Agenda item
URGENT MOTIONS
Minutes:
The Council agreed to suspend Procedure Rule 13.1 to enable the following urgent motion to be debated without notice:
13.1 Motion Regarding Britain First and the East London Mosque
Mayor John Biggs, Councillors Oliur Rahman and Peter Golds moved and seconded, the motion as tabled.
Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was unanimously agreed. Accordingly, it was:
RESOLVED:
This Council notes the attempt by Britain First to provoke violence in our borough with their unannounced and hostile acts outside the East London Mosque on Saturday 12th March. This followed a previous visit on Tuesday 1st March. Britain First attempted to block the entrance to the Mosque, used offensive, provocative, Islamaphobic and racist language, and clearly attempted to incite a reaction. East London Mosque is in a predominantly Muslim area of our Borough.
The Council further notes the strength of response to these events from the community, Council members, partners and services and welcomes action taken by the Mayor to address the events including attending a solidarity with the Mosque demonstration promoted by United East End where both the Mayor and Leader of opposition were joined by a cross section of community groups including representatives of various faiths and none. We have fought hard to secure and maintain good community relations, based on respect, in our borough and will continue vigorously to do so.
This Council believes that the actions of Britain First are dressed up as a ‘passive protest’ but are clearly designed to provoke a reaction, obstructing local people from going about their lawful and proper business and increasing the risk of violence.
The Council further believes that we must remain vigilant and send a clear message that groups such as Britain First are not welcome in any corner of our Borough.
This Council resolves:
1. To call on the Mayor to continue updating all members on the response and planning for any possible future attempts by groups such as Britain First to divide communities and provoke violence.
2. To request that the Mayor, the leader of opposition, and minority opposition group leader, on behalf of Council, write an open letter to local residents to reassure them that they stand united to their opposition to any effort to divide our communities.
3. To call on the Mayor to write, jointly with the leader of opposition and minority opposition leader, to the Home Secretary exploring options to ban Britain First from demonstrating in any part of our Borough, including in particular outside a faith building, where their intent is to provoke violence and spread their message of hatred.
13.2 Urgent Motion regarding the Future of Old Ford Housing Association
Councillor Marc Francismoved, and Councillor Sirajul Islam seconded, the motion as tabled.
Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was unanimously agreed. Accordingly, it was:
RESOLVED:
This Council notes:
· Old Ford Housing Association was established in 1998 as the successor body to Tower Hamlets Housing Trust;
· OFHA was a subsidiary of Circle 33 Housing Trust for financing purposes, but was accountable to its own Board of tenants, leaseholders and independent members;
· In 2005, Circle 33 merged with Anglia Housing to form Circle Anglia Ltd, and that other associations joined later to form Circle Housing Group;
· In July 2007, LBTH transferred the “Parkside” council estates to OFHA with the promise to refurbish individual flats and the estates within five years;
· In 2015, following complaints from LB Islington and LBTH about the performance of its repairs service, the Homes & Communities Agency found evidence of “serious detriment” to tenants and downgraded Circle Housing Group, requiring an action plan to improve governance;
· It has now become clear that Circle’s “action plan” essentially involves closing down its subsidiaries, including Old Ford HA, and centralising services, moving most staff to a new call-centre in Kent;
· Circle has also announced its intention to merge with Affinity Sutton “to create the largest housing association in Western Europe”;
· While Circle ended its repairs contract with Kier Group, it retained Kier gas to carry out boiler maintenance, and that many residents have been left without heating and hot water for weeks on end over the winter;
· Old Ford has the worst performance on Members Enquiries of any housing association in Tower Hamlets;
· Residents of Old Ford HA are now calling on the Mayor and MP to raise concerns about Circle’s performance and future plans with the HCA regulator and Minister.
This Council believes:
· That the service provided by Old Ford was undermined by Circle’s centralisation of contracts and that the closure of Old Ford and merger with Affinity Sutton will worsen the situation;
· The Bow estates were transferred to Old Ford on the basis that it would be a “community-based housing association”, and that residents voted for the transfers on that basis;
· The Board members of Old Ford HA must now be allowed to seriously explore the option of leaving Circle Housing Group without the threat of their removal;
· Residents should be given the final say on whether Old Ford stays with Circle or stands alone or in partnership with another locally-based association;
This Council resolves:
· To call on the HCA regulator to urgently investigate why Circle’s Management Board retained a failing contractor Kier Gas to provide its gas safety/maintenance service, and whether this decision, which left many tenants without heating and hot water for weeks amounts to further “serious detriment”;
· To ask that the Mayor suspend Circle as a Preferred Development Partner in Tower Hamlets with immediate effect;
· To request the Mayor to instruct officers to explore options for legal proceedings against Circle Housing Group for breach of Schedule 17 of the Transfer Agreement and to report back to members on the possibility of such proceedings within 28 days.
13.3 Urgent Motion calling on the Council to support the UK’s membership of the European Union
Councillor Andrew Cregan moved, and Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs seconded, the motion as tabled.
Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was agreed. Accordingly, it was:
RESOLVED:
This Council notes:
· That there is a referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union (EU) on 23rd June.
· Over half Britain's exports go to EU countries, worth £227 billion last year to the UK economy, and many UK businesses large and small are dependent on trade with the EU, supporting many thousands of jobs.
· Access to the Single Market is a major factor in making Tower Hamlets, in-part, home to the leading global financial centre and major employers from across the world choose to locate in Britain and in Tower Hamlets because we are a gateway into the European Union.
· EU membership has given vital rights to British workers and the EU's rules provide important protection to consumers, workers and the environment. Rights to equal pay, paid holidays, maternity and paternity leave, equal rights for part-time workers and health and safety regulations are all protected under EU law.
This Council believes:
· This Council has a role in explaining the consequences of the referendum outcomes and helping the residents of Tower Hamlets to reach an informed decision.
· That our membership of the EU makes the UK stronger, safer and better off. It is in the best interests of residents and businesses the Borough and the whole of the UK to remain a member of the European Union.
· There are direct benefits to Tower Hamlets communities of EU membership including that linked to being, in part, home to the world’s leading financial centre which supports jobs and economic growth in the Borough and the UK as a whole.
· That leaving the EU risks a loss of jobs, would weaken the UK's attractiveness to international investors, and would create prolonged uncertainty for business while the practical implications of a withdrawal are put in place.
· EU reform should make the EU better for the UK and that means remaining a member to lead that reform, not being a spectator on the sidelines.
This Council resolves:
· We support the United Kingdom’s continued membership of the EU.