Agenda item

Motion T (2008/09)

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

“This Council notes;

• Thousands of Haringey residents rely on public transport, and deserve high standards of safety and service
• Recent threats to staffing at stations in Haringey by First Capital Connect
• Delays by Transport for London (TfL) and train operating companies in implementing the Oystercard scheme at all rail stations in Haringey

This Council therefore resolves to:

1. Oppose all plans to reduce staffing levels at Haringey stations.
2. Work with the Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police and transport companies to reduce crime on public transport and take action to make passengers feel safer.
3. Create a new Haringey public transport forum to give residents and councillors an opportunity to question and discuss with TfL, the Transport Police, and rail and bus companies, local concerns and ideas for improvements to services”.

Motion U (2008/09)

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

“This council notes the concern of residents and local businesses, who believe that the opening of adult entertainment establishments on Tottenham Lane, Crouch End and on the High Road in Wood Green will have a negative effect on Haringey and on those who live, work and go to school in both areas.

This council notes objectors’ concerns that such a club would create public order and public safety problems and further notes their fear that these clubs may create a public nuisance, be harmful to local children and are particularly offensive to women.

This council believes that lap-dancing clubs are part of the commercial sex industry, which normalise the sexual objectification of women. It believes that it is an exploitative industry which damages gender equality.

It further believes in - and for many years has promoted - a vision of Haringey as a fair and equal place, where people can flourish and in which residents are proud to live and feel part of a strong community; we believe that the opening of any lap dancing club would run counter to that vision. This Council is also deeply concerned that as there is no other lap dancing venue like this in the borough, allowing one to operate will send out the wrong message to residents and may encourage other such venues. This is not acceptable.

This council welcomes the Labour government’s announcement in the Queen’s speech in December, new measures to give councils and communities new powers to stop lap-dancing clubs opening in areas, by tightening up the regulation of adult entertainment venues.

This council notes that these powers may be taken up on an opt-in basis and that in the interests of residents and in protecting the rights residents expect to influence the areas in which they live we will stand by communities, opt-in and adopt these powers as soon as is possible.

This council resolves to opt in to legislation that will reclassify Lap Dancing Clubs as Sex Encounter Venues as laid out in the Policing and Crime Bill; resolves to write to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP, to urge her to prioritise the necessary legislation in order to provide fairer rules for stronger communities and to make sure that such provisions can be retrospectively applied”. 

Motion T  (2008/09)

Itwas movedby Councillor Wilsonand secondedby CouncillorNewton that:

    “This Council notes;

•         Thousands of Haringey residents rely on public transport, and deserve high standards of safety and service

•         Recent threats to staffing at stations in Haringey by First Capital Connect

•         Delays by Transport for London (TfL) and train operating companies in implementing the Oystercard scheme at all rail stations in Haringey

     This Council therefore resolves to:

1. Oppose all plans to reduce staffing levels at Haringey stations.
2. Work with the Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police and transport companies to reduce crime on public transport and take action to make passengers feel safer.
3. Create a new Haringey public transport forum to give residents and councillors an opportunity to question and discuss with TfL, the Transport Police, and rail and bus companies, local concerns and ideas for improvements to services”.

An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Haley and seconded by Councillor Patel that:

Under ‘this council notes’: 

After bullet point 2 insert

‘This council welcomes:

Delete ‘delays by’  and insert “Plans by…”

Delete ‘in implementing’ and insert ‘to implement.’

Under “This Council therefore resolves to” Delete item 3 and insert, as item 3,

“Open up the Road Safety Partnership Board – which meets quarterly, and is attended by council officers from Sustainable Transport, Parking, Young People’s Services and Neighbourhoods, Transport Police, Local Police and TfL Road Safety – to become a wider forum for the debate on safety and public transport issues, enabling the views of residents and councillors to be considered”.

On being put to the vote there were 29 in favour of the amendment and 20 against and 1 abstention. The amendment was declared CARRIED.

The substantive motion as amended was then put to the vote with 50 in favour and 0 abstentions and therefore declared unanimously CARRIED.

The Motion as amended reads as follows:

This Council notes;

• Thousands of Haringey residents rely on public transport, and deserve high standards of safety and service
• Recent threats to staffing at stations in Haringey by First Capital Connect
  
  

This council welcomes:

• Plans by Transport for London (TfL) and train operating companies to implement the Oystercard scheme at all rail stations in Haringey

This Council therefore resolves to:

1. Oppose all plans to reduce staffing levels at Haringey stations.
2. Work with the Greater London Authority, Metropolitan Police and    transport companies to reduce crime on public transport and take action to make passengers feel safer.
3. Open up the Road Safety Partnership Board – which meets quarterly, and is attended by council officers from Sustainable Transport, Parking, Young People’s Services and Neighbourhoods, Transport Police, Local Police and TfL Road Safety – to become a wider forum for the debate on safety and public transport issues, enabling the views of residents and councillors to be considered.

Motion U (2008/09)

The meeting signified its consent to an alteration to Motion U. The Motion movedby Councillor Dogus and was seconded by Councillor Goldberg.

The Motion was altered to read as follows:

“This council notes the concern of residents and local businesses, who believe that the opening of adult entertainment establishments will have a negative effect on Haringey and on those who live, work and go to school in the Borough.

This council notes objectors’ concerns that such clubs would create public order and public safety problems and further notes their fear that these clubs may create a public nuisance, be harmful to local children and are particularly offensive to women.

This council further notes objectors’ concerns that lap-dancing clubs are part of the commercial sex industry, which normalise the sexual objectification of women and constitute an exploitative industry which damages gender equality.

This Council notes and accepts that current legislation requires Members on licensing bodies to consider and determine all applications for regulated entertainment with an open mind on their individual merits. Nonetheless this Council believes that the existing legislation needs to be strengthened in order to protect the legitimate interests of local residents and to promote a vision of Haringey as a fair and equal place, where people can flourish and in which residents are proud to live and feel part of a strong community.  

This council welcomes the Labour government’s announcement in the Queen’s speech in December, new measures to give councils and communities new powers to stop lap-dancing clubs opening in areas, by tightening up the regulation of adult entertainment venues.

This council notes that these powers may be taken up on an opt-in basis and that, in the interests of residents and in protecting the rights residents expect to influence the areas in which they live, we will stand by communities and give favourable consideration to the adoption of such powers as soon as is possible.

This council will give favourable consideration to legislation that will reclassify Lap Dancing Clubs as Sex Encounter Venues as laid out in the Policing and Crime Bill; resolves to write to the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Jacqui Smith MP, to urge her to prioritise the necessary legislation in order to provide fairer rules for stronger communities and to make sure that such provisions can be retrospectively applied. 

The altered Motion was declared CARRIED following a recorded vote, as follows:

For the Motion : Councillors Adamou, Adje, Amin, Basu, Bevan, Beynon, Bull, Canver, Cooke, Davies, Diakides, Dobbie, Dogus, Goldberg, Gorrie, Griffith, Haley, B, Harris, C. Harris, Jones, Khan, Kober, Meehan, Oakes,Oatway, Reith, Santry, Vanier and Winskill.

Against the Motion: None.

Not voting: Councillors Egan, Mallett and Peacock.

Absent: Councillors Aitken, Alexander, Allison, Baker, Beacham, Bloch, Butcher, Demirci, Dodds, Edge, Engert, Hare, Lister, Mughal, Newton, Patel, Rainger, Reid, Scott, Stanton, Thompson, Weber, Whyte, Williams and Wilson