Agenda item
TO RECEIVE WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
- Meeting of Council, Wednesday, 23rd January, 2013 7.30 p.m. (Item 8.)
- View the background to item 8.
The questions which have been received from Councillors to be put at this Council meeting are set out in the attached report.
A maximum period of 30 minutes is allocated to this agenda item.
Decision:
8.1 Question from Councillor Denise Jones on the recent stabbings in Wapping Woods.
8.2 Question from Councillor Peter Golds on the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
8.3 Question from Councillor Khales Ahmed about the Mayor’s Office staffing and advisor budgets.
8.4 Question from Councillor Harun Miah about tube and bus fares (no supplementary question was put).
8.5 Question from Councillor Abdal Ullah on the Mayor of London’s proposals to reduce the number of police stations in Tower Hamlets.
8.6 Question from Councillor Zara Davis on Tunnel Runs in the Westferry Circus underground roundabout.
8.8 Question from Councillor Gulam Robbani on gaming machines (no
supplementary question was put).
8.9 Question from Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman about the Baishakhi Mela.
The above questions and in each case, except were indicated, a supplementary question were put and were responded to by the relevant executive Member.
Question 8.7 was not put at the meeting as the questioner (Councillor Shiria Khatun) was not present. A written response would be provided to the question.
The remaining questions 8.10 to 8.27 were not put due to lack of time. Written responses would be provided to the questions.
(Action by: John S. Williams, Service Head, Democratic Services – to arrange written responses).
Minutes:
8.1 Question from Councillor Denise Jones on the recent stabbings in Wapping Woods.
In December in Wapping Woods two women were stabbed in separate incidents that made residents frightened to go out. A public meeting was quickly organised by me and the police Safer Neighbourhood Team to brief residents and listen to their concerns about safety in Wapping. Can the Mayor tell the Council what steps officers have taken to improve public safety in Wapping since these stabbings took place?
Response by Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Deputy Mayor
Public safety is a priority for the Mayor, for this administration and for me.
We were all deeply shocked of the news that two women were stabbed in Wapping. As I am sure you are aware, a man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and is on remand awaiting trial. CCTV was installed the next day in the area.
My best wishes go out for the speedy recovery of the two women. Fortunately this type of serious assault is very rare in Wapping. However, it is because of these shocking incidents that I and other councillors including the ward member Councillor Haque attended the public meeting on 8th January along with senior officers from the Council, the Police and Tower Hamlets Homes to listen to residents’ concerns.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Denise Jones
The attacks took place over the Christmas and New Year period. I tried to contact the Head of Paid Service, other Directors and Service Heads without success. Councillors were not told who to call over the holiday period and there was a lack of response. We only found out on the day of the public meeting who would be attending.
What will the Mayor do to ensure that Councillors know who to contact and are kept informed of actions taken, and can we have an administration that makes the Borough safe?
Summary of Councillor Ohid Ahmed’s response to the Supplementary Question
The relevant Service Heads were at the residents meeting. Councillors should know who to contact and instead of playing politics, if the matter had been raised with me I would have helped. Swift action was taken in this case and we are also visiting every ward in the borough to discuss community safety. In Wapping, Council services are liaising with the police and we are planning a further walkabout with residents to look at additional improvements.
8.2 Question from Councillor Peter Golds on the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.
In 2011 the Parliament approved the “Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity”. Tower Hamlets Council has chosen to ignore this code, in particular by continuing to publish East End Life at cost to the taxpayer.
The Government has announced that to ensure compliance of the Code of Recommended Practice legislation is to be introduced which will empower the Secretary of State to make a direction requiring compliance with some or all of the Publicity Code’s recommendations.
Will the Mayor announce when he proposes to cease publication of East End Life, which contravenes the Code?
Response by Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources
Let’s start with the facts. The code is not law, it is guidance. Local authorities must have ‘regard’ to the code when deciding on publicity and that is exactly what we did.
The Council undertook a comprehensive review into East End Life which included:-
· a consultation with over 600 responses
· a review of practice in other local authorities
· a review of alternative methods of reaching the borough’s residents
· a cost benefit analysis to ascertain the cost associated with getting information across to residents using other means
· external legal advice from counsel.
72% of people consulted felt positively about East
End Life and over half (53%) of respondents wanted to see East End
life continue as a weekly publication.
The review also found that other local papers had limited
distribution in the borough and that the cost of using alternative
publications would be more expensive, costing the taxpayer
more. East End Life is budgeted
at zero cost for this financial year and is on track to achieve its
income target.
East End Life is compliant with the code in all
respects except where the code suggests to
publish quarterly. With
public health responsibilities returning to local authorities from
April this year a council publication becomes even more
important.
The District Auditor said of East End Life in September 2011
that:- “The Council has had
regard to the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority
Publicity and has taken Counsel’s advice on the impact of the
Code. The Council’s interpretation of the current law in this
area is very similar to my own”.
If the Secretary of State thinks he knows best what the residents
of Tower Hamlets want he should examine the last local and general
election results.
Of course we have all heard the rumours that Mr Pickles is planning
legislation. Is this really a cost a good use of Parliament’s
time when we are about to enter a triple dip recession? Local councils are best placed to decide
what works locally. Mr Pickles should
get on with clearing up the economic mess of his Tory-led
Government.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Peter Golds
I have copies of letters from DCLG which confirm that when the legislation is introduced you will be directed to close East End Life. I am also aware that the Mayor’s subsidy to Channel S will be criticised by Ofcom. The Government will change the law, why are you pretending otherwise?
Summary of Councillor Alibor Choudhury’s response to the Supplementary Question
I will not repeat what I have already said. We are not going to take advice from Mr Eric Pickles MP whose department spends £10k per year on biscuits whilst forcing boroughs to cut services to the most vulnerable.
8.3 Question from Councillor Khales Ahmed about the Mayor’s Office staffing and advisor budgets.
In a time of significant cuts why does the Mayor think it is right to increase his staffing and advisor budget by over 65%?
Response by Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources
Councillor Ahmed, you say there has been a 65% increase, but looking at the work done by the team since the Mayor has been in office there has been a 700% increase in Member’s Enquiries from Councillor Abbas alone. The figures you quote are not actual staffing cost but it includes stationary, printing, postage, supplies and contingencies. As I understand it, our costs are comparable to Labour mayoral boroughs that have:-
· Failed to save the EMA
· Failed to provide Free Homecare for the elderly and vulnerable
· Failed to keep all Libraries and Leisure centres open, and
· Failed to keep up with our house building programme, which is the most prolific in the country.
Why don’t you ask our neighbours what their mayors are doing with their office costs?
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Khales Ahmed
Why do you need so many advisors if you have a Cabinet of all the talents and at a time when residents are having their benefits cut?
Summary of Councillor Alibor Choudhury’s response to the Supplementary Question
The advisors are value for money when you look at what they are delivering, unlike some of the expenditure incurred by Labour members for example on training by RADA, taxis and Special Responsibility Allowances of £3,000 per hour.
8.4 Question from Councillor Harun Miah about tube and bus fares
Does the Mayor agree that this month's increase in the cost of tube and bus fares by an average of 4.2% and in some cases by as much as 7.1% is unacceptable; will present an additional challenge to the tens of thousands of Tower Hamlets families who rely on public transport to get to work, school, college, university and to see friends and family; and will he in light of this undertake to write to Mayor of London Boris Johnson expressing our view that Transport for London should end its policy of above inflation fare rises for bus and tube passengers?
Response by Councillor Shahed Ali, Cabinet Member for Environment
This Tory Chancellor, in his first two and a half years in office has already increased rail fares by 12 per cent. By the end of his term, he will have seen them increased by a staggering 20 to 25 per cent.
Hiking up fares increases only makes problems of congestion and air pollution worse London and does nothing to persuade people out of their cars.
Our rail fares are the highest in Europe but I don’t think you will find anyone who would claim that we have the best rail services in Europe.
I will be writing to Boris Johnson calling on him to use his position to speak out for London’s commuters. Unfortunately in view of his comments defending the fare rises I don’t hold out much hope that he will be champion for the thousands of hard working families hit by these increases.
[No supplementary question was asked.]
8.5 Question from Councillor Abdal Ullah on the Mayor of London’s proposals to reduce the number of police stations in Tower Hamlets.
Earlier this month the Tory Mayor of London revealed his budget including proposals to halve the number of police stations in Tower Hamlets. What steps will the Mayor take to mitigate the impact of these cuts?
Response by Councillor Ohid Ahmed, Deputy Mayor
The Council is committed to taking services closer to the community through the localisation of its services into the four locality-based offices. We have successfully opened up two of the four offices and are on target to have all four offices opened by the end of this financial year. A key element of this work is to co-locate police teams into the four bases.
A formal commitment has been made for the police to co-locate into each of the four bases and we have successfully been operating from the Toby Club for over a year.
The closure of Police Stations is something that the Mayor is actively engaged in lobbying against and the Borough Commander is well aware of his position.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Abdal Ullah
This is a worrying issue. We have already discussed the stabbing in Wapping and I attended the public meeting as a local resident. As our representative at London Councils will the Mayor reach out to find as many allies as possible to oppose these cuts and protect the people of Tower Hamlets?
Summary of Councillor Ohid Ahmed’s response to the Supplementary Question
We are already delivering in this important area to safeguard the borough and we are fortunate to have excellent members, staff and advisors. I would urge all councillors to co-operate in this and not give wrong messages to the outside world.
8.6 Question from Councillor Zara Davis on Tunnel Runs in the Westferry Circus underground roundabout.
What action has been taken by the Council to prevent Tunnel Runs occurring in the Westferry Circus underground roundabout, since the meeting between the Council and Police on 5th December?
Response by Councillor Shahed Ali, Cabinet Member for Environment
The Council and Police met on 5th December 2012 to review their joint response to the Tunnel Running issue at Westferry Circus. The following areas were revisited and agreed.
The Police will continue to monitor social websites to identify potential events that may take place at Westferry Circus.
Any events advertised the police will post a notice on the website stating that the police and local authority will take a robust response to any event at Westferry Circus, and it will include:-
· Prosecuting people for road traffic offences
· Stopping and conducting police examination of vehicles
· Notifying insurance companies of any vehicle modifications and driver behaviours; this will have an impact on insurance premiums
· Injunctions or Asbos will be taken out
· The location will be subject to a dispersal notice, providing police with additional powers and will support any application for an injunction etc
· The Council will install barriers to restrict the ability to park in the Circus
· Automatic number plate readers will be used to obtain evidence of vehicles
· CCTV of both Canary Wharf and Council will be optimised
· Council will work with the Police to have a dispersal notice to cover the area
· The Police will ensure that this is a local policing priority (PP)
· The Council and Police will write to the owner/parents/ insurance companies outlining the behaviour and vehicle modifications etc
· Local Police will liaise with New Scotland Yard for a Pan London approach for this type of incident
· If or when the Council or Police have prior notification that an event will take place there will be a co-ordinated Partnership response that will ensure that local police officers, MPS traffic police, local authority THEO’s, parking control and CCTV are co-ordinated to prevent and deal with the incident as it arises
If an event takes place without prior warning the local police and council officers will attend to disrupt the activity and try to stop the event using the power provided by the dispersal notice and there’ll be using technology to obtain best evidence for injunctions, insurance companies etc.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Zara Davis
Whilst I am glad there is cooperative working going on I am concerned that some key actions agreed – for example barriers and dispersal notices - may have been abandoned. Can I ask the Cabinet Member to provide written confirmation and ensure that the actions proposed will effectively address the issue, as these runs are continuing?
Summary of Councillor Shahed Ali’s response to the Supplementary Question
Yes, I will provide you with a full response that I hope will address your concerns but please discuss it further with me should you wish.
8.7 Question from Councillor Sharia Khatun on gritting roads and walkways.
The questioner was not in attendance. The Service Head, Democratic Services advised the meeting that a written response would be provided to the questioner [see Appendix A attached to these minutes].
8.8 Question from Councillor Gulam Robbani on gaming machines.
Does the Mayor share our concerns regarding the high level of gaming machines in use in Tower Hamlets that has been in the news recently?
Response by Councillor Rania Khan, Cabinet Member for Culture
I am very concerned. It is shocking that in these times of recession Tower Hamlets residents have spent over £400 million on gambling.
I am particularly concerned about the impact of fixed odds betting terminals in the borough’s betting shops. These machines were brought into betting shops when the industry was unregulated in 2001/2002.
The Government has made it clear that they are not going to change the law with regards to these gaming/betting machines and betting shops will continue have them in their premises.
While we are bound by statutory gambling laws here is possibility that we could use Planning and our Commercial leasing arrangements to affect further controls. This is being reviewed at present and our officers are working with the London-wide Licensing Managers Group and the Fairer Betting Group.
[No supplementary question was asked.]
8.9 Question from Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman about the Baishakhi Mela.
On the 19th September 2012 the Council passed a motion resolving:
-
To call upon the Mayor to undertake a full
independent review of the 2012 Baishakhi Mela to
ensure that it met all of its contractual obligations and provided
a service which best served the community.
- To call upon the Mayor to make public the findings and report of the independent review into the 2012 Baishakhi Mela and to report back to Full Council on 23rd January 2013 on the findings.
Can the Mayor explain what progress has been made on this issue?
Response by Councillor Rania Khan, Cabinet Member for Culture
At the end of November an Independent Panel reviewed the performance of the Baishakhi Mela Community Trust over two days. The Panel recommended that subject to the completion of a satisfactory audit the Boishakhi Mela Community Trust Ltd continue to manage the Boishakhi Mela for 2013; and that a further independent review take place at the conclusion of the 2013 Mela rather than at the end of three years.
The Mayor has accepted these recommendations. The independent audit referred to in the recommendations is still underway although it is nearing a conclusion and will be provided to Members once it is finished.
Summary of Supplementary Question from Councillor Motin Uz-Zaman
Can I seek assurance that the independent review will be brought to the Council and when this will be; and is it true that the Mela will be moving from Brick Lane?
Summary of Councillor Rania Khan’s response to the Supplementary Question
The review will be presented to the Cabinet and you will be welcome to ask questions there.
Time limit for item
At this point the Speaker informed the meeting that the time allocated for Members’ Questions had expired.
The remaining questions 8.10 to 8.27 were therefore not put due to lack of time. Written responses would be provided to these questions after the meeting.
[Note: the written responses subsequently provided are included in Appendix A attached to these minutes.]
Supporting documents: