Agenda and decisions

Members are invited to consider the guidance which accompanies this agenda and make declarations as appropriate.

To consider the minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council  held on 25 May 2022

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the minutes of the Annual Meeting held on 25 May 2022 be agreed as a true and accurate record of proceedings.

5.1  Question from Tyrone Scott to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

The Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and promised a Biodiversity Officer in 2020 - this role is important, is there an update on the recruitment to this post and other posts to deliver the climate action plan?

5.2  Question from Matt Davies to the Cabinet Member for Families, Parks and Leisure

I welcomed the Council’s ambitious proposals for nature recovery in last year’s Green Infrastructure Strategy, particularly proposed improvements in north Hackney including the long-awaited replacement of the Stoke Newington gyratory and new green links along Northwold and Dunsmure roads. When will we begin to see this put into action?

5.3  Question from Peter Snell to the Mayoral Adviser for Housing Needs and Homelessness

I have read that there is a refurbishment of Cape House in Dalston. What support is the Council putting in place for residents needing to relocate during the refurbishment and what is the time frame for completion?

6.1  Question from Cllr Anya Sizer to the Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture

Hackney Council’s Hoxton Street Market street market is a great place to buy food and a hub for the whole Hoxton community. But it has also helped tackle food poverty, accepting council food vouchers, such as Alexandra Rose Vouchers, for some of our most vulnerable residents in Hackney. Can the Cabinet Member with responsibility for food justice outline the other measures the Council has taken to address food poverty in our borough, what it is doing to fight for food justice for all, and the steps it is taking to make Hackney a Right to Food Borough?

6.2  From Cllr Garbett to the Mayor

Developers failed to bring forward a plan for the Morning Lane Tesco site and the agreement has expired, what is the latest plan for the site?

6.3  Question from Cllr Joseph Ogundemuren to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

What will the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport be doing to ensure the Council are requesting Transport for London provides full details of its equality and diversity impact assessments in relation to the proposed bus cuts and how these negatively affect Hackney residents?

6.4  From Cllr Garbett to the Mayor

The development of Ridley Road Studios has seen a loss of genuinely affordable studio space. Given how few artists are returning, what will you do to ensure Dalston remains a place for all artists, not just the ones who can afford to pay ever increasing market rent?

6.5  Question from Cllr Grace Adebayo to the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services

The Mayor rightly condemned the distressing scenes around the police operation on moped crime that took place in Dalston in May. Can the Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services outline what engagement she has had to hold the local police to account, and what the Council is doing to restore trust and confidence in policing among local residents?

6.6   From Cllr Binnie-Lubbock to the Mayor

Following strong support of many members of this Council for recent RMT industrial action, what role do you see unions playing in the borough?

6.7  Question from Cllr Margaret Gordon to the Cabinet Member for Employment, Human Resources and Equalities

Would the Cabinet Member with responsibility for migrants and refugees tell me how the Council is responding to the Ukrainian refugee crisis, detailing how many Ukrainian nationals have settled into family homes under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and what support they are receiving from the Council?

6.8  Question from Cllr Binnie-Lubbock to the Mayor

A recent report found that Hackney has 87 fire-risk buildings, this in the top three in London. What is the council doing to promote and ensure fire safety of residents living in these buildings with minimum disruption?

6.9  Question from Cllr Polly Billington to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

The Council's Cycling Plan sets out a vision  ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

RESOLVED: To note the  results of the recent by-election in De Beauvoir ward as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

RESOLVED:

1.  To note the review of the allocation of seats in accordance with section 15 Local Government and Housing Act 1989 following the by-election in De Beauvoir Ward on 7 July 2022 as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

2.  To note that there are no changes to the allocation of seats on the Council’s Committees etc. as between the three political groups of the Council.

3.  To approve the nominations of Councillors and Co-Optees to the Committees and Commissions as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

RESOLVED:

1.  To approve the report and the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2021/22 (July 2022 Council) attached at Appendix 1 of the report.

2.  To agree the Members’ Allowances Scheme 2022/23 (July 2022 Council) attached at Appendix 2 of the report.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the terms of reference of the Constitution Committee be amended as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.

2.  That Councillor Binnie-Lubbock be appointed to the Constitution Committee having been nominated by the Green Party.

13.1  Cost of Living Crisis

This Council calls on the Government to introduce an Emergency Budget to take urgent action to protect the people of Hackney from the cost of living crisis.

Council notes that:

Energy costs have risen by an average of £693 per household – and are set to rise even further, with Ofgem setting the energy price cap at £2800 from October

Food prices are soaring, some basic staples by as much as 20%

Inflation has hit 9% ? its highest level in 40 years

Personal Taxation is now at its highest level in 70 years

48% of children in Hackney live in poverty and 16.5% of local residents are claiming out-of-work benefits

Meanwhile £11.8bn of public money has been lost to fraud through the Governments covid support schemes

Council therefore resolves to write to the Prime Minister urging him to:

Introduce an immediate Emergency Budget to protect children, families, and pensioners from the worst fall in living standards in generations

Cut business rates for small businesses

Cut the VAT rate on energy bills

Increase the support available to all claimants through the welfare and benefits system

Deliver on the calls made by UNISON, the NEU and other education unions to expand the free school meals programme to all families receiving universal credit or an equivalent benefit

Fund Hackney Council’s Green Homes programme to retrofit homes helping to  reduce home energy consumption and cut energy bills.

The Council believes that the Emergency Budget must include real help for residents and local businesses in Hackney.

Proposer: Soraya Adejare; Seconder: Ifraah Samatar

The proposed amendments to the motion which were circulated before the meeting were  NOT CARRIED.

RESOLVED:

1.  To call on the Government to introduce an Emergency Budget to take urgent action to protect the people of Hackney from the cost of living crisis.

2.  To note that:

·  Energy costs have risen by an average of £693 per household – and are set to rise even further, with Ofgem setting the energy price cap at £2800 from October

·  Food prices are soaring, some basic staples by as much as 20%

·  Inflation has hit 9% ? its highest level in 40 years

·  Personal Taxation is now at its highest level in 70 years

·  48% of children in Hackney live in poverty and 16.5% of local residents are claiming out-of-work benefits

·  Meanwhile £11.8bn of public money has been lost to fraud through the Governments covid support schemes

3.  To write to the Prime Minister urging him to:

·  Introduce an immediate Emergency Budget to protect children, families, and pensioners from the worst fall in living standards in generations

·  Cut business rates for small businesses

·  Cut the VAT rate on energy bills

·  Increase the support available to all claimants through the welfare and benefits system

·  Deliver on the calls made by UNISON, the NEU and other education unions to expand the free school meals programme to all families receiving universal credit or an equivalent benefit

·  Fund Hackney Council’s Green Homes programme to retrofit homes helping to  reduce home energy consumption and cut energy bills.

13.2  Long Covid

Hackney Council notes:

As of 1 May this year, Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that two million people living in private households in the UK – or 3.1% of the population – reported they were still experiencing Covid symptoms more than four weeks after their first suspected coronavirus infection.

About two in five of those with long Covid, or 826,000 people, noted that infection was at least a year ago while one in five, or 376,000 people, said it was at least two years ago. In addition, 71% of those with Long Covid said their symptoms had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities, with 20% saying their ability to undertake such activities had been “limited a lot”.

As a proportion of the UK population, the prevalence of self-reported long Covid was greatest in people aged 35 to 69 years, females, people living in more deprived areas, those working in social care, teaching and education or health care, and those with another activity-limiting health condition or disability,” the ONS added.

At present it is not clear what causes Long Covid, but it can be the result of the initial infection sends some people's immune systems into overdrive, meaning they attack not just the virus but their own organs.

NICE (National Institute for Health & Care Excellence) describes Long Covid as “signs and symptoms that continue or develop after acute Covid-19”. This definition includes both ongoing symptomatic Covid-19 and post Covid-19 syndrome. Therefore, according to this definition, Long Covid starts from four weeks onwards.

Long Covid symptoms are plentiful, and more are being seen as related to Covid 19 infection.

At a local level Hackney Council celebrates the Post Covid Specialist Assessment Clinic and The Covid Rehabilitation (CoRe) service provided by Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, including the work of respiratory consultants Professor Karalasingam Rajakulasingam and Dr Santino Capocci.

Hackney Council will continue to highlight the needs and support our school children experiencing long Covid symptoms and issue guidance when available from the government to schools and educational settings on the many pupils living with Long Covid, and support for them.

Hackney Council therefore resolves to:

Work with our health partner organisations to ensure that support for those experiencing Long Covid is a central part of the next City and Hackney Long Term Conditions Strategy.

Recommend to the Head of the Paid Service that the Council's employment policies and procedures be reviewed to ensure that those with Long Covid symptoms are supported.

Consider the key recommendations of the Long Covid publication by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus.

Proposer Cllr Anna Lynch; Seconder: Cllr Anya Sizer

RESOLVED:

1.  That in accordance with Procedure Rule 16.4 of  the Council’s Constitution that this motion, which was not debated stand referred without discussion, to the next ordinary meeting of Full Council on 14 September 2022.

2.  That  this motion will be the first motion to be debated at the next ordinary Full Council meeting.

13.3  Fair Votes

Hackney Council notes:

The UK’s First Past the Post voting system curtails voter choice and leaves millions feeling unrepresented by their elected representatives.

Research has found that electoral systems impact participation in politics for example there is a positive correlation between proportional representation (PR) and women elected to legislatures.

The introduction of PR for local elections in Scotland has led to an increase in turnout, which was 44.8% at the last elections, held in 2022. In contrast turnout in Hackney in 2022 was 34.29% (this varies by ward with lowest turnout in Hoxton at 24%).

The Labour Party in government successfully implemented Proportional Representation to a number of elections, introducing PR into the London Assembly, in devolved government for Scotland and Wales and the Supplementary vote for the Mayoral elections.

With the Welsh Senedd reviewing legislation on Single Transferable Vote for local councils, England looks likely to be the only part of the UK without any form of PR at local level.

According to polling, the majority of voters in the United Kingdom support the use of PR for elections in the United Kingdom.

The last Labour Government put together the Jenkins Commission, which recommended the adoption of the AV+ voting system. This system is similar to how we vote for the London Assembly, giving voters local representatives and regional list members.

The Green Party of England and Wales has a long standing policy of supporting proportional representation and electoral reform.

In June, Prospect and the University and College Union (UCU) voted to embrace more proportional general elections. The list of trade unions who back electoral reform is long and growing, it currently includes Unison, Unite the Union, Fire Brigades Union and Musicians’ Union.

Hackney Council recognises:

That these factors have contributed to dangerous levels of distrust and disillusionment with our democratic process.

That it is essential that faith is restored in our democratic system and that the public see Parliament as fairly reflecting their views.

That our First Past the Post voting system is a significant barrier to restoring this faith and all but guarantees that the balance of opinion among the electorate is not reflected in Parliament and at local councils.

That a system of Proportional Representation in which seats match votes and all votes count equally would help to rebuild public trust by ensuring that all political views are represented in Parliament and at local councils in proportion to their level of public support.

That systems of Proportional Representation that maintain a constituency link are best, since they mean voters will still have local representatives. Single Transferable Vote and AV+ both fulfil this criteria.

Hackney Council therefore resolves to:

To make representations to Hackney’s MPs asking them to lobby for change to our outdated electoral systems and support Single Transferable Vote for electing local councils, AV+ for Westminster elections and the return of Supplementary Vote for Mayoral elections.

To oppose this Conservative Government’s efforts to remove existing PR systems, and write a letter to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 13c

RESOLVED:

1.  That in accordance with Procedure Rule 16.4 of  the Council’s Constitution that this motion, which was not debated stand referred without discussion, to the next ordinary meeting of Full Council on 14 September 2022.

2.  That  this motion will be the second motion to be debated at the next ordinary Full Council meeting.