Agenda item

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 panel of residents to consult with the Council in deciding on which local issues will be submitted to the Communities and Local Government Minister.

 

3. Petitions the government to release the planned information regarding local funding for services as soon as possible.

 

4. Advertises the Act as widely as possible using all forms of media to inform residents of the acts existence and how they can get involved.

 

5. Looks for other authorities and stakeholders (including the Voluntary and Community Sectors) who can assist/support the development of the local panels and formulate these ideas into practical submissions to the government.

 

6. Looks at replacing the current community engagement (through citizen panels etc) with these proposed representative panels”.

 

 

Motion O (2008/09)

 

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

 

Mobility Benefits for Blind Residents

 

“This Council Notes:

 

1.      That blind people experience significant barriers to independent mobility

2.      That blind people are often isolated and find it difficult to access basic services without mobility assistance

3.      That blind residents face additional costs as a result of their impairment, such as using taxis or private hire vehicles

 

This Council Further Notes:

 

1.      That blind people are not entitled to the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance

2.      Loss of usable sight clearly causes significant independent mobility problems and incurs significant additional and unmet costs

 

This Council resolves:

 

1.      To ask the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council to write to the Secretary of State for Work & Pensions, the Rt Hon. James Purnell MP, expressing these concerns

2.      To ask the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council to write to our local MPs asking that they sign up to EDM number 1982 and write to the Secretary of State expressing these concerns

3.      To support the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) campaign on securing the higher rate mobility component of DLA for blind people”.

 

Motion P (2008/09)

 

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

 

“This Council:

Fully understands that the growing and significant crisis in the Middle East is having impacts in the Borough of Haringey. Residents have links, family and ancestral roots in Palestine, Israel and other countries in the region and there are concerns around the conflict spilling over into other regions of the Middle East. Significant anger is also building up on events in the Middle East and this Council acknowledges the passions that this conflict inflames.
 
This Council also notes the inaction of the international community in immediately asking for and working towards a ceasefire when the invasion of Gaza took place and that politicians have finally been roused into action only after mass protests in countries across the world. This Council further notes the fact that Gordon Brown, like Tony Blair, has made British foreign policy effectively subservient to Washington and waiting for a change of heart in Washington is intolerable given the continuing human cost in Gaza.
 
This Council unambiguously condemns Israel's invasion of Gaza and tactics which have led to over 40% of Palestinian casualties being civilians and this Council also calls for an end to the blockade of Gaza and to the firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas and the deaths that these have caused. This Council calls on the Prime Minister to lead the EU into using its economic and diplomatic leverage in the region to broker peace and it must immediately suspend the proposed new co-operation agreement in Israel until things change in Gaza.

This Council also asks the Prime Minister to halt Britain's arms export to Israel and persuade our EU counterparts to do the same. The Government's own figures show Britain is selling more and more weapons to Israel, despite the questions about the country's use of force. In 2007, our government approved £6m of arms exports. In 2008, it licensed sales 12 times as fast: £20m in the first three months alone”.
 

 

 

 

 

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 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 panel of residents to consult with the Council in deciding on which local issues will be submitted to the Communities and Local Government Minister.

 

3. Petitions the government to release the planned information regarding local funding for services as soon as possible.

 

4. Advertises the Act as widely as possible using all forms of media to inform residents of the acts existence and how they can get involved.

 

5. Looks for other authorities and stakeholders (including the Voluntary and Community Sectors) who can assist/support the development of the local panels and formulate these ideas into practical submissions to the government.

 

6. Looks at replacing the current community engagement (through citizen panels etc) with these proposed representative panels.

 

 

An amendment to the Motion was moved by Councillor Cooke and seconded by Councillor Reith as follows:

 

Under ‘This Council:’

 

To leave out point Point 7

 

To insert as point 7:

 

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

 

To insert a further Point 8:

 

8. Notes that the Act begins from the principal the local people know best what needs to be done to promote the success of an authority’s area

 

Under ‘This Council Therefore:’

 

To leave out Point 4

 

To insert as Point 4:

 

4. Will promote awareness of the Act as widely as possible to inform residents of the Act’s existence and how they can get involved in putting forward proposals for Haringey.

 

To leave out Point 5

 

To insert as Point 5:

 

5. Notes that it is already in contact with other authorities and stakeholders (including the Voluntary and Community Sectors) who may be able to assist/support the development of the local panels and formulate these ideas into practical submissions to the government.

 

To leave out Point 6

 

To insert as Point 6:

 

6. Building on our success in engaging with underrepresented groups; aims to use existing community engagement structures to draw people on to representative local panels. 

 

On being put to the vote there were 26 in favour of the amendment and 22 against and the amendment was declared CARRIED.

 

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

 

‘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. Is fully committed to the process to ensure that the residents of Haringey have a chance to have their say on local services.
   
   
8. Notes that the Act begins from the principal the local people know best what needs to be done to promote the success of an authority’s area

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 panel of residents to consult with the Council in deciding on which local issues will be submitted to the Communities and Local Government Minister.

 

3. Petitions the government to release the planned information regarding local funding for services as soon as possible.

 

4. Will promote awareness of the Act as widely as possible to inform residents of the Act’s existence and how they can get involved in putting forward proposals for Haringey.

 

5. Notes that it is already in contact with other authorities and stakeholders (including the Voluntary and Community Sectors) who may be able to assist/support the development of the local panels and formulate these ideas into practical submissions to the government.

 

6. Building on our success in engaging with underrepresented groups; aims to use existing community engagement structures to draw people on to representative local panels’. 

 

The Mayor asked the meeting if they wished to add 15 minutes to the duration of the meeting to compensate for the disturbance and clearing of the gallery. The meeting declined. The Mayor then closed the meeting as it was 22.00 hours. 

 

Motions O and P, having not been reached, fell.