Issue - meetings
TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
Meeting: 23/01/2013 - Council (Item 8)
8 TO RECEIVE WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PDF 73 KB
The questions which have been received from Councillors to be put at this Council meeting are set out in the attached report.
A maximum period of 30 minutes is allocated to this agenda item.
Decision:
8.1 Question from Councillor Denise Jones on the recent stabbings in Wapping Woods.
8.2 Question from Councillor Peter Golds on the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
8.3 Question from Councillor Khales Ahmed about the Mayor’s Office staffing and advisor budgets.
8.4 Question from Councillor Harun Miah about tube and bus fares (no supplementary question was put).
8.5 Question from Councillor Abdal Ullah on the Mayor of London’s proposals to reduce the number of police stations in Tower Hamlets.
8.6 Question from Councillor Zara Davis on Tunnel Runs in the Westferry Circus underground roundabout.
8.8 Question from Councillor Gulam Robbani on gaming machines (no
supplementary question was put).
8.9 Question from Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman about the Baishakhi Mela.
The above questions and in each case, except were indicated, a supplementary question were put and were responded to by the relevant executive Member.
Question 8.7 was not put at the meeting as the questioner (Councillor Shiria Khatun) was not present. A written response would be provided to the question.
The remaining questions 8.10 to 8.27 were not put due to lack of time. Written responses would be provided to the questions.
(Action by: John S. Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services – to arrange written responses).
Minutes:
8.1 Question from Councillor Denise Jones on the recent stabbings in Wapping Woods.
In December in Wapping Woods two women were stabbed in separate incidents that made residents frightened to go out. A public meeting was quickly organised by me and the police Safer Neighbourhood Team to brief residents and listen to their concerns about safety in Wapping. Can the Mayor tell the Council what steps officers have taken to improve public safety in Wapping since these stabbings took place?
Response by Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Deputy Mayor
Public safety is a priority for the Mayor, for this administration and for me.
We were all deeply shocked of the news that two women were stabbed in Wapping. As I am sure you are aware, a man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and is on remand awaiting trial. CCTV was installed the next day in the area.
My best wishes go out for the speedy recovery of the two women. Fortunately this type of serious assault is very rare in Wapping. However, it is because of these shocking incidents that I and other councillors including the ward member Councillor Haque attended the public meeting on 8th January along with senior officers from the Council, the Police and Tower Hamlets Homes to listen to residents’ concerns.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Denise Jones
The attacks took place over the Christmas and New Year period. I tried to contact the Head of Paid Service, other Directors and Service Heads without success. Councillors were not told who to call over the holiday period and there was a lack of response. We only found out on the day of the public meeting who would be attending.
What will the Mayor do to ensure that Councillors know who to contact and are kept informed of actions taken, and can we have an administration that makes the Borough safe?
Summary of Councillor Ohid Ahmed’s response to the Supplementary Question
The relevant Service Heads were at the residents meeting. Councillors should know who to contact and instead of playing politics, if the matter had been raised with me I would have helped. Swift action was taken in this case and we are also visiting every ward in the borough to discuss community safety. In Wapping, Council services are liaising with the police and we are planning a further walkabout with residents to look at additional improvements.
8.2 Question from Councillor Peter Golds on the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
In 2011 the Parliament approved the “Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity”. Tower Hamlets Council has chosen to ignore this code, in particular by continuing to publish East End Life at cost to the taxpayer.
The Government has announced that to ensure compliance of the Code of Recommended Practice legislation is to be introduced which will empower the Secretary of State to make a direction requiring compliance with some or all of the Publicity Code’s recommendations.
Will the Mayor ... view the full minutes text for item 8