Decision details
TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Decision:
12.6 Motion regarding 4 in 10 Campaign for London’s Overcrowded Children
Councillor Abdal Ullah moved, and Councillor John Pierce seconded, the motion as printed on the agenda, subject to the deletion of the words ‘local Labour Party members and’ in the 2nd bullet point under ‘This Council Resolves’.
Following debate Councillor Abdal Ullah moved, and Councillor Carlo Gibbs seconded, a procedural motion – “That under Procedure Rule 14.1.10 the question be now put.”
The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
The motion as printed on the agenda and as amended above was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes that:
· 391,000 children are estimated to be growing up in overcrowded conditions in London – a quarter of the Capital’s children, including tens of thousands living in Tower Hamlets;
· This figure has risen by around 80,000 in the past decade and it set to get worse as the supply of new social housing dries up.
· The Conservative led government has led a sustained attack on social housing, including cutting funding for building and attacking social security.
· Only 134 of the 1,618 applicants for four bedroom social housing in the borough were catered for in 2012, with only 16 of those in properties owned by Tower Hamlets Council directly.
· Research has shown that overcrowding undermines a child’s health, education and well-being, damaging their long-term life chances;
· The Mayor of London “Overcrowding Action Plan” sets a target to reduce the number of severely overcrowded households by just 5,500 by 2016;
· Save the Children’s 4in10 campaign is calling on the Mayor of London to commit to halve the number of children growing up in overcrowded conditions by 2020.
This Council believes
· The only solution to London’s housing crisis is a significant and sustained increase in investment in new social rented housing, including council housing, for overcrowded and homeless families;
· The 4in10 campaign is right to focus political attention on the Mayor of London as his “Action Plan” is an inadequate response and fails to make tackling overcrowding a real political priority.
This Council resolves,
· To support the 4in10 campaign and call on the Mayor of London to make a commitment to halve the number of children in overcrowded homes by 2020;
· To publicise the campaign to residents to help raise public awareness of this problem and pressure on the Mayor of London to act.
· To call on the Independent Mayor of Tower Hamlets to keep his promises to local people, and deliver family sized homes.
(Action by: Aman Dalvi, Corporate Director, Development & Renewal)
12.9 Motion regarding Commercial Events in Victoria Park
Councillor Amy Whitelock moved, and Councillor Marc Francis seconded, the motion as printed on the agenda.
Following debate Councillor Bill Turner moved, and Councillor Abdal Ullah seconded, a procedural motion – “That under Procedure Rule 14.1.10 the question be now put.”
The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
The motion as printed on the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council Notes:
- The motion passed by Council on the 16th May 2012 which resolved to amend the Open Spaces Strategy to include a section on Commercial Events in parks, to reflect the prior decisions of Council, that limits the number of events in Victoria Park to 6 days each year, prevents the park being used for commercial events on consecutive weekends, set a closing time for events to 10pm and a reduced noise limit for commercial events, and prevents commercial events being held in Sir John McDougal Gardens, Millwall Park, Island Gardens and the gardens at Trinity Square;
- That over 400 local residents signed a petition presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Cabinet, calling for the number of events to be reduced;
- That no amended Open Spaces Strategy has been presented to Council even though it is included in the list of policies reserved for Council who have expressed a will to see the policy amended;
- The serious damage done to the park by last summer’s commercial events and the continued degradation of the park during Field Day and AS ONE in May 2013;
- The Mayor has allowed an increased 50,000 capacity for this year’s commercial events, which has resulted in even more of the eastern half of the park being cordoned off from use by the public and damage to the park’s fabric and grassed areas for the rest of the summer;
- More than 400 criminal offences were recorded at Field Day and Lovebox events last year;
- The Mayor has recently authorised a tendering process to rent out Victoria Park for up to ten events each year in 2014, 2015 and 2016;
- The London Borough of Hackney recently decided against agreeing a programme of multiple events on Hackney Marshes each summer after a majority of residents there opposed those plans.
This Council Believes:
- That the Mayor should respect the democratic mandate of the Council and the wishes of residents and bring forward a revised Open Spaces Strategy which reflects the stated position of Council;
- That the Mayor’s failure to do so is clearly designed to circumvent the Council’s democratic process and commit this authority to contractual arrangements with commercial companies without proper scrutiny;
- The Mayor has no mandate to commit LBTH to a contract for the hiring of Victoria Park for commercial events beyond May 2014;
- LBTH should use the full force of the law to recover any legal costs incurred in renegotiating a three-year contract entered into by the Mayor and Cabinet Members from those authorising it.
This Council Resolves:
- That the Mayor should immediately suspend the tendering process for commercial events in Victoria Park;
- The Mayor should authorise meaningful consultation with residents and other stakeholders about the scale of commercial activity within Victoria Park;
- The Mayor should in the meantime bring forward a renewed Open Spaces Strategy to the next ordinary Council meeting, including within it the amendments set out above, to ensure a more balanced approach to commercial events while the consultation is being carried out.
(Action by: Stephen Halsey, Corporate Director, Communities, Localities and Culture)
12.12 Motion regarding Garment Workers
Councillor Rachael Saunders moved, and Councillor Sirajul Islam seconded, the motion as printed on the agenda.
After debate, the motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes the terrible loss of life in the recent factory collapse in Bangladesh. While there may be many underlying reasons for this disaster, and the Government and its agencies in Bangladesh need to continue to investigate and to hold those responsible to account, and while the rapid economic growth in sectors such as the garment industry in Bangladesh is to be welcomed, and is an important providers of wealth and employment, the event also highlights the challenging working conditions of workers in many developing economies.
This Council resolves:
1. To support and encourage closer relationships between local government bodies in the UK and Bangladesh in order that good practice and experience can be shared.
2. To ensure that it follows ethical procurement policies in its contracts, and to support campaign organisations and trade unions that promote ethical procurement and which can help to promote good employment practice and safe working conditions without stifling economic growth.
3. To encourage others, more widely but in particular in our borough, and including in Tower Hamlets schools, to follow ethical procurement guidelines.
4. To congratulate those bodies and individuals in Tower Hamlets and beyond who have helped to raise funds and support to assist those affected by the disaster.
(Action by: Chris Holme, interim Corporate Director, Resources)
Motions 12.1, 12.3, 12.7, 12.10, 12.11, 12.13, 12.14, 12.15, 12.16, 12.17 and 12.18 were not considered due to the time limit for the meeting being reached.
Publication date: 09/07/2013
Date of decision: 26/06/2013
Decided at meeting: 26/06/2013 - Council
Accompanying Documents: