Issue - meetings
TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
Meeting: 28/11/2012 - Council (Item 12)
12 TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PDF 136 KB
The motions submitted by Councillors for debate at this meeting are set out in the attached report.
Decision:
12.2 Motion on Council Finances
Councillor Carlo Gibbs moved, and Councillor Joshua Peck seconded, the motion as printed on the agenda.
Councillor Shahed Ali moved, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury seconded, an amendment to the motion calling on the Mayor to recover a ‘soft loan’ of £850,000 from the Rich Mix Centre. The amendment was put to the vote and was defeated.
The motion as printed on the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes:
- The devastating ideological cuts by the Conservative - Liberal Democrat Government include a reduction to the council’s grant formula funding by over 17% since 2011.
- Changes to welfare benefits including cuts to housing benefit, council tax benefit and the introduction of the universal credit amount to an unprecedented attack on the most vulnerable in our society and will lead to a greater demand on council resources.
- In a further attack on vulnerable people, the Chancellor pledged at Tory Party Conference to cut welfare benefits by a further £10bn, while at the same time giving tax breaks for millionaires by cutting the top rate of tax to 45p.
- The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government’s austerity measures have resulted in a double dip recession, continued high unemployment and little economic growth.
This Council also notes that the Council:
- Has a responsibility to our residents to manage our finances efficiently and deliver a balanced budget.
- Is showing in its Medium Term Financial Plan a deficit of £9.5m in year 2014/15, £28m in 2015/16 and £44m in 2016/17.
- Will be spending on average £16m more per year than it is expecting to receive in after 2014/15.
- Is in such a desperate financial position that the cabinet is having to sell the Henry Moore statue of the draped woman, despite this being gifted to the people of Tower Hamlets, and various other council owned properties.
This Council notes that the Mayor:
- Is using £9.5m from reserves to cover the deficit in the 2014/15 budget, to be agreed ahead of the next local elections, and has no plans to deal with the deficit after that time.
- Has a number of big spending proposals including a fund for restoring religious buildings, the Mayor’s educational award and funding to replace the cut in council tax benefit, which are not funded after the 2014 elections.
- Failed to protect the most vulnerable when he proposed to needlessly slash funding for welfare advice services, some as much as 75%, which would likely increase the financial risk faced by the council.
Further notes the Mayor continues to waste the Council’s finances, including:
- Spending £38,000 sending a letter to update to 100,000 residents about his latest policy, despite spending £1m per year on East End Life, which is sent to every door on a weekly basis;
- Wasting £120k that was meant to promote businesses during the Olympics, including spending £40k alone on an “app”, following which businesses in Brick Lane faced one of their worst summers of trading;
- Spending £32k on Council banners including £21k ... view the full decision text for item 12
Minutes:
Procedural motion
Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman moved, and Councillor Joshua Peck seconded, a procedural motion – “That under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 the order of busienss be altered to consider Motion 12.2 ‘Council Finances’ now, followed by Motion 12.5 ‘Banglatwon Ward Name’ and then item 13 and the Part 2 agenda items.” The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
12.2 Motion on Council Finances
Councillor Carlo Gibbs moved, and Councillor Joshua Peck seconded, the motion as printed on the agenda.
Councillor Shahed Ali moved, and Councillor Alibor Choudhury seconded, an amendment to the motion calling on the Mayor to recover a ‘soft loan’ of £850,000 from the Rich Mix Centre. The amendment was put to the vote and was defeated.
Following debate, the motion as printed on the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed. Accordingly it was:-
RESOLVED
This Council notes:
· The devastating ideological cuts by the Conservative - Liberal Democrat Government include a reduction to the council’s grant formula funding by over 17% since 2011.
· Changes to welfare benefits including cuts to housing benefit, council tax benefit and the introduction of the universal credit amount to an unprecedented attack on the most vulnerable in our society and will lead to a greater demand on council resources.
· In a further attack on vulnerable people, the Chancellor pledged at Tory Party Conference to cut welfare benefits by a further £10bn, while at the same time giving tax breaks for millionaires by cutting the top rate of tax to 45p.
· The Conservative-Liberal Democrat Government’s austerity measures have resulted in a double dip recession, continued high unemployment and little economic growth.
This Council also notes that the Council:
· Has a responsibility to our residents to manage our finances efficiently and deliver a balanced budget.
· Is showing in its Medium Term Financial Plan a deficit of £9.5m in year 2014/15, £28m in 2015/16 and £44m in 2016/17.
· Will be spending on average £16m more per year than it is expecting to receive in after 2014/15.
· Is in such a desperate financial position that the cabinet is having to sell the Henry Moore statue of the draped woman, despite this being gifted to the people of Tower Hamlets, and various other council owned properties.
This Council notes that the Mayor:
· Is using £9.5m from reserves to cover the deficit in the 2014/15 budget, to be agreed ahead of the next local elections, and has no plans to deal with the deficit after that time.
· Has a number of big spending proposals including a fund for restoring religious buildings, the Mayor’s educational award and funding to replace the cut in council tax benefit, which are not funded after the 2014 elections.
· Failed to protect the most vulnerable when he proposed to needlessly slash funding for welfare advice services, some as much as 75%, which would likely increase the financial risk faced by the council.
Further notes the Mayor continues to waste the Council’s ... view the full minutes text for item 12