The following Motions have been notified in accordance with the requirements of Council Procedure Rule 14, to be moved and seconded by the Members indicated:
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(1) A&E Crisis
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To be moved by Councillor David Perry and seconded by Councillor Margaret Davine.
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The Council is proud of our National Health Service (NHS) and its achievements since its inception. We congratulate NHS on its 65th birthday and resolve to work to make it even stronger and better for the sake of improved health and wellbeing of the people of Harrow and this Country. However, this Council is extremely worried about the crisis in local A&E services in Northwick Park Hospital. The people of Harrow deserve better services and the Coalition Government is failing local people. Recent statistics suggest that the A&E waiting times of over 4 hours are the second worst in London at Northwick Park. This is even before the disastrous closure of other local A&E services in neighbouring Boroughs. Alternative provision, in Harrow such as Alexandra Polyclinic has reduced its walk-in hours and locally it is difficult to get a convenient GP appointment quickly.
It also means that the Coalition Government's own target that no more than 5% of patients should wait for more than four hours has been breached.
Furthermore cuts in social care driven by Eric Pickles' reductions to Council budgets is causing patients to stay in hospital longer, blocking beds for operations and for those admitted to A&E. In Harrow, our residents who are most in need are suffering unnecessarily due to David Cameron’s crippling policies in the NHS and beyond. The elderly and parents with children are especially affected by these recent developments and the situation in Harrow is set to get worse.
This Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to:
1) Write to Jeremy Hunt MP (Secretary of State for Health) urging for a local review.
2) Call on local GPs through the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to increase the hours at Alexandra Clinic for walk-in patients.
3) Invite the Chief Executives of Northwick Park & CCG to attend a meeting in the Council Chamber open to the public to allow local people to discuss the crisis and its causes with the key health service providers and users.
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(2) Planning: Change of Use allowing conversion of Offices to Residential Accommodation
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To be moved by Councillor Keith Ferry and seconded by Councillor Navin Shah.
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This Council calls upon the Government to revoke its policy allowing the conversion of offices into residential accommodation without requiring planning permission.
The Council note that:
Harrow together with almost every London Borough asked for exemption from the policy but the Government has failed to listen, with the exception of some inner London Boroughs, to the strong case made against the change of use policy.
Harrow applied for exemption for the ‘Intensification Area’ but the Government has declined the request leaving the Council to face major problems in achieving its economic, regeneration, jobs and housing objectives.
The Council is outraged that the Mayor of London has failed to stand up to Government and oppose the policy and request exemptions for Harrow and other Outer London Boroughs.
The Council calls upon the Mayor of London to lobby the Government to scrap this policy.
The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government and Mayor of London to revoke the change of use policy.
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(3) PRISM
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To be moved by Councillor Sachin Shah and seconded by Councillor Phillip O’Dell.
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The Council congratulates Cllr Thaya Idaikkadar in being the Chair of the meeting of Cabinet that passed the PRISM business case first time. He showed strong determination in making that tough decision. This decision must now be carried out.
PRISM will achieve a minimum saving to the Council of £1.85 million by changing the way services are organised and delivered, bringing together similar functions and reducing the number of managers to create a new operating model for the council that delivers for the residents of Harrow rather than a cut in service levels or standards.
The Council therefore fully supports the project and instructs the Chief Executive to continue and swiftly move the project to its logical conclusion, which the Leader of the Council approved himself.
Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 14.6, it is considered that the subject matter of this Motion refers to matters within the powers of the Cabinet and the Motion should therefore stand referred to its next meeting. However, in accordance with 14.6, the Leader of the Labour Group has notified his right to exercise his wish that this Motion, falling within the powers of the Executive, be first debated by Council. The Motion will therefore be subject to debate following the disposal of any Motions falling within the business reserved to Council.
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(4) Domestic Extensions
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To be moved by Councillor Keith Ferry and seconded by Councillor Mrinal Choudhury.
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The Council strongly condemns Nick Boles, the Planning Minister’s policy that would allow extension of homes by as much as 26ft without planning consent – double the current limit – without requiring planning permission. The Council is strongly opposed to this policy and urges the Government to scrap the policy forthwith for the following grounds:
· The policy would lead to uncontrolled proliferation of unsightly buildings and create massive overdevelopment of traditional homes.
· The policy would pitch neighbours against neighbours because of the loss of amenity.
· There would be serious impact on the character of the area with major and unacceptable consequences on homes with smaller gardens.
· Local Planning Authorities (councils) will be rendered powerless due to lack of control on the quality of accommodation and will put extraordinary pressures on its enforcement responsibilities with no financial help from the Government.
· Increase risk of flooding as warned by the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency.
This national ‘free-for-all’ home extensions policy will have major consequences affecting the environment, character of the local area and the amenity of local residents. The Council resolves that the Chief Executive writes to the Government to scrap this policy. The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government to revoke the policy on extensions.
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(5) Supporting the Financial Transaction Tax (Ftt)
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To be moved by Councillor Sachin Shah and seconded by Councillor Graham Henson.
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This Council notes the suffering forced upon Harrow residents as a result of this Tory led Government’s cuts programme and asserts that there is an alternative to its ideologically driven attack on public services – namely a ?nancial Transaction Tax on the speculative activities that have accelerated the recent enrichment of the few to the detriment of the many. The council therefore calls upon Government to enact the FTT and use the revenues from this measure to reverse on-going shrinkage in central grants to Harrow Council.
The Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Harrow’s 3 MPs stating this Council’s support for the FTT. |
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Minutes:
MOTION – A&E Crises
(i) At Item 13 (1), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors David Perry and Margaret Davine in the following terms:
“The Council is proud of our National Health Service (NHS) and its achievements since its inception. We congratulate NHS on its 65th birthday and resolve to work to make it even stronger and better for the sake of improved health and wellbeing of the people of Harrow and this Country.
However, this Council is extremely worried about the crisis in local A&E services in Northwick Park Hospital. The people of Harrow deserve better services and the Coalition Government is failing local people. Recent statistics suggest that the A&E waiting times of over 4 hours are the second worst in London at Northwick Park. This is even before the disastrous closure of other local A&E services in neighbouring Boroughs. Alternative provision, in Harrow such as Alexandra Polyclinic has reduced its walk-in hours and locally it is difficult to get a convenient GP appointment quickly.
It also means that the Coalition Government's own target that no more than 5% of patients should wait for more than four hours has been breached.
Furthermore cuts in social care driven by Eric Pickles' reductions to Council budgets is causing patients to stay in hospital longer, blocking beds for operations and for those admitted to A&E.
In Harrow, our residents who are most in need are suffering unnecessarily due to David Cameron’s crippling policies in the NHS and beyond. The elderly and parents with children are especially affected by these recent developments and the situation in Harrow is set to get worse.
This Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to:
1) Write to Jeremy Hunt MP (Secretary of State for Health) urging for a local review.
2) Call on local GPs through the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to increase the hours at Alexandra Clinic for walk-in patients.
3) Invite the Chief Executives of Northwick Park & CCG to attend a meeting in the Council Chamber open to the public to allow local people to discuss the crisis and its causes with the key health service providers and users.”
(i) There was a tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Barry Macleod-Cullinane and Councillor Susan Hall, which sought to amend the Motion but this was withdrawn.
(ii) There was a further tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Krishna James and Husain Akhtar, which sought to amend the Motion as follows:
“The Council is proud of our National Health Service (NHS) and its achievements since its inception. We congratulate NHS on its 65th birthday and resolve to work to make it even stronger and better for the sake of improved health and wellbeing of the people of Harrow and this Country.
This Council would like to draw attention to the Harrow Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee response to the Joint Overview and Health Scrutiny Committee which in its report, highlighted concerns regarding potential problems of increased numbers at Northwick Park A & E. This concern was recorded in the final report together with concerns about lack of disabled friendly train access. It is within this context that we would like more and better A&E arrangements at Northwick Park Hospital while recognising the pressure on the hospital resources due to the down-grading of A&E at some neighbouring hospitals.
This Council recognises that any improvement in the status of the hospital and more resources because of this, would eventually provide better hospital services and patient care but in the meantime the hospital should keep looking for ways to provide best patient care and services.
This Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to:
1) Write to the Chief Executive of Northwick Park to inform him about our resolve and invite him to keep us informed of future developments such as the hospital becoming a Trauma Unit or acquiring Foundation Trust status. We also urge that measures be taken to maintain good quality services as a part of the hospital business plan for future developments.
2) Write to Jeremy Hunt MP (Secretary of State for Health) urging a local review before any changes are made.
3) Call on local GPs through the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to increase the hours at Alexandra Clinic for walk-in patients.”
(iii) Upon a vote, the amendment at (iii) was carried;
(iv) Upon a further vote, the substantive Motion at as amended was unanimously agreed.
RESOLVED: That the substantive Motion as amended and set out at (iii) above, be adopted.
Motion – Planning: Changes of Use
(i) At Item 13 (2), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors Keith Ferry and Navin Shah in the following terms:
“This Council calls upon the Government to revoke its policy allowing the conversion of offices into residential accommodation without requiring planning permission.
The Council note that:
Harrow together with almost every London Borough asked for exemption from the policy but the Government has failed to listen, with the exception of some inner London Boroughs, to the strong case made against the change of use policy.
Harrow applied for exemption for the ‘Intensification Area’ but the Government has declined the request leaving the Council to face major problems in achieving its economic, regeneration, jobs and housing objectives.
The Council is outraged that the Mayor of London has failed to stand up to Government and oppose the policy and request exemptions for Harrow and other Outer London Boroughs.
The Council calls upon the Mayor of London to lobby the Government to scrap this policy.
The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government and Mayor of London to revoke the change of use policy.”
(ii) There was a tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Stephen Greek and Marilyn Ashton, which sought to amend the Motion as follows:
“This Council calls upon the government to revoke its policy allowing the conversion of offices into residential accommodation without requiring planning permission.
