The Council of Westminster met on Wednesday 15 May 2024, electing Councillor Robert Rigby as the new Lord Mayor and approving the allocation of seats on the council's standing committees. The meeting also included a vote of thanks for the outgoing Lord Mayor, Councillor Patricia McAllister.

Election of Lord Mayor

Councillor Robert Rigby was elected as the Lord Mayor of Westminster for the ensuing year. The proposal was put forward by Councillor Rachael Robathan and seconded by Councillor Paul Swaddle. Councillor Rigby subsequently made and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and thanked the Council for his election.

Vote of Thanks to Past Lord Mayor

A vote of thanks was passed to Councillor Patricia McAllister for her distinguished service as Lord Mayor, and to her Consorts, Ellis McAllister and Kevin Murphy, for their invaluable support. Councillor Adam Hug moved the motion, which was seconded by Councillor Ruth Bush. The vote was carried, and Councillor McAllister responded to the thanks.

Constitutional Matters

The Council agreed to the recommendations set out in the report concerning constitutional matters. This included determining the allocation of places on the standing committees and noting the names of the members appointed to them. The proportional division of seats on various committees, including Audit and Performance, General Purposes, Overview and Scrutiny, and Planning & City Development, was confirmed. The report detailed the total number of members for each committee and the breakdown between Labour and Conservative councillors, with a note on the target number of seats and any variance.

Key Decisions - Use of Special Urgency Procedure 2023/24

The report of the Executive Director of Corporate Services regarding key decisions made under the special urgency procedure during the 2023/24 period was noted by the Council.