To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.
Minutes:
The Deputy Leader, Councillor Vanier invited Stephen Brice of the Pinkham Way Alliance to put forward his deputation, to the Cabinet, which was in relation to item 11, The North London Waste Plan.
Mr Brice began the deputation by expressing the dissatisfaction of the Pinkham Way Alliance, to the inclusion of the Pinkham Way as a potential waste disposal site option in the North London Waste Plan. The Alliance felt that the attached report did not provide a balanced description of the Pinkham Way site and its biodiversity and open space value. Mr Brice asserted that the valuable advice from the biodiversity study had been ignored and the recommendation of the NPPF to avoid development on environmentally valuable Brownfield sites was also not given due consideration in the report.
The deputation advised that previous Council commitments to investigate the de- cultverting of the water course running under the site and also to complete an open space study had been reneged.
Mr Brice continued to contend that the Council were not being open with plans about his land and whether it could be used for employment / development purposes in the future.
The Alliance continued to express their frustration at the incomplete review of the Pinkham Way site and its subsequent inclusion in the attached North London Waste Plan.
The deputation asked Cabinet to either postpone approval of the draft waste plan, or to approve it subject to the removal of the Pinkham Way site, pending outcome of the site allocations review.
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration responded to the issues raised by the deputation and emphasised that Pinkham Way was one of 6 sites put forward as an option for use as waste disposal. This was a draft plan which was putting forward the choice for public comment. This document still provided the opportunity for the PWA to continue making the case against the inclusion of the Pinkham Way site as a potential waste disposal site. The previous promise made by Councillor Strickland remained and any final decision on the Pinkham Way site would be subject to a report at Cabinet.
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration advised that the biodiversity ecological and sync designation of the site would remain .He further assured the PWA that were currently no plans for use of this site being taken forward by the NLWA and Barnet Council.
Further to the consultation on the draft The North London Waste Plan, there will follow a statutory consultation and then further public examination of the NLWP by the Planning Inspector .Therefore, there was no final imminent decision on the choice of waste disposal sites in North London and further opportunities for the Pinkham Way Alliance to make their case for the deletion of the Pinkham Way option for waste disposal
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration welcomed further dialogue with the PWA in the ongoing development of the North London Waste Plan
Deputation 2 - UNISON objections to the recommendations of Agenda item 9, Facilities Management Framework.
The Deputy Leader invited Gerard McGrath representing UNISON to put forward his deputation.
In summary, UNISON were opposed to the privatisation of services and believed that services run by the Council were better for both residents and staff. Therefore, they were in opposition to transfer of Facilities Management staff to the preferred operator Amey which they believed would ultimately not provide a better offer to staff.
In all outsourcing exercises there was an inherent risk to low paid staff and UNISON also contended that this saving associated, with the outsourcing, could be found by the Council through other means.
Gerard McGrath continued to set out concerns about:
Mr McGrath asked Cabinet to reject the recommendations on the basis of the Trade Unions concerns about the preferred provider or to agree the recommendations subject to the preferred provider agreeing TUPE + .
The Deputy Leader, asked Cllr Strickland, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration to respond to the deputation.
Councillor Strickland understood the concerns raised by UNISON and had previously responded to similar concerns by restarting the process and including an independent assessment of the options and criteria, in order to provide further assurance to staff and UNISON. Cllr Strickland continued to thank UNISON for their partnership working and seeking the best outcome for staff with this agreement. This work had been invaluable in reaching a solution and final report to Cabinet.
Although, Unison was not happy with the outcome, the scoring at page 41 demonstrated the open and transparent method used to assess the suitability of the providers. There was already an existing mix of different contracts for delivering Facilities Management in the Council and this not sustainable or provided value for money. So a new total Facilities Management option was needed.
The Council had worked hard to secure social value in the contract by ensuring staff terms and conditions continued, payment of the London Living wage, and commitment from the preferred provider to providing apprenticeships.
The Cabinet Member advised, that the Chief Operating Officer had indicated that she was happy to take up the Unions recommendation on Tupe+ with the preferred provider through their continuing negotiations. Following recent publicity about companies who have completed private investigations and gathered information into the form of a ‘Black list ‘ of trade union active employees, the Cabinet Member was also happy to speak further with officers about Amey’s alleged access to this ‘Black list’.
Deputation 3 – ‘Our Tottenham coming together as Haringey Community Centres Network to put forward concerns / objections to recommendations of the item 17, Community Buildings Review.
Ms Sona Mahtani was invited to address the meeting and put forward representations in relation to the Community Buildings Review report at item 17.
Ms Mahtani explained that the deputation party had come together as a group of community organisations to express their united concerns about proposals contained in the Community Buildings Review. As a group they felt the voluntary sector in Haringey provided an unparalleled range of diverse services and facilities throughout the borough, based mainly on self funding and extensive volunteering, supporting savings for the Council and contributing to community cohesion and providing cultural, educational and social activities in the borough.
In considering the review of community buildings the group felt that it did not feel like a pivotal review and questioned the basis of the analysis on the services provided by community buildings which had guided the recommendations of the report.
The deputation further questioned the balance of the review and highlighted information to be considered alongside this such as:
The deputation supported the objectives of the community strategy, which was set out at item 15, but felt that the measures to be taken forward by the community buildings review were at odds with this strategy.
The deputation continued to question the income objective set for community buildings and whether this would be achievable if the community centres fail.
They advocated taking a holistic approach to local changes and working together with the Council collectively to deliver more for less in times of need.
The deputation asked the Cabinet to not make any final decisions on the Community Buildings Review report and to continue to work for a solution which meets the Council and community group’s joint objectives and enables residents to continue with the services they need.
The Deputy Leader invited questions from Cabinet Members and the following information/views were noted from the deputation party:
Councillor Strickland, Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration thanked the deputation, and was broadly in agreement with the holistic and integrated approach to provision which they were in favour of. He emphasised that the Community Buildings Review was setting out a new approach for the Council and Community Centre buildings working together and there would follow more detailed discussions in the coming weeks. The Cabinet further recognised the rich tapestry of services provided by the community groups in the borough.
The new community leases were designed to have the clear notion of social value and will ensure that community buildings and the different community groups based there, do provide and deliver social value .There was flexibility in the lease length and the new terms will allow sub letting to maximise use of the buildings.
The Cabinet Member further welcomed discussing how asset transfers can work with the community centres group.
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration further assured the deputation that the recommendations of the report further make clear that this is a new approach with a new starting point and there will be continued detailed dialogue with Community Buildings organisations to understand individual needs. The changes to circular funded rent and peppercorn rent agreements will be phased in.