Agenda item

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.

 

·        Motion 1: An adaptation plan for climate resilience

·        Motion 2: Motion to support the Transport for All Equal Pavements Pledge

·        Motion 3: Islington Together let’s talk about a greener future

·        Motion 4: Opposing Central Government plans for voter ID

·        Motion 5: Supporting public sector workers

·        Motion 6: Equalities in Educational Outcomes

Motion 1: An adaptation plan for climate resilience

 

Councillor Russell moved the motion. Councillor Champion contributed to the debate. Councillor Russell exercised her right of reply.

 

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

     (i)          To assess past and future risks to residents, organisations and the council from extreme weather events or hazards arising from a changing climate. This should include the impact of:

o   Surface water flooding from extreme rainfall

o   Extreme heat and cold in homes especially at night

o   Extreme temperatures in workplaces

o   Extreme wind, hail, rainfall, heat and drought

    (ii)          To identify risks to public health, social care, community resilience, natural assets, infrastructure and economic development including these in corporate plans and policies

   (iii)          To produce a plan and estimated costings for the adaptation and resilience measures required to protect the council, Islington residents, workers and organisations from the disruption due to future extreme weather events.

   (iv)          To identify methods of funding and delivering this work in consultation with London Councils, City Hall and national government along with local organisations and residents.  

Motion 2: Motion to support the Transport for All Equal Pavements Pledge

 

The Mayor noted that a proposed amendment had been circulated in the second despatch of papers.

 

Councillor Russell moved the motion. Councillor Champion moved her amendment. Councillor Russell exercised her right of reply.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

The motion, as amended, was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)    To support the Transport for All Equal Pavements Pledge;

(ii)   To engage directly with organisations representing people with specific accessibility requirements;

(iii)  To call upon the Mayor of London through Transport for London (TfL) to respond to the Equal Pavements pledge with a comprehensive programme of support to boroughs to be delivered in this current term;

(iv)  To call on Central Government to fully fund the Council’s attempts to make Islington’s pavements more people-friendly.

 

Motion 3: Islington Together - let’s talk about a greener future

 

Councillor Champion moved the motion. Councillor Weekes seconded.

 

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)          To hold a festival during COP26, to work together with local people on making our borough a greener, cleaner and healthier place by tackling the Climate Emergency;

(ii)         To continue to work with residents and local business, third sector and public sector bodies to cut the 91% of emissions generated by non-Council sources in the borough, promoting and incentivising efforts to reduce their carbon footprint;

(iii)        To continue to work with other local authorities and the Mayor of London to call on Central Government to fully fund the Council’s Vision 2030 strategy and demand a national plan to tackle the climate emergency.

 

Motion 4: Opposing Central Government plans for voter ID

Councillor Gill moved the motion. Councillor Ozdemir seconded. Councillors Lukes and Ismail contributed to the debate. Councillor Gill exercised his right to reply.

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

(i)    To oppose the introduction of photo ID as a requirement to vote at polling stations;

(ii)   To write to the Government, opposing the introduction of voter ID and request this measure is not included in any forthcoming Bill;

(iii) That should mandatory photo ID be passed into law, this council will investigate low-cost options for residents, bearing in mind the barriers outlined and focus efforts to promote the ID to those who are most likely to need it;

(iv) To campaign for the introduction of residence-based voting rights to ensure all residents of Islington have the right to vote for their local representatives.

 

Motion 5: Supporting public sector workers

 

This motion related to the Local Government Pay Settlement and called on the Council to support the pay claim submitted by the Unite, GMB and Unison trade unions. The Mayor announced that all councillors had a disclosable pecuniary interest in relation to Motion 5, as the Members’ Allowances Scheme links councillor allowances to the Local Government Pay Settlement.  It was also noted that councillors who are members of the Unison, Unite and GMB trade unions also had a personal interest in this motion. This included Councillors Comer-Schwartz, Ngongo, Champion, Ward, Convery, O’Halloran, Khondoker, Hyde, Lukes, Weekes, Gilgunn, Ozdemir, Turan, Bossman-Quarshie, O’Sullivan, Khurana, Ismail, Mackmurdie, Spall, Jackson, and Gallagher.

It was noted that under paragraph 14.2 of the Member Code of Conduct, Council may grant dispensations to councillors to vote on a matter in which they hold an interest, if without the dispensation the number of persons prohibited from participating in any particular business would be so great a proportion of the body transacting the business as to impede the transaction of the business.  Councillor Hyde moved a motion to grant a dispensation to the members present for this Motion. This was put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

That a dispensation be granted to the councillors present to enable the transaction of business under paragraph 14.2 of the Member Code of Conduct.

 

Councillor Comer-Schwartz moved the substantive motion. Councillor Gilgunn seconded. Councillor Russell contributed to the debate. Councillor Comer-Schwartz exercised her right to reply.

 

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOVLED:

 

(i)    To support the pay claim submitted by Unite, GMB and UNISON on behalf of council and school workers for a 10% uplift across all pay points in 2021/22;

(ii)   To call on Central Government to fully fund any increase in pay for public sector workers;

(iii)To sign the Mental Health At Work Commitment, to achieve better mental health outcomes for council staff and commit to a set of actions to improve and support the mental health of council employees;

(iv)To work with local trade unions to improve mental wellbeing services for council staff and support calls for improved mental health services for workers across the public sector.

 

Motion 6: Equalities in Educational Outcomes

 

The Mayor advised that a proposed amendment to this motion was circulated in the second despatch of papers.

 

Councillor Ismail moved the motion. Councillor Ngongo moved the amendment. Councillor Ismail exercised her right to reply. Councillor Ngongo exercised her right to reply.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

The motion, as amended, was put to the vote and CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)   To continue to fund and commission supplementary education for pupils underachieving in mainstream schools;

(ii)  To continue to seek to improve the educational outcomes of the most disadvantaged;

(iii)To provide supplementary community based education to Black, Caribbean and White British pupils as an essential aspect in improving their future and ours;

(iv)To run an impressive series of events throughout October, celebrating Black History Month, Black culture and the contribution of Islington’s Black communities to our borough.