Agenda and decisions

Question from Ms Zoe Garbett to the Cabinet Member for Planning, Culture and Inclusive Economy

What are the Council's plans for Hackney Walk, a £1.5m development (using the London Mayor’s riot regeneration fund) which has failed to bring people to Hackney or be of benefit to Hackney residents? How can residents have confidence that future regeneration projects will not be a waste of taxpayer money? 

Question from Ms Feodora Rayner to the Cabinet Member for Energy, Waste, Transport and Public Realm

There were nearly 1000 road casualties in Hackney in 2018 (TfL), *160 fatal or serious. The Council hopes to reduce this to zero over the next 21 years. What enforcement action is the council taking now to reduce speeding and dangerous driving in the borough? 

*TfL Casualties in Great London 2018 factsheet

Question from Mr Christopher Sills to o the Mayor

Would you agree with me that Homeless families, who want to work, should be rehoused in Hackney Council Properties, without losing their rights as a homeless family? Would the Mayor also confirm that a similar arrangement has been used in the past and agree that something similar is required today?

Cllr Anna Lynch to Deputy Mayor Bramble

In light of the Council's recent Ofsted report, can the Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care outline what the Council will do to improve its Ofsted rating and achieve an 'Outstanding' rating?

Cllr Michelle Gregory to the Mayor

I am pleased to hear that there will be a review about what happened to Musa Sevimli, who sadly died whilst living at a bus stop in Stoke Newington Road last year. Can you advise the timeline of this, how residents and members can contribute to the review and who is chairing the review?

Cllr Sade Etti to the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Policy and Voluntary Sector

On the 22nd December last year, residents from across the borough and all walks of life gathered in the Town Hall Square to celebrate Hanukkah ? to learn its message and share traditions across communities. In contrast, we were deeply saddened by the anti-semetic attacks that occurred in New York this December as well as the incidents of anti-Semitic graffit in Camden an assault on a Rabbi visiting our own borough. Can the Cabinet Member for Community Safety outline what the Council is doing to stand in solidarity with the boroughs' Jewish community, and how we are working with partners to tackle and prevent hate-crime in Hackney?

Cllr Sophie Conway to the Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources

Last year the Council positively reported that there was no gender pay-gap amongst it staff, but revealed an ethnicity pay-gap in the organisation. Can the Cabinet Member for Equality outline what the Council is doing to tackle the ethnicity pay-gap and the progress that has been made? 

Cllr Steve Race to the Cabinet Member for Famillies, Early Years and Play

Can the Cabinet Member for Families, Early Years and Play give an update on the SEND report co-designed with parents, teachers, and medical professionals?

Cllr Woodley to Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing Needs

Can the Cabinet Member for Finance and Housing Needs advise how many rough sleepers were identified in Hackney during this year’s annual count, which took place in November, how this compares to last year’s count and what the council is doing to address this issue?

Cllr Sharon Patrick to the Cabinet Member for Energy, Waste and Public Realm

 I welcome all the new trees that are going to be planted in my ward on Hackney Marshes. Can the cabinet member inform me about how residents and community groups can get involved in the planting and is there opportunity for residents to decide where they are planted?

From Cllr Ian Rathbone to Cabinet Member for Planning, Culture and Inclusive Economy

What is happening about the future of Ridley Road Street market, and how are our other markets progressing? 

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by Hackney Council as its Council Tax Base for 2020/21 shall be 74,386 Band D equivalent properties adjusted for non- collection. This represents an estimated collection rate of 95.5%.

That in accordance with The Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 Hackney’s non-domestic rating income for 2020/21 is £149,750,650 subject to completion of the NDR1. This comprises three elements.

?  £54,074,195 which is payable in agreed instalments to the Greater London Authority

?  £44,040,077 which is retained by Hackney Council and included as part of its resources when calculating the 2018/19 Council Tax requirement.

?  £51,636,378 which is payable in agreed instalments to Central Government

To note that changes are proposed to the current CTRS scheme in 2020/21 and that these are covered by another report on this agenda.

To agree that the Council Tax Empty Property Premium on properties that have been empty for 5 years or more is increased from 100% to 200%

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report and the financial implications attached to each of the options outlined within the report be noted.

That Members, recognising the financial constraints placed on the Council, agree to revise the Council’s current Council Tax Reduction Scheme by reducing the minimum contribution which all working age CTRS claimants have to pay from 17% to 15% of their Council Tax liability.

That the Council commit to campaigning for the return to a fully funded benefit, paid for by Central government.

That the ambition that we further reduce the maximum contribution to 10% by 2025/26 and move to a fully funded scheme by 2030 be noted.

Motion Calling on Hackney Council to Adopt the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia.

Hackney has a long history of being a welcoming borough. It is a diverse place, where people from all backgrounds-different nationalities, religions and sexualities live side-by-side and where over 14 percent of the population is Muslim.

The council notes: Hackney is committed to tackling all forms of hate and discrimination, and has a history of doing so.

·  In November 2016, Hackney Council voted in support of a motion condemning hate crime, and committed to develop a hate crime strategy.

·  We appointed a Hackney No Place for Hate Crime Champion in 2017 and began highlighting the work of tackling hate crime. A Hackney Faith Network was also established involving Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders.

·  In January 2018, the Cabinet approved Council’s strategy for tackling hate crime 2018-2020

·  This council expressed alarm at the rise of antisemitism and as Hackney has the second highest Jewish population in London, Hackney Council passed a motion adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism in February 2018

·  In March 2018, the council consulted on its draft strategy for tackling hate crime and published Hackney: No Place for Hate – Hackney Council’s Strategy for Tackling Hate Crime 2018-22

·  In March 2019, Hackney Mayor, Speaker and Councillors took a stance against the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand on Mosques in Christchurch, attending an interfaith solidarity event organised jointly by Hackney’s Muslim community, North London Muslim Community Centre, Clapton Mosque (Madina Mosque Trust) and the Cazenove Road Mosque (Masjid-e-Quba), attended by Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders along with others.

Following an extensive consultation, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims formulated a working definition of Islamophobia.

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”

Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools the workplace , and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

·  Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.

·  Making mendacious, dehumanizing or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.

·  Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims.

·  Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.

·  Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

RESOLVED:

Hackney has a long history of being a welcoming borough. It is a diverse place, where people from all backgrounds-different nationalities, religions and sexualities live side-by-side and where over 14 percent of the population is Muslim.

The council notes: Hackney is committed to tackling all forms of hate and discrimination, and has a history of doing so.

·  In November 2016, Hackney Council voted in support of a motion condemning hate crime, and committed to develop a hate crime strategy.

·  We appointed a Hackney No Place for Hate Crime Champion in 2017 and began highlighting the work of tackling hate crime. A Hackney Faith Network was also established involving Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders.

·  In January 2018, the Cabinet approved Council’s strategy for tackling hate crime 2018-2020

·  This council expressed alarm at the rise of antisemitism and as Hackney has the second highest Jewish population in London, Hackney Council passed a motion adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism in February 2018

·  In March 2018, the council consulted on its draft strategy for tackling hate crime and published Hackney: No Place for Hate – Hackney Council’s Strategy for Tackling Hate Crime 2018-22

·  In March 2019, Hackney Mayor, Speaker and Councillors took a stance against the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand on Mosques in Christchurch, attending an interfaith solidarity event organised jointly by Hackney’s Muslim community, North London Muslim Community Centre, Clapton Mosque (Madina Mosque Trust) and the Cazenove Road Mosque (Masjid-e-Quba), attended by Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders along with others.

Following an extensive consultation, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims formulated a working definition of Islamophobia.

“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”

Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools the workplace , and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, taking into account the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

·  Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.

·  Making mendacious, dehumanizing or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.

·  Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims.

·  Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.

·  Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of  ...  view the full decision text for item 11.

RESOLVED:

·  That Cllr Clare Potter be appointed to the Corporate Committee to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of former Councillor Ned Hercock.

·  That Shabnam Hassan and Luisa Dornela be appointed to the two vacant parent governor co-optee positions on the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Commission as set out in Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution and;

·  That Nicola Hanns and Aoife Scannell be appointed as independent co-optees to the Standards Committee