Agenda and minutes
Venue: Conference Hall - Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 0FJ. View directions
Contact: Peter Goss, Democratic Services Manager 020 8937 1353, Email: peter.goss@brent.gov.uk
No. | Item | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minutes of the previous meeting PDF 98 KB Minutes: RESOLVED:-
that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 8 December 2014 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting subject to the following amendments: · Minute 1: Minutes of the previous meeting – that it be recorded that Councillor Warren moved an amendment to minute 6: Deputations, which was put to the vote and declared LOST. · Minute 6: Report from the Leader or members of the Cabinet – 2nd paragraph, 8th line Wembley High Technology College corrected to read ‘Wembley Primary School’. |
|||||||
Declarations of personal and prejudicial interests Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, any relevant personal and prejudicial interests and discloseable pecuniary interest in any matter to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: None declared. |
|||||||
Mayor's announcements (including any petitions received) Minutes: The Mayor began by wishing everyone a Happy New Year and good health for 2015. He welcomed the family of the late Bhiku Patel who were in attendance at the meeting.
He announced the sad news that Members were already aware of, that Councillor Bhiku Patel had recently passed away while in India. He expressed the shock felt by those that knew him of his sudden death. His thoughts were with the family at such a difficult time. The Mayor stated that Bhiku Patel was a committed family man with strong moral values and principles. He was very hard working with a caring ethos, and as a compassionate councillor the people of Kenton would certainly miss him. He referred to those in the Hall that had lost a very good friend. ~~~ Members and all those present at the meeting stood in silence for one minute in memory of Bhiku Patel.
The Mayor invited members to speak on behalf of their groups. Councillors Kansagra, Colwill, Butt, Shaw and R Patel paid tribute to their former colleague. ~~~ The Mayor also announced that former councillor, David Unwin, had recently passed away. David Unwin was first elected to the Council in 1971 and represented Church End ward and was also an active board member of BHP.
The Mayor reminded councillors that the Brent Holocaust and Genocide Memorial was being held on 27 January at 7.00pm at the Civic Centre. This was an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives during the Holocaust and those affected by genocide all over the world. It was a non-faith event which was open to all to attend.
The Mayor referred to the numerous recent tragic events that had occurred worldwide, the effects of which had been felt by everyone at the meeting and beyond. He asked that everyone stand in silence for one minute to remember all those whose lives had been touched by terror, most recently the people of France. ~~~ Members and all those present at the meeting stood in silence for one minute. ~~~ The Mayor announced that new web casting arrangements were in place for meetings of Full Council.
The Mayor drew attention to the list of current petitions showing progress on dealing with them which had been circulated around the hall. |
|||||||
Appointments to committees and outside bodies and appointment of chairs/vice chairs Minutes: RESOLVED:
that Councillor Davidson be appointed to the Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Committee in place of Councillor Warren. |
|||||||
Report from the Leader or members of the Cabinet PDF 58 KB To receive reports from the Leader or members of the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 38. Minutes: Councillor Butt reported on the proposed Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) for Old Oak Common. He stated that the Council been working hard with Hammersmith & Fulham and Ealing Councils to make sure the views of each borough were heard. For Brent this meant ensuring representations around Crossrail and the link to Wembley Central were kept high on the agenda. Two Housing Zone bids for Alperton and Wembley had been submitted which linked to making Wembley Central a critical transport hub. With the proposed provision of around 24,000 homes within the MDC the Council needed to make sure that different types of tenure were made available to maximise the provision of affordable housing. Councillor Butt added that efforts were also being made to ensure residents of Brent benefited from the potential jobs available.
Councillor Pavey updated Members on the budget consultation carried out in light of the Council having to make an additional £54M savings over the next two years. He reported that he was part of a delegation from Brent that had met with Minister for Local Government, Chris Hopkins, MP to explain the destructive impact this was having on Brent but there could be no change expected from the Government. The Council was working with the local community to decide which services to protect. This amounted to a genuine consultation exercise with £60M savings identified from which £54M was required.
Councillor Hirani reported from the first meeting of the Health Commission, chaired by Michael Mansfield, QC, jointly established with Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow Councils. Changes in the North West London health economy continued to impact local residents and so he submitted it was very important to look at what had gone wrong and what interventions needed to take place so that local people had a service that met their needs. Councillor Hirani updated Members on the implementation of the Care Act which would fundamentally change the way the Council delivered social care over next two years. Some aspects of the Act were positive but the financial elements were already starting to unravel to the detriment of vulnerable people and councils were expected to make up shortfalls at the same time as being asked to make massive cuts.
Councillor McLennan reported that landlord licensing had become an enforcement issue from 1 January 2015. To date the Council had received 3,100 applications for licences and would be seeking to enforce the licensing provisions. There was a good dialogue being established with landlords and estate agents. She made reference to the crisis in the provision of temporary accommodation in the private rented sector and the shortage of council homes. The Council was out to tender for partners to provide temporary accommodation – two areas were being considered, a housing association lease scheme and provision of generic private rented housing. Councillor McLennan stated that joint work between the Children and Young People service and Property and Projects service was being carried out to provide the additional school places needed by expanding a number ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
|||||||
Deputations (if any) To hear any deputations received from members of the public in accordance with standing order 39. Minutes: None. |
|||||||
Questions from the Opposition and other Non- Executive Members Questions to be put to members of the Cabinet in accordance with standing order 40. Minutes: Councillor Davidson stated that all Brent Conservatives - both within and outside the Council - welcomed the 37% fall in job seekers allowance claims (JSA) from 9,640 in 2010 to the latest figure of 6,060; also welcome was the consequent record level of employment in Brent. He asked if Councillor Butt welcomed this and if he would join in congratulating those Brent residents who had now found jobs for themselves and their families as a result of the Government's long-term economic plan? Councillor Butt replied that he was glad to acknowledge the achievements of the Council in working and delivering for local residents. The regeneration, employment and enterprise teams were working with the borough’s major employers through skills and employment courses, trainee programmes, apprenticeship schemes and Wembley Works all helping to make sure that local residents were getting into employment.
Councillor Colwill asked how much the Council had paid out to top up the housing support scheme for those not able to pay their full rent? Councillor Pavey responded that the question asked was not the one given notice of and so he undertook to arrange for a written reply to be sent to Councillor Colwill. In response to the question he had given notice of, which asked how much the Council expected to receive in 2015/16 in extra council tax payments from the new homes built across the Borough and from the projection of the future builds, or those in the process of being built, Councillor Pavey replied that it was anticipated that the Council would get an additional £0.5M Council Tax in 2015/16 from the construction of new housing and the same again in 2016/17. Over two years this would lead to an increase in revenue of more than a 1% increase in Council Tax which showed that building new homes was not just socially good but financially sound as well.
Councillor Shahzad stated that Northwick Park hospital had seen the longest waiting times in London for patients with the most severe conditions and asked if this was categorical evidence that the NHS was facing a crisis. Councillor Hirani replied that he agreed that the NHS was at crisis point and referred to waiting times at Northwick Park Hospital A&E continuing to be the worst in the country. He stated that more puzzling was that with the changes to urgent care and the triage system there were actually fewer individuals going though the A&E casualty unit as more people went to urgent care centres. His thoughts were with the dedicated NHS workforce who had gone through a tough top down re-organisation that was not wanted or needed. He added that what was needed was the whole person care alternative proposed by the Labour Party.
Councillor Southwood referred to the Government announcement that it was to cease all support to the most vulnerable members of the community by abolishing Local Welfare Assistance from April this year. She asked which Brent residents would suffer the most from this ... view the full minutes text for item 7. |
|||||||
Report from the Chair Scrutiny Committee There is no report from the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee to this meeting. Minutes: No written report had been submitted but Councillor Choudry reported on the work undertaken by Councillor Nerva and his colleagues on the Individual Electoral Registration task group and looked forward to comments and feedback once the report had been published. He also referred to the work undertaken by Councillor Southwood and her colleagues on the Pupil Premium task group which would soon be publishing its interim report. Councillor Choudry referred to the ongoing work by Councillors Daly, Colwill and others looking into aspects of the NHS. Members had been to see the new A&E unit at Northwick Park hospital and had discussed issues with the London Ambulance service. It was clear that there was still a lot of work to do, especially during the winter pressure period. Councillor Choudry concluded by stating that the scrutiny function was covering a lot of issues and working well. |
|||||||
Wembley Area Action Plan PDF 133 KB The report explains that the Council has received an Inspector’s report into the Examination of the Wembley Area Action Plan Development Plan Document and that the Inspector finds the document sound subject to recommended changes being made.
A copy of the Plan can be found here: http://brent-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/planning/waap_1?pointId=2612134 Minutes: The report before Members explained that the Council had received an Inspector’s report into the Examination of the Wembley Area Action Plan Development Plan Document and that the Inspector had found the document sound, subject to recommended changes being made.
RESOLVED:
that the Wembley Area Action Plan Development Plan Document be adopted with the recommended changes set out in Appendix 1 of the report. |
|||||||
Sudbury Neighbourhood Plan PDF 136 KB This report provides an overview of the process which Sudbury Town Residents’ Association has followed to date in producing the draft Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Plan and recommends that an independent examiner is appointed to examine the draft Plan.
Background documents can be viewed here: Additional documents: Minutes: The report submitted provided an overview of the process which Sudbury Town Residents’ Association had followed to date in producing the draft Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Plan. On 13 October 2014 the Cabinet agreed the draft Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Plan for public consultation and then, subject to Full Council approval, to submit the draft Plan for examination. The consultation period had now closed and details of comments received were summarised at Appendix B to the report.
Members congratulated the Sudbury Town Residents Association, some of whom were present at the meeting, for their hard work in getting the plan to the stage it was now at and commented that it was one of the first of its kind in the country
RESOLVED:
that an independent examiner be appointed and that the draft Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Plan be submitted for examination. |
|||||||
Shared Internal Audit Services PDF 143 KB The report sets out a proposal to share internal audit services with the London Boroughs of Ealing and Hounslow. Minutes: The Mayor submitted that the report before Members should be withdrawn to allow officers to conduct further research and carry out a fuller review of all the options available.
RESOLVED:
that the report be withdrawn. |
|||||||
Proposed Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2015/16 PDF 135 KB This report sets out a recommended Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2015/16 based on the experience from the first two years of the local scheme and continuing to achieve a financially neutral position. It also proposes a fundamental review of the scheme for 2016/17. Additional documents: Minutes: The report before Members set out a recommended Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2015/16 based on the experience from the first two years of the local scheme and continuing to achieve a financially neutral position.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the Local Council Tax Support Scheme remains unchanged in year 3 of the scheme (2015/16) except for the provisions in paragraph 2.1.4 of the report;
(ii) that in approving the recommended scheme for 2015/16, the applicable amounts, allowances and non-dependant deductions (not relating to pensioners) be not uprated in the local scheme;
(iii) that any upratings to the government-prescribed scheme (i.e. for pension-age claimants) be actioned;
(iv) that the changes introduced in 2014 for Housing Benefit in respect of EEA nationals be mirrored in the CTS scheme from April 2015;
(v) that a fundamental review of the scheme be undertaken during 2015 with the revised scheme having an implementation date of April 2016. |
|||||||
Updates to the Constitution PDF 103 KB The Protocol for Member/Office Relations and the Local Code of Corporate Governance have been reviewed and some amendments are proposed to those documents. The report also proposes some minor amendments in relation to Contract Standing Orders concerning the procurement of Low Value Contracts. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Protocol for Member/Office Relations and the Local Code of Corporate Governance had been reviewed and some amendments were proposed. The report also proposed some minor amendments in relation to Contract Standing Orders concerning the procurement of Low Value Contracts.
Councillor Warren moved amendments to the recommendations seeking to amend the proposed Protocol for Members/Officer Relations and stated that he believed his proposal would give staff more confidence in moving forward. This was put to the vote and declared LOST.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the changes made to the Protocol for Member/Officer relations attached as Appendix 1 to the report be agreed;
(ii) that the changes made to the Local Code of Corporate Governance attached as Appendix 2 to the report be agreed;
(iii) that the changes to the Contract Standing Orders attached as Appendix 3to the report be agreed. |
|||||||
Motions To debate the motions submitted in accordance with Standing Order 45. |
|||||||
Housing Minutes: Councillor Miller moved the motion circulated under Councillor Conneely’s name by wishing councillors a happy rent freedom day which was to be held on 4 February. He referred to his ward of Willesden where 48% of residents rented privately and drew attention to the high cost of property in the borough and the lack of affordability for local people. He stated that there was a crisis of housing supply and a price bubble and that the Labour Party’s proposals would help alleviate the situation. Councillor Warren compared the number of housing completions in the last year of the last Labour Government with the higher figure for those completed in 2014. He accepted more houses needed to be built but submitted that this had to be within a strong economy which the current government had now created. Councillor Kansagra also compared the record of the last Labour Government which he submitted failed to meet its targets against the present government’s achievements. He stated that the Government had put in place a range of measures to get the housing market building again.
The motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED.
RESOLVED:
(i) Council notes:
· that there is a housing crisis in Britain, London and Brent, with housing completions falling to their lowest annual figures in this Parliament since the Second World War;
· that the price of the Government’s failure is being paid for by the people of Brent, where almost 10,000 households are on social housing waiting lists;
· that the result is that working families are forced into an overheating private rental sector, whose rising rents cannot be covered by Housing Benefit; that when they cannot make ends meet, they are forced to leave the borough and relocate to as far as Luton, Coventry and Birmingham; that families are torn from communities, working parents are forced to abandon jobs and children’s schooling is disrupted with all the potentially damaging consequences that entails;
· that as the Conservatives’ and Liberal Democrats’ economic plan has failed to rebalance the economy and close the deficit, their policy of encouraging private borrowing – through quantitative easing and the help to buy scheme – has further inflated house and rental prices, making the situation for Brent families even worse;
(ii) that Council welcomes the Labour Party’s recognition that the only way out of this crisis is to build more homes, and to ensure that by 2020 at least 200,000 homes are being built per year in this country; that under such a plan, tens of thousands of new homes would be built in London, including Brent, each year and only action such as this will help to lead to more affordable housing, and the stability Brent’s working families need to thrive.
|
|||||||
No confidence vote in Councillor Butt Minutes: Councillor Warren moved the motion circulated in his and Councillors Davidson and Shaw’s names by referring to the four Labour leaders he had faced during his spells on the Council. The motion sought to criticise Councillor Butt as Leader of the Council and to encourage other councillors to remove him. It also sought to remove Standing Order 13. Councillor Stopp responded by contrasting the motion from three councillors who had split from their own party and asked who they had confidence in. He referred to the difficult times the Council was going through and the challenges this presented to the Leadership. He sought to unite as Brent Council to protect local hard working people. Councillor Davidson supported the proposed motion by emphasising what he saw as a concentration of power and a resistance to any opposition. Councillor Kansagra submitted that it was a democratic society and that the Labour Group had agreed to appoint the Leader for four years and, if it decided to change this, it would. The position was up to Labour and the Council did not need to interfere.
The motion was put to the vote and declared LOST.
In accordance with Standing Order 47(c) Councillor Warren called for a recorded vote which was recorded as follows:
In accordance with standing order 47(c), Councillor Warren called for a recorded vote on his proposal and voting was recorded as follows:
|
|||||||
Friends of Preston Library Minutes: Councillor Kansagra moved the motion circulated in his and Councillor Colwill’s names saying that it was submitted in light of discussion taking place between the Council and the Friends of Preston Library. The motion sought to begin the process of handing the Preston Road library over to the group. Councillor Warren expressed his support for the motion and criticised the library closure programme carried out by the previous Council administration. Councillor Mashari responded that the process of handing over the building had already started. Discussions had been held with the Friends of Preston Library, the building had been refurbished to provide additional temporary classrooms for Preston Park Primary school but the permanent expansion of that school was now complete so an assessment was now being carried out on whether the building was still needed for additional school places. If it was decided that the building was surplus to educational requirements then there was the option to use the building as a community asset.
The motion was put to the vote and declared LOST.
|
|||||||
Urgent business At the discretion of the Mayor to consider any urgent business. Minutes: None. |