The Annual Full Council meeting of Haringey Council was scheduled to address the election of the Mayor for the upcoming year and review the council's financial statements. The meeting also included discussions on the council's carbon emissions and motions concerning tackling poverty and supporting the Together Alliance.

Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor

The meeting was scheduled to begin with the election of the Mayor for the ensuing year 2026/27, as stipulated by the Local Government Act 1972. Following this, there was a provision to receive written notification of the appointment of a Deputy Mayor.

Review of Minutes and Communications

The council was set to approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16th March 2026. Additionally, any communications that the Mayor wished to lay before the council were scheduled to be received.

Leadership and Appointments

A key item on the agenda was the election of the Leader of the Council for four consecutive municipal years. This was to be followed by receiving a report from the Chief Executive regarding appointments made by political groups and taking appropriate action. The council was also scheduled to agree on the appointments procedure and appoint committees and other bodies for the municipal year 2026/27, including the selection of their chairs and vice-chairs. Furthermore, appointments to outside bodies were to be made.

Council and Committee Calendar

The Chief Executive was scheduled to present a report to agree the Council/Committee Calendar for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Financial and Attendance Statements

The meeting was to receive the end-of-year financial statement for 2025/26. Additionally, a statement of councillors' attendance at meetings of the council, committees, and sub-committees during the 2025/26 period was to be presented, in accordance with council procedure rules.

Filming at Meetings

A protocol regarding the filming and recording of council meetings was to be noted. This outlined that meetings may be filmed or recorded by the council or by attendees, and that by entering the meeting room, individuals consent to being filmed and recorded. The Chair of the meeting retained the discretion to terminate or suspend filming if it disrupted proceedings or infringed on individual rights.

Declarations of Interest

The meeting agenda included a reminder about declarations of interest. Members with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter were required to disclose it at the start of the meeting or when it became apparent. They would then be unable to participate in any discussion or vote on that matter and would have to withdraw from the meeting room.

Tackling Poverty in Haringey

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a motion on Tackling Poverty in Haringey. The report pack indicated that this motion aimed to address the deprivation within the borough and highlighted the council's existing efforts, including building council homes, improving children's services, and implementing income maximisation programmes. The motion also referenced the Labour Government's initiatives to alleviate poverty. The debate included an amendment proposed by Councillor Seema Chandwani, which was seconded by Councillor Emine Ibrahim. The report pack detailed arguments for and against the motion and its amendment, with various councillors contributing their perspectives on the scale of poverty, the effectiveness of current strategies, and the role of co-production with residents. The motion, as amended, was ultimately agreed.

Support for the Together Alliance

Another motion scheduled for discussion was Support for the Together Alliance. This motion aimed to acknowledge the growing divisive rhetoric in the country and endorse the Together Alliance campaign's message of love, unity and hope to oppose the far-right. The report pack outlined the council's belief in the strength of solidarity and unity across communities. The motion proposed renewing commitments as a Borough of Welcome, developing a new Welcome Strategy, and continuing to work with community networks to challenge national narratives and combat xenophobia and all forms of discrimination. Amendments to this motion were also proposed and debated. Ultimately, the original motion was unanimously agreed.

Member Attendance and Financial Allowances

The meeting was scheduled to receive a statement of members' attendance at council and committee meetings for the 2025/26 municipal year. This report detailed the expected versus actual attendance for each councillor. Additionally, the end-of-year financial statement for 2025/26, outlining allowances paid to members, was to be noted. This included basic allowances, special responsibility allowances, and travel expenses. The report indicated that the total allowances paid were within the council's budget.