Agenda item
TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
(Maximum of 30 minutes allowed)
The questions which have been received are set out in agenda item 7.
Decision:
7.1 Question from Councillor Fazlul Haque to the Lead Member for Employment and Skills, Councillor Alibor Choudhury re: work to improve jobs and skills in the community.
7.2 Question from Councillor Shirley Houghton to the Deputy Leader of the Council, Councillor Sirjaul Islam re: Members training.
7.3 Question from Councillor Harun Miah to the Lead Member for Resources and Performance, Councillor Joshua Peck re: Council Tax and charges.
7.4 Question from Councillor Stephanie Eaton to the Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener, Councillor Abdal Ullah re: Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
7.6 Question from Councillor Tim Archer to the Lead Member for Regeneration, Localisation and Community Partnerships, Councillor Ohid Ahmed re: Blackwall Reach and Robin Hood Gardens.
The above questions and oral supplementary questions where put, were responded to by the relevant Lead Members.
Question 7.5 was not put as Councillor Ann Jackson was not present at the meeting.
Due to the lack of time, questions 7 – 24 were not put. Written responses will be forwarded to the questioners.
(Action by: John S. Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services)
Minutes:
Councillor David Snowdon wished to raise a Point of Order under Rule 15.12 as he had not received a written response as agreed by Councillor Joshua Peck to matters raised at the previous Council meeting. Mr. John Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services, informed the meeting that this did not represent a Point of Order in relation to the current meeting. However, Councillor Peck said that an answer should be with Councillor Snowdon the following day.
7.1 Question from Councillor Fazlul Haque to the Lead Member for Employment and Skills, Councillor Alibor Choudhury
Can the Lead Member for Employment and Skills elaborate on the work being done to improve jobs and skills in the community?
Response of the Lead Member:
There are a range of activities available for residents to increase their employment skills, information on these can be found at each of the Community Hubs, at Ideas Stores, Tower Hamlets College or through the Skillsmatch service as well as local Jobcentre plus offices.
The Council is offering the following:
The Skillsmatch service which assists over 600 local residents into employment each year through a range of pre-employment training in areas such as construction, security, finance and administration and health. In addition the Single Point of Access service has been developed through the City Strategy and offers a partnership of activity taking Skillsmatch staff into each LAP area working with Community Hubs, Extended Schools Services, Children’s Centres and RSL’s.
The Employment Task Group offers representation from key stakeholders and provides additionality to mainstream services of JCP and LSC encouraging more employability activity in schools, with parents and with graduates as well as encouraging those furthest away from the labour market to take part in the range of activity on offer.
For young people there is a published list of activities available through Children’s Services for NEET’s and other young people keen to improve their skills and receive support into employment. There is also a range of support and advice available through parental and family engagement activity.
The Council will be considering a further range of support through its agreement on the allocation of the Working Neighbourhood Fund. This will offer funding to a range of providers, all seeking to offer additionality as well as signposting to current mainstream services. The total allocation is offered on the basis of helping in excess of 6,000 local residents into employment by 2011. The majority of the allocation is focussed on helping local residents secure sustainable employment through support, information, skills training and job brokerage and there is also an allocation for preventative work, helping young people make a more effective transition from education to employment and raising aspiration and skills for pupils. The allocation also includes funding for entry level ESOL.
The recently agreed Employment strategy identifies the key areas of work agreed by the Council and offers an action plan as well as 5 main objectives. These will be monitored and progress reported through the Prosperous Communities CPDG. Through the LAA process an action plan identifies the need to continue to work with JCP in helping as many residents as possible access sustainable employment. Through this current downturn in the economy the range of activities offered by the Government will be identified and explained in detail in the Employment Task Group newsletter. These include tax credits, help with mortgages, discretionary payments as well as general job brokerage.
Through the 5 borough partnership the Council is working to secure more devolution from the Government in respect of national welfare to work programmes. This will give the Council more influence over the commissioning of national programmes and ensure that they reflect the local needs.
Summary of supplementary question from Councillor Fazlul Haque:
One of the main problems we face is that young people are still hanging around with little to do. Can you assure me that the Council’s strategies will make a real difference and impact, and tell me what actions are planned in Weavers Ward?
Summary of Lead Member’s response:
The Community Hub is already in place in LAP 1 delivering services for 14-19 year olds. However I agree that there is more we can do to engage these young people and services will be tailored to reach all sections of our diverse community – including graduates as it is not always recognised that they also sometimes require assistance. I will look at all areas and do as much as I can.
7.2 Question from Councillor Shirley Houghton to the Deputy Leader of
the Council, Councillor Sirjaul Islam
Will the Deputy Leader confirm that under the constitution it is a legal requirement for Council Members to be formally trained before taking part in and making decisions on the regulatory licensing and planning committees? Will the Deputy Leader explain the consequences to the Council if members take part and make decisions at regulatory committees who have not undertaken the required training?
Response of the Deputy Leader of the Council:
It is correct to say that the Constitution of the Council does contain two Codes of Conduct one in relation to licensing and one in relation to planning which confirm that Councillors who sit on both committees must undertake training before participating in a meeting. Because of the complexity of Planning Committee the training is more detailed and two sessions of training are required before sitting on the Committee with refresher training every 12 months. For Licensing Committee Members simply have to have attended a training session and this does not need to be taken annually but where a Member has been absent from the Committee for some time generally refresher training is given as a matter of good practice.
It is not possible to explain the consequences to the Council if Members do not take part in training prior to making a decision. This will depend on the facts of each case including the number of Members sitting on the particular decision making committee, the number who voted and whether the vote of a non trained Member would have made any difference. Then there would have to be further evidence regarding whether the Member who was untrained understood the facts and task without the training and was able to make the appropriate decision. Furthermore, if the decision was challenged in court then the court would decide whether the evidence on the facts put the decision at risk and finally whether it would be in the Public Interest to quash the decision.
The Committee Clerks keep a log of the training of Members and every effort is made to ensure that Members have the appropriate training.
Summary of supplementary question from Councillor Shirley Houghton:
I am confused because when I was put back on the Licensing Committee in December 2008 I was asked to sit and when I informed officers that I had not had training in 2008/09 they acknowledged that annual training should be undertaken before participation but stated that maybe I could sit anyway as I had prior experience. In addition I believe that two members did not receive training until some time into the current year but still served on Licensing Sub-Committees. However, Councillor Eckhardt could not sit on a Development Committee until he had received training. In 2007/08 two other members did not attend licensing training so did not attend any meetings during the year. Does the Lead Member agree they were not undertaking their public duty?
Summary of Deputy Leader’s response:
I cannot comment on individual cases now but I will be happy to look into the points you have raised and respond after the meeting. As mentioned the detailed requirements are different for Licensing and Development Committees so the advice to Councillor Eckhardt was correct – a member may not serve on the Development Committee until he or she has undertaken the training.
7.3 Question from Councillor Harun Miah to the Lead Member for Resources and Performance, Councillor Joshua Peck
Would the Lead Member agree with me that we are facing a very severe recession and possibly a depression, that in these circumstances it would be madness to raise the Council Tax and council charges and that it would be far better if the Council Tax and charges were reduced, that we cannot afford to cut services or the workforce and that the incomes of the workforce must also not be cut and would he therefore also agree that the budget should be set within these parameters and that the relevant lead member and council officers should begin immediate negotiations with the Government to ensure any funding gap is met out of Government grant?
Response by the Lead Member:
The UK economy is now officially in recession. A depression is normally regarded as a sustained period of recession lasting many years and there is some way to go before the current situation could be described as such.
The Council is legally obliged to set a balanced budget and must be prudent and responsible in the way it uses public money. There is a balance to be struck between the need to maintain and improve services and setting a level of Council Tax that people can afford. It is also essential that the Council’s budget plans are sustainable in the medium to long term, which is why Tower Hamlets maintains a balanced medium term financial plan.
The Cabinet’s budget for 2009/10 which will be considered by Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 10th February (tomorrow night) and by Cabinet on 11th (Wednesday) is designed to achieve better services in priority areas, investment in new capital schemes, while setting a sustainable balanced budget and a reasonable and realistic Council Tax. It is the intention for Tower Hamlets level of Council Tax to remain one of the lowest in London for 2009/10.
The Council has no plans to cut front line services to local people or to cut staff salaries. However it is important that we keep our spending under review and make sure that our services operate as efficiently as possible, and the Council does have proposals to deliver a further £11.6m in 2009/10 in budget reductions and efficiency savings.
The Council’s finances are affected by the current recession, with less income from planning fees and land charges and reduced returns that originally expected from our investments. Despite this, Tower Hamlets prudent approach to budget setting over recent years has helped us to achieve improvements in services at low cost.
Summary of supplementary question from Councillor Harun Miah:
Peoples lives will be affected – residents need services and the Council Tax should not be raised. You need to find a balance. The Government has lowered the VAT rate and rich people should be taxed appropriately.
