Agenda item
TO RECEIVE ANY PETITIONS
The Council Procedure Rules provide for a maximum of three petitions to be presented at an Ordinary Meeting of the Council.
The deadline for receipt of petitions for this Council meeting is Thursday 22nd November 2012. However, as at 20th November the maximum number of three petitions had already been received and details of these are set out in the attached report.
Decision:
5.1 Petition from Mr Franco Carrieri and residents of Brodick House regarding Decent Homes funding
Mr Franco Carrieri addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The relevant Cabinet Member then responded to the matters raised in the petition.
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 Labour Party regarding ‘Save our Advice Centres’
Mr Abdul Kahar Choudhury addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The relevant Cabinet Member then responded to the matters raised in the petition.
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)
5.3 Petition from Tower Hamlets Labour Party regarding Clean Streets
Mr Doros Ullah addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members. The relevant Cabinet Member then responded to the matters raised in the petition.
DECISION
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Communities, Localities and Culture, for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
(Action by: Stephen Halsey, Corporate Director, Communities, Localities and Culture)
Minutes:
5.1 Petition from Mr Franco Carrieri and residents of Brodick House regarding Decent Homes funding
Mr Franco Carrieri addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members.
Councillor Rabina Khan, Cabinet Member for Housing, then responded to the matters raised in the petition. She reported that the Mayor had visited Brodick House and had seen its poor condition and that there was particular concern over the heating system. She confirmed that Brodick House was scheduled to receive Decent Homes works including new kitchens and bathrooms, substantial repairs to the external fabric of the block and an upgraded heating system. She and the Mayor would work with residents and local Councillors to get the best from the Decent Homes funding.
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 Labour Party regarding ‘Save our Advice Centres’
Mr Abdul Kahar Choudhury 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 matters raised in the petition. He welcomed the constructive advice submitted by the petitioners and confirmed that no decision had been taken at that point. He stated that the process for allocating money wasn’t easy and was significantly oversubscribed. The Mayor was currently reviewing the recommendations of the Programme Board and an announcement would be made soon. However, there would be no 75% cut. Councillor Choudhury expressed concern over scaremongering tactics employed by opposition Councillors particularly in relation to protests outside of the Tower Hamlets Law Centre, which the Law Centre had confirmed were without their permission.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Resources, for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
Procedural Motion
Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman moved, and Councillor Shiria Khantun seconded, a procedural motion – “That under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 the order of business be altered to consider Member’s Question 8.11 ‘Funding for Advice Centres’ immediately”.
The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.
8.11 Question from Councillor M. A. Mukit MBE regarding funding for advice centres.
Can the Mayor explain why his administration proposed cutting the budgets of the borough’s vital and well used advice centres by up to 75%?
Response by Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources
No decision has been made. The Mayor is reviewing the recommendations of the programme board and an announcement will be made in the next few days. It hasn’t been an easy process, we’ve had a huge increase in the number of applications because unlike Newham and Lambeth and Lewisham we maintained our mainstream grants at pre-cuts levels.
We’ll be announcing in the next few days and I while I can’t go into details, I assure you there will be no 75 per cent cut. Despite this, Councillor Peck and his friends have been whipping up fear in the community while actually making it harder to make a fair decision. They called in the Cabinet decision, overlooking the fact it wasn’t the final one. In effect they wanted the Mayor not to listen to appeals from the 3rd Sector. Then Councillor Peck and his friends protested outside the Tower Hamlets Law Centre - but I have a letter from the Law Centre saying it was without their permission.
Then Councillor Peck came to Cabinet with a statement he claimed was from a Law Centre representative. The person in question is a failed Labour candidate who didn’t even turn up on the day and Councillor Peck spoke for her. Not only that, but I have another letter from the Law Centre stating she does not represent them.
But that’s no surprise. Cllr Peck claims to represent the people of Tower Hamlets and the Labour Party but in reality he’s leading a caucus of fantasists and conspiracy theorists who are so obsessed by their vendetta against the Mayor that they’ll scaremonger, misrepresent the facts and even tell downright porkies just so they can have a go at this administration.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor M.A. Mukit MBE
The Mayor took his initial decision almost two months ago, but he is still to announce his final decisions. How much longer will this take and will the decision be taken in public?
Summary of Councillor Alibor Choudhury’s response to the Supplementary Question
It will be soon but our job is to ensure the money goes where it is most needed and we will take the time required to get it right and make sure that this is the case.
5.3 Petition from Tower Hamlets Labour Party regarding Clean Streets
Mr Doros Ullah addressed the meeting on behalf of the petitioners and responded to questions from Members.
Councillor Shahed Ali, the Cabinet Member for Environment, then responded to the matters raised in the petition. He stated that there were a number of inaccuracies in the petition. The Council had agreed to the budget cuts last year and income generation was important in covering some of the savings required by the Tory-led coalition government. Councillor Ali stated that neither officers nor independent monitors had found any increase in flytipping since the charge was introduced for special collections and the Mayor would keep this under review. Finally he pointed out that the administration had received awards for its good work and he thanked officers for their hard work.
RESOLVED
That the petition be referred to the Corporate Director, Communities, Localities and Culture, for a written response on any outstanding matters within 28 days.
Supporting documents: