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.

 

 

The following questions and in each case supplementary questions were put (except where indicated) and were responded to by the Mayor or relevant Executive Member-

 

9.1 Question from Councillor Asma Islam:

 

Can the Mayor or Cabinet Member set out what the council is doing to encourage more residents to become foster carers, particularly in light of Afia Choudhury winning the 2018 Fostering Network President’s Award after being a foster carer with Tower Hamlets for 13 years?

 

Response of Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People:

 

This is a particularly important issue to us all as corporate parents as we know that providing enough foster homes for our most vulnerable children and young people helps to give them a chance of having a loving and supporting home and environment.  We are all deeply proud of Afia Choudhury’s hard work and that her tireless dedication to fostering has been highlighted by this award. As the Mayor said, she is an inspiration who has welcomed over 27 children into her home. Prior to the announcement of Afia’s award, we took steps to strengthen and increase our social media activity. Our campaign has resulted in a significant increase in interest over the past 2 months. It has risen from 20 enquiries per month prior to the campaign to 47 enquiries in September and 37 in October.

 

This activity has also taken place alongside our usual recruitment activities and advertising within our local communities.  I can assure you that we will

continue to highlight the benefits of fostering and also the positive work of foster carers in our borough.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Islam:

 

Could you also elaborate on what support mechanisms we have in place to support existing foster carers and newly recruited foster carers?

 

Councillor Hassell’s response to the supplementary question:

 

We provide an excellent range of support to our foster carers.  We make sure that their voice is represented through decision making so we have representatives on the Corporate Parenting Board.  I know when I speak to many foster carers, and a number of you come from neighbouring boroughs, they really value the support that we provide as a Local Authority. So I would like to pay tribute to our fostering team for all that they do in that work. We have six different support groups. We provide a £6000 grant funding towards the local TH foster carers association, as well as providing annual memberships to fostering networks for members who foster for us. This enables them to get the peer support that they need. We run a mentoring scheme and we are recruiting and training experienced carers as part of that and we pay the mentors for that work. 

 

9.2 Question from Councillor Andrew Wood:

 

Given that the Council recently signed the "Violence Against Women and Girls Charter” why did the Council choose not to inform nearby female residents of the threat of sexual assaults from a lone male on Blackwall Way although it did send an internal warning message to its own staff?

 

Response of Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Equalities:

 

Tower Hamlets Police have their own communication channels that they use to promote a warning to the public about incidents in a specific area. Given the sensitivities of police investigations, the council relies on the police partnership communications on this incident and we work closely with them.

 

The decision regarding the timing and extent to which the public were informed of this crime was an operational policing decision that was made by a Detective Chief Inspector who was fully consulted in the drafting of this particular response. The police launched an appeal for information which resulted in regional and local media coverage which many of our residents would have seen. A suspect has since been arrested.

 

As for why we chose to inform staff, when police published the warning on its channels, we took the decision to notify our staff internally.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Wood:

 

You have 15,000 people following your twitter feed. You have thousands of people on your Facebook page. So the question is why did you not repeat that police warning on your own communication channels, when we gave coverage to Rod Liddle’s stupid and obnoxious remark in the Sunday Times. Was that more important than actually sharing this warning message with our residents?   

 

Councillor Begum’s response to the supplementary question:

 

It is an operational policing decision and it is not practical for the council to put out messages by partners on our channels which reach residents across the whole of Tower Hamlets and beyond. In addition, we need to be mindful to not compromise ongoing investigations and when it was appropriate, the Police sent out a message.

 

9.3 Question from Councillor Abdul Mukit MBE:

 

Can the Cabinet Member please confirm to me who the new developer planning to develop Bishopsgate Goodsyard is and when local residents may have opportunities to raise their concerns?

 

Response of Councillor Rachel Blake, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Air Quality:

 

The planning applicant is a joint venture between Hammerson Plc and Ballymore.  The planning application was called in by the former Mayor of London in 2015. GLA officers have recommended refusal of the current proposals but the application was not determined and was instead deferred for further amendments to address the reasons for refusal. 

 

The Mayor of London remains the planning authority for this application.

Amended proposals are currently out for public consultation. We have been very keen to advise the developer of who they should be working with, where they should be carrying out consultation events, and linking them up to community networks. In addition, Tower Hamlets and Hackney Council planning teams are working with the GLA to provide feedback on the amended proposals and we anticipate that amended plans will be formally submitted to the GLA in early 2019. A representation hearing for the Mayor of London to make a final decision is expected to take place next summer

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Mukit:

 

Given the commitment by the Executive Mayor regarding social housing, what level of social housing will be provided?

 

Councillor Blakes’ response to supplementary question:

 

The previous application was submitted with appalling low levels of affordable housing.  I think they started of at just 5% and this was completely thrown out by Local Authority planning officers.  Sadiq Khan, the Labour Mayor of London has established a policy where he expects a minimum threshold of 35% affordable housing, and that is certainly what we will be pushing in our representations.

 

9.4 Question from Councillor Peter Golds:

 

Why did Tower Hamlets only receive £13 million of the £1,029 million government grant allocated to London Boroughs by the Mayor of London to build new affordable homes despite currently having the highest housing targets in London?

 

Response of Councillor Sirajul Islam, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing:

 

Firstly I would like to welcome the news that the Mayor of London has agreed plans worth over £1 billion to deliver 11,000 badly needed Council homes across London. I am also delighted that Tower Hamlets received £13 million to deliver 675 homes in the Borough. In addition, Tower Hamlets has delivered the most homes in the UK. We have ambitious plans to provide 2000 new Council homes and we are investing into providing temporary homes for homeless families, I would also like to remind Councillor Golds that the majority of our programme to deliver 2000 new Council homes is funded by the use of right to buy receipts and borrowing. The Governments own rules prevent the use of right to buy receipts combined with GLA grant funding for the same property. It is because of this that the Council only bid for GLA grant for a small proportion of the overall housing programme. The GLA grant will be used to provide 130 one bed flats making maximum use of the funding per property combined with HRA borrowing. The rest of the Council’s programme will be funded by right to buy receipts and further borrowing. I look forward to Councillor Golds setting out his party’s vision for housing in this Borough.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Golds:

 

You have asked me about my party’s vision, I have two points: the last government to deliver an enormous amount of social housing was that under John Major. When the Labour Government came in, they capped the social housing numbers. On the issue of Newham getting £107 million and Tower Hamlets getting far less, do you think there is a chance that Labour Members and activists could consult with the Mayor of Newham to discuss how they got that £107 million, and we only received £13million.

 

Response of Councillor Islam’s response to supplementary question:

 

I have already explained the reason why we applied for this smaller amount of money, because we do have quite an ambitious housing programme within our own resources. I welcome that Newham secured this extra amount of money and a Labour Council are showing this ambition and delivering more and more social housing for Londoners.

 

9.5 Question from Councillor Victoria Obaze:

 

What is the council doing to help and support EU citizens in Tower Hamlets before and after Brexit?

 

Response of Councillor Amina Ali, Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit:

 

The Council has set up the Brexit Commission and has also started to prepare our own contingency plans in the event of a deal or no deal. The Brexit Commission work has included some roadshows on EU settlement rights, following Brexit.  We have so far delivered two roadshows for the community and new residents. The first was held in the Whitechapel Idea Store, where we held stores from relevant organisations and specialist EU solicitors and offered advice to around 60-70 residents and a small number of non-residents who came to seek advice. Our second roadshow was held in Canary Wharf where two colleagues from the Council handed out information, guidance and leaflets from the Home Office, to those who are interested. We are planning our third roadshow in the Isle of Dogs and a further one in Mile End in the coming months. We also have an on line form on our website where residents can share their concerns. Finally the Brexit Commission report will also shed light on the support that EU residents will require. The report will be launched in mid February 2019

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Obaze:

 

How will the Council ensure that EU citizens in our Borough will not face any discrimination on their entitlements after the EU Bexit?

 

Councillor Ali’s response to the supplementary question:

 

We will continue our roadshows offering advice to EU Citizens in Tower Hamlets. We will be lobbying central government and the GLA. We will also be campaigning on issues that affect Tower Hamlets residents after Brexit as and when they occur.

 

9.6 Question from Councillor Kahar Chowdhury:

 

Can the Mayor or Cabinet Member please update members on how the Tackling Poverty Fund is being used?

 

Response of Councillor Rachel Blake, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Air Quality:

 

The tackling poverty fund is being used to pay for our Crisis and Support scheme, which will be re launched in the beginning of December, to make sure that we provide additional support to residents and ensure they are getting all the services they possibly can through our new scheme. We talked about this evening our Resident Support Outreach Team. In which Universal Credit advisors are in GP’s surgeries and in community centres supporting people who are going through the misery of moving on to Universal Credit. We have established a £200,000 Innovation Fund to support partners to test innovative ways of tackling poverty.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Chowdhury:

 

Owing to the cuts and coupled with the increasing demands for services, it is conceivable that the allocated fund will be fully used. Therefore, do we have a contingency plan to top it up?

 

Councillor Blake’s response to the supplementary question:

 

Currently our funds for this programme have been drawn out of reserves and I very much hope that  we will consider continuing certainly the residents support scheme and the crisis fund, as we go into our budget setting programme.

 

9.7 Question from Councillor Sufia Alam:

 

What were the outcomes from the Violent Crime Summit and how will it shape the council’s work going forward?

 

Response of Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Equalities:

 

The Violent Crime Summit was held on 21st September 2018. It was a useful conversation and we heard from various individuals and organisations about the concerns of the community, voluntary sector groups, and professionals about violence in the borough.

 

We need our police, council, voluntary sector, schools and youth services to work effectively together through a multi-agency approach.

 

A number of priorities were identified and are being developed into a ‘Statement for Action’ that will be publicised, and I’ll make sure that councillors receive this as well.

 

The Community Safety Partnership and public health partners are also developing a public health approach to look at long term prevention.

We are also developing an integrated approach with the co-location of police gangs team, exploitation team, Children’ services, commissioned gang workers and others.

 

Drug related crime is rooted in complex issues and there is no quick fix for it. However we are making progress with our partnership work and the Violent Crime Summit was a really useful step.

 

No supplementary question was asked

 

9.8 Question from Councillor Dan Tomlinson:

 

To ask the Mayor/Cabinet for an update on our use of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). In particular, how many PSPO areas we have in the borough and if we have any plans to add more in the years ahead?

 

Response of Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Equalities:

 

Tower Hamlets currently has four Public Spaces Protection Orders. There is a Borough wide PSPO, a PSPO in Brick Lane, Ropemakers Fields  and Kings Arms Court. The first is the Borough wide PSPO which is for responsible drinking. The PSPO in Brick Lane is in regards to serious and persistent anti-social behaviour. The Ropemakers Fields PSPO is in regards to a cracking down on large groups. The Kings Arms Court PSPO is due to a busy pedestrian footpath. Since the Brick Lane PSPO, we have issued between April to September 2018, 17 fixed penalty notices and for the same period in the Borough wide PSPO, we have issues 37 Fixed Penalty notices

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Tomlinson:

 

Do we have plans to introduce more PSPO’s at the moment?

 

Councillor Begum’s response to the supplementary question:

 

Currently given these orders can be restrictive in terms of what people can do and how they behave in public spaces, it is important that the restriction that is imposed is focused. So we don’t have any more PSPO’s in train, but it will be a tool we will be using if it’s required. 

 

9.9 Question from Councillor Kyrsten Perry:

 

November is “safeguarding” month and currently one in three women and girls experience gender violence in their life time. Therefore, I wanted to ask about why the Violence Against Women and Girls Charter has been developed and what it aims to achieve?

 

Response of Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Equalities:

 

The VAWG Charter sets out Tower Hamlets Council’s commitment to tackling gender based violence.  Our strategy is to ensure support and protection for victims, enforce action against perpetrators and work with communities to raise awareness and challenge gender-based violence.

 

The Charter was signed by Cabinet late last month and marks our ongoing commitment to services with the potential to save lives. It outlines our offer of practical support, like the Sanctuary Scheme to improve the security of a victim’s home and it promises ongoing work with children who live with domestic abuse. The charter provides an additional commitment to lobby the Government to make misogyny a hate crime.

 

It further aims to promote awareness around VAWG and the services are available within Borough to those experiencing VAWG

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Perry:

 

Will the work such as the outcomes of the charter be reviewed?

 

Councillor Begum’s response to the supplementary question:

 

We have come to the end of our consultation for our Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, which has now been prepared and I will be looking at the draft. We will also be refreshing the charter as well next year.

 

9.10 Question from Councillor Mohammed Ahbab Hossain:

 

Can the cabinet member please update me on the work of the Brexit Commission?

 

Response of Councillor Amina Ali, Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit:

 

The Commission was launched in September 2018, since then we have been gathering evidence and drafting the report of our steering group. Alongside the data collected and the analysis for the report, we have organised some community events and road shows that have been taking place up and down the Borough. Regarding the Commission’s work we have held two oral evidence sessions. One on the public services and the other on the local economy. Both of which secured local media coverage.  We are planning our third and final oral evidence session to be held on 27 November on the civil society.

 

No supplementary question was asked.

 

9.11 Question from Councillor Mufeedah Bustin:

 

What is the process and timings for the Master Plan for the parks on the south of the Isle of Dogs?

 

Response of Councillor Amina Ali, Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit:

 

The development of the master plan is the first stage of work, looking at improving the offer to the public in terms of the facilities and linkages in the open space on the Isle of Dogs. A brief is currently being developed which sets out our objectives, which are broadly to secure the improvement and the refurbishment of facilities in the three open spaces, and linkages between them. We will also be inviting bids from experienced, suitable and qualified master plan teams, to produce a deliverable master plan for the long-term and improvement of the three open spaces. This will include an analysis of the spaces and consultation with local stakeholders and an investigation of a number of options. The brief will be submitted for bid in 2019 with an anticipation of a completion date in June 2019.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Bustin:

 

Will councillors and residents be able to contribute to the consultation?

 

Councillor Ali’s response to the supplementary question:

 

There will be room for consultation with local stakeholders, which is key to us, and I look forward to working with you as part of that consultation.

 

9.12 Question from Councillor Ehtasham Haque:

 

How will the new financial health centre, operated by THH, benefit residents?

 

Response of Councillor Candida Ronald Cabinet Member for Resources and the Voluntary Sector:

 

The growing pressure from the ever-increasing welfare reform and the rollout of Universal Credit across Tower Hamlets has seen a large number of residents experiencing greater poverty and more financial exclusion. In this current climate, there is a greater need for support and training in financial matters. In response to this, THH has developed the Borough’s first Financial Health Centre. Residents  can book appointments or drop in any weekday to receive advice and support on debt; welfare benefits; universal credit; money management; training; job searching; disability matters and more. Since the centre’s launch on 17th September our advisors have supported over 300 people, £140,000 worth of debt have been consolidated and over £210,00 worth of benefits have been applied for.  65 residents have been helped with employment and training advice and 11 people have secured jobs as a result.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Haque:

 

It is good to see THH doing their bit to help the residents. Are any other housing associations providing similar services and do you think they should do so?

 

Councillor Ronald’s response to the supplementary question:

 

I know that some Housing Associations are doing similar sorts of things and I hope that the success of this one will show that this is something that their residents need.

 

9.13 Question from Councillor Puru Miah:

 

Does the lead member acknowledge the concerns ordinary residents of Mile End have over the proposed TFL North South Cycle Route, in particular the adverse impact anticipated on the Burdett/Mile End Road junction?

 

Response of Councillor David Edgar, Cabinet Member for Environment

 

The Mayor, Council Officers and I are aware of the concerns people have about the impact of the proposed North South Cycle Route on local accessibility. We are working closely with Transport for London to make sure that residents access is maintained and at measures in regards to rat runs as clearly they are a problem for local residents as well. We also want to provide opportunities for improving pedestrian safety as well as encouraging more cycling. We all know that air pollution in this Borough is a real problem and the extent that cycling can help with addressing that, is something we should welcome. So positive conversations are taking place about the reinstatement of the right turn from Burdett Road, which was closed by TfL some time ago. The design work continues and outline plans will come forward and further public consultation will take place in May 2019.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Miah:

 

Does the Lead Member acknowledge that the local campaign with regards to the no right turn and the anger and concerns is not in regards of the cycle route but more towards the fact that residents feel that they have been ignored by TfL with regards to the no right turn. As I look towards the Conservative Councillors, the message from the residents of Mile End is the Burdett and Mile End Road junction is for turning.  

 

Councillor Edgar’s response to the supplementary question:

 

It is clearly the case that the Council (Officers, the Mayor, ward Councillors) have worked really hard to try and persuade TfL that they do need to think again about this right turn. I think that some progress has been made, but I do think that we need to make sure that when they come forward with the detailed proposals about how they are going to respond to the concerns that all of the knock on effects are also thought through.  So we don’t end up with a change that simply creates a new set of problems in a different place. We need to really press TfL into thinking very carefully about any changes that they make in response to the pressure that we have been applying.

 

9.14 Question from Councillor Shah Ameen:

 

Would the lead member agree, that the recent application by the Police for Closure Order for the ASB behaviour in the communal areas of Delafield House, and Berner North Estate, is a step in the right direction to the ongoing problems of drugs and ASB in Whitechapel?

 

Response of Councillor Sirajul Islam, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member Housing

 

Closure Orders are one of several powers introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. This Order is normally valid for three months and one extension can be obtained at court provided there is evidence of an ongoing problem.

 

It is never a one size fits all approach and the council and police will adopt appropriate tactics and powers on a case by case basis.  However based on previous experience at other locations Tower Hamlets Homes ASB Team have observed an almost instant reduction in drug-related ASB when the Partial Premises Closure Orders were put in place.

 

Because it is a temporary measure, this is why it must and will be used as an effective short term measure to bring respite to residents whilst continuing to work with police and other partners in housing and support services to solve the issues on a longer term basis. A key challenge once an order is obtained is monitoring compliance.  The investment in police resources funded by the Mayor is key to supporting this activity.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Ameen:

 

Thank you Councillor Islam for working to make our estates a safer place. It has given a positive impact on the current Administration. Do you have any feedback on what our residents feel about the closure orders?

 

Councillor Islam’s response to the supplementary question:

 

Nothing formal, but anecdotally I think that residents have taken it positively.  I will give you an example, when the Police Sergent was putting up the closure order signs in Delafield House, a child asked what the Police Officer was doing. When he explained, the reaction of the boy was thank you very much and at least I can walk safely to my home now.

 

Questions 9.15 and 9.16 were not put due to lack of time. A Written response would be provided to the questions. (Note the written responses are included in Appendix A to these minutes)