Agenda and minutes

Council - Thursday 16 July 2020 6.00 pm

Venue: Virtual Meeting - Online. View directions

Contact: Alison Atherton, Senior Professional - Democratic Services  Tel: 020 8424 1266 E-mail:  alison.atherton@harrow.gov.uk

Link: View the meeting online

Media

Items
No. Item

144.

COUNCIL MINUTES pdf icon PDF 17 KB

That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2020 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2020 be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the amendment from Councillor Richard Almond published on the Council’s website in advance of the meeting.

145.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members of the Council.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that  

 

(1)          the Declarations of Interests published in advance of the meeting on the Council’s website were taken as read and the following further declarations made during the course of the meeting also be noted:

 

Item 4 – Petitions

 

Headstone Horticultural Society

 

Councillor Stephen Greek declared non-pecuniary interest in that he was a member of the patient participation group at Belmont Health Centre.

 

Councillor Ameet Jogia declared a non-pecuniary interest as he owned a property on Headstone Lane.

 

Councillor Vina Mithani declared a non pecuniary interest in that she was registered with Belmont Health Centre and was on the Patients’ Liaison Group.

 

265 The Ridgeway

 

Councillor Anjana Patel declared a pecuniary interest in that she lived in The Ridgeway and would leave the meeting for the discussion on this item.

 

Item 5 – Public Questions

 

Councillor Stephen Greek declared non-pecuniary interest in that he was a member of the patient participation group at Belmont Health Centre.

 

Councillor Vina Mithani declared a non pecuniary interest in that she was registered with Belmont Health Centre and was on the Patients’ Liaison Group.

 

Councillor Anjana Patel declared a pecuniary interest in that she lived in The Ridgeway and would leave the meeting for the discussion on this item.

 

(2)          Members who had declared interests remained in the virtual meeting whilst the matters were considered and voted upon.

146.

PROCEDURAL MOTIONS

To receive and consider any procedural motions by Members of the Council in relation to the conduct of this Meeting.  Notice of such procedural motions, received after the issuing of this Summons, will be tabled.

Minutes:

The Mayor indicated that there would be one debate on Motions 1 and 2 as they were on the same issue.

147.

PETITIONS

To receive any petitions to be presented:

 

(i)                 by a representative of the petitioners;

(ii)               by a Councillor, on behalf of petitioners;

(iii)             by the Mayor, on behalf of petitioners.

Minutes:

(i)            Petition submitted by Margo Dimlic on behalf of the Headstone Horticultural Society containing over 2,000 signatures with the following terms:

 

“Petition to save Headstone Horticultural Society

 

Stop Harrow Council terminating our lease on 20/08/20 and allow us to remain on our current site.

 

We, the undersigned, strongly object to the removal of this community asset and redevelopment of this site.”

 

In accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, debate was held on the content of the petition.

 

RESOLVED:  That the petition referred to the Corporate Director of Community for consideration.

 

(ii)          Petition submitted by Sue Green, on behalf of residents, containing over 2,000 signatures with the following terms:

 

“Petition to oppose over-development of 265, The Ridgeway, Harrow

 

We the undersigned are concerned citizens who urge Council representatives to act to refuse this development application.”

 

In accordance with the Council’s Petition Scheme, debate was held on the content of the petition.

 

RESOLVED:  That the petition referred to the Planning Committee for consideration.

 

In accordance with Rule 10, the following petition was presented:

 

(i)            Petition submitted by Councillor Krishna Suresh on behalf of the residents of, containing over 1,200 signatures concerning the Re-development of Rayners Lane Car Park.

 

[The petition stood referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment].

148.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS pdf icon PDF 119 KB

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for members of the public to ask questions of members of the Executive, Portfolio Holders and Chairs of Committees, of which notice has been received no later than 3.00 pm two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting.  Any such questions received will be tabled.

Minutes:

To note that six questions from members of the public had been received and responded to, and the recording of these questions and the answers given had been placed on the Council’s website.

149.

LEADER AND PORTFOLIO HOLDERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS

To receive a presentation from the Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holders on business since the last ordinary meeting, followed by a question and answer session.  The item is allotted 20 minutes.

Minutes:

(i)            The Leader of the Council, Councillor Graham Henson, introduced the item highlighting the achievements, challenges and proposals since the last ordinary meeting.

 

(ii)          Other Members spoke and/or asked questions of the Leader of the Council which were duly responded to.

150.

RECRUITMENT TO SENIOR MANAGEMENT ROLES pdf icon PDF 48 KB

Recommendation I: Chief Officers’ Employment Panel

                                 11 June 2020

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That Sean Harriss be offered a fixed term contract for the post of Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service) expiring on 30 September 2022 and on the same terms as his current contract.

151.

INFORMATION REPORT - DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER THE URGENCY PROCEDURE - EXECUTIVE pdf icon PDF 19 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

152.

INFORMATION REPORT - DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER THE URGENCY PROCEDURE - COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 19 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

153.

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE

A period of up to 15 minutes is allowed for asking written questions by Members of Council of a member of the Executive or the Chair of any Committee:-

 

(i)                 of which notice has been received at least two clear working days prior to the day of this Meeting; or

 

(ii)               which relate to urgent matters, and the consent of the Executive Member or Committee Chair to whom the question is to be put has been obtained and the content has been advised to the Director of Legal and Governance Services by 12 noon on the day of the Council Meeting.

 

Any such questions received will be tabled.

Minutes:

There were no Councillor Questions.

154.

MOTIONS

The following Motions have been notified in accordance with the requirements of Council Procedure Rule 15, to be moved and seconded by the Members indicated:

 

(1)        Motion against Racism and Discrimination in Harrow

 

 

To be moved by Councillor Marilyn Ashton and seconded by Councillor Jean Lammiman:

 

 

“This Council deplores all forms of racism and discrimination.  It urges people of all political viewpoints to stand together shoulder to shoulder to bring about a fairer society where everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, is able to get on in life and realise their full potential.

 

This Council notes that, according to Metropolitan Police data for the London Borough of Harrow, in the last two years:

§     There has been an increase in Anti-Semitic hate crime.

§     There has been an increase in racist and religious hate crime.

§     There has been a sharp increase in the number of homophobic crime incidents.

§     There have been continued incidents of disability hate crime, Islamophobia, and Transgender hate crime. 

 

This Council strongly reaffirms its commitment to tackling racism and discrimination in all forms within the London Borough of Harrow.  This Council resolves to increase its efforts in building a diverse, egalitarian, and cohesive community in light of the recent protests in response to the death of George Floyd.”

 

(2)          Harrow Council’s commitment to fighting systemic racism Motion

 

 

To be moved by Councillor Adam Swersky and seconded by Councillor Angella Murphy-Strachan:

 

 

“Council notes that:

 

§     The killing of George Floyd at the hands of American police has created a powerful global movement around the cause of tackling systemic racism in society

§     Despite recent advancements there are still deep structural inequalities within society.  According to a 2018 study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, 35.7 percent of ethnic minorities were living in poverty

§     Black people are almost 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched according to the government’s own statistics and 40 times more likely under section 60 powers.

§     Black Caribbean and Mixed White/Black Caribbean children have rates of permanent exclusion about three times that of the pupil population as a whole

§     No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) conditions, which can drive families into homelessness and destitution, disproportionately impact people from BAME backgrounds

§     Only 60 families from the Windrush generation have been compensated for the mistreatment they experienced at the hands of the Home Office

§     A recent PHE report found that the BAME community have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, with those from BAME communities almost twice as likely to die as white people.  There are also concerns that police powers, such as Section 60 orders, have been used disproportionately against people from BAME backgrounds

Council recognises:

 

§     The Prime Minister’s recent announcement of a commission to look into racial disparities and inequality

§     The unimplemented recommendations from previous reviews

§     That now more than ever action is needed that goes beyond warm words

Council welcomes:

 

§     The decision to light Harrow Civic Centre purple in  ...  view the full agenda text for item 154.

Minutes:

(i)            Motion against Racism and Discrimination in Harrow 

 

 

Motion in the names of Councillor Marilyn Ashton and Councillor Jean Lammiman:

 

“This Council deplores all forms of racism and discrimination.  It urges people of all political viewpoints to stand together shoulder to shoulder to bring about a fairer society where everyone, regardless of their ethnicity, is able to get on in life and realise their full potential.

 

This Council notes that, according to Metropolitan Police data for the London Borough of Harrow, in the last two years:

 

§     There has been an increase in Anti-Semitic hate crime.

§     There has been an increase in racist and religious hate crime.

§     There has been a sharp increase in the number of homophobic crime incidents.

§     There have been continued incidents of disability hate crime, Islamophobia, and Transgender hate crime. 

 

This Council strongly reaffirms its commitment to tackling racism and discrimination in all forms within the London Borough of Harrow. This Council resolves to increase its efforts in building a diverse, egalitarian, and cohesive community in light of the recent protests in response to the death of George Floyd.”

 

RESOLVED:  That the Motion set out at (i) above be adopted.

 

(ii)          Harrow Council’s commitment to fighting systemic racism Motion

 

 

Motion in the names of Councillor Adam Swersky and Councillor Angella Murphy Strachan:

 

“Council notes that:

 

?             The killing of George Floyd at the hands of American police has created a powerful global movement around the cause of tackling systemic racism in society

?             Despite recent advancements there are still deep structural inequalities within society.  According to a 2018 study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, 35.7 percent of ethnic minorities were living in poverty

?             Black people are almost 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched according to the government’s own statistics and 40 times more likely under section 60 powers.

?             Black Caribbean and Mixed White/Black Caribbean children have rates of permanent exclusion about three times that of the pupil population as a whole

?             No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) conditions, which can drive families into homelessness and destitution, disproportionately impact people from BAME backgrounds

?             Only 60 families from the Windrush generation have been compensated for the mistreatment they experienced at the hands of the Home Office

?             A recent PHE report found that the BAME community have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, with those from BAME communities almost twice as likely to die as white people.  There are also concerns that police powers, such as Section 60 orders, have been used disproportionately against people from BAME backgrounds

 

Council recognises:

 

?             The Prime Minister’s recent announcement of a commission to look into racial disparities and inequality

?             The unimplemented recommendations from previous reviews

?             That now more than ever action is needed that goes beyond warm words

 

 

 

 

Council welcomes:

 

?             The decision to light Harrow Civic Centre purple in commemoration of the tragic and wholly unnecessary death of George Floyd and in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement globally

?             The steps taken by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 154.