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208.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 397 KB

The Minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 September 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 September 2022 be agreed as a correct record and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

209.

Declarations of Interest

If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

 

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

 

*(a)    Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

(b)     Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of your expenses in carrying out duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

(c)      Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works, between you or your partner (or a body in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

(d)     Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

(e)      Licences - Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

(f)      Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have a beneficial interest.

(g)     Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None.

210.

Mayoral Announcements

(i)           Apologies

(ii)          Order of business

(iii)         Declaration of discussion items

(iv)        Mayor’s announcements

(v)          Length of speeches

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(i)               Apologies

 

Apologies were received from Councillors Hayes, Convery, Hyde, Ozdemir, Mackmurdie, Nargund and Shaikh

 

(ii)              Order of Business

 

No changes were proposed to the order of business.

 

(iii)            Declaration of Discussion Items  

 

No items were declared.

 

(iv)            Mayor’s Announcements

 

The Mayor said she had taken part in a number of remembrance events, including the Islington and Camden Cemetery Service, the two-minute silence at the Town Hall to mark Armistice Day and the three services that took place across the borough on Remembrance Sunday. She thanked everyone involved in the planning of these events and noted they were very poignant commemorations to show our respect for the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community.

 

The Mayor had hosted a Charity Dinner to raise money for her charities: Whittington Health Charity and Ronald McDonald Moorfields House. She thanked all those that supported including local businesses for donating raffle prizes.

 

Over the coming weeks she was looking forward to sharing in more festivities and also excited to attend events celebrating Chanukah with the borough’s Jewish Community.

 

(v)             Length of Speeches

 

The Mayor reminded all councillors to take note of the timer and stay within the permitted length for speeches. The Mayor also reminded all present that the meeting was being webcast live on the council’s website.

211.

Leader's Announcements

-        The Leader will address the Council

-        The Leader of the Opposition will then be invited to respond

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader thanked the Mayor and said it was great to see so many councillors at the remembrance events; it was great to see Islington come together as a community. The Leader also thanked the Mayor for hosting the Charity Dinner and for her work in raising money for good causes.

 

The Leader highlighted that there is a diverse and wonderful voluntary sector across Islington that have done so much to help people through the cost-of-living crisis, including creating warm community spaces, financial support and supporting mutual aid. The council was providing huge amounts of support to help local people with an extra £500,000 in cost-of-living support, using a windfall payment from the publicly owned Edmonton Eco-Park. Later in the meeting there would a vote on the Council Tax Support Scheme. The Leader commented on the support available from the council, including the work to tackle the digital divide by distributing laptops to young people that were in need.

 

The Leader commented further on the cost-of-living crisis stating it was unacceptable that people had to choose between heating and eating. Councillors had to delivered a letter to Downing Street calling for more support, including the removal of the benefit cap, roll-out of universal free school meals for all young people and the introduction of the real Living Wage.

 

The Leader offered solidarity to all those striking up and down the country in search of fair pay and conditions.

 

The Leader commented on the successful campaign to save local bus routes, nothing that these were a vital lifeline for local people during the cost-of-living crisis.

Finally, the Leader congratulated England and Arsenal Player Bukayo Saka for the quarter final performance against France in the World Cup and wished everyone a happy holiday season.

 

The Leader of the Opposition echoed how the cost-of-living crisis is hitting people hard and the historic dependence on gas and other fossil fuels was increasingly becoming more of an issue. The Leader of the Opposition commented that communal heating systems based on heat recovery, ground and air source or heat pumps was preferable to powering communal heating with gas, a fossil fuel, as this had led to rising costs and increases in people’s bills.

 

The Leader of the Opposition was saddened by the shocking death of Awaab Ishak, a child who had sadly passed away from a respiratory condition caused by living in a home that was prone to condensation and mould in Rochdale. The Leader of the Opposition commented that damp and mould issues must be taken very seriously.

The Leader of the Opposition stated that there needed to be a transformation in the way things were built, repaired, heated and ventilated in homes. The Leader of the Opposition commented that green solutions had always been the answer, such as: insulation with ventilation, double glazing, heat pumps and solar energy.

212.

Petitions

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council received a petition from Hilary Green relating to the building of mansard extensions in the borough.

213.

Questions from Members of the Public pdf icon PDF 283 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Questions (a) from Luke Howard to Cllr Ward, Executive Member for Finance, Planning and Performance:

 

How will the council ensure their green credentials and commitment to expanding and protecting the current lack of open space in the densest area and borough in the U.K, the Islington St. Luke’s area, and in keeping with their sustainability commitment, how will you re-utilise the surplus of unused office space and flats in the St. Luke’s area to address Islington’s housing need?

 

Response:

 

Our Council is committed to building more council homes for local people and providing more green space for residents to enjoy. That’s why, in our manifesto for the 2022 Local Elections, we committed to providing 1.5 hectares more green space over the next four years, this is the equivalent space to Paradise Park. Further to that, we were incredibly proud that recently, a report by the University of Sheffield found that Islington is the second greenest urban centre in the country. An amazing achievement for one of the most densely populated boroughs in the country.

With regards to the Bunhill and St Luke’s area, there is no evidence of surplus office accommodation in St Luke’s or indeed in any part of the borough. Demand for high quality office space remains strong across Islington but particularly in the south of the borough.  If anything, we are seeing an increase in the number of planning applications to refurbish existing offices and build new offices. In line with the council’s planning policies, we expect new and refurbished offices to be more sustainable and energy efficient contributing to the council’s Net Zero Carbon 2030 ambition and our wider environmental policies.

 

It is of course shocking and disgraceful that there are empty private homes in Islington at a time when the borough is facing a greater than ever unaffordable housing crisis. Action is urgently needed from central government to ensure that investors do not buy homes in our borough and then leave them empty. I have also been very proud to work with Labour Councillors from right across this Chamber on the campaign to get the Ministry of Justice to bring the 28 empty three and four bedroom flats at Wilmington Square back into use.

 

The council already has strong planning policies in place to protect and improve open spaces and increase biodiversity.  We are strengthening these policies through our new Local Plan. In this year alone, we have secured a new public park on the Holloway Prison site and investment into three parks and open spaces in Barnsbury.

There is of course a careful balance to be struck between providing affordable homes, an inclusive economy and social infrastructure that Islington needs and ensuring that our open spaces and biodiversity are protected and improved. This balance is particularly complex and challenging in high density areas such as St Luke’s.  I am confident however that the policies set out in the council’s existing and emerging Local Plan strike the right balance between enabling inclusive growth to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 213.

214.

Questions from Members of the Council pdf icon PDF 350 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Questions (a) from Cllr Burgess to Cllr Turan, Executive Member for Health and Social Care:

 

It is estimated that there are about 19,000 unpaid carers in Islington; that’s nearly 10% of the population. These are family members or friends who look after those who need assistance for various reasons. The cost of living crisis will be impacting very heavily on these unpaid carers. Please could you let us know what the Council is doing to assist unpaid carers.

 

Response:

 

Islington’s commissioned carers support service, Islington Carers Hub is run by Age UK Islington. It is commissioned to provide information, advice, signposting, and support to help carers in their caring role and prevent carer breakdown. This includes financial and employment support, including practical support with completing paperwork. They also work with specialist partners including LBI’s Income Maximisation and iWork teams to support carers with income maximisation and access to suitable employment opportunities. The council’s Cost of Living support campaign has been shared with Age UK Islington and other providers supporting carers in the borough, so they are able to direct carers and other residents to the support available.

 

Age UK Islington are doing tremendous work to support our local carers, but as we are witnessing across the care sector, they face a lot of pressure. The pandemic, and now the cost of living crisis is seeing many of our residents needing complex support, but to deliver this requires central government intervention. That’s why we have and continue to call on the government for more support to guarantee better care for older and vulnerable people, support for unpaid carers and decent pay for care workers.

 

Age UK Islington have also been addressing residents’ concerns about the Cost of Living crisis at resident events over the last few months, for example at October’s Let’s Talk Peer Group meeting where the manager of the Income Maximisation team provided a presentation on support available to residents. This was attended by more than 50 people in person and many more online, including carers. Age UK Islington are working with Help on Your Doorstep and other Islington voluntary sector organisations such as the Local Wellbeing Network, and Octopus Community Network on a series of Cost of Living events. Around 100 residents attended the first one and the second “Cost of Living” community open day took place earlier today.

 

Question (b) from Cllr Clarke to Cllr Ward, Executive Member for Finance, Planning and Performance:


Barclays Bank has one of the worst records for investing in fossil fuels. When the council contract with Barclays comes up in 2025 will you look at other options if Barclays has not cleaned up its record on fossil fuels by then?

 

Response:

 

I share the concerns about Barclays record for investing in fossil fuels. Our Council has committed to becoming a net zero carbon borough by 2030 to help tackle the climate emergency and that impacts everything the Council does. To address those concerns I arranged a meeting with the Barclays Bank Chief  ...  view the full minutes text for item 214.

215.

Council Tax Support Scheme 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 165 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Ward moved the recommendations in the report, Councillor Comer-Schwartz seconded. Councillor Russell contributed to the debate.

 

The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)     To adopt the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2023/24 as contained in Appendix A to the report submitted.

(ii)    To retain the amendments to council tax agreed at full Council on 9 December 2021. To be clear, this means that, from 1 April 2023, numbers 1 – 4 below will continue to apply and 5 will be added:

1.     Council tax exemption classes A (unoccupied and unfurnished property that requires or is undergoing major repairs) and C (unoccupied and unfurnished property) will have a discount of 0% for all cases

2.     Council tax discount for second homes will be 0% in all cases

3.     3. Council tax discount for empty furnished lets’ will be 0% in all cases; and

4.     A premium will be charged at the maximum percentage allowed of 100% on the council tax of all properties that have remained empty for over 2 years but less than 5 years in all cases. A premium will be charged at the maximum percentage allowed of 200% on the council tax of all properties that have remained empty for over 5 years but less than 10 years in all cases. A premium will be charged at the maximum percentage allowed of 300% on the council tax of all properties that have remained empty for over 10 years in all cases.

5.     In addition, where the Legislation allows for a higher potential council tax premium for Second Homes (also known as "dwellings occupied periodically"), the Council will levy the maximum council tax premium allowable from the earliest date that the Legislation allows.

 

216.

Mid Year Treasury Report pdf icon PDF 419 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Ward moved the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)     That the Treasury Mid-Year Review be noted.

(ii)    That the prudential indicator breach be noted.

 

217.

Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-27 pdf icon PDF 322 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Woolf moved the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:

(i)     That the continuation of the council’s cumulative impact policy for a further 3 years be confirmed.

(ii)    That the Licensing Policy 2023-2027 be adopted, as attached at Appendix A to the report submitted.

(iii)  That the Licensing Policy 2023-2027 shall apply to all applications for a premises licence or club certificate submitted after 1 January 2023 be agreed.

 

218.

Statement of Gambling Policy 2023-25 pdf icon PDF 311 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Woolf moved the recommendations in the report; noting a typographical error in the agenda and that the duration of the Policy was 2023-25. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:

(i)               That the results of the consultation feedback, as detailed in Appendix B to the report submitted, be noted.

(ii)              That the council’s response to the consultation, in particular the proposed revisions to the policy, as described in Appendix B and section 3.9 of the report, be noted.

(iii)            That the Gambling Premises Licensing Policy 2023-2025 be adopted, as attached at Appendix A to the report submitted.

(iv)            That the Policy shall apply to all applications for a premises licence or club certificate submitted after 1 January 2023 be agreed.

(v)             The resolution of the Council not to issue any casino licences in the period 2023-2025 be renewed.

 

219.

Grant of Dispensation pdf icon PDF 213 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Khurana moved the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)               That Councillor Rowena Champion be granted a dispensation, to allow her to participate in debates and votes on matters relating to waste disposal, energy from waste, waste facilities, waste transfer stations, reuse and recycling and any other waste related issues until Councillor Champion ceases to be a director of London Energy Ltd or until 28 July 2026.

 

220.

Constitution Report pdf icon PDF 198 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Khurana moved the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)               That the amendments to the Constitution be approved as set out in the appendices to the report.

 

221.

Chief Whip's Report pdf icon PDF 245 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Khurana moved the recommendations in the report. The recommendations were put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)               That Councillor Jackson be appointed as a substitute member of the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the municipal year, or until a successor is appointed;

(ii)              That Councillors Staff and Weekes be appointed as substitute members of the Standards Committee for the remainder of the municipal year, or until successors are appointed.

(iii)            That Councillor Pandor be appointed to Cripplegate Foundation until September 2024, or until a successor is appointed.

(iv)            That the appointment of Marie Rosenthal as Interim Director of Law and Governance be noted, and to approve her appointment as Acting Monitoring Officer, until further notice.

 

222.

Notices of Motion pdf icon PDF 431 KB

1.    Gambling Act Review

2.    Right to Food

3.    Solidarity with striking workers

4.    Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Accommodation Needs

 

Where a motion concerns an executive function, nothing passed can be actioned until approved by the Executive or an officer with the relevant delegated power.

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Motion 1: Gambling Act Review

 

The Mayor advised that an alteration to the motion had been circulated in the second despatch of papers and this was formally noted by the Council.

 

Councillor Weekes moved the motion; Councillor Croft seconded. Councillors Hamdache and Gallagher contributed to the debate.

 

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)     To write to the Minister overseeing the Gambling Act Review, Paul Scully MP, informing him of our priorities for reform as reflected above and to ask the government to consider gambling a public health issue.

(ii)    To commence a proposal under the Sustainable Communities Act to push for legislative reform that will empower local authorities to better regulate gambling.

(iii)  To implement the reviewed and revised Gambling Premises Licensing Policy 2023-2025 (pending adoption by this Council). This robust policy will ensure applicants and operators whose premises are used for gambling have taken stringent steps to prevent gambling being a source of crime and disorder and to protect people from gambling related harm.

 

Motion 2: Right to Food

 

Councillor O’Halloran moved the motion; Councillor Clarke seconded. Councillors Jegorovas-Armstrong and Craig contributed to the debate. Councillor O’Halloran exercised her right of reply.

 

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)     To become a Right to Food borough and to support the Right to Food Campaign’s five demands to Government urging that these be delivered nationally as a matter of urgency. These demands are:

1.     Universal free school meals. No child should go hungry and the Right to Food campaign is calling for free school meals for every child.

2.     Government to state how much of minimum wages and benefits (on which people are expected to live) is for food. The Right to Food Campaign wants Government to reveal how much money is factored in for food when setting minimum/living wages and benefits.

3.     Independent enforcement of legislation. Right To Food legislation must be accompanied by oversight and enforcement powers granted to a new independent regulatory body that will hold Government to account.

4.     Community Kitchens. The Right to Food Campaign believes Community Kitchens provide a workable solution to food poverty. Government should fund dining clubs and ‘meals-on-wheels’ services for older people and others who are not able to shop and/or cook meals, school holiday meals for those most in need and cookery clubs for the wider community.

5.     Ensured food security. Government must ensure food security and take this into account when setting competition, planning, transport, local Page 254 government, and all other policy.

(ii)    To stand alongside our communities in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, demonstrating leadership in tackling food insecurity and going further than the Right to Food Campaigns demands on a local level by committing to Islington’s upcoming Food Strategy 2023-28 as pledged in the Islington Labour manifesto for the 2022 Local Elections.

Motion 3: Solidarity with striking workers 

 

The Mayor advised that a proposed amendment to the motion had been circulated in an additional despatch. 

 

Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 222.