The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government to revoke the change of use policy.”
(iii) Upon a vote, the amendment at (ii) was carried;
(iv) Upon a further vote, the substantive Motion as amended was unanimously agreed.
RESOLVED: That the substantive Motion as amended and set out at (ii) above, be adopted.
MOTION – PRISM
(i) At Item 13 (3), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors Sachin Shah and Phillip O’Dell in the following terms:
“The Council congratulates Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar in being the Chair of the meeting of Cabinet that passed the PRISM business case first time. He showed strong determination in making that tough decision. This decision must now be carried out.
PRISM will achieve a minimum saving to the Council of £1.85 million by changing the way services are organised and delivered, bringing together similar functions and reducing the number of managers to create a new operating model for the council that delivers for the residents of Harrow rather than a cut in service levels or standards.
The Council therefore fully supports the project and instructs the Chief Executive to continue and swiftly move the project to its logical conclusion, which the Leader of the Council approved himself.”
(ii) There was a tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Asad Omar and David Gawn, which sought to amend the Motion as follows:
“The Council congratulates Councillor Thaya Idaikkadar in being the Chair of the meeting of Cabinet that passed the PRISM business case first time. He showed strong determination in making that tough decision. This decision can only be carried out with careful thought to ensure that the Council and Residents benefit as proposed.
This Council further congratulates the Leader and his Cabinet for having the courage to take a second look at the impact of Prism on our staff and residents. Whilst PRISM aimed to achieve a minimum saving to the Council of £1.85 million, the complaints from staff have led us, as a listening Council to take a closer look at the impact of PRISM.
The Council commends the Chief Executive and Corporate Director for the work put into further consultation of staff with a view to ensuring that PRISM delivers for the residents of Harrow rather than a cut in service levels or standards.
(iii) Upon a vote, the amendment at (ii) was lost;
(iv) Upon a further vote, the substantive Motion at (i) was also lost.
RESOLVED: That the Motion not be adopted.
MOTION - Domestic Extensions
(i) At Item 13 (4), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors Keith Ferry and Mrinal Choudhury in the following terms:
“The Council strongly condemns Nick Boles, the Planning Minister’s policy that would allow extension of homes by as much as 26ft without planning consent – double the current limit – without requiring planning permission. The Council is strongly opposed to this policy and urges the Government to scrap the policy forthwith for the following grounds:
· The policy would lead to uncontrolled proliferation of unsightly buildings and create massive overdevelopment of traditional homes.
· The policy would pitch neighbours against neighbours because of the loss of amenity.
· There would be serious impact on the character of the area with major and unacceptable consequences on homes with smaller gardens.
· Local Planning Authorities (Councils) will be rendered powerless due to lack of control on the quality of accommodation and will put extraordinary pressures on its enforcement responsibilities with no financial help from the Government.
· Increase risk of flooding as warned by the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency.
This national ‘free-for-all’ home extensions policy will have major consequences affecting the environment, character of the local area and the amenity of local residents. The Council resolves that the Chief Executive writes to the Government to scrap this policy. The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government to revoke the policy on extensions.”
(ii) There wasa tabled amendment in the names of Councillors Stephen Greek and Marilyn Ashton, which sought to amend the Motion as follows:
“The Council strongly condemns Nick Boles, the Planning Minister’s policy that would allow extension of homes by as much as 26ft without planning consent – double the current limit – without requiring planning permission. The Council is strongly opposed to this policy and urges the Government to scrap the policy forthwith for the following grounds:
· The policy would lead to uncontrolled proliferation of unsightly buildings and create massive overdevelopment of traditional homes.
The policy would pitch neighbours against neighbours because of the loss of amenity.
There would be serious impact on the character of the area with major and unacceptable consequences on homes with smaller gardens.
Local Planning Authorities (councils) will be rendered powerless due to lack of control on the quality of accommodation and will put extraordinary pressures on its enforcement responsibilities with no financial help from the Government.
Increase risk of flooding as warned by the Local Government Association and the Environment Agency.
This national home extensions policy will have major consequences affecting the environment, character of the local area and the amenity of local residents. The Council resolves that the Chief Executive writes to the Government to scrap this policy. The Council further agrees that the Chief Executive writes to the Harrow MPs and Assembly Member to support this motion and write to the Government to revoke the policy on extensions.”
(iii) Upon a vote, the amendment at (ii) was carried;
(iv) Upon a vote, the substantive Motion as amended was agreed unanimously.
RESOLVED: That the substantive Motion as amended and set out at (ii) be adopted.
MOTION - Supporting the Financial Transaction on Tax (FTT)
(i) At Item 13 (4), the Council received a Motion in the names of Councillors Sachin Shah and Graham Henson in the following terms:
“This Council notes the suffering forced upon Harrow residents as a result of this Tory led Government’s cuts programme and asserts that there is an alternative to its ideologically driven attack on public services – namely a ?nancial Transaction Tax on the speculative activities that have accelerated the