Summary of Lead Member’s response:
Yes, legally the budget has to be balanced. Your proposals are unrealistic – cutting income and increasing expenditure in the way you suggest will lead in due course to severe cuts in services. In March all Members will have the opportunity to bring forward and debate proposals for the budget.
7.4 Question from Councillor Stephanie Eaton to the Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener, Councillor Abdal Ullah
Does the Lead Member agree with me that it is vital for the effectiveness of community policing that our Safer Neighbourhood Teams get to know local residents and have a detailed knowledge of the neighbourhood which they police?
Response of the Lead Member:
Getting to know local residents and the local area is a key component of citizens focused policing and the foundation of this is the Safer Neighbourhood Teams.
Tower Hamlets Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) have led the way nationally and been a key contributor to the consistent crime reductions in the Borough over the last 3 years. The Better Tower Hamlets Team model has enabled Safer Neighbourhood Teams not only to be locally based but to be co-located with other front line workers, enabling a coordinated multi-agency response tailored to the needs of the local area. Safer Neighbourhood Teams are key players in their wards, visiting schools and community centres and getting involved with residents’ associations and Neighbourhood Watch schemes. They provide leaflets and newsletters to local people, informing them of how the police have responded to local concerns and providing practical advice on how to avoid being a victim of crime. Their areas of work are set as Public Set Priorities, by the community, at local ward panels.
Summary of supplementary question from Councillor Stephanie Eaton:
Will the Lead Member join me and others in the Chamber in welcoming Sir Paul Stephenson as the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner and making representations to him and to the Borough Commander on the excessive turnover of officers in the SNTs, especially senior officers? Tower Hamlets has a substantially higher turnover and this has a detrimental effect on the SNTs ability to get to know the community and the area.
Summary of Lead Member’s response:
I had the pleasure of working with the current Commissioner and I have lodged my appreciation on the appointment of Sir Paul Stephenson. I am happy to join you in championing the SNTs and talking to the MPS both centrally and locally. The turnover is an issue but sometimes can be a positive thing. There are many individuals who join, enjoy the job, and then leave to commence a career in the Police force.
7.5 Question from Councillor Ann Jackson to the Lead Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Clair Hawkins
Question 7.5 was not put as Councillor Ann Jackson was not present at the meeting. A written response would be provided.
7.6 Question from Councillor Tim Archer to the Lead Member for Regeneration, Localisation and Community Partnerships, Councillor Ohid Ahmed
Will the Lead Member for Housing provide an up to date report on the
situation regarding Blackwall Reach and Robin Hood Gardens?
Response of the Lead Member:
The regeneration of Blackwall Reach was agreed by Cabinet in Spring 2008. After a high profile debate in the media, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) decided that the main Robin Hood Gardens buildings should NOT be listed. However the 20th Century Society, an architectural preservation group, requested a formal review of this decision, which is now being considered by the Secretary of State.
The redevelopment of the homes in Robin Hood Gardens is key to the present proposals for this area. The Council and its partner, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) keenly await this decision and hope it will come in the next 2-3 months. The council has made submissions to support the original decision not to list.
If the buildings are not listed – assuming there is no further legal challenge - work will progress as planned to design the scheme in more detail, in full consultation with the local community, before seeking planning approval.
An RSL partner will be procured with HCA for the first new-build phase of the scheme (the “St Matthias” site) to develop new affordable homes for rent, and replacement homes for home owners, to enable the first phase of decants from the estate.
In the meantime a letter from the Lead Member for Housing has gone to residents explaining the position. A project shop is open part-time and decant survey work continues, in readiness for decant status to commence once the outcome of the listing issue is known. If the scheme proceeds tenants will have options to:--
Ø remain in the area, in a new home to be built by an RSL partner;
Ø remain a council tenant, in an alternative council home outside Blackwall Reach;
Ø apply for other RSL homes across Tower Hamlets
If however the buildings were to be listed, officers would report back to Cabinet on the severe impact this would have on the current scheme and would have to present options for a limited alternative project.
Summary of supplementary question from Councillor Tim Archer:
Can the Lead Member give an assurance that irrespective of what happens, the residents of Robin Hood Gardens will not be balloted on a transfer to an RSL but will stay with the Council; that leaseholders will be adequately compensated and that residents will get accommodation in the new development of comparable internal quality and size as they have now?
Summary of Lead Member’s response:
Every resident will receive a suitable allocation. The Leader of the Council and myself have come from a meeting where ambitious plans were discussed, under which every resident will have a decent home.
In accordance with Rule 12.10 (expiry of time limit), questions 7.7 – 7.24 were not put. Written responses would be forwarded to the questioners.
Supporting documents: