Agenda and decisions

Members are invited to consider the guidance which accompanies this agenda, having particular regard to the restrictions on voting for Members with council tax arrears and make declarations of interests as appropriate.

To consider the minutes of the Extraordinary and Ordinary meetings held on Wednesday 24 January 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting held on 24 January 2024 be agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

That the Minutes of the Full Council meeting held 24 January 2024 be agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

School Exclusions in Hackney

We, members of Hackney REP, a community partnership of local organisations composed of parents, workers, volunteers and young people, want to be listened at Council to share the findings, concerns and ongoing issues related to school exclusions in Hackney that are negatively affecting our children and young people, both educationally and emotionally.

National data for 2021/22 shows 6,495 permanent exclusions, and 578,000 suspensions.

That is 9,414 children and young people either permanently excluded or suspended each school day.

Though Hackney figures have improved, we still rank amongst the top 3 London boroughs with the highest number of exclusions.

Hackney Council has carried out significant reviews on the impact of school exclusions; the December 2021 review agreed for 'greater efforts to be made collectively to identify the well-being needs and safeguarding risks to children who have been excluded from school or have been identified as at risk of exclusion.'

We are here following this recommendation.
 

Hackney Council committed to Mental Health as a Human Right for all. We see this deputation as the beginning of an urgent, collaborative effort to end the lifelong educational and mental health impact school exclusion policies have on children and young people.

Deputation Leader: Kay Richardson

Introduced by: Cllr Claudia Turbet-Delof

A member of the public who lives, works, or studies in the Borough can participate in Full Council meetings by asking a question.

The deadline for questions from members of the public is 12 noon, four clear working days before the meeting (Wednesday,) If you wish to submit a question you can do so by emailing governance@hackney.gov.uk or via the Council’s website.

A supplementary agenda setting out any public questions received after the publication of the main agenda will be circulated shortly after this deadline.

7.1  Cllr Adejare to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Insourcing and
  Customer Service

Amid the cost of living crisis, the Household Support Fund has allowed us to help our most vulnerable residents. With the government proposing to end this financial lifeline, can the Cabinet member advise on how residents most in need will continue to be supported?

7.2  Cllr Garbett to the Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care,

  Voluntary Sector and Culture

Given the successful summer Ridley Road Market event, the Council’s commitment to an inclusive economy and intention to ‘activate’ spaces in Dalston, its heritage and the views of residents and traders - will the Council review the Hackney Carnival route to ensure it goes through Ridley Road?

7.3  Cllr Lynch to the Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture

What was the impact of the Hackney Health and Wellbeing Day, held at the Town Hall in partnership with the Richmond Road Medical Centre and have any lessons been learnt for the future?

7.4  Cllr Garbett to the Mayor

How would five and a half million pounds of cuts to children's and youth services square with the Mayor’s manifesto commitment for “a bright future for every child and young person” in Hackney?

7.5  Cllr Suso-Runge to the Deputy Cabinet Member, Private Rented Sector

  and Affordability

Given the significant pressures renters are experiencing, including unaffordable rents, poor quality homes and illegal evictions, could the Deputy Cabinet Member please provide Council with an update on the progress of the Private Sector Housing Strategy?

7.6  Cllr Garbett to Cabinet Member for Housing Services and Resident

  Participation

What action does the Council plan to take to account for, and reduce, pay-outs to scaffolding providers incurred because of delays to the start of building works?

7.8  Cllr Walker to the Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture

With local government budgets pushed to breaking point, this will have a direct knock on effect for many community services. Will the Cabinet Member comment on how more effective partnership and collaboration with the voluntary community sector is being encouraged to ensure services to our most vulnerable residents are protected?

7.9  Cllr Binnie-Lubbock to the Cabinet Member for Climate Change,

Environment and Transport

The Cabinet member suggested in public statements and to the scrutiny panel that motorbike parking charges will start at 6p, does he accept that that charge is for bays that don't exist and that no budget has been allocated for installing them?

