Agenda item
TO RECEIVE ANY PETITIONS
Details of the petitions received for presentation at this meeting are set out in the attached report.
Decision:
5.1 Petition from Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations re: secure tenancies and other housing issues
Ms. Eileen Short addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The Mayor then responded to the issues raised.
DECISION
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Development and Renewal for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Aman Dalvi, Corporate Director, Development and Renewal)
5.2 Petition from Tower Hamlets Joint Trade Unions re: cuts in public spending
Mr. John McLoughlin addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, then responded to the issues raised.
DECISION
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Resources for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Chris Naylor, Corporate Director, Resources)
Additional Motion proposed by Councillor Rachael Saunders regarding cuts to public services
Councillor Rachael Saunders moved and Councillor Helal Abbas seconded the suspension of Procedure Rule 13.1 to enable the above motion to be considered without the notice required in the Constitution. The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
Councillor Rachael Saunders then moved and Councillor Helal Abbas seconded under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 that the order of business be varied to allow the additional motion to be considered as next business. The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
Motion re: Cuts to public services
Councillor Rachael Saunders moved, and Councillor Helal Abbas seconded a tabled motion.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury moved and Councillor Oliur Rahman seconded an amendment that was defeated.
The original motion was agreed, after a recorded vote, as follows:
DECISION
This Council Notes:
- The petition from Tower Hamlets Joint Trade Unions regarding cuts in public spending
- The disproportionate burden of cuts faced by Tower Hamlets
- The historic link between trade unions and the Labour Party, currently demonstrated in the Tower Hamlets Trade Union Liaison Organisation.
- That Jim Fitzpatrick MP and Rushanara Ali MP are fighting these cuts every day in Parliament, alongside Labour colleagues.
This Council believes
- That the Conservative- Liberal Government is cutting further and faster than is necessary, and is targeting the poorest and most vulnerable to take the burden.
This Council resolves
- To work with all groups across our community to oppose cuts and defend the most vulnerable.
- To support peaceful campaigning and activism to seek to defend our services and defeat the cuts, including supporting the TUC demonstration on the 26th March 2011
(Action by: Chris Naylor, Corporate Director, Resources)
5.3 Petition re: Bed closures and job losses at Barts and the London Hospital
Ms. Jackie Turner addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The Mayor then responded to the issues raised.
DECISION
That the petition stand referred to the Acting Corporate Director, Adults Health & Wellbeing for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Helen Taylor, Acting Corporate Director, Adult Health & Wellbeing)
Minutes:
5.1 Petition from Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations regarding secure tenancies and other housing issues
At the invitation of the Chair of Council, Ms. Eileen Short addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and replied to questions from Members of the Council.
Mayor Lutfur Rahman then responded to the petition. He said that during the two years he was Leader, housing was one of the administration's key priorities. He was appalled at the changes being pushed through by the coalition government and felt that with unprecedented cuts, rents rising and the economy still very fragile, residents had enough to worry about without the Government taking away their right to a permanent roof over their heads. The Mayor stated that he would be happy to meet with the petitioners and he and the Cabinet Member for Housing would be looking at ways to work together with members and residents to protect the community over the coming months and years.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Development and Renewal for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
5.2 Petition from Tower Hamlets Joint Trade Unions regarding cuts in public spending
At the invitation of the Chair of Council, Mr. John McLoughlin addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and replied to questions from Members of the Council.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources then responded to the petition. He thanked Mr. McLoughlin for bringing the petition to the meeting and members of Unison, Unite and GMB for meeting with him and the Mayor recently. Councillor Choudhury stated that the cuts would be a major blow to the Council’s budget with a reduction in grants of 38% but that some Conservative councils would be getting a 30% increase. He would work with the Trade Unions and others who were willing to join him to protect services.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Resources for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
Additional Motion proposed by Councillor Rachael Saunders regarding cuts to public services
At this point Councillor Rachael Saunders MOVED and Councillor Helal Abbas SECONDED - “That Procedure Rule 13.1 be suspended to enable the following motion to be considered without the notice required in the Constitution.
This Council Notes:
- The petition from Tower Hamlets Joint Trade Unions regarding cuts in public spending
- The disproportionate burden of cuts faced by Tower Hamlets
- The historic link between trade unions and the Labour Party, currently demonstrated in the Tower Hamlets Trade Union Liaison Organisation.
- That Jim Fitzpatrick MP and Rushanara Ali MP are fighting these cuts every day in Parliament, alongside Labour colleagues.
This Council believes
- That the Conservative- Liberal Government is cutting further and faster than is necessary, and is targeting the poorest and most vulnerable to take the burden.
This Council resolves
- To work with all groups across our community to oppose cuts and defend the most vulnerable.
- To support peaceful campaigning and activism to seek to defend our services and defeat the cuts, including supporting the TUC demonstration on the 26th March 2011”
The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
Change to order of business
Councillor Rachael Saunders then MOVED and Councillor Helal Abbas SECONDED – “That under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 the order of business be varied to allow the additional motion to be considered as next business.” The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
Motion re: Cuts to public services
Councillor Rachael Saunders MOVED, and Councillor Helal Abbas SECONDED, the tabled motion as set out above.
Following debate, Councillor Alibor Choudhury MOVED and Councillor Oliur Rahman SECONDED an amendment as follows:-
“Under ‘This Council Notes’, add:- ‘That Lutfur Rahman, the independent Mayor of Tower Hamlets is working hard to soften the blow of the Con-Dem cuts for the people of the borough’; and
Under ‘This Council Resolves’, add:- ‘To ask the Mayor to write to central Government outlining the impact that these cuts will have on the most vulnerable and urge it to do more to protect services for those who need them most’.”
Following further debate, the amendment was put to the vote and was defeated.
The Chair then put the original motion to the vote and at this point ten Members rose from their seats to request a recorded vote. A recorded vote was therefore held on the motion moved by Councillor Rachael Saunders and Councillors gave their votes as follows:-
For the motion: (32)
Councillor Helal Abbas
Councillor Kabir Ahmed
Councillor Khales Uddin Ahmed
Councillor Ohid Ahmed
Councillor Rajib Ahmed
Councillor Shahed Ali
Councillor Alibor Choudhury
Councillor David Edgar
Councillor Marc Francis
Councillor Judith Gardiner
Councillor Carlo Gibbs
Councillor Carli Harper-Penman
Councillor Ann Jackson
Councillor Denise Jones
Councillor Aminur Khan
Councillor Anwar Khan
Councillor Rania Khan
Councillor Shiria Khatun
Councillor Anna Lynch
Councillor Harun Miah
Councillor Mohammed Abdul Mukit
Councillor Lesley Pavitt
Councillor Joshua Peck
Councillor Oliur Rahman
Councillor Zenith Rahman
Councillor Rachael Saunders
Councillor Bill Turner
Councillor Helal Uddin
Councillor Kosru Uddin
Councillor Abdal Ullah
Councillor Amy Whitelock
Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman
Against the motion: (7)
Councillor Peter Golds
Councillor Timothy Archer
Councillor Zara Davis
Councillor Dr. Emma Jones
Councillor Maium Miah
Councillor David Snowdon
Councillor Gloria Thienel
Abstained: (1)
Councillor Stephanie Eaton
The motion was therefore carried. Accordingly it was:-
RESOLVED
This Council Notes:
- The petition from Tower Hamlets Joint Trade Unions regarding cuts in public spending
- The disproportionate burden of cuts faced by Tower Hamlets
- The historic link between trade unions and the Labour Party, currently demonstrated in the Tower Hamlets Trade Union Liaison Organisation.
- That Jim Fitzpatrick MP and Rushanara Ali MP are fighting these cuts every day in Parliament, alongside Labour colleagues.
This Council believes
- That the Conservative- Liberal Government is cutting further and faster than is necessary, and is targeting the poorest and most vulnerable to take the burden.
This Council resolves
- To work with all groups across our community to oppose cuts and defend the most vulnerable.
- To support peaceful campaigning and activism to seek to defend our services and defeat the cuts, including supporting the TUC demonstration on the 26th March 2011
5.3 Petition from Ms Jackie Turner and others regarding bed closures and job losses at Barts and the London Hospital
At the invitation of the Chair of Council, Ms. Jackie Turner addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and replied to questions from Members of the Council.
The Mayor then responded to the petition. He thanked Ms. Turner for her presentation and said that the facilities of Barts and the London Hospital were an important resource for residents and the community of Tower Hamlets. The Mayor stated that he would write to the Chair of the Board personally outlining his concerns and would also ask his colleagues that were on the Board to oppose any closures.
RESOLVED
That the petition stand referred to the Acting Corporate Director, Adults Health & Wellbeing for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
Supporting documents: