Agenda item
TO RECEIVE WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
The questions which have been received from members of the public for this Council meeting are set out in the attached report.
A maximum period of 20 minutes is allocated to this agenda item.
Decision:
6.1 Question from Mr Brian Nicholson regarding street cleansing and public realm improvements (no supplementary question was put)
6.2 Question from Paplu Kaledur regarding Education Maintenance Awards (no supplementary question was put)
6.3 Question from Mr Aminur Rahman regarding Island Homes/One Housing (no supplementary question was put)
The above questions and in each case (except where indicated) a supplementary question, were put and were responded to by the relevant Executive Member.
(Action by: John S. Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services – to arrange written responses).
Minutes:
6.1 Question from Mr Brian Nicholson, Secretary, London Dockers Athletic & Social Club
At the last Council meeting Tower Hamlets was described as a grotty borough. Can the Mayor tell us what he is doing about street cleansing and public realm improvements across the borough?
Response by Councillor Shahed Ali, Cabinet Member for Environment
Thank you for your question. I am pleased to announce that in the past 12 months we have improved the cleansing of our streets to the highest levels it has ever been.
We have also introduced two ‘Find it Fix it’ teams to proactively resolve environmental issues by reacting to littering hot spots that may occur irregularly across the borough.
We have also introduced the new dog fouling cleansing service and purchased 500 new litter bins of which there will be an increase of 300 by this year.
In addition we have piloted the removal of all the trade waste bins which used to block our pavements from our busiest roads by replacing them with time banded sack collections. This pilot scheme was so successful that we have rolled out the programme across the borough and improved the look and feel of our streets
Finally, a number of educational and promotional activities are also undertaken to dissuade people from littering.
All of this has led to a huge improvement in our public realm and demonstrates the Mayor’s electoral pledge to make the borough cleaner and safer.
(No supplementary question was put)
6.2 Question from Mr Paplu Kaledur
Can the Mayor update this meeting how many young
people from Tower Hamlets have received the Education
Maintenance Awards since its inception, and does he believe the
Government is supporting young people with its current policy on
EMA?'
Response by Councillor Oliur Rahman, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services
Thank you for your question. So far 1,600 students have applied for the Mayor’s Education Award which we introduced to plug the funding gap left by the termination by the Government of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). 700 students have received a payment and more payments will be made.
This shows that our students need all the support they can get.
The EMA scheme had a positive impact on our students in Tower Hamlets and the Mayor’s Education Award is designed to keep those dreams alive. This Award will ensure that poverty will not hold back our young people’s ambitions.
Finally, no, I don’t think the government is supporting young people with the abolition of EMA across the country.
(No supplementary question was put)
6.3 Question from Mr Aminur Rahman
How will the Mayor ensure that residents' rights will be protected with the intended merger of Island Homes and One Housing?
Response by Councillor Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing
Thank you for your question. We have taken a very proactive approach to managing this transition.
Officers have been meeting regularly with senior staff in One Housing. At these meetings officers have raised concerns that both the Council and residents have about the merger.
A detailed action plan has been developed to manage these concerns and we will be keeping a close eye on this to ensure residents concerns are addressed during this transition.
(No supplementary question was put)
Supporting documents: