Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Adje, Allison Bloch, and Reid.

See Minutes 97, 98, 103 & 104.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/orif it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

The Chief Executive advised of the following advance notice of declarations of interests:

Councillor Reith declared a personal interest in Item 10 Presentation in respect of Haringey Credit Union as she was a member of the credit union.

Councillor Winskill declared a personal interest in Item 12 question 4 as he was a Haringey leaseholder.

Councillor Engert declared a prejudicial interest in Item 14 Sustainable transport motion as she was a board member of London Travel Watch.

Councillor Strang declared a prejudicial interest in Item 14 Sustainable transport motion as he was an employee of Transport for London.

Councillor Davies declared a prejudicial interest in Item 14 motion V as he was employed by the housing charity Shelter.

Councillor Gibson declared a personal interest in Items 13 and 4 as she was a Local Authority Governor for Belmont Primary School and a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Statutory Advisory Committee.

The following Councillors also made declarations at the meeting:

Councillor Mallett declared a personal interest in Item 12 question 8 as she was a member of Haringey Credit Union.

Councillor Williams declared a personal interest in Items 7 & 13 he was a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.

Councillor Scott declared a personal interest in Items 7 & 13 he was a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board and in item 14 Sustainable transport motion as he was a Freedom Pass holder.

Councillor Gibson declared a personal interest in Item 10 Presentation in respect of Haringey Credit Union as she was a member of the credit union.

Councillor Hare declared a personal interest in Items 7 & 13 he was a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.

Councillor Stewart declared a personal interest in Items 7 & 13 he was a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.

Councillor Egan declared a personal interest in Items 7 & 13 he was a member of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board.

The Monitoring Officer advised that Planning members did not have a personal interest in the deputation on Wards Corner but that they should not ask questions or speak on the item and did not need to leave the Council Chamber.

Councillor Browne advised that he had declared a personal interest at the meeting on 24 February 2011 as a Freedom pass holder. 

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 24 February  2011 be signed as a true record subject to the inclusion of Councillor Browne’s declaration of a personal interest as a Freedom pass holder.

1. The Mayor informed the meeting that as of 16 March, Her Majesty The Queen had appointed Lady Elizabeth Arnold to be High Sheriff of the County of Greater London. 

2. The Mayor introduced Peter Desmond, Head of Music and Performing Arts, and Haringey Youth  Musicians Steel Orchestra and reported the Orchestra’s successful trip to Barbados in February 2011.

Mr Desmond briefly addressed the meeting  and reported that the young people proved to be excellent ambassadors for Haringey and made a big impact on the Island and specifically with Haringey’s linking partners in Holetown

A short video clip of the Haringey Youth Musicians Steel Orchestra’s successful trip to Barbados in February 2011 was shown.  

The Orchestra received a much deserved round of applause. 

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. The information contained within the report was not received until 1 April 2011 following which the changes to Council proportionality needed to be reported at the earliest opportunity.

RESOLVED

1. That the changes to Political Group composition as detailed in paragraphs 8.1 & 8.2 of the report be noted.
   
   
2. That the resultant changes to Council body memberships as detailed in paragraphs 8.7 & 8.8 of the report be agreed.
   
   

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business.The report could not be circulated earlier as decisions were awaited from the Standards Determination Hearing Panel of 30 and 31 March 2011, as well as a recommendation to extend the period of office of a retiring Independent Member of the Standards Committee for maternity cover.

The Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer advised that his report detailed the decision of the Standards Committee Determination Hearing Panel of 30 & 31March 2011.

The report also requested the extension of the term of office of a current Independent member of Standards Committee (Carol Sykes) which was due to end on 23 May 2011 to 30 September 2011 in order to cover the maternity absence of Independent Member – Rachel Hatch.

RESOLVED

1.      That the decision of the Standards Determination Hearing Panel of 30 and 31 March 2011 be noted:

2.      That the extension of membership of the retiring member of Standards Committee - Carol Sykes, from 23 May 2011 to 30 September 2011 be agreed.

There were no appointments to outside bodies.

There were two deputations to address the meeting.

The first deputation was received from Mital Patelregarding Wards Corner.

Members asked questions of the deputation and received responses thereto.

The Leader of the Council responded to the deputation.

The second deputation was received from Mario Petrou of the Haringey Campaign for Democracy.

Members asked questions of the deputation and received responses thereto.

The Leader of the Council responded to the deputation.

The Mayor thanked the deputations for attending.

The meeting received a presentation from Martin Groombridge from Haringey, Islington and City Credit Union.

Following the presentation members asked questions and points of clarification and received answers thereto. 

The Mayor thanked Martin Groombridge for the presentation.

The Opposition gave notice of their wish to debate “Fairer funding for Haringey’s Schools”.

Councillor Wilson spoke on behalf of the Opposition Group.Councillor Reith responded on behalf of the Majority Group.

The Mayor thanked Councillors for their contributions.

ORAL QUESTION 1 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR NEIGHBOURHOODS FROM COUNCILLOR  WILSON:

What has the Council done to increase the number of battery recycling points in the last 12 months?

ORAL QUESTION 2 – TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES FROM COUNCILLOR STEWART:

Can the Cabinet Member outline the Council’s position in relation to Alexandra Park School’s consultation on academy status?

ORAL QUESTION 3 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING AND REGENERATION FROM COUNCILLOR SOLOMON:

Why has Haringey not taken the trouble to send any information to its own residents about the proposal for the Pinkham Way waste disposal facility?

ORAL QUESTION 4 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR HOUSING FROM COUNCILLOR DEMIRCI:

What is the impact on Haringey tenants of the coalition government’s decision to slash the Decent Homes programme by 75 per cent?

ORAL QUESTION 5 – TO THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL FROM COUNCILLOR GORRIE:

What steps will the Leader of the Council be taking to publicly correct her misrepresentation of the facts contained in her written introduction to the Council Guide recently mailed to all residents with their Council Tax Bills which refers specifically to a budget reduction over three years of more than £83 million when her own budget papers show funding, including Council Tax, last year of £307.8m and forecast funding for 2013/14 of £273.0m, a reduction of £34.8m?

ORAL QUESTION 6 – TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR NEIGHBOURHOODS FROM COUNCILLOR PEACOCK:

What measures is the council taking to protect children and young people from under age alcohol sales ?.

ORAL QUESTION 7 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES FROM COUNCILLOR ALLISON:

How will Children's Services be scrutinised under the proposed new governance arrangements?

ORAL QUESTION 8 - TO THE CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING AND REGENERATION FROM COUNCILLOR EJIOFOR:

To the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration: What difference do you think the new Haringey credit union will make to those on low incomes in the borough?

The Mayor agreed to the admission of this report as urgent business. Under Standing Orders, notice of questions was not requested until eight clear days before the meeting, following which matters raised had to be researched and replies prepared in order to be given at the meeting.

There were 8 oral questions and 22 for written answer.

Oral Questions 6- 8   were not reached in the allotted time and written answers would be supplied to these questions.

a)     Alexandra Palace and Park Board Report No.1 - 2010/11 (ATTACHED)

b)     Governance Review Delivery Group Report No. 1 – 2010/11 (TO FOLLOW)

The Mayor agreed to the admission of the report of the Governance Delivery Group as urgent business. The Group met on 31 March 2011 and was necessary to report their recommendations to Council.

A.  ALEXANDRA PALACE AND PARK BOARD – REPORT NO.1 2010/11

Councillor Egan introduced Alexandra Palace and Park Board – Report No.1 2010/11 – Recruitment and selection of Independent Advisors to the Board, and moved the recommendations contained therein.

RESOLVED

1.      That the Alexandra Palace and Park Board Report No.1  - 2010/11 be received and approval be given to powers being delegated to the Alexandra Palace and Park Board to commence the recruitment, selection and appointment of the proposed independent advisors to the Board; 

B)                GOVERNANCE REVIEW DELIVERY GROUP – Report No. 01  /2010 -11

Councillor Kober  moved the recommendations contained in Governance review Delivery Group – Report No. 01/2010 -11.

RESOLVED

1.      That approval be given to the adoption of the Delivery Group’s proposals for implementing the Governance Review.

2.      That the detailed text changes to the Constitution be considered at the Annual Council meeting on 23 May 2011.

3.      That approval be given to e the Scheme of Members’ Allowances for the municipal year 2011/12 as set out in Appendix 2 of the report and to adopt this as the revised Part 6 of the Council’s Constitution, noting that this scheme shall be subject to review at the Annual Council meeting, with the proposed new Committees structure.

Motion U (2010/11)

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

Fair Votes Motion

This Council supports moves to change our parliamentary voting system, which will see Haringey’s Members of Parliament elected under a fairer system. 

Council calls on the Head of Electoral Services to take steps to promote participation in the Referendum.

Motion V (2010/11)

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

Rogue Landlord Motion

This Council notes:

• A recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) showing that of those officers working on housing enforcement in the private rented sector, nine out of ten had encountered landlords engaging in harassment or illegal eviction, and 78% had dealt with landlords who persistently refuse to maintain their property to a safe condition
• It is only a minority of private landlords that are threatening and abusive to their tenants
• The damage rogue landlords can have on vulnerable tenants and the wider community
• The lack of protection for tenants if they make a complaint against a landlord
• Local authorities can serve an improvement notice or prohibition order where housing conditions fall below an acceptable standard. If the landlord fails to comply they can be prosecuted.
• Harassment and illegal eviction are criminal offences. Local authorities can prosecute landlords who commit these crimes.
• Shelter’s recent survey with the CIEH, shows 66% of Environmental Health Officers working in the private rented sector said that in their area no landlords had been prosecuted in the last 12 months for failure to comply with an order under the 2004 Housing Act, although over 40% said that under a quarter of such orders issued by their local authority had been complied with.

The Council resolves

• To take a zero tolerance approach to rogue landlords
• To use the full range of tools and powers at our disposal to tackle rogue landlords
• To carry out regular housing conditions surveys, focusing on areas in which the stock is poorly maintained and the level of private renting is highest.
• To use in instances where the Councils becomes aware of rogue landlords operating in low demand areas, to consider using power to introduce a selective licensing scheme.
• To back up their enforcement policies with adequate resources to make them enforceable as the cost of rogue landlords’ activities will be picked up in other ways, such as a higher number of tenants requiring homelessness assistance.
• To take advantage of the provisions of the 2004 Housing Act, which allows a recoup of costs by charging the landlord.

Motion W (2010/11)

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

Sustainable Transport

·        Cuts of £1.7bn to London’s bus services and £16m cut to London Underground.

·        Boris Johnson’s decision to axe plans to make London Underground step free and close 400 ticket offices across the capital.

·        Under Tory Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, bus fares have already increased by 20% last year, with further planned Tube and bus fares increases  ...  view the full agenda text for item 105.

Due to the hourMotions U, V, W (2010/11) were not considered.