Agenda item

Motion D (2011/12)

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

Localism

This Council notes

·        The legacy of successive governments concentrating power in Whitehall and failing to devolve responsibility to local government, making it harder for residents to influence decisions that affect their lives,

·        The concentration of power within Haringey in the strong leader and cabinet model, diminishing the role of backbench councillors and committees and reducing the effective scrutiny of decision-making,

·        That this concentration of power has made it harder for residents to influence the decisions that affect their lives, and has made important services less responsive to the needs of local communities

This Council recognises

·        That the Localism Act 2011 seeks to reverse and rebalance these trends to give real power back to local Councils, communities and residents.

This Council calls on the Council’s leadership

·        To Engage positively with all aspects of Localism Act 2011 and specifically:

1.      Support residents to establish neighbourhood forums to tackle cross border issues and help neglected parts of the borough.

2.      Consider reversion to the committee system to bolster local democracy, the role of the backbench councillor and the scrutiny of cabinet decision-making.

3.      Help communities protect their locally important buildings and open spaces by establishing and maintaining ward registers of community assets.

4.      Use new planning enforcement powers.

5.      Make use of more flexible housing policies and the reform of the Housing Revenue Account to improve, expand and free up socially rented homes.

6.      Provide residents with information on how to use the new powers given to them under the Localism Act 2011.

Motion E (2011/12)

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

The impact of Government Policy on Women

This Council believes:

-         The Coalition Government’s changes to taxation, benefits and pensions are unfairly targeting women   

-         The changes to working tax credits in April 2012 will make life harder for many low paid women in part time work in Haringey

-         The Government’s equalities Minister has failed to recognise the impact of their damaging deficit reduction strategy on the economic security of many women 

This council notes:

-         The recent IPPR analysis that showed how 33,000 more women were out of work between October and December 2011 compared to 16,000 more men.

-         More than one million women are now unemployed, the highest number in 23 years.

-         Around 8,500 women in Haringey will be adversely affected by the accelerated state pension age

-         In Haringey, around 1880 families are likely to lose all of their working tax credits this April.

-         Around 1900 families in Haringey will be losing help with childcare costs

This Council resolves:

- To write to the chancellor asking he looks into the disproportionate affect the Government’s tax and benefits changes are having on women     

Motion D (2011/12)

It was moved by Councillor Wilson  and seconded by Councillor Whyte that:

This Council Notes

·        The legacy of successive governments concentrating power in Whitehall and failing to devolve responsibility to local government, making it harder for residents to influence decisions that affect their lives,

·        The concentration of power within Haringey in the strong leader and cabinet model, diminishing the role of backbench councillors and committees and reducing the effective scrutiny of decision-making,

·        That this concentration of power has made it harder for residents to influence the decisions that affect their lives, and has made important services less responsive to the needs of local communities

This Council recognises

·        That the Localism Act 2011 seeks to reverse and rebalance these trends to give real power back to local Councils, communities and residents.

This Council calls on the Council’s leadership

·        To Engage positively with all aspects of Localism Act 2011 and specifically:

1.      Support residents to establish neighbourhood forums to tackle cross border issues and help neglected parts of the borough.

2.      Consider reversion to the committee system to bolster local democracy, the role of the backbench councillor and the scrutiny of cabinet decision-making.

3.      Help communities protect their locally important buildings and open spaces by establishing and maintaining ward registers of community assets.

4.      Use new planning enforcement powers.

5.      Make use of more flexible housing policies and the reform of the Housing Revenue Account to improve, expand and free up socially rented homes.

6.      Provide residents with information on how to use the new powers given to them under the Localism Act 2011.

An amendment to the motion was moved by Councillor Strickland and seconded by Councillor Bull that:

Delete all after “this council notes” – and insert below –

This Council notes

·        The confusion and uncertainty the Coalition Government have created through the localism act particularly around changes in areas like the planning system and the changing responsibilities of local government.       

·        The ongoing work of the council’s cross party Governance Review Delivery Group in looking into issues around the leadership structures of the council, the role of backbench councillors and committees and the effective scrutiny of decision making. 

·        The ongoing work of the council’s cross party Governance Review Delivery Group in ensuring the area forums and committees give residents influence over the decisions that affect their lives and make services responsive to local communities at a time of limited resources

This Council recognises

·        We are still waiting for more detailed provisions from the Government around the precise implications of the localism act on the council and local services.   

This Council calls on the Council’s leadership

1. To continue to look closely at all aspects of Localism Act 2011 and how it impacts on Haringey and its residents. In particular:

2.      To look at the recently published Neighbourhood Planning Regulations and the impact these have on how applications for neighbourhood forums are assessed and the duties of the local authority; 

3. To look at the findings of the work of the council’s cross party Governance Review Delivery Group on issues around the leadership structures of the council, the role of backbench councillors and committees and the effective scrutiny of decision making. 

4.      To look at the findings of the officer working group on the localism act and the council’s cross party Governance Review Delivery Group and their work around the impact of the localism act on Haringey residents, the council and local services.     

On being put to the vote the amendment was carried (34 for, 18 against).

The substantive MOTION as amended was put and on a VOTE there being 34 for, and 18 against it was declared CARRIED.

Due to the late hour Motion E was not considered.