Issue - meetings

Motion M (2008/09)

Councillor Alexander has given notice that she will move in the following terms:

“This Council notes:

·        that 16 and 17 year olds can leave school, get married, have a full-time job, must pay taxes on their income, and can join the armed forces, but are not allowed to vote in public elections;

·        that 16 and 17 year olds have been calling for the right to vote for many years through the Votes at 16 coalition;

·        that disconnection between young people and the political establishment is growing.

·        the continuing good work by Haringey’s Youth  Council and its members

This Council believes:

·        that young people are interested in politics and have valid views on issues that affect them;

·        that 16 and 17 year olds are old enough to have the right to vote in public elections;

·        that refusing to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote is likely to further depress turnout and encourage young people to give up on formal political structures.

This Council resolves:

·        to support the moves to lower the voting age for all public elections to 16;

·        to call on the Government to establish the Youth Citizenship Commission with a clear remit to develop the necessary framework for reducing the voting age to 16.

·        that the leader of the Council write to Bridget Prentice MP, minister in charge of reform in electoral administration, to show the Council’s commitment to pushing for votes for 16 and 17 year old and requesting that the government seriously considers decreasing the voting age”. 

Motion N (2008/09)

Councillor Scott has given notice that he will move in the following terms:

“This Council: 

1. Welcomes the introduction of the Sustainable Communities Act, which became law in October 2007. It also welcomes the establishment of the principle that ‘local people know best what needs to be done’.

2. Notes the cross party support in the House of Commons that the Act received.

3. Notes that the Act gives local authorities the power to make proposals to government on the action government must take to reverse community decline and promote sustainable communities.

4. Notes that the Act also gives local authorities the power to argue for a transfer of public money and function from central to local control.

5. Notes that the Act also requires central government to produce "spending reports" detailing the expenditure of all government bodies in each local area.  The Act requires that the first arrangements for the spending reports should be taken by April 2009.

6. Views the Act as an opportunity to further the empowerment of local communities in seeking local reforms regarding Economic, Social and Environmental issues.

7. Appreciates the need to be fully committed to the process to ensure that the residents of Haringey have a chance to have their say on local services.

This Council therefore: 

1. Resolves, when invited to by central government in autumn 2008, to use the Act by preparing and submitting proposals on how central government can help promote sustainable communities in Haringey.

2. Seeks to establish a representative  ...  view the full agenda text for item 86

Motion M (2009/10):

With the consent of the Council an alteration was made to Motion M in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.9 by the deletion of the second bullet point of the proposed resolution ‘to call on the Government to establish the Youth Citizenship Commission with a clear remit to develop the necessary framework for reducing the voting age to 16’.

Itwas then movedby Councillor Alexander andseconded byCllr Davies that:

This Council notes:

·        that 16 and 17 year olds can leave school, get married, have a full-time job, must pay taxes on their income, and can join the armed forces, but are not allowed to vote in public elections;

·        that 16 and 17 year olds have been calling for the right to vote for many years through the Votes at 16 coalition;

·        that disconnection between young people and the political establishment is growing.

·        the continuing good work by Haringey’s Youth  Council and its members

This Council believes:

·        that young people are interested in politics and have valid views on issues that affect them;

·        that 16 and 17 year olds are old enough to have the right to vote in public elections;

·        that refusing to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote is likely to further depress turnout and encourage young people to give up on formal political structures.

This Council resolves:

·        to support the moves to lower the voting age for all public elections to 16;

·        that the Leader of the Council write to Bridget Prentice MP, Minister in charge of reform in electoral administration, to show the Council’s commitment to pushing for votes for 16 and 17 year old and requesting that the government seriously considers decreasing the voting age. 

The substantive motion as altered was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED unanimously.

At this juncture there was a general disturbance and in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 24.2 the Mayor called for the public gallery to be cleared. The meeting was then adjourned.

Motion N (2008/09)

On re-convening itwas movedby Councillor Scott andseconded byCllr Rainger that:

This Council: 

1. Welcomes the introduction of the Sustainable Communities Act, which became law in October 2007. It also welcomes the establishment of the principle that ‘local people know best what needs to be done’.

2. Notes the cross party support in the House of Commons that the Act received.

3. Notes that the Act gives local authorities the power to make proposals to government on the action government must take to reverse community decline and promote sustainable communities.

4. Notes that the Act also gives local authorities the power to argue for a transfer of public money and function from central to local control.

5. Notes that the Act also requires Central Government to produce "spending reports" detailing the expenditure of all Government bodies in each local area.  The Act requires that the first arrangements for the spending reports should be taken by April 2009.

6. Views the Act as an opportunity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86