Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall

Contact: Anthony Clements tel: 01708 433065  Email: anthony.clements@oneSource.co.uk

Items
No. Item

38.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 704 KB

To sign as a true record the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 12 September 2018 (attached).

 

Decision:

Minutes AGREED as a correct record. Noted as point of clarification that Councillor Darvill seconded motion re Councillor Tucker at previous meeting.

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 September 2018 were before the Council for approval.

 

Under minute 34, it was noted as a point of clarification that Councillor Darvill had seconded the motion that Councillor Tucker not be heard further.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 September 2018 be approved as a correct record.

 

 

 

 

 

39.

DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

Members are invited to disclose any interest in any of the items on the agenda at this point of the meeting. 

 

Members may still disclose any interest in an item at any time prior to the consideration of the matter.

 

Decision:

There were no disclosures of interest.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

40.

ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE MAYOR, BY THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL OR BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To receive announcements (if any).

Minutes:

A minute’s silence was held in memory of former Councillors Steven Kelly and Louise Sinclair who had recently passed away. Tributes to both former Councillors were paid by The Leader of the Council and members from all sides of the Chamber.

 

The Mayor reported on the following events he had attended or was planning:

 

·         Mayor’s reception at Town Hall

·         British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, 21 October

·         Launch of Poppy Appeal, 31 October

·         Lord Mayor’s show, 10 November

·         Remembrance Day, 11 November

·         Romford Christmas lights switch on, 15 November

·         Hornchurch Christmas lights switch on, 17 December

·         Mayor’s Burns Night Dinner

·         New Mace Stand

 

The Leader of the Council made some announcements concerning:

 

·         Spending plans and the Medium Term Financial Strategy

·         Roads investment

·         Remembrance ceremonies in Havering

·         12 Estates regeneration programme

·         Award for Veggie Run app

·         Partnership with West Ham United

·         International Day of the Disabled Person, 3 December

·         Christmas events

 

 

41.

PETITIONS

To receive any petition presented pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 23.

 

Councillor Tucker has given notice of intention to present a petition.

Decision:

Received from Councillor Tucker.

Minutes:

A petition was presented by Councillor Tucker re Chafford Sports Complex.

42.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE CALL-IN PROCEDURE pdf icon PDF 88 KB

Note: the deadline for receipt of amendments to all reports published with the final agenda is midnight, Monday 19 November.

 

To receive a report of the Chief Executive on Exceptions to the Call-in Procedure (attached).

Decision:

Report agreed without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Chief Executive detailing five recent cases where decisions had been granted exceptions to the call-in (requisition) procedure was AGREED without division.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the report be noted.

43.

UPDATE TO THE 2018/19 CAPITAL PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 157 KB

To receive a report of the Section 151 officer on an Update to the 2018/19 Capital Programme (attached).

Additional documents:

Decision:

Five questions asked and answers given. Report agreed without division.

Minutes:

A report of the Section 151 officer sought agreement from Council to the virement of £1.2m from the regeneration programme to the highways infrastructure investment programme. The report also sought approval to the allocation of £3m capital receipts in the capital programme to create a contingency for asset purchases. These purchases would be funded from capital receipts which will be replenished as and when transfers are made and assets sold.

 

Three questions were asked on the report by the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Associations Group and two questions were asked on the report by the Residents’ Group. The text of the question and of the answers given by the Cabinet Member are shown at appendix 1 to these minutes.

 

The report was AGREED without division.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That the virement of £1.2m from the regeneration programme to the highways infrastructure investment programme be approved.

 

2.    That the allocation of £3m capital receipts in the capital programme to finance property investments in the capital programme be approved.

 

 

 

44.

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS pdf icon PDF 159 KB

Attached.

Additional documents:

Decision:

15 questions asked and answered.

Minutes:

Fifteen questions were asked and replies given. The text of all questions submitted, is shown as appendix 2 to these minutes.

45.

LIFTS AT HAROLD WOOD STATION pdf icon PDF 246 KB

Attached.

Additional documents:

Decision:

A.   LIFTS AT HAROLD WOOD STATION

 

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 52 votes to 0 and AGREED as substantive motion without division.

 

B.   LOWER THAMES CROSSING

 

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 34 votes to 14 and AGREED as substantive motion by 41 votes to 13.

 

C.   ADPTION OF IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTI-SEMITISM

 

Amendment by Independent Residents’ Group NOT CARRIED by 40 votes to 3; motion by Conservative Group CARRIED without division.

 

D.   SIZE OF PLANNING COMMITTEES

 

Motion withdrawn by Independent Residents’ Group and resubmitted to next meeting of Council.

 

E.   PESTICIDE CONTROL

 

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 47 votes to 7 and AGREED as substantive motion, without division.

 

F.    LEISURE CENTRES

 

Amendment by Conservative Group CARRIED by 34 votes to 20 and AGREED as substantive motion, without division.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

A. LIFTS AT HAROLD WOOD STATION

 

Motion on behalf of the North Havering Residents’ Group

 

This council calls upon the Mayor of London to investigate and provide an adequate explanation to the ongoing delays to the completion of the ticket hall and lifts at Harold Wood (TFL) station as it is now over 2 years behind schedule.

 

Amendment in behalf of the Conservative Group

 

This council calls upon the Mayor of London to investigate and provide an adequate explanation to the ongoing delays to the completion of the ticket hall, lifts and other improvements at Harold Wood, Romford & Gidea Park (TFL) stations, as these are now over 2 years behind schedule.

 

The amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 54 votes to 0 (see division 1) and AGREED as the substantive motion, without division.

 

RESOLVED:

 

This council calls upon the Mayor of London to investigate and provide an adequate explanation to the ongoing delays to the completion of the ticket hall, lifts and other improvements at Harold Wood, Romford & Gidea Park (TFL) stations, as these are now over 2 years behind schedule.

 

 

 

 

 

 

46.

LOWER THAMES CROSSING CONSULTATION

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Upminster and Cranham Residents’ Associations Group

Following on from the initial consultation regarding the Lower Thames Crossing and the response from this Council (March 2016) which recognised the need for an additional river crossing but preferred the option which would have seen a new crossing alongside the existing Dartford Bridge. The government are now proposing, and consulting upon, a 14.5mile road, including a 2.4 mile tunnel, connecting the M2 near Rochester and the M25 by North Ockendon.

In responding to the current consultation (ends 20th December), this Council calls upon the Leader to reiterate its concerns in respect of:

  • Adverse impact on residential amenity for homes in Havering in terms of noise, disturbance and vibration
  • Loss of homes in the North Ockendon area
  • Impact on conservation areas and heritage assets in the locality
  • Adverse impact of ongoing works and siting of works compound
  • Should the Crossing go ahead as planned, that Havering residents are eligible to a toll discount scheme (on the same basis as received by residents of Thurrock and Dartford for the Dartford Crossing).

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

This Council welcomes the proposed additional investment within transport infrastructure, from the Lower Thames Crossing to the proposed upgrading of the Gallows Corner interchange; and calls upon the Executive to continue to engage within any public consultations to highlight both the specific issues relating to each project but also the commutative affect that all projects will have upon Havering’s transport network, and local residents.

 

Following debate, debate, the amendment by the Conservative Group was CARRIED by 35 votes to 14 (see division 2) and AGREED as the substantive motion 41 votes to 13 (see division 3).

 

RESOLVED:

 

This Council welcomes the proposed additional investment within transport infrastructure, from the Lower Thames Crossing to the proposed upgrading of the Gallows Corner interchange; and calls upon the Executive to continue to engage within any public consultations to highlight both the specific issues relating to each project but also the commutative affect that all projects will have upon Havering’s transport network, and local residents.

 

 

 

47.

ADOPTION OF IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTI-SEMITISM

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Conservative Group

This council expresses alarm at the rise in antisemitism in recent years across the UK. This includes incidents when criticism of Israel has been expressed using antisemitic tropes. Criticism of Israel can be legitimate, but not if it employs the tropes and imagery of antisemitism.

 

The Council therefore welcome the UK Government’s announcement on December 11th 2016 that it will sign up to the internationally recognised International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) guidelines on antisemitism which define antisemitism thus:

 

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

 

The guidelines highlight manifestations of antisemitism as including:

 

“• Calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews in the name of a radical ideology or an extremist view of religion.

• Making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews as collective — such as, especially but not exclusively, the myth about a world Jewish conspiracy or of Jews controlling the media, economy, government or other societal institutions.

• Accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person or group, or even for acts committed by non- Jews.

• Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust).

• Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust.

• Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

• Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour.

• Applying double standards by requiring of it behaviour not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.

• Using the symbols and images associated with classic antisemitism (e.g., claims of Jews killing Jesus or blood libel) to characterize Israel or Israelis.

• Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

• Holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.”

 

This Council welcomes cross-party support within the Council for combating antisemitism in all its manifestations. This Council hereby adopts the above definition of antisemitism as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and pledges to combat this pernicious form of racism.

 

 

Amendment on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

 

There are always 3 sides to an argument! The IHRA definition of “anti-Semitism” is itself “anti-Semitic” and a device along with hateful “Hate Crime” legislation, to protect the powerful by censoring free speech and honest debate on vital issues.

 

It’s also a surprise the Conservatives are promoting this “Left-Wing,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47.

48.

SIZE OF PLANNING COMMITTEES

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

The March 7th Governance meeting and subsequent March 21st Council approved a Governance report proposing changes to the council’s planning regime. The report included a recommendation to create two planning committees, a Strategic Planning committee with 7 members and a Planning committee with 11 members, but did say the actual size of the committees (and all committees) would be a matter for Annual Council on May 23rd.

 

At Annual Council it was proposed to create two size 8 planning committees as part of item 9 on the Council agenda. Item 9 was approved without debate following a procedural motion to go vote only. Following the meeting the Monitoring Officer advised the creation of size 8 committees was to “assist with proportionality”, except it doesn’t and neither does the Planning Advisory Service provide specific advice on size of committees.

 

Due to the quasi-judicial importance of planning committees, the overall creation of two new planning committee positions is welcome, however this motion calls upon Council to agree to change the size of the two planning committees from size 8 to size 7 (strategic) and 11 (planning) as recommended in the approved March 7th  Governance Committee report, subsequently approved at March 21st Council.

 

Council is further asked to agree to increase the total number of seats on committee to 136 (from 134), and to ensure political balance rules are adhered to, agrees to the allocation of seats as set out in the appendix to this motion.

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

This Council notes the decision taken by full council on 23rd May this year to establish the committees of the authority having regard to political balance.

 

This motion was withdrawn by the Independent Residents’ Group and resubmitted to the next Council.

49.

PESTICIDE CONTROL

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Labour Group

 

This Council calls upon the Executive to prepare a plan of action to eliminate as a matter of priority the use of pesticides such as glyphosate in its Parks, Gardens, Open Green Space and Highways.

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

The Council calls upon the Executive to undertake a review of pesticides used by the authority and to bring a report to Cabinet. 

 

The amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group was AGREED by 47 votes to 7 (see division 5) and AGREED as the substantive motion without division.

 

RESOLVED:

 

The Council calls upon the Executive to undertake a review of pesticides used by the authority and to bring a report to Cabinet. 

 

 

 

50.

LEISURE CENTRES

Minutes:

Motion on behalf of the Independent Residents’ Group

 

The Councils composite contribution to the new £28.8m Romford Leisure Centre was £26.726m. This involved £21.950m from Morrisons in exchange for the council owned ice rink site and a further £4.776m from council reserves. Sports England contributed an additional £2.074m.

 

Please note, Council assets and reserves are owned by all the borough. In Havering there are 18 wards and if we count the 3 wards in the south as Rainham, it means Rainham’s share of council assets is about 16%. This means Rainham’s contribution to the new Romford Leisure Centre was 16% of £26,726m = £4.277m. (This figure excludes Rainham’s 16% contribution towards whatever the council is spending on the other centres).

 

On the back of this contribution new centres and facilities have been opened in Romford, Hornchurch, Harold Hill and Noak Hill, with the council responsible for the capital funding and a new ‘borough-wide’ leisure contract signed with SLM. They are making a payment to council of £1.1m to manage the contract, but their own profit is undisclosed and the council has yet to trigger a profit share option.

 

The Executive claims, as Chafford requires a subsidy it may have to close. Ignoring the fact the Romford Centre was opened after receiving a de facto upfront council subsidy of £26.726m. In other words all the centres are receiving subsidy in one form or another and therefore they should all be included in the ‘borough-wide’ contract and cross subsidised.

 

In short, Rainham has contributed over £4.277m towards the Romford Leisure Centre and ‘borough-wide’ contract, but its own leisure centre is facing closure, allegedly, due to an unaffordable £232,000 subsidy, when if Rainham’s over £4.277m contribution towards the other Centres had been spent in Rainham,  it’s enough to keep Chafford open for over another 18 years.

 

Thus Council agrees this disparity of funding within the new ‘borough-wide’ leisure contract is evidence of institutional bias against Rainham, contrary to the council’s equality, diversity and community cohesion duty within the 2010 Equality Act and calls on the Executive to resume ownership of Chafford Sports Complex and keep it open until a new centre is built in the south of the borough.

 

 

 

 

Amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group

 

This Council congratulates the previous administration for delivering the new state of the art Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre in Romford and welcomes the additional investment being made within sport provision across the Borough. 

 

This Council further notes that due to the financial arrangements of the contract, there is no burden on the council tax payer and there will in fact attribute an on-going surplus for the Council, to reinvest in the Borough.

 

Following debate, the amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group was AGREED by 34 votes to 20 (see division 6) and AGREED as the substantive motion, without division.

RESOLVED:

This Council congratulates the previous administration for delivering the new state of the art Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre in Romford and welcomes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

51.

VOTING RECORD pdf icon PDF 111 KB

Minutes:

The record of voting decisions is attached as appendix 3 to these minutes.