Agenda item

Motion A

Appointment of a Haringey Windrush Champion

Proposer: Cllr Andrew Reid

Seconder: Cllr Dan Johnson

This Council notes:

1.? ?People who arrived from Caribbean countries between 1948-1973   to help rebuild Britain, many of whom settled in Haringey and worked in the NHS, transport, and public services. The Windrush scandal saw hundreds of Commonwealth citizens wrongly denied healthcare, housing, jobs, and in some cases wrongly detained or deported due to lack of paperwork.

2.? ?While the scandal primarily impacted Black Caribbean communities, the Windrush Compensation Scheme is also open to other Commonwealth nationals and their children who arrived before 1973, and those with settled status before 1988. This includes residents of Black African, South Asian, and other Commonwealth backgrounds living in Tottenham, Seven Sisters, Wood Green and across the borough.

3.? ?Haringey is one of London’s most diverse boroughs. Census 2021 data shows approximately:
? Black / Black British: 17.3% of residents. Within this, Black Caribbean 5.9% and Black African 9.2%
? Asian / Asian British: 9.2%
? Other ethnic groups including Turkish, Kurdish, and Mixed: significant populations, particularly in North Tottenham.

This diversity means the impact of hostile environment policies has been felt across multiple communities in Haringey, even though Black Caribbean elders are the group most directly targeted.

4.? ?As of July 2024, 8,800 claims have been made nationally to the Windrush Compensation Scheme, with £94 million paid out. The Home Office estimated 15,000 may be eligible, meaning less than 20% have come forward. Campaigners report delays, complex forms, and distrust as barriers.

5. Bernie Grant MP, Haringey’s first Black MP, fought for Windrush residents’ rights. Broadwater Farm and other estates in Tottenham remain home to many Windrush elders and their families.

This Council believes:
1.? ?That Haringey has a duty to ensure no resident is denied their rights due to historical immigration failings.

2.? ?That many eligible residents in Haringey have not claimed compensation because they do not know the scheme exists, do not trust it, or cannot access support to apply.

3.? ?That a named councillor acting as a “Windrush Champion” will provide leadership, visibility, and accountability on this issue.

This Council Resolves:

To create the role of Windrush Champion and appoint an elected member to take on the role to:

- Act as a point of contact for residents, community organisations and stakeholders, affected by Windrush. 

- Increase awareness and uptake of the Compensation Scheme and Windrush Documentation Scheme, and available sources of advice and support in the borough. 

- Work alongside relevant cabinet members and Council officers to champion the interests of the Windrush generation

- Request the Home Office provide borough-level data on Haringey claims, and publish an annual Haringey Windrush Report on claims made, payments received, and support given.

- Make recommendations to the cabinet on how the council can improve awareness, accessibility and uptake of the compensation scheme.

Motion B

Council Tax Reduction Scheme

Proposed by Councillor Seema Chandwani

Seconded by Councillor Ibrahim Ali

This council notes: 

- The cost of living crisis remains acute, exacerbated by several wars, tariffs and global warming.

- Many residents in Haringey are unable to absorb rising costs in rents, utilities and food.

- Haringey is the fourth most deprived borough in London, and with rising house and rent prices, some residents are being forced to leave the borough they have called home.

- Haringey Council has always offered a strong Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) and applied the use of section 13a to assist a range of groups, including Care Leavers to either exempt or discount low income households.

-The previous administration pushed the envelope of what can be done within its constraints. By lifting council tax relief to 100% for hundreds of Haringey families on low incomes.

-The previous administration also introduced the Haringey Support Fund which helps residents in crisis. Since 2022, it has helped 7500 residents.

- To note the Green Party’s Manifesto ambition to “ban the bailiff” on council tax debt however, with a caveat that the use of “attachment to benefits” or “attachment to earnings” is not used as a form of debt collection without sign off from an independent FCA advisor (such as Citizen Advice) that such an approach is not financially leaving residents without sufficient funds to live.

This council believes: 

-Council tax is a regressive tax and a deeply flawed way of funding local services, increasing the gap between those who can pay and those who can not.

- Charging low-income households including disabled people, children in households in poverty, and low-income pensioners is counterproductive and pushes people into debt. 

- The costs to the Council associated with seeking to collect council tax from those unable to pay is an ineffective use of Council funding and resources. 

- That residents facing financial hardship should be supported, not be burdened by additional costs by their own council. 

- That removing the CTRS currently in place would result in thousands of families facing a financial cliff edge. 

This council resolves:

That it wishes to consider:

- Through the appropriate governance route no changes to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) during the upcoming budget round.

- To ask Cabinet to  continue to find creative ways to expand the Council Tax Hardship Fund to assist low-income households who are facing debt. 

- To ask Cabinet to ensure  the Crisis and Resilience Fund is not used to fund CTRS or any Council Tax Deductions (Section 13a, SMI etc)

- To ask Cabinet to ensure the Crisis and Resilience Fund is used to help residents build financial resilience and/or crisis situations through a robust anti-poverty strategy and not be used to substitute council revenue.