Agenda item
TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
The motions submitted by Councillors for debate at this meeting are set out in the attached report.
Decision:
12.1 Public transport and unaffordable fares
Councillor Fozol Miah moved and Councillor Harun Miah seconded, the motion as printed in the agenda.
Councillor Peter Golds moved, and Councillor Tim Archer seconded, a tabled amendment to the motion.
Following debate the amendment moved by Councillor Golds was put to the vote and was defeated.
The substantive motion as printed in the agenda was then put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes that:
1) the importance of encouraging use of public transport to limit pollution in London and to save on use of fossil fuels which increase global warming
2) people on lower incomes are particularly dependent on public transport to ensure they can gain access for themselves and their families of the benefits of living in London
3) many people have seen or are seeing no rise in their incomes despite the fact inflation is over 5% and this is cutting their living standards
4) Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson is committed to raising fares on public transport in London year on year by 1% above inflation, despite falling living standards for many, particularly on lower incomes across the capital and in Tower Hamlets in particular
5) Ken Livingstone, the only candidate who realistically can be expected to replace the Tory mayor Boris Johnson in elections in May 2012, has promised to reduce fares by 5% if elected with no increase in fares in 2013
This Council believes that:
1) the rise in fares proposed by the Tory Mayor Boris Johnson will have a severe effect on the living standards in London particularly of those on lower incomes
2) the rise in fares proposed by Tory Mayor Boris Johnson will discourage use of public transport
3) a reduction in fares rather than an increase is both affordable and desirable
This Council supports the plans announced by Ken Livingstone to reduce fares if elected next May.
12.9 Support Ken Livingstone’s fair deal for transport
CouncillorRabina Khan moved, and Councillor Safiqul Haque seconded, the motion as printed in the agenda.
Councillor Peter Golds moved, and Councillor Tim Archer seconded, a tabled amendment to the motion.
Following debate, the amendment moved by Councillor Golds was put to the vote and was defeated.
The substantive motion as printed in the agenda was then put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes:
1. That from January 2012 there has been a steep rise in bus, tube and rail fares under Tory Mayor Boris Johnson
2. That under the Tory mayor the cost of a single bus ticket has risen by a massive 50 per cent since 2008, whilst the price of a monthly zone 1-2 Travelcard is up 21% costing £230.40 per year more, and the price of zones 1-6 Travelcard is up a fifth.
3. That a key part of the "One Tower Hamlets" Community Plan is to tackle poverty and protect the environment and peoples' health.
4. That increases in public transport fares can adversely impact on social inclusion, mobility and people's economic well being, particularly for poorer sections of our community.
5. That increases in bus, tube, train and DLR fares can also encourage more people to use cars rather than public transport and therefore contribute to increased congestion and poorer air quality.
This Council believes:
1. That Boris Johnson’s transport polices are hurting our residents.
2. That we should support initiatives that seeks to reduce the costs of using public transport.
3. That Ken Livingstone’s manifesto pledge to cut fares immediately by 7%, to freeze them the next year and saving the average London Transport user £1000 over 4 years is good news for residents in Tower Hamlets and to be welcomed.
This Council resolves:
To support Ken Livingstone’s campaign to make fares affordable for Londoners.
12.11 Remembering Stephen Lawrence
Councillor Abdul Asad moved, and Councillor Kabir Ahmed seconded, the motion as printed in the agenda.
Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes:
1. That after eighteen years the Stephen Lawrence case has finally seen some resolution with two men convicted for his murder.
2. The dignity with which the Lawrence family have led their campaign.
3. That Stephen Lawrence’s murder highlights that there are people, albeit a tiny minority, who harbour a deep racism and may even be capable of terrible, violent acts.
4. The fact that Tower Hamlets is a multi cultural, multi racial borough, where the overwhelming majority of people work and live together happily, should not allow for any complacency.
5. That the Stephen Lawrence case also highlights the insidious nature of racism and how it can infect and distort the workings of institutions.
6. That among the findings of the Macpherson Inquiry was a clear conclusion about the existence of institutional racism in the police service and other public sector organizations.
7. That the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford is facing closure due to lack of funding.
This Council believes:
That we owe it to the legacy of Stephen Lawrence and the hard work of the Lawrence family to strengthen our commitment to tackling institutional discrimination and exclusion and confronting all prejudices, inequalities and unfair treatment whether as a result of gender, sexuality, age, race, disability, religious affiliation, belief or class.
This Council resolves:
1. To write to the Lawrence Family on behalf of all councillors in an expression of support and solidarity.
2. To continue to campaign against all forms of discrimination and hatred.
3. To explore all we can do to help the Stephen Lawrence Centre to continue its important work.
12.13 Dow Chemical, Bhopal and the Olympic Park
Councillor Lutfa Begum moved, and Councillor Rania Khan seconded, the motion as printed in the agenda.
Following debate, the motion as printed in the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This meeting notes:
1. That on December 12 2011 Mayor Lutfur Rahman, Cllr Josh Peck (Labour Group), Fozol Miah (Respect Group) and Stephanie Eaton (Lib Dem) sent a joint letter to Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) expressing concern over its decision to accept sponsorship for the Olympic Games from Dow Chemical, in light of its associations with the Union Carbide/Bhopal disaster.
2. That in a reply to that letter Lord Coe stated ‘Dow is an industry leader in terms of operating with the highest standards of ethics and sustainability’ and that LOCOG ‘stand behind’ Dow ‘both as a worldwide sponsor of the Olympic movement and as a supplier to LOCOG’.
3. That Lord Coe also stated that Dow Chemical had no responsibilities in relation to the Bhopal disaster as ‘they did not own or operate the Union Carbide India Limited Plant that was the site of the 1984 disaster’.
4. That due to campaign pressure Dow Chemical has agreed to remove all its branding from Britain’s Olympic stadium.
This meeting believes:
1. That when Dow Chemical bought Union Carbide they knew that Union Carbide were wanted on criminal charges pertaining to the Bhopal disaster.
2. That Dow therefore has a responsibility to the victims of the Bhopal disaster.
3. That any association with Dow tarnishes the name and reputation of the Olympics.
This meeting resolves:
To maintain pressure on LOCOG to drop Dow Chemical as a partner for the 2012 Olympics.
12.14 Sexual Exploitation
CouncillorRania Khan moved, and Councillor Ohid Ahmed seconded, the motion as printed in the report.
After debate, the motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes:
1. That despite the abolition of slavery over 200 years ago, modern forms of trading in human beings continue, particularly for the purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic slavery or organised crime.
2. That 80,000 people are trafficked each year, 80% of which are women and children.
3. That in the UK many thousands of individuals are bought and sold as commodities and forced into modern-day slavery.
4. That Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) does excellent work focussing on the protection and welfare of children and young people.
5. That the Metropolitan Police have set up a Trafficking Helpline, working with some local authorities to launch raids and closing down brothels, gathering intelligence on known trafficking gangs/groups and working with their home countries.
This Council believes:
1. That schools should be encouraged to incorporate the topic into their curricula to raise awareness among students.
2. That the efforts made by individuals, business, organisations, the police, government and educational institutions to raise awareness of human trafficking and to oppose such trafficking actively; are to be commended
This Council resolves:
1. To express its support for the work that ECPAT UK (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) is doing around the UK to promote the rights of children and for the measures the organisation is taking to protect them from commercial and sexual exploitation and abuse.
2. To acknowledge the potential impact of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on trafficking, in the context of a possible increase of people entering the UK due to human trafficking, and to work with LOCOG, other Olympic agencies and the police to counteract this.
Motions 12.2; 12.3; 12.4; 12.5; 12.6; 12.7; 12.8; 12.10; 12.12; 12.15; 12.16 and 12.17 were not considered due to the time limit being reached. Tabled amendments to motions 12.4; 12.5; 12.6; 12.10 and 12.12 were not moved, accordingly.
Minutes:
Motions 12.1, 12.9, 12.11, 12.13 and 12.14 had been debated earlier in the meeting.
Motions 12.2; 12.3; 12.4; 12.5; 12.6; 12.7; 12.8; 12.10; 12.12; 12.15; 12.16 and 12.17 were not considered due to the time limit being reached. Tabled amendments to motions 12.4; 12.5; 12.6; 12.10 and 12.12 were not moved, accordingly.
Supporting documents: