Agenda item

1.            Temple BurglariesMotion

To be moved by Councillor Kanti Rabadia and seconded by Councillor Vina Mithani:

“This Council notes and condemns:

·         The burglary of Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Kenton, Harrow.

·         The burglary of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden, Brent.

·         Any crime carried out against any religious establishment.

This Council believes:

·         Harrow has a diverse community that deserves to feel safe and have the right to freely practice whatever religion they follow.

·         Local communities and religious establishments should be protected.

·         Any crime carried out against any religious establishment is unacceptable.

This Council resolves:

·         To instruct the interim Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Leader of the Opposition to send a cross-party letter to both Temples, condemning the burglaries and offering solidarity and support.

·         To offer a meeting to representatives from the Kenton Temple with the Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition and relevant Council officers to discuss how the Council can provide better support.”

2.            Breaking Point Campaign Motion

To be moved by Councillor Graham Henson and seconded by Councillor Adam Swersky:

“This Council notes that many council budgets are now at Breaking Point. Austerity has caused huge damage to communities up and down the UK, with devastating effects on key public services that protect the most defenceless in society – children at risk, disabled children and adults, and vulnerable older people – and the services we all rely on, like clean streets, libraries, and children’s centres;

·         Government cuts mean councils have lost 60p out of every £1 that the last Labour Government was spending on local government in 2010;

·         Harrow Council has lost £55 million of central government funding as our RSG has been eliminated entirely.

·         Councils had to spend an extra £800m last year to meet the demand on vital services to protect children.

·         With an aging population and growing demand adult social care faces a gap of £3.5 billion – with only 14% of council workers now confident that vulnerable local residents are safe and cared for.

·         Government cuts have seen over 500 children’s centres and 475 libraries close, potholes are left unfilled, and 80% of councils workers now say have no confidence in the future of local services.

·         Northamptonshire has already gone bust and more councils are predicted to collapse without immediate emergency funding.

·         Councils now face a further funding gap of £7.8 billion by 2025 just to keep services ‘standing still’ and meeting additional demand.  Even Lord Gary Porter, the Chair of the Local Government Association, has said ‘Councils can no longer be expected to run our vital local services on a shoestring’.

This Council condemns Chief Secretary to the Treasury for stating on BBC Newsnight on 1^st October 2018 that the government is “not making cuts to local authorities”, when all independent assessments of government spending show that this is entirely false; and that this Council further notes that Prime Minister Theresa May has also claimed that “austerity is over” despite planning a further £1.3bn of cuts to council budgets over the next year;

This Council agrees with the aims of the ‘Breaking Point’ petition signed by Labour councillors across the country, in calling forthe Prime Minister and Chancellor to truly end austerity in local government by properly funding local public services.

This Council resolves to:

·         Support the ‘Breaking Point’ campaign, recognising the devastating impact that austerity has had on our local community.

·         Work with other councils to campaign for proper funding for local government and other public services.

·         Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government setting out the funding pressures faced by Harrow Council, and calling on the Government to truly end austerity in local government.”

3.            Education Funding Motion

To be moved by Councillor Pamela Fitzpatrick and seconded by Councillor Maxine Henson:

“Harrow Council believes education to be the foundation of our society, it is through education that we unlock the individual’s full potential and create a more equal and prosperous society for all.  This is why cuts to education are so catastrophic.

Harrow Council notes:

At the national level, per pupil funding has declined by 8% since 2010.

In Harrow, our schools are facing annual funding pressures of £77,000 for primary schools and £194,000 for secondary schools.

Since 2015, Harrow has suffered a net loss of 105 teachers in our maintained schools owing in part to recruitment and retention issues.

Harrow schools must bear the brunt of unfunded National Insurance increases.

Harrow schools see inadequate High Needs Block Funding, leaving our must vulnerable pupils without the support they need.

Harrow Council resolves:

To resist the Government’s ongoing cuts to school budgets and call for more funding to be invested in education.

To support national campaigns against school cuts.

To call on the Government to fully fund the pay increase for teachers that is recommended by the School Teachers’ Review Body.”

4.            Modern Slavery Motion

To be moved by Councillor Jeff Anderson and seconded by Councillor Adam Swersky:

“Modern slavery continues to be a significant problem in Harrow. In 2013 there is evidence that as many as 42 children were trafficked to the borough providing large revenue streams for criminal gangs.  Harrow Council has been proactive in its investigations into not only child trafficking but modern slavery as a whole.  This scourge affects all those who are vulnerable and it is for this reason that we have chosen to implement the following resolutions:

Harrow Council requests its Cabinet to:

1.    Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2.    Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for non-compliance.

3.    Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4.    Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5.    Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6.    Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

7.    Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8.    Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9.    Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

10.Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.”

[In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.6 the Motion shall stand referred to the Executive as the matter falls within the Executive’s remit].

5.            WomenAgainstStatePensionInequalityMotion

To be moved by Councillor Natasha Proctor and seconded by Councillor Sarah Butterworth:

“Harrow Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Thousands of women who live in Harrow, and hundreds of thousands nationally, had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes.  Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Thousands of women born in the 1950's are living in hardship.  Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences.  Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment.  Women born in this decade are suffering financially.  These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60.  It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time.  The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Harrow Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.”

“Temple Burglaries Motion

This Council notes and condemns:

·                     The burglary of Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Kenton, Harrow.

·                     The burglary of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden, Brent.

·                     Any crime carried out against any religious establishment.

This Council believes:

·                     Harrow has a diverse community that deserves to feel safe and have the right to freely practice whatever religion they follow.

·                     Local communities and religious establishments should be protected.

·                     Any crime carried out against any religious establishment is unacceptable.

This Council resolves:

·                       To instruct the interim Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Leader of the Opposition to send a cross-party letter to both Temples, condemning the burglaries and offering solidarity and support.

·                       To offer a meeting to representatives from the Kenton Temple with the Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition and relevant Council officers to discuss how the Council can provide better support.”

A tabled amendment was received.  Upon being put to the vote the amendment was agreed. The Substantive Motion was agreed as follows:

“This Council notes and condemns:

·                     The burglary of Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Kenton, Harrow.

·                     The burglary of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden, Brent.

·                     Hate crime incidents at the Sree Ayyappan Temple in Masons Avenue, Harrow.

·                     Any crime carried out against any religious establishment.

This Council believes:

·                     That diverse and cohesive communities are what makes Harrow the great place that people want to call home

·                     That all residents deserve to feel safe

·                     Local communities and religious establishments should be protected.

·                     Any crime carried out against any religious establishment is unacceptable.

Harrow Council welcomes/supports:

·                     Thework carried out to date by the Police to investigate the incidents

·                     The partnership work undertaken directly with the affected places of worship by Harrow Council, Councillors, Police and Assembly Member for Brent & Harrow to strengthen working relationships, enhance security of the premises and to convey the message of reassurance to the community.

This Council resolves:

·                     To instruct the interim Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Leader of the Opposition to send a cross-party letter to these places of worship, condemning the criminal incidents and offering solidarity and support.

·                     As part of the Council’s on-going work on community cohesion, to offer a meeting to representatives from the Kenton Temple with the Leader of the Council, the Leader of the Opposition and relevant Council officers to discuss this work and explore whether Harrow can provide further support.”

RESOLVED:  That the Motion, as amended and set out above be, adopted.

“Breaking Point Campaign Motion

This Council notes that many council budgets are now at Breaking Point. Austerity has caused huge damage to communities up and down the UK, with devastating effects on key public services that protect the most defenceless in society – children at risk, disabled children and adults, and vulnerable older people – and the services we all rely on, like clean streets, libraries, and children’s centres;

·                     Government cuts mean councils have lost 60p out of every £1 that the last Labour Government was spending on local government in 2010;

·                     Harrow Council has lost £55 million of central government funding as our RSG has been eliminated entirely.

·                     Councils had to spend an extra £800m last year to meet the demand on vital services to protect children.

·                     With an aging population and growing demand adult social care faces a gap of £3.5 billion – with only 14% of council workers now confident that vulnerable local residents are safe and cared for.

·                     Government cuts have seen over 500 children’s centres and 475 libraries close, potholes are left unfilled, and 80% of councils workers now say have no confidence in the future of local services.

·                     Northamptonshire has already gone bust and more councils are predicted to collapse without immediate emergency funding.

·                     Councils now face a further funding gap of £7.8 billion by 2025 just to keep services ‘standing still’ and meeting additional demand.  Even Lord Gary Porter, the Chair of the Local Government Association, has said ‘Councils can no longer be expected to run our vital local services on a shoestring’

This Council condemns Chief Secretary to the Treasury for stating on BBC Newsnight on 1^st October 2018 that the government is “not making cuts to local authorities”, when all independent assessments of government spending show that this is entirely false; and that this Council further notes that Prime Minister Theresa May has also claimed that “austerity is over” despite planning a further £1.3bn of cuts to council budgets over the next year;

This Council agrees with the aims of the ‘Breaking Point’ petition signed by Labour councillors across the country, in calling forthe Prime Minister and Chancellor to truly end austerity in local government by properly funding local public services.

This Council resolves to:

·                     Support the ‘Breaking Point’ campaign, recognising the devastating impact that austerity has had on our local community.

·                     Work with other councils to campaign for proper funding for local government and other public services.

·                     Write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government setting out the funding pressures faced by Harrow Council, and calling on the Government to truly end austerity in local government.”

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

“Education Funding Motion

Harrow Council believes education to be the foundation of our society, it is through education that we unlock the individual’s full potential and create a more equal and prosperous society for all.  This is why cuts to education are so catastrophic.

Harrow Council notes:

At the national level, per pupil funding has declined by 8% since 2010.

In Harrow, our schools are facing annual funding pressures of £77,000 for primary schools and £194,000 for secondary schools.

Since 2015, Harrow has suffered a net loss of 105 teachers in our maintained schools owing in part to recruitment and retention issues.

Harrow schools must bear the brunt of unfunded National Insurance increases.

Harrow schools see inadequate High Needs Block Funding, leaving our must vulnerable pupils without the support they need.

Harrow Council resolves:

To resist the Government’s ongoing cuts to school budgets and call for more funding to be invested in education.

To support national campaigns against school cuts

To call on the Government to fully fund the pay increase for teachers that is recommended by the School Teachers’ Review Body.”

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

“Modern Slavery Motion

Modern slavery continues to be a significant problem in Harrow.  In 2013 there is evidence that as many as 42 children were trafficked to the borough providing large revenue streams for criminal gangs.  Harrow Council has been proactive in its investigations into not only child trafficking but modern slavery as a whole.  This scourge affects all those who are vulnerable and it is for this reason that we have chosen to implement the following resolutions:

Harrow Council requests it’s Cabinet to:

1.            Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2.            Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for non-compliance.

3.            Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4.            Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5.            Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6.            Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

7.            Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8.            Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9.            Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

10.         Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.”

RESOLVED (Unanimously):  That Cabinet be requested to receive and consider the Motion set out at (iv) above.

“Women Against State Pension Inequality Motion

Harrow Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Thousands of women who live in Harrow, and hundreds of thousands nationally, had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995 and 2011 with little or no personal notification of the changes.  Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Thousands of women born in the 1950's are living in hardship. Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences. Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment. Women born in this decade are suffering financially. These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60. It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time. The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

Harrow Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.”

A tabled amendment was received and, having been further amended, was put to the vote and was carried.

Upon being put to the vote, the substantive Motion was agreed as follows:-

“Women Against State Pension Inequality Motion

Harrow Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6th April 1950, who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification.

Thousands of women who live in Harrow, and hundreds of thousands nationally, had significant pension changes imposed on them by the Pensions Acts of 1995, 2007 and 2011 under successive Governments, with little or no personal notification of the changes.  Some women had only two years notice of a six-year increase to their state pension age.

Thousands of women born in the 1950's are living in hardship.  Retirement plans have been shattered with devastating consequences.  Many of these women are already out of the labour market, caring for elderly relatives, providing childcare for grandchildren, or suffer discrimination in the workplace so struggle to find employment.  Women born in this decade are suffering financially.  These women have worked hard, raised families and paid their tax and national insurance with the expectation that they would be financially secure when reaching 60.  It is not the pension age itself that is in dispute - it is widely accepted that women and men should retire at the same time.  The issue is that the rise in the women's state pension age has been too rapid and has happened without sufficient notice being given to the women affected, leaving women with no time to make alternative arrangements.

The state pension is by far the largest benefit paid in the UK.  It is paid from National Insurance receipts paid by those in work - predominantly much younger people.  They are contributing to this benefit for an increasing proportion of our ageing population.  This is why both equalisation and extending the starting age were essential to make it more affordable.  Clearly a particular group of women have been adversely affected by this and communication of the changes was poor.  This is why we support the review of transitional arrangements which will be carried out.  The review should also include the effectiveness of communication with people affected by legislative changes.  The WASPI campaign has cross-party support.

Harrow Council calls upon the Government to reconsider transitional arrangements for women born on or after 6th April 1950, so that women do not live in hardship due to pension changes they were not told about until it was too late to make alternative arrangements.”

RESOLVED (unanimously):  That the Motion, as amended and set out above, be adopted.