Agenda item

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.

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 Hamdache moved the motion; Councillor Russell seconded, Councillor Graham moved the proposed amendment. Councillors Heather and Gilgunn contributed to the debate. 

The amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED.

The amended motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

(i)     Continue promoting union membership to Islington’s residents and to work collaboratively with the unions representing the Council’s workers

(ii)    Support the attendance of Islington’s two MPs at picket lines in solidarity with striking workers Page 255

(iii)  Write to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in opposition to anti-trade union laws, like the banning of online ballots and strikebreaking agency workers

(iv)  Write to the Secretary of State for Justice in opposition to the proposed British Bill of Rights, that threatens the right of workers to organise collective action.

Motion 4: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Accommodation Needs

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

Councillor Jegorovas-Armstrong moved the motion; Councillor Russell seconded, Councillor Burgess moved the proposed amendment.

The amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED.

The amended motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

(i)     To continue to mark Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month every year to raise awareness of the prejudice faced by the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community.

(ii)    To use this month to amplify the voices of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community and raise awareness amongst Islington’s residents about their unique history, culture and heritage.

(iii)  To share resources from, and promote the campaigns of, groups such as the Friends, Families and Travellers organisation, London Gypsies and Travellers, and The Traveller Movement.

(iv)  To address the inequalities that the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community face.

(v)   To ensure that Gypsies, Roma and Travellers experience an inclusive, fair and understanding community in Islington.

(vi)  To actively nurture harmonious relations between the settled community and the residents of any future Gypsy, Roma and Traveller site in Islington.

(vii)To provide sustainable, green and biodiverse sites with facilities that are well insulated, well ventilated and affordable to heat in winter.

(viii)                   To provide effective site management for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites in the borough.

(ix)  To provide training to key staff in Islington schools around successful practice working with families from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds, including raising awareness around the culture and history of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community.

(x)   To encourage and support Islington schools in signing The Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boaters’ Pledge for Schools.

(xi)  To improve data collection around the experiences of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community, in order to improve their outcomes across key social and economic indicators.