Monday 25 March 2013

School Council Meeting With Councillor Pat Murray

Minutes of the meeting taken by  Toby Adelowo:

First Pat Murray introduced himself  then we thanked him for coming to the school.

He then answered our questions;

When do we have elections?
Every 4 years we have an election – to elect a council, your parents choose. The councillors chosen are responsible for;
· Budget for schools
· Oversee the schools
· School meals
· Staff pay
· Children and learning committee – all schools
· Children in care
· Deal with all the cuts in the services
· Set a budget once a year and set the council tax

Do you have another job?
It's not meant to be full time but it is, I do I it all the time. But I am a part time social worker, I’ve been doing it for 32 years.

Do you get paid for being a councillor? 
I get allowances for travel

How did you get the job 
You need a political party and then you get elected.

How do you help the Mayor? 
It's more a question of working with the mayor. She keeps us all in order when we meet in the chambers.

Are you friends with the mayor? 
She is from a different political party. It’s more of a respect. She is always happy to agree to my requests.

How longs have you been a councillor? 
I was elected in May 2010. I got the most votes anyone person in Harold Hill hill

Are you going to try to get re elected yourself again?
I am going to try, but It might be questionable after the last election.

Girls around this table take note. We need more female councillors. You had a holiday yesterday This is Gooshays ward. We had 6 men councillors up for election and no women. Only one women stood and she came second so we still have 6 men. There are more females than males in this ward and so the females need to represented.

Do you have to live in a ward to represent the ward?
No but you would have to live in Havering. But I do live in this ward so what ever the issues my ward have I am aware of and have experienced some times experienced.

What is you budget? 
370 million pound ½ billion in the staff pension fund

When are we going to knock down the old building? 
It should be knocked down by September.

What will the space be used for? 
We need more houses. But I’m concerned that we won’t have enough school places for children. So I think the school should keep it for their use and extend

Pat then went on to praise the Mr Drakes, the children and the staff of our school for turning the school around. He wants to get our school recognition for all its hard work and becoming the best school on the hill. Pat was very impressed when the children independently started listing the 4 R’s and what they meant! They also started telling him about the words along the corridors. That is when we decided Pat should have a look at the corridors with the chair and vice chair.

We thanked him again for coming and he said it was a privilege.


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