Agenda item

MOTION E 2012/13

Councillor Newton has given notice that he will MOVE the following MOTION:

The Council acknowledges:

·        The importance of local policing and of police front counters

·        The concerns of local residents about the Metropolitan Police’s and Mayor of London’s plans to close the police station at Muswell Hill and reduce hours at Hornsey and Tottenham police front counters

The Council notes: 

·        Haringey Lib Dems have written to Stephen Greenhalgh, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, objecting to the loss of the police station and front counter in Muswell Hill and the 24 hour services at Hornsey and Tottenham Police Stations

·        That the police proposals will leave the borough with only one 24 hour police station

·        The impact that the loss of these services will have on the local community and the Safer Neighbourhood Teams

·        That local MPs have opposed the plans to reduce hours at Hornsey and Tottenham stations and close Muswell Hill police station 

The Council resolves:

·        To oppose the reduction in hours at Hornsey and Tottenham police stations

·        To call for a police base for the local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to be retained in the Muswell Hill area with a front counter manned by volunteers 

MOTION F 2012/13

Councillor Bull has given notice that he will MOVE the following MOTION:

This Council believes:

-       The new under–occupation penalty or ‘Bedroom Tax’ will disproportionately hit disabled, vulnerable and low income households living in Haringey from this April.

-       It is unfair that many foster carers, families of soldiers and couples using separate rooms because of illness or disability are now facing additional cuts in financial support.

-       Given the impact on Haringey, it was wrong that Lynne Featherstone MP voted against the opposition day debate motion demanding the policy be scrapped.         

This Council notes:

-       The 2,500 council tenants and housing association tenants in Haringey facing additional cuts in their housing benefit of between £17.50 per week and £31.25 per week as a result of the ‘Bedroom Tax’ 

-       The Government’s own assessment revealing that 2/3rds of those households affected are home to someone with a disability.

-       The description of the policy by the National Housing Federation as ‘ill-thought’, ‘unfair’, and ‘incompetent’

-       The ‘Bedroom Tax’ is being implemented the same month as cuts to council tax benefit, tax credits, child benefit and other welfare support, and at the same time as millionaires are each receiving a £40,000 cut in their income tax. 

-       Despite the work of councils and housing associations, the numbers of households affected by the ‘Bedroom Tax’ means it is unlikely that most families will be able to easily ‘downsize’. 

This Council resolves:

-      To write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith further outlining the impact of the ‘Bedroom Tax’ on Haringey and asking the Government scrap the policy before it is implemented in April.

-      To write to Haringey’s two local MPs asking them to publically raise concerns about the impact of the ‘Bedroom Tax’ in Haringey and insist the Government rethink its proposals.  

Due to the late hour Motions E & F were not considered.