Agenda

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The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

a)    Staffing and Remuneration Committee

b)    Standards Committee

1.      From Councillor Stone to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategic Regeneration

Can the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategic Regeneration outline how the capital programme in the Council’s 2021/22 budget will benefit residents?

2.      From Cllr Dennison to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategic Regeneration

Well over £20 million in investment has been budgeted for upgrades to Wood Green HQ, Library & Customer Service Centre. What specifically is this being spent on?

3.      From Cllr Gunes to the Cabinet for Public Realm and Transformation

What support is the Council providing to residents experiencing immediate financial hardship as a result of the pandemic?

4.      Cllr Barnes to the Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal

Haringey has a record of failure on building Council homes going back over 30 years. When this administration took over, you promised to complete - not begin - the building of 1000 Council homes by 2022. Even before the pandemic began, you admitted you would fail to reach this target. Do you think these continued broken promises by successive Labour administrations in Haringey are acceptable to the residents of our borough?

5.      Cllr Peacock to the Leader of the Council

Can the Leader clarify why the Cabinet has chosen to pursue a full refurbishment of the Civic Centre rather than simply fixing the immediate safety issues?

6.      Cllr Cawley-Harrison to the Leader of the Council

The decision on Noel Park pods has been pushed back yet again. Can you give a clear timetable to leaseholders about what is happening with the works to their homes and how they will be supported by this Council?

Motion C

Universal Basic Income

Proposer: Councillor Josh Dixon

Seconder: Councillor Sakina Chenot

Council notes that:

• Financial security is critical to a stable and thriving society
• According to Trust for London, 34% of Haringey’s population lives in poverty
• Due to the nature of employment in Haringey the borough has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and has the highest growth rate in unemployment in the country
• Haringey Council launched the Haringey Support Fund in March to provide one off emergency financial support to some residents facing unexpected financial hardship because of the impact of Covid-19
• Results from a Finnish trial of Universal Basic Income (UBI) in 2017-18 showed improvements in employment and wellbeing for the group who participated
• A network of UBI Labs has been set up and works with local authorities across the UK developing UBI proposals to address poverty, inequality, discrimination and environmental damage, long-term and immediately, in relation to coronavirus

Council believes that:

• This year more than any other has shown that when unexpected events take place, the precarious nature of low-paid, insecure employment is a major fault-line in the resilience of our economy
• A UBI could help alleviate poverty, opening the door to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach, and liberate people from the anxiety of job insecurity through a monthly income regardless of employment status, wealth, or marital status
• A UBI will prevent the need for short term emergency financial supports in moments of crisis, such as a pandemic or financial crash
• There are many potential benefits to a UBI including:
  • More flexible workforce and greater freedom to change jobs;
  • Supporting a caring economy to value unpaid work;
  • Removing the negative impacts of means testing, benefit sanctions and conditionality;
  • Enabling greater opportunities for people to work in community and cultural activities or to train or reskill in areas that will be needed to transition to a lower-carbon economy
• This is the right time to trial Universal Basic Income

Council resolves to:

• Write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for a fully evaluated and fully-funded trial of basic income in our borough, as a result of the effects of the Covid pandemic
• Work with other local authorities to help test UBI in London

Motion D

Proposed by Cllr Seema Chandwani

Seconded by Cllr Stone

Reinstate Council Tax Benefit

This Council notes:

• In 2013, the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government scrapped Council Tax Benefits;
• This change to our council tax system was branded the Pickles Poll Tax after the Minister of the time - Eric Pickles;
• Scrapping Council Tax Benefits resulted in over 5 million low-income households paying more council tax; 
• The government replaced Council Tax Benefits with the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS), which intended that people on a low income would pay up to 20% of their council tax, without consideration to affordability.

This Council further notes:

• In Haringey over 25,000 people are claiming CTRS;
• Haringey Council has exempted 6,000 low-income families from  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

To consider and agree the Council Calendar of Meetings for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.