requested only in exceptional circumstances.
• Clarifying the difference between waivers and breaches of the code.
• Drafting a separate guidance document on waivers for officer use.
• Making minor wording changes to remove ambiguity and correct editorial errors.

The updated Procurement Code incorporates the Responsible Procurement Policy, which places new obligations on officers involved in procurement and commissioning. This supports the council's Fairer Westminster aims, including supply chain carbon reduction, improved air quality, and increased biodiversity. The code mandates that all contracts valued at £100,000 and above must include responsible procurement commitments, accounting for a minimum of 10% of the total evaluation in tenders.

The Local Government Act 2000 requires local authorities to adopt a written constitution and keep it up to date.