7.10  Cllr Grace Adebayo to the Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing Needs and Homelessness

Due to the failure of the Government’s policy on housing since 2010, we have seen a huge rise in homelessness which has directly affected many families in Hackney. Can the cabinet member update us on what is being done to tackle this crisis?

7.11  Cllr Rathbone to the Deputy Mayor for Delivery, Inclusive Economy &

  Regeneration

Could the situation be clarified regarding the future of the former Thames Water  ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Report of the Mayor: Enclosed

RESOLVED:

1.  That Council bring forward into 2024/25 the Council’s projected 2023/24 General Fund balance of £17.0m with the aim of increasing this to £20m over the medium-term period to 2026/27 noting the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) projected 2023/24 balance of £15m with the aim of increasing to £17.6m by the end of March 2024.

2.  That Full Council agree for approval the directorate estimates and estimates for the General Finance Account items set out in Table 2 in Section 14 of this report.

3.  That Full council note that the budget is a financial exposition of the priorities set out within the Strategic Plan summarised at Section 6 below.

4.  That Full Council note that in line with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2003,the Interim Group Director of Finance, is of the view that:

The General Fund balances which currently stand at £17.0m and the level of

other reserves are adequate to meet the Council’s financial needs for 2024/25

and that considering the economic uncertainty they should not fall below this

level and that the aim is to increase these to £20m over the medium term period to 2026/27 from a review of current earmarked reserves.

This view takes account of the reserves included in the Council’s latest

published 2022/23 Accounts and the movements of those reserves since that

date – which have been tracked through the Overall Financial Position (OFP)

Reports, and the latest OFP projections. Note also, that the projections in the

HRA Budget to increase the balance to £17.6m by 31 March 2024 are also

considered to be adequate at this point in time but will need to continue to be

reviewed in the light of the challenges facing the HRA.

The General Fund estimates are sufficiently robust to set a balanced budget

for 2024/25. This takes into account the adequacy of the level of balances

and reserves outlined above and the assurance gained from the comparisons of the 2023/24 budget with the projected spend identified in the December 2023 OFP. The overall level of the corporate contingency has been set at £2m.

That Full Council approve the proposed General Fund fees and charges as set out in Appendix 7 for implementation from 1st April 2024.

That full Council continue the policy requiring the Interim Group Director of Finance to seek to mitigate the impact of significant changes to either resources or expenditure requirements.

That Full Council require the Mayor, Cabinet and the Corporate Leadership Team to develop robust plans to deliver against the revised Medium Term Financial Plan included at Appendix 5 taking into account the recommendation of the S151 Officer as set out in the Section 25 Statement (Appendix 11). This is needed to maintain the financial resilience of the Council and to avoid the

requirement to make short-term decisions which will adversely impact on

our residents.

That Full Council note the summary of the HRA Budget and Rent setting report proposed to Cabinet on 22nd January 2024.

That Full Council authorise  ...  view the full decision text for item 9.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Employment, Human Resources and Equalities:  Enclosed

RESOLVED:

That the Equality Plan be adopted by Full Council, along with the anti-racism

framework and LGBTQIA framework:

Appendix 1: Equality Plan

Appendix 2: the anti-racism framework

Appendix 3: the LGBTQIA framework

That Full Council note that a full action plan for the Equality Plan will be

brought to Cabinet later this year

that Full Council note that the Equality and Cohesion Policy is also brought to

Cabinet later this year, so it can reflect the new objectives

Report of the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children’s Social Care: Enclosed

RESOLVED:

Council are recommended to note and endorse the content of the Children and Families Annual Report 2022/23 (Appendix 1).

Reason(s) for decision

The report is for information and endorsement only

Report of the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Supply, Planning, Culture and Inclusive Economy: Enclosed

RESOLVED:

Approve the proposed submission Stamford Hill Area Action Plan

at appendix 1 for publication and subsequent submission to

Government for an independent examination in public.

Delegate authority to the Group Director, Climate, Homes and

Economy to approve administrative alterations, graphical,

typographical amendments, to improve cross referencing (e.g.

para numbering, page numbering) ahead of consultation or

ahead of submission to Government for examination in public.

Reason(s) for decision

Following consultation on a draft Stamford Hill AAP, the Council has now

produced the proposed submission version of the Stamford Hill Area Action

Plan (Stamford Hill Area Action Plan, 2024 Regulation 19 Publication

Version). The Council is to publish this for comment before submitting it to

the Secretary of State for independent examination in public. The AAP will

manage existing development pressures and shape future growth in a

sustainable manner.

Report of Cabinet Member for Employment, Human Resources and Equalities:  Enclosed

RESOLVED:

That Full Council note that Corporate Committee has reviewed and agreed the Pay Policy Statement 2024/2025

That Full Council are recommended to approve the Pay Policy

Statement 2024/25

Report of the Acting Director of Legal, Governance and Electoral Services: Enclosed

Appendix 2 of the report is to follow.

RESOLVED:

That Full Council note the revised political proportionality that applies to Committees, Sub-Committees, Commissions, Panels and Boards as detailed in paragraphs 3.18, 3.19 and 3.20 of this report following the by-election in the Cazenove Ward.

The Full Council approve the appointments appearing in Appendix 2:

Report of the Acting Director of Legal, Governance and Electoral Services: Enclosed

RESOLVED:

That Full Council is recommended to note the proposed Council meeting

calendar for 2024/25.

Hackney Council notes:

1.  The use of herbicides has a significant impact on the environment by removing plants that are an important food source for a wide variety of native insects. Pesticide product mixtures have also been shown to be toxic to bees and earthworms. There is also a risk of runoff from hard surfaces into waterways, putting aquatic ecosystems at risk. We not only face a climate emergency, we also face the related emergency of collapsing biodiversity that is increasingly referred to as the ‘sixth mass extinction’ (1):

2.  That 99% of pesticides are made from fossil fuels (2). Furthermore, pesticides exacerbate the climate emergency throughout their lifecycle via manufacturing, packaging, transportation, application, and even through environmental degradation and disposal;

3.  There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing a link between glyphosate exposure and an increased risk of cancer; the World Health Organisation (WHO) deemed glyphosate a ‘probable carcinogen’ (3). It has been also shown to worsen chronic conditions such as asthma, and particularly affects children and pregnant people. In addition, it poses a health hazard to workers who spray Hackney’s streets.

4.  The spraying of glyphosate in Hackney is causing concern among residents and elected representatives about its potential harmful effects on children, animals, wildlife and biodiversity on our streets, housing estates and parks;

The contracting staff who carry out this work need to be protected from harm;

5.  The Mayor of London’s commitment in the Environment Strategy to “reduce the use of pesticides and peat-based products, such as compost”;

6.  The work of Transport for London (TfL) with suppliers and contractors to explore safer alternatives such as hot foam, for essential vegetation management and weed control.

7.  Glyphosate, the most used herbicide was narrowly relicensed in the EU with the condition that Member States “minimize the use in public spaces, such as parks, public playgrounds and gardens.”

Hackney Council further notes:

8.  The work of the council to date in reducing the use of glyphosate with a 50% reduction in on-street spraying against 2017 levels.

Hackney Council has demonstrated:

9.  A commitment to further reducing spraying across the borough, including a total cessation of spraying in Hackney’s Town centres, by removing weeds by hand; a successful year-long pilot for more than 200 out of a total 237 green areas across Hackney’s housing estates which will now go glyphosate-free permanently, with an intention to upscale to all estate-based green areas; a change in how the council sprays, from operatives mounted on vehicles to spot-spraying with knapsacks; a no-spray 10x Green area around Daubeney Road to explore whether a no-spray approach is more beneficial to biodiversity by avoiding the removal of plants that support insect populations. These changes have been well received by the public.

The Council acknowledges:

10.Several councils around the country have gone fully glyphosate-free including in London. The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham was the first council in London to cease the use of glyphosate, to support biodiversity and protect habitat  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16a

The Labour Amendments to the Motion were Carried

This Council notes:

1.  The use of herbicides has a significant impact on the environment by

removing plants that are an important food source for a wide variety of native insects. Pesticide product mixtures have also been shown to be toxic to bees and earthworms. There is also a risk of runoff from hard surfaces into waterways, putting aquatic ecosystems at risk. We not only face a climate emergency, we also face the related emergency of collapsing biodiversity that is increasingly referred to as the ‘sixth mass extinction’ (1):

2.   That 99% of pesticides are made from fossil fuels (2). Furthermore, pesticides exacerbate the climate emergency throughout their lifecycle via manufacturing, packaging, transportation, application, and even through environmental degradation and disposal;

3.   There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing a link between

glyphosate exposure and an increased risk of cancer; the World Health

Organisation (WHO) deemed glyphosate a ‘probable carcinogen’ (3). It has been also shown to worsen chronic conditions such as asthma, and

particularly affects children and pregnant people. In addition, it poses a health hazard to workers who spray Hackney’s streets.

4.   The spraying of glyphosate in Hackney is causing concern among residents and elected representatives about its potential harmful effects on children, animals, wildlife and biodiversity on our streets, housing estates and parks;

5.   The contracting staff who carry out this work need to be protected from harm, which is of utmost importance to the council and is why contractors carry out specialist training and wear PPE;

6.   The Mayor of London’s commitment in the Environment Strategy to “reduce the use of pesticides and peat-based products, such as compost”;

7.   The work of Transport for London (TfL) with suppliers and contractors to

explore safer alternatives such as hot foam, for essential vegetation

management and weed control.

8.   Glyphosate, the most used herbicide was narrowly relicensed in the EU with the condition that Member States “minimize the use in public spaces, such as parks, public playgrounds and gardens.”

Hackney Council further notes:

9.   The work of the council to date in reducing the use of glyphosate with a 50% reduction in on-street spraying against 2017 levels.

10.   That Hackney Council’s Environmental Services conducted a trial using

pelargonic acid also known as fatty acid, a natural herbicide, but found that this product does not effectively kill the plant root system.

11.   The Council’s Housing Grounds Maintenance Service is responsible for the maintenance of 247 housing estates green areas covering approximately 73 hectares, and uses glyphosate to treat invasive species only - in 2022 the Service only used 0.28 litres for this purpose.

12.   The Council’s Parks and Green Spaces Service is responsible for the

maintenance of 58 sites totalling some 282 hectares, and uses glyphosate to treat invasive species only - in 2022 the Service only used 0.8 Litres for this purpose.

13.   That Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport has signed the Pesticide Free  ...  view the full decision text for item 16a

Hackney Council notes:

1.  Following the Autumn Statement, Hackney Council’s Funding will remain below 2010 levels.

2.  The Local Government Association (LGA) estimates that Councils in England face a funding gap of £4 billion.

3.  The Institute of Fiscal Studies notes that local government funding in London is 17% lower than the relative need - the largest gap of any region in England.

4.  Hackney Council has suffered a decrease in core Government funding in real terms of £156m since 2010.

5.  The Household Support Fund (HSF) enabled the council to provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of households in Hackney struggling to afford energy, food, clothing and other essentials, particularly the 40% of children living in poverty.

6.  The continued calculation of the social care grant using the relative needs formula based on adult need only, fails to provide adequate funding for Hackney with high need for children's social care.

7.  Hackney is carrying a deficit in relation to SEND funding and has one of the largest proportions of Education, Health and Care Plan’s in the country.

8.  The funding gap has forced the Council to increase Council tax by the maximum 4.99%.

9.  The Council is honouring the commitment to increase Council tax support for Hackney’s low income households and doubling the tax on empty properties.

10.The council has established a poverty reduction framework working with

partners to reduce poverty for Hackney Residents. The framework makes connections between crisis support, early help and prevention and tackling longer term drivers of poverty e.g. unemployment, housing. The framework includes the money hub which has paid out £1.5m in grants and £2.0m in new benefit income to vulnerable residents.

11.The programme is dependent on HSF and without this funding the programme will be under threat.

Hackney Council further notes:

12.The letter recently sent by the Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Finance to Michael Gove Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, expressing serious concerns about the inadequacy of Hackney’s funding and asking Government to implement a sustainable long term funding solution that takes proper account of current and future needs.

Hackney Council resolves to:

13.Call on the Government to restore the Household Support Fund in advance of the Spring Statement and to guarantee continuation of this funding.

14.Lobby for fair funding for Hackney.

15.Campaign for reform of the method used to allocate social care funding and ensure adequate funding for Hackney’s needs.

16.Call for restoration of Hackney's Core Funding to 2010 levels.

17.Call for comprehensive reform of SEND funding and the implementation of a future funding settlement which covers the needs of Hackney residents.

18.Call for Longer-term pooled funding in place of short-term competitive funding pots to prevent councils competing with each other for funding they desperately need. 

19.Contact political parties ahead of the general election as to the details of their future plans to stabilise and fix local government finance, and to respond to them with  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16b

Hackney Council notes:

1.  Despite the Government’s commitment in 2019 to end rough sleeping by 2024, estimates show there has been an increase in rough sleeping in all regions of England, with London and the south-east accounting for almost half of the rise.

2.  Rough sleeping has increased under this Government, with the number of rough sleepers having increased by 74% since 2010.

3.  The most recent annual count by the London-only Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) showed 10,053 rough sleepers spotted on London’s streets between April 2022 and March 2023. A total of 4,068 people were counted between July and September 2023 for the most recent quarterly update with half of those new to the streets.

4.  The majority of people sleeping rough in England are male, aged over 26 years old and from the UK. Meanwhile the Office for National Statistics found men who are living on the street outnumber women at a ratio of six to one.

5.  Women are often missing from rough sleeping counts because they tend to be less visible than male rough sleepers due to the risk of violence on the streets. A coalition of homelessness and women’s organisations in London conducted a women’s rough sleeping census in October 2022 and found 154 women, including trans and non-binary women, sleeping rough in London in a week. That number was higher than previously thought with an extra 71 women found across 13 London boroughs when the data was compared to the latest official rough sleeping count.

6.  The cost of living crisis has exacerbated longstanding drivers of homelessness, such as a shortage of affordable housing, an often punitive welfare system and increasingly stretched health services.

7.  Local authorities and homelessness charities state that street homelessness is just the tip of the iceberg and estimate the number of people living without a home is much higher than the figures show, with many people in informal living arrangements such as sofa surfing.

8.  The number of households living in temporary accommodation (TA) in England are at an all-time high. As of March 2023, 104,510 households were living in TA, including 65,000 households with children.

9.  Over 3,000 households in Hackney were among more than 300,000 nationwide who spent Christmas without a home. In Hackney this includes 3,500 children, and around 50% of TA placements are now outside our borough, severing people from their livelihoods and support networks.

10.Like other local authorities, Hackney has seen a precipitous increase in the number of homelessness applications. The number of households seeking support is up by 44% from 2017/18 to 2021/22. The Council anticipates the number of approaches will continue to increase at around 8% per year.

11.Hackney’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, adopted at Cabinet in December, will ensure we strengthen the advice, support and tools available to people at risk of homelessness need, and make sure that no one in Hackney is left facing homelessness alone. This will include maximising access to short and long-term  ...  view the full agenda text for item 16c

This is the last meeting of Council for the Municipal Year 2023/24.  The next meeting will be the Council’s Annual Meeting which will be held at 7.00pm on  Wednesday, 15 May 2024.