To debate a Motion submitted by the Opposition Group in accordance with Rules 11 and 13 of the Council’s Constitution. The debate will last for a maximum of 30 minutes.

 

 

8 – Opposition Motion by the Conservative Group regarding the Tower Hamlets Annual Residents’ Survey 2019

 

Councillor Andrew Wood moved and Councillor Peter Golds seconded the motion as printed in the agenda.

 

Councillor Asma Begum moved and Mayor John Biggs seconded the following amendment to the motion to be debated.

 

Added text underlined and in red font.

Deleted text scored out.

 

 

This Council notes:

·         The recent publication of the Tower Hamlets Annual Residents’ Survey 2019

·         A news update on the Council website titled “Residents survey results revealed” released on Tuesday 3^rd September which correctly stated that:

 

‘Nearly eight out of ten Tower Hamlets residents (78 per cent) continue to agree that people from different backgrounds get on well together, are positive about most local services, and 69 per cent say that the council is doing a good job.’

 

·         Commitments made at the 19^th September 2018 full Council meeting as regards anti-social behaviour & crime in Tower Hamlets

 

Summary Table 1 page 4 Residents Survey 2019 - Service satisfaction ratings (%) – all residents and all users (N.B. table deleted for reasons of accuracy)

 

	2016		2019		Change 2019 on 2016	Change 2019 on 2019 %
Views of all residents, total %	925		879		-46	-5%
(not including nursery education)
	2016		2017		2018	2019	Change 2019 on 2016	Change 2019 on 2019 %
Views of all service users, total %		651		635	603	546	-105	-16%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Council notes that Crime and ASB are major concerns for residents. Many elements of this are for other agencies and partners to address and it would be foolhardy for the Council to accept ownership of matters beyond our powers or control but we note the ongoing work by the Council and partners to address issues of community safety, including but not limited to:

 

·      £3 million investment of council funding for extra police officers to work on key crime and ASB hotspots;

·      A Neighbourhood Management Pilot in the north east of the borough to bring extra focus and dedicated resource to four wards in the borough with high concentrations of ASB;

·      Ongoing targeted activity with the police to tackle the drugs trade through ‘Operation Continuum’ which has seen 312 arrests for drug offences, 129 people charges with drug supply and £564k cash seized under proceeds of crime;

·      A review of the Council’s CCTV infrastructure as a prelude to major investment in the network;

·      Refreshing the Substance Misuse Strategy to ensure it reflects the current/emerging challenges and sustaining £8 million investment on substance misuse support.

 

The Council is concerned:

 

About the year on year That while some areas have seen an improvement in resident perceptions (for example in parks and road/pavement repairs), there has been a decline in resident’s perception about a range of other issues and concerns (for example refuse collection but also other areas not a responsibility of the council including policing).

 

The Council further notes:

 

That the news release dated 3^rd September 2019 titled “Residents survey results revealed” does not mention any of the issues raised above and is not an accurate summary of the survey results highlighted a number of key issues and provided a link to the survey report in full.

 

That the council is working towards meeting the commitments & promises made at full Council on the 19^th September 2018 as regards ASB have not been fully answered including for example a new CCTV approach for the borough, completing a review of the online ASB reporting portal, 6,000 lamp columns have been upgraded to LED lanterns, among other measures.

 

The Council resolves:

 

To reverse the year on year declines address the concerns and build on improvements to address in the issues raised in the Annual Residents Survey, and to strive to deliver rebuild trust in our ability to deliver continuing improvements for our residents.

 

To continue to ensure that press releases accurately summarise Councils documents and are not a Pravda like distortion of the truth reflect the work of the council and inform the media and residents.

 

To ask the Cabinet Member for Community Safety to respond urgently to all of the issues raised and commitments made 364 days ago. provide a written update on ongoing actions following the agreement of the full council motion in September 2018.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and agreed.

 

Following debate, the motion as amended was put to the vote and was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

This Council notes:

 

The recent publication of the Tower Hamlets Annual Residents’ Survey 2019

 

A news update on the Council website titled “Residents survey results revealed” released on Tuesday 3^rd September which correctly stated that:

 

‘Nearly eight out of ten Tower Hamlets residents (78 per cent) continue to agree that people from different backgrounds get on well together, are positive about most local services, and 69 per cent say that the council is doing a good job.’

 

Commitments made at the 19^th September 2018 full Council meeting as regards anti-social behaviour & crime in Tower Hamlets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Council notes that Crime and ASB are major concerns for residents. Many elements of this are for other agencies and partners to address and it would be foolhardy for the Council to accept ownership of matters beyond our powers or control but we note the ongoing work by the Council and partners to address issues of community safety, including but not limited to:

 

·      £3 million investment of council funding for extra police officers to work on key crime and ASB hotspots;

·      A Neighbourhood Management Pilot in the north east of the borough to bring extra focus and dedicated resource to four wards in the borough with high concentrations of ASB;

·      Ongoing targeted activity with the police to tackle the drugs trade through ‘Operation Continuum’ which has seen 312 arrests for drug offences, 129 people charges with drug supply and £564k cash seized under proceeds of crime;

·      A review of the Council’s CCTV infrastructure as a prelude to major investment in the network;

·      Refreshing the Substance Misuse Strategy to ensure it reflects the current/emerging challenges and sustaining £8 million investment on substance misuse support.

 

The Council is concerned:

 

That while some areas have seen an improvement in resident perceptions (for example in parks and road/pavement repairs), there has been a decline in resident’s perception about other issues and concerns (for example refuse collection but also other areas not a responsibility of the council including policing).

 

The Council further notes:

 

That the news release dated 3^rd September 2019 titled “Residents survey results revealed” highlighted a number of key issues and provided a link to the survey report in full.

 

That the council is working towards meeting the commitments & promises made at full Council on the 19^th September 2018 including for example a new CCTV approach for the borough, completing a review of the online ASB reporting portal, 6,000 lamp columns have been upgraded to LED lanterns, among other measures.

 

The Council resolves:

 

To address the concerns and build on improvements to address the issues raised in the Annual Residents Survey, and to strive to deliver continuing improvements for our residents.

 

To continue to ensure that press releases accurately reflect the work of the council and inform the media and residents.

 

To ask the Cabinet Member for Community Safety to provide a written update on ongoing actions following the agreement of the full council motion in September 2018.