Agenda and minutes

Council - Thursday 18 July 2019 7.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Harrow Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY. View directions

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

Items
No. Item

90.

COUNCIL MINUTES pdf icon PDF 18 KB

That the minutes of the Annual meeting held on 16 May 2019 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 16 May 2019 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

91.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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:

Councillor Susan Hall declared an interest in that she was a Greater London Authority (GLA) Assembly Member and the Mayor of London may get mentioned during the course of the meeting.

 

Motion 2 – Declaring a Climate Emergency

 

Councillor Sue Anderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Natural History Society.

 

Councillor Kam Chana declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he worked for a car company.

 

Councillor Norman Stevenson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a member of Friends of the Earth and Marine Conservation.

 

Motion 3 – Proper Funding for Public Services

 

Councillor Michael Borio declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he worked for the Department for Education.

 

Councillor Stephen Greek declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was employed by the London Assembly.

 

Motion 4 – High Stakes Testing in Primary Schools

 

Councillor Michael Borio declared a pecuniary interest in that he worked for the Department for Education and would leave the Chamber for the discussion and voting on this item

 

Councillor Sarah Butterworth declared a pecuniary interest in that she was a teacher and a member of the NEU and would leave the Chamber for the discussion and voting on this item.

 

Councillor Ajay Maru declared an interest in that his wife was a teacher in Harrow.

 

Councillor Janet Mote declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a member of the NEU.

 

Councillor Angella Murphy-Strachan declared a pecuniary interest in that she was a teacher and a member of the NEU and would leave the Chamber for the discussion and voting on this item.

 

Councillor Antonio Weiss declared a pecuniary interest and would leave the Chamber for the discussion and voting on this item.

92.

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 drew Council’s attention to the procedural Motion set out on the supplemental Summons in relation to Local Implementation Plan 3 and also to the tabled amendments to Motion 2 (Declaring a Climate Emergency) and Motion 3 (Proper Funding for Public Services).

 

The Leader of the Council moved a procedural Motion that Motion 2, Declaring a Climate Emergency, not stand referred to the Executive and be debated in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.7.1.

 

Upon being put to the vote, the procedural Motions were carried.

93.

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:

In accordance with Rule 10, the following petitions were presented:

 

(i)            Petition submitted by Councillor Nitesh Hirani containing 224 signatures concerning the alleyway/footpath linking Paulhan Road and Westfield Lane.            .

 

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

 

(ii)          Petition submitted by Councillor Marilyn Ashton containing five signatures of residents of Spring Lake, Stanmore concerning traffic and parking issues.

 

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

94.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

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 no questions had been received.

95.

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 of Council spoke and/or asked questions of the Leader of the Council which were duly responded to.

96.

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR OF THE GOVERNANCE, AUDIT, RISK MANAGEMENT AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE

Minutes:

Councillor David Perry, in his role as Chair of the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee read a statement to Council in relation to a Standards matter.

97.

COMMUNITY SAFETY PLAN

Recommendation I :

Cabinet

 

(11 July 2019)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the Community Safety, Violence, Vulnerability and Exploitation Strategy 2019/20 be endorsed and adopted.

98.

YOUTH JUSTICE PLAN

Recommendation I :

Cabinet

 

(11 July 2019)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the Youth Justice Plan 2019/20 be endorsed and adopted.

99.

2 YEAR BUDGET STRATEGY 2020/21 TO 2021/22

Recommendation I :

Cabinet

 

(11 July 2019)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the addition of £100m to the Capital Programme, for long term commercial investment, be approved.

 

[Note:  The Conservative Group wished to be recorded as having voted against the above resolution].

100.

LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 3 pdf icon PDF 47 KB

Recommendation I :

Cabinet

 

(30 May 2019)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)          the revised Transport Local Implementation Plan (LIP3) set out at Appendix A to the officer report be adopted; and

 

(2)          the Corporate Director, Community be authorised to make minor changes and updates to the planned programme of investment, subject to additional information on funding being provided following approval of the LIP3 by Council.

101.

APPOINTMENT OF CO-OPTEE TO THE PENSION FUND COMMITTEE pdf icon PDF 47 KB

Recommendation I :

Pension Fund Committee

 

(26 June 2019)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That Howard Bluston be re-appointed as a non-voting co?optee to the Pension Fund Committee for the Municipal Year 2019/20 under the working arrangements described in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the officer report.

102.

CONSTITUTION UPDATE pdf icon PDF 18 KB

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)          the additions to the terms of reference for the Chief Officers’ Employment Panel as set out in Appendix 1 to the officer report be agreed;

 

(2)          an Independent Panel, under Section 102(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, be appointed with membership and terms of reference as set out in Appendix 2 to the officer report;

 

(3)          an Appeals Committee be appointed, with membership and terms of reference as set out in Appendix 3 to the officer report;

 

(4)          the functions of full Council be amended to include ‘To confirm the dismissal of the Head of Paid Service, Chief Finance Officer or Monitoring Officer, to impose a lesser sanction or to refer the matter back to the Chief Officers’ Employment Panel’;

 

(5)          the Statutory Chief Officers Disciplinary Panel be removed from the constitution;

 

(6)          the changes to the Officer Employment Rules as set out in Appendix 4 to the officer report be agreed;

 

(7)          the Head of Human Resources be instructed to:

 

(a)    draw up a disciplinary procedure to apply to the Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer taking into account the model procedure in the JNC for Chief Executives (‘the JNC procedure’) and the decisions of Council;

 

(b)   make any consequential changes necessary to other Council HR procedures and Employee Handbooks;

 

(8)          the  Monitoring Officer, following consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition, be authorised to:

 

(c)    suspend the Head of Paid Service in cases of emergency as defined in the JNC procedure; and

 

(d)   refer matters of discipline (as defined in the disciplinary procedure)  in respect of the Head of Paid Service to the Chief Officers’ Employment Panel;

 

(9)          the Head of Paid Service, following consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition, be authorised to:

 

(e)    suspend the Monitoring Officer or Chief Finance Officer in cases of emergency as defined in the JNC procedure; and

 

(f)     refer matters of discipline (as defined in the disciplinary procedure)  in respect of the Monitoring Officer or Chief Finance Officer to the Chief Officers’ Employment Panel;

 

(10)       the amendments to Article 4 of the constitution, as set out in Appendix 5 to the officer report, be agreed;

 

(11)       the amendments to Article 13 of the constitution, as set out in Appendix 6 to the officer report, be agreed;

 

(12)       subject to agreement by the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee on 16 July 2019, the amendments to the Code of Conduct for Councillors, as set out in Appendix 7 to the officer report, be agreed; and

 

(13)       the amendments to Part 3B of the constitution, as set out in Appendix 8 to the officer report, be agreed.

103.

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

104.

INFORMATION REPORT - DECISIONS TAKEN UNDER THE URGENCY PROCEDURE - EXECUTIVE pdf icon PDF 20 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

 

105.

QUESTIONS WITH NOTICE pdf icon PDF 62 KB

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

To note that two questions were received and the recording of the questions and the answers given had been placed on the Council’s website.

106.

MOTIONS pdf icon PDF 278 KB

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)          Harrow Council recognises working definition of Islamophobia Motion

 

 

To be moved by Councillor Peymana Assad and seconded by Councillor Kiran Ramchandani:

 

 

“While the drive to tackle hate and discrimination in all its forms continues, there has been a disappointing normalisation in the media and in politics of some forms of hate in recent times, Islamophobia being one of them.  As a diverse and vibrant borough where Muslims make up over 12% of the population, it is important that the Council signals its seriousness in tackling all forms of hate and discrimination against residents, and members of wider society.  Following an extensive consultation, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims has formulated a working definition of Islamophobia as:

 

·                     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, demonizing, 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 their own nations.

·                     Denying Muslim populations the right to self-determination.

·                     Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, e.g. loyalty tests.

·                     Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia (e.g. Muhammed being a paedophile, claims of Muslims spreading Islam by the sword or subjugating minority groups under their rule) to characterize Muslims as being ‘sex groomers’, inherently violent or incapable of living harmoniously in plural societies.

·                     Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.

 

This list is not exhaustive but forms guidelines to recognise markers of Islamophobia in today’s context.

 

 

Harrow Council resolves:

 

1.            To formally adopt the working definition of Islamophobia as formulated by  ...  view the full agenda text for item 106.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(i)            Motion in the names of Councillor Peymana Assad and Councillor Kiran Ramchandani.

 

 

“Harrow Council recognises working definition of Islamophobia Motion

 

While the drive to tackle hate and discrimination in all its forms continues, there has been a disappointing normalisation in the media and in politics of some forms of hate in recent times, Islamophobia being one of them.  As a diverse and vibrant borough where Muslims make up over 12% of the population, it is important that the Council signals its seriousness in tackling all forms of hate and discrimination against residents, and members of wider society.  Following an extensive consultation, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims has formulated a working definition of Islamophobia as:

 

·                     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, demonizing, 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 their own nations.

 

·                     Denying Muslim populations the right to self-determination.

 

·                     Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, e.g. loyalty tests.

 

·                     Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia (e.g. Muhammed being a paedophile, claims of Muslims spreading Islam by the sword or subjugating minority groups under their rule) to characterize Muslims as being ‘sex groomers’, inherently violent or incapable of living harmoniously in plural societies.

 

·                     Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.

 

This list is not exhaustive but forms guidelines to recognise markers of Islamophobia in today’s context.

 

 

Harrow Council resolves:

 

1.            To formally adopt the working definition of Islamophobia as formulated by the APPG for British Muslims.

 

2.            That the Council Leader and the Chief Executive write to Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, the Secretary of State for Housing,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.