Agenda item

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)           Police and Community Safety Motion

 

 

To be moved by Councillor Anjana Patel and seconded by Councillor Paul Osborn:

 

 

“Harrow Council notes the recent reforms and improvements to the police across England and Wales since 2019. This council is grateful for the 3,109 more police officers in London, as a part of the over 15,300 more police officers in England and Wales recruited since 2019 and calls on the government to continue its drive to have recruited an extra 20,000 police officers by 2023.

 

This Council notes:

 

·       The change to national policy that will see every report of home burglary having a police visit, ensuring that every victim of such an invasive crime will be given the attention they deserve

·       Residents’ concern about the impact that illegal and disruptive protests have had on our country in recent years

·       That the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act has strengthened the power that police have tackling such action

·       The further positive impacts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act on dealing with sexual offences, including extending the scope of the offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, providing greater powers for the management of sex offenders and toughening around child sex offences

·       The substantial increase of police funding to £16.9 billion, part of which will be used to give every police officer a £1,900 uplift in their salary this year

·       Under Mayor Sadiq Khan’s tenure at City Hall 38 police stations have been closed, reducing the visibility of local policing

·       Mayor Khan has increased his office budget by over 60% since 2016 and now costs the London taxpayer over £6 million

 

This Council resolves to:

 

·       Cooperate with the government on future funding for our local police service

·       Support officers new to the area through providing forums for them to meet with residents

·       Provide resources for residents to keep in contact with new police officers in the area

·       Call on Mayor Khan to slash his office budget and reinvest the funding in further extra policing.

 

(2)         Free School Meals Motion

 

To be moved by Councillor Stephen Hickman and seconded by Councillor Rashmi Kalu:

 

“Council acknowledges that we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis that is affecting households right across our borough. Families are really struggling, which is having an awful impact on children who are not getting the food they need to grow up healthy. 

 

Given the scale of the challenge, Free School Meals guarantee children a hot, nutritious meal every lunchtime. They help hard-working families save money, and support pupils to learn and concentrate at school.

 

Council Notes:-

 

·       The financial burden food costs place on families, particularly those on lower incomes. 

·       The evidence from the voluntary sector and community and faith groups, who are supplying food to an increasing number of Harrow residents.

·       The evidence of the growing number of Harrow primary schools offering food parcels to the families in their communities.

·       Reports from school leaders that more children are bringing in an unsatisfactory lunch with many going without.

·       Currently only pupils in reception and KS1 are entitled to universal Free School Meals in Harrow. Given the cost of living crisis, this Council is deeply concerned that Nursery children in our maintained schools and nurseries are excluded from this offer and that the eligibility is set too low for many families who are struggling to benefit (currently £7,400).

·       The existing commitment to supporting less well-off families with cost of food during school holidays through the recent and welcome funding from central government via the Household support fund, however this is only short term with no guarantee for the future.

·       Currently there are 800,000 children in England who are living in poverty but don’t qualify for Free School Meals.

·       Children of parents who receive Working Tax Credits do not qualify for free school meals.

·       The recent Government report published on the 29th September, with the Resolution Foundation estimating that absolute poverty will increase by over 3 million people between 2021/22 and 2022/23, including 1 million children.

 

Council believes that:-

 

·       We should do all we can to help children living in poverty to achieve and thrive.

·       That ensuring our youngest students are included in our Free School Meal offer is a critical tool to achieving the longer-term benefits a healthy start in life brings and that it is right that the potential of such a scheme be explored.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

·       Call upon the Leader of the Council to:

·       Publish a detailed assessment of the issues and costs associated with an extension of Harrow’s Free School meal offer to include all 3 and 4 year olds in maintained nursery and primary schools in the Borough, given the importance of this, to do so by the end of November 2022;

 

·       Include the assessment in the development of the 2023 Council Budget as part of the budget setting process.

 

·       Implement the Auto-enrolment to free school meals.”

 

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 15.6, this Motion is moved by the Leader of the Opposition, as it relates to a matter within the powers of the Executive, to not stand automatically referred to the next meeting of the Executive but shall be dealt with as if Council Procedure Rule 15.7.1 applied.

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

(i)             “Police and Community Safety Motion

 

 

Motion in the names of Councillor Paul Osborn and Councillor Anjana Patel

 

 

Harrow Council notes the recent reforms and improvements to the police across England and Wales since 2019.  This council is grateful for the 3,109 more police officers in London, as a part of the over 15,300 more police officers in England and Wales recruited since 2019 and calls on the government to continue its drive to have recruited an extra 20,000 police officers by 2023.

 

This Council notes:

 

·                The change to national policy that will see every report of home burglary having a police visit, ensuring that every victim of such an invasive crime will be given the attention they deserve

·                Residents’ concern about the impact that illegal and disruptive protests have had on our country in recent years

·                That the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act has strengthened the power that police have tackling such action

·                The further positive impacts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act on dealing with sexual offences, including extending the scope of the offences in the Sexual Offences Act 2003, providing greater powers for the management of sex offenders and toughening around child sex offences

·                The substantial increase of police funding to £16.9 billion, part of which will be used to give every police officer a £1,900 uplift in their salary this year

·                Under Mayor Sadiq Khan’s tenure at City Hall 38 police stations have been closed, reducing the visibility of local policing

·                Mayor Khan has increased his office budget by over 60% since 2016 and now costs the London taxpayer over £6 million

 

This Council resolves to:

 

·                Cooperate with the government on future funding for our local police service

·                Support officers new to the area through providing forums for them to meet with residents

·                Provide resources for residents to keep in contact with new police officers in the area

·                Call on Mayor Khan to slash his office budget and reinvest the funding in further extra policing.”

 

A tabled amendment was received. In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.11, Councillor Paul Osborn raised a point of order stating that the amendment should be ruled out due to Council Procedure Rule 17.6.1.  The Mayor stated that, having taken advice from the Monitoring Officer, the amendment was ruled out.

 

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

 

[Note: Councillors Stephen Greek and Susan Hall left the room for the discussion and vote on this item].

 

(ii)           “Motion - Free School Meals

 

 

Motion in the names of Councillor Rashmi Kalu and Councillor Asif Hussain

 

 

Council acknowledges that we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis that is affecting households right across our borough.  Families are really struggling, which is having an awful impact on children who are not getting the food they need to grow up healthy. 

 

Given the scale of the challenge, Free School Meals guarantee children a hot, nutritious meal every lunchtime.    They help hard-working families save money, and support pupils to learn and concentrate at school.

 

Council Notes:-

 

·       The financial burden food costs place on families, particularly those on lower incomes. 

·       The evidence from the voluntary sector and community and faith groups, who are supplying food to an increasing number of Harrow residents.

·       The evidence of the growing number of Harrow primary schools offering food parcels to the families in their communities.

·       Reports from school leaders that more children are bringing in an unsatisfactory lunch with many going without.

·       Currently only pupils in reception and KS1 are entitled to universal Free School Meals in Harrow.  Given the cost of living crisis, this Council is deeply concerned that Nursery children in our maintained schools and nurseries are excluded from this offer and that the eligibility is set too low for many families who are struggling to benefit (currently £7,400).

·       The existing commitment to supporting less well-off families with cost of food during school holidays through the recent and welcome funding from central government via the Household support fund, however this is only short term with no guarantee for the future.

·       Currently there are 800,000 children in England who are living in poverty but don’t qualify for Free School Meals.

·       Children of parents who receive Working Tax Credits do not qualify for free school meals.

·       The recent Government report published on the 29th September, with the Resolution Foundation estimating that absolute poverty will increase by over 3 million people between 2021/22 and 2022/23, including 1 million children.

 

Council believes that:-

 

·       We should do all we can to help children living in poverty to achieve and thrive.

·       That ensuring our youngest students are included in our Free School Meal offer is a critical tool to achieving the longer-term benefits a healthy start in life brings and that it is right that the potential of such a scheme be explored.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

·       Call upon the Leader of the Council to:

o   Publish a detailed assessment of the issues and costs associated with an extension of Harrow’s Free School meal offer to include all 3 and 4 year olds in maintained nursery and primary schools in the Borough, given the importance of this, to do so by the end of November 2022;

 

o   Include the assessment in the development of the 2023 Council Budget as part of the budget setting process.

 

o   Implement the Auto-enrolment to free school meals.”

 

A tabled amendment was received put to the vote and was carried.  Upon the meeting moving to the vote on the substantive Motion it was carried. 

 

RESOLVED:  That the Motion, as amended and as set out below, be agreed:

 

 

“Free School Meals

 

The Council has previously declared a cost of living emergency, which is affecting households right across our borough, due to Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and the ongoing economic fallout of the Covid pandemic.  Families are really struggling, which is having an awful impact on children who are not getting the food they need to grow up healthy.  The Council and the government have provided significant support to help Harrow’s residents.

 

Free School Meals guarantee children a hot, nutritious meal every lunchtime.  They help hard-working families save money, and support pupils to learn and concentrate at school.

 

Council Notes:-

 

·       The financial burden food costs place on families, particularly those on lower incomes. 

·       The evidence from the voluntary sector and community and faith groups, who are supplying food to an increasing number of Harrow residents.

·       The evidence of the growing number of Harrow primary schools offering food parcels to the families in their communities.

·       Reports from school leaders that more children are bringing in an unsatisfactory lunch with many going without.

·       Currently only pupils in reception and KS1 are entitled to universal Free School Meals in Harrow. Given the cost of living crisis, this Council is deeply concerned that Nursery children in our maintained schools and nurseries are excluded from this offer and that the eligibility is set too low for many families who are struggling to benefit (currently £7,400).

·       The welcome and massive commitment to supporting less well-off families with cost of food during school holidays through the central government’s Household Support Fund.  This has resulted in Harrow receiving £4.5 million over the last 18 months and we are projected to receive a further £3 million in 2023/24.

·       Children of parents who receive Working Tax Credits do not qualify for free school meals.

 

·       The Conservative government has implemented a number of measures to ease the cost of living, including:

o   A £150 Council Tax rebate and a £400 discount to energy bills in the autumn.

o   £326, the first of two cost of living payments, was automatically paid into 7 million bank accounts in July 2022 as part of the government’s £37 billion support package. The second instalment of £324 was paid to qualifying residents in October 2022.

o   The government confirmed at the Autumn Statement that working age benefits would be uprated by 10%. On average, a family on Universal Credit will benefit by around £600.

o   The government will provide an additional cost of living payment of £900 to households on means tested benefits in 2023/24.

·       Harrow Council’s new Conservative administration are introducing policies which will save residents money and supporting those in need:

o   1 Hour of free on street parking commenced in August 2022.

o   1 Hour of free parking in Council owned car parks will be available from January 2023. 

o   In January 2023, the Council will introduce a free bulky waste collection service for residents.

o   Extended holiday free school meals through to Easter 2023. The Council transferred £753,817 to schools for them to provide free school meals vouchers for approximately 6,500 households with children during the school holidays.

o   Has supported Help Harrow and the London Community Kitchen to continue providing crucial food provision for those in need.

Council believes that:-

 

·       We should do all we can to help children living in poverty to achieve and thrive.

·       That ensuring our youngest students are included in our Free School Meal offer is a critical tool to achieving the longer-term benefits a healthy start in life brings and that it is right that the potential of such a scheme be explored.

·       The government deserves credit for the extensive support Harrow Council has received.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

·       Call upon the Leader of the Council to:

o   Publish a detailed assessment of the issues and costs associated with an extension of Harrow’s Free School meal offer to include all 3 and 4 year olds in maintained nursery and primary schools in the Borough, given the importance of this, to do so by the end of December 2022;

 

o   Include the assessment in the development of the 2023 Council Budget as part of the budget setting process.

 

o   Continue with the Auto-enrolment for free school meals.”

 

[Note: Councillor Stephen Hickman left the room for the discussion and voting on this item].

 

Supporting documents: