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Annual Meeting of the Council, Borough Council - Tuesday, 27 May 2025 7:30 pm

May 27, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

The annual meeting of the Borough Council of the London Borough of Hounslow was scheduled to include the election of a new Mayor and the appointment of a Deputy Mayor, as well as the establishment of and appointments to various council bodies and outside organisations. Also on the agenda was a request to waive the six-month rule for Councillor Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal due to ill health.

Election of Mayor and Appointment of Deputy Mayor

The meeting was to begin with the election of the Mayor for the upcoming municipal year, followed by the appointment of the Deputy Mayor. After these appointments, the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Karen Smith, was to be thanked for their service.

Establishment of and Appointments to Council Bodies

The council was scheduled to discuss the establishment and appointment of members to various council bodies for the 2025/26 municipal year. These bodies play a crucial role in the council's decision-making processes.

The report pack included a list of the bodies to which appointments were to be made, including:

  • Sub-Groups of the Cabinet, such as the Shareholder Committee
  • Overview and Scrutiny and Associated Sub-Groups, including the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Overview and Scrutiny Call-In Sub-Committee, the Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel, the Health & Adults Care Scrutiny Panel, and the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel
  • Regulatory Bodies, including the Planning Committee, the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, the Licensing Panel, and the Audit and Governance Committee
  • Other Bodies, such as the Pension Fund Panel, the Pension Board, the Revenues Appeal Panel, the Chief Officer Appointment Panel, the Schools Forum, the Corporate Parenting Panel, the Local Safeguarding Adults Board, the Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board, the Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board Children’s Delivery Group, and the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education
  • Area Forums
  • Additional Bodies, including the Tenants, Leaseholders and Sheltered Tenants Joint Consultative Committee, the Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board, the Adoption, Fostering and Permanence Panel, and the Safer Neighbourhood Board

The report pack also included the proposed terms of reference for each of these bodies, which outline their responsibilities and functions.

Of particular note, the report pack mentioned a proposed change to the Terms of Reference for the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee1 (NWL JHOSC). The proposal was to delegate the functions and powers available to local authorities to collectively respond to formal consultations on proposals for substantial developments or variations in health services affecting the area of North West London on behalf of all boroughs participating in the NWL JHOSC.

Following discussions between members authorities, it has become apparent, that the terms of reference for other JHOSC’s like South East London, North Central London and Inner North East London provide greater flexibility and remove any uncertainty about the power of the JHOSC being able to formally respond to proposals relating to substantial reconfigurations.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The council was also scheduled to make appointments to various outside bodies for the 2025/26 municipal year. These appointments help maintain connections between the council, these organisations and the communities they serve.

The report pack listed a number of national, London and Hounslow organisations to which the council was invited to appoint representatives. These included:

  • Local Government Association General Assembly
  • London Councils' Leaders' Committee
  • London Councils' Associated Joint Committee (London Councils Transport and Environment Committee)
  • London Councils' Associated Joint Committee (London Councils Grants Committee)
  • London Councils' Greater London Employment Forum
  • West London Waste Authority
  • Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Council of Governors
  • Crane Valley Park Steering Group
  • London Road Safety Council
  • Mortlake Crematorium Board
  • Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (Greater London)
  • South West Middlesex Crematorium Board
  • Thames Landscape Strategy Steering Group
  • Thames Water Liaison Committee
  • Twickenham Stadium Events Committee
  • Bedfont Lakes Country Park Trust Fund Panel
  • Blue School Foundation Trust
  • Brentford and Chiswick Merged Charities
  • Brentford Dock Limited
  • Chiswick House and Gardens
  • Chiswick Parochial Charities
  • Chiswick Pier Trust
  • Disability Network Hounslow
  • Hanworth Village Hall Management Committee
  • Heston & Isleworth Old People's Welfare Committee
  • Heston Parochial Charities
  • Hounslow Community Association Ltd
  • Hounslow Community Transport Management Committee
  • Hounslow Heath Advisory Committee
  • Hounslow Music Service
  • Hounslow Virtual College for Looked After Children, Post 16 and Care Leavers Management Board
  • Thomas Layton Museum Trust
  • Town Twinning Association of Hounslow
  • Watermans

Waiver of Councillor Attendance Rule

The council was to consider a report regarding the waiver of the six-month councillor attendance rule for Councillor Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal2. Due to ongoing ill health, Councillor Dhaliwal has not been able to attend council meetings since 4 December 2024.

Section 85 (1) of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a councillor to attend at least one meeting within a six-month period to avoid disqualification, but this can be waived due to illness or other reasons approved by the council. The report pack asked the council to consider approving an extension to this rule, allowing Councillor Dhaliwal to remain in office.


  1. Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees (JHOSCs) are formed when a health service change affects people in more than one local authority area. They allow local authorities to work together to review and scrutinise the plans. 

  2. Cranford Ward is a ward in the London Borough of Hounslow. 

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Aqsa Ahmed
Councillor Aqsa Ahmed  Labour •  Heston East
Profile image for CouncillorMuhammad Shakeel Akram
Councillor Muhammad Shakeel Akram  Labour •  Feltham North
Profile image for Councillor Madeeha Asim
Councillor Madeeha Asim  Labour •  Feltham West
Profile image for Councillor Harleen Atwal Hear
Councillor Harleen Atwal Hear  Labour •  Heston Central
Profile image for Councillor Lily Bath
Councillor Lily Bath  Labour •  Bedfont
Profile image for Councillor Rasheed Bhatti
Councillor Rasheed Bhatti  Labour •  Hounslow Central
Profile image for Councillor Joanna Biddolph
Councillor Joanna Biddolph  Conservative •  Chiswick Gunnersbury
Profile image for Councillor Dan Bowring
Councillor Dan Bowring  Labour •  Syon & Brentford Lock
Profile image for Councillor Tom Bruce
Councillor Tom Bruce  Labour •  Hounslow South
Profile image for Councillor Ghazala Butt
Councillor Ghazala Butt  Labour •  Cranford
Profile image for Councillor Samia Chaudhary
Councillor Samia Chaudhary  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Hounslow Heath
Profile image for Councillor Unsa Chaudri
Councillor Unsa Chaudri  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Osterley & Spring Grove
Profile image for Councillor Bandna Chopra
Councillor Bandna Chopra  Labour •  Hounslow West
Profile image for CouncillorAmy Croft
Councillor Amy Croft  Mayor •  Labour •  Chiswick Riverside
Profile image for CouncillorTheo Dennison
Councillor Theo Dennison  Independent •  Syon & Brentford Lock
Profile image for Councillor Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal
Councillor Sukhbir Singh Dhaliwal  Labour •  Cranford
Profile image for Councillor Katherine Dunne
Councillor Katherine Dunne  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Syon & Brentford Lock
Profile image for Councillor Jack Emsley
Councillor Jack Emsley  Conservative •  Chiswick Homefields
Profile image for Councillor Adesh Farmahan
Councillor Adesh Farmahan  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Bedfont
Profile image for CouncillorRichard Foote
Councillor Richard Foote  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Hanworth Village
Profile image for CouncillorGabriella Giles
Councillor Gabriella Giles  Conservative •  Chiswick Riverside
Profile image for CouncillorRanjit Gill
Councillor Ranjit Gill  Labour •  Chiswick Gunnersbury
Profile image for Councillor Ajmer Grewal
Councillor Ajmer Grewal  Labour •  Hounslow Central
Profile image for Councillor Pritam Grewal
Councillor Pritam Grewal  Labour •  Hounslow Central
Profile image for Councillor Shivraj Grewal
Councillor Shivraj Grewal  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Heston Central
Profile image for Councillor Vickram Grewal
Councillor Vickram Grewal  Labour •  Cranford
Profile image for Councillor Riaz Gull
Councillor Riaz Gull  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Heston Central
Profile image for Councillor Bishnu Bahadur Gurung
Councillor Bishnu Bahadur Gurung  Labour •  Hanworth Park
Profile image for Councillor Allan Joseph
Councillor Allan Joseph  Conservative •  Hanworth Village
Profile image for Councillor Farah Kamran
Councillor Farah Kamran  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Hanworth Park
Profile image for Councillor Afzaal Kiani
Councillor Afzaal Kiani  Labour •  Hounslow Heath
Profile image for Councillor Gurmail Lal
Councillor Gurmail Lal  Labour •  Heston East
Profile image for CouncillorGuy Lambert
Councillor Guy Lambert  Independent Socialist •  Brentford West
Profile image for Councillor Tony Louki
Councillor Tony Louki  Labour •  Osterley & Spring Grove
Profile image for Councillor Karamat Malik
Councillor Karamat Malik  Labour •  Heston West
Profile image for CouncillorAmritpal Mann
Councillor Amritpal Mann  Workers Party of Britain •  Heston East
Profile image for CouncillorGerald McGregor
Councillor Gerald McGregor  Conservative •  Chiswick Homefields
Profile image for CouncillorJunue Meah
Councillor Junue Meah  Deputy Mayor •  Labour •  Hounslow East
Profile image for Councillor Hina Mir
Councillor Hina Mir  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Feltham West
Profile image for Councillor Alan Mitchell
Councillor Alan Mitchell  Labour •  Feltham West
Profile image for Councillor Max Mosley
Councillor Max Mosley  Labour •  Brentford East
Profile image for Councillor Ron Mushiso
Councillor Ron Mushiso  Conservative •  Chiswick Gunnersbury
Profile image for CouncillorSamina Nagra
Councillor Samina Nagra  Labour •  Feltham North
Profile image for Councillor Shantanu Rajawat
Councillor Shantanu Rajawat  Leader of the Council •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Heston West
Profile image for Councillor Sayyar Raza
Councillor Sayyar Raza  Labour •  Hounslow South
Profile image for Councillor Farhaan Rehman
Councillor Farhaan Rehman  Labour •  Hounslow Heath
Profile image for Councillor Daanish Saeed
Councillor Daanish Saeed  Labour •  Hounslow East
Profile image for Councillor Sue Sampson
Councillor Sue Sampson  Labour •  Isleworth
Profile image for Councillor Salman Shaheen
Councillor Salman Shaheen  Labour •  Isleworth
Profile image for Councillor Jagdish Sharma
Councillor Jagdish Sharma  Labour •  Hounslow West
Profile image for Councillor Marina Sharma
Councillor Marina Sharma  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Brentford East
Profile image for Councillor Emma Siddhu
Councillor Emma Siddhu  Labour •  Heston West
Profile image for Councillor Raghwinder Siddhu
Councillor Raghwinder Siddhu  Labour •  Bedfont
Profile image for Councillor Aftab Siddiqui
Councillor Aftab Siddiqui  Labour •  Osterley & Spring Grove
Profile image for Councillor Karen Smith
Councillor Karen Smith  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Hounslow South
Profile image for Councillor John Stroud-Turp
Councillor John Stroud-Turp  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Isleworth
Profile image for CouncillorKuldeep Tak
Councillor Kuldeep Tak  Labour •  Feltham North
Profile image for CouncillorAysha Tariq
Councillor Aysha Tariq  Labour •  Hanworth Village
Profile image for CouncillorPeter Thompson
Councillor Peter Thompson  Conservative •  Chiswick Riverside
Profile image for Councillor John Todd
Councillor John Todd  Conservative •  Chiswick Homefields
Profile image for Councillor Mohammed Umair
Councillor Mohammed Umair  Labour •  Hounslow West
Profile image for Councillor Emma Yates
Councillor Emma Yates  Labour •  Brentford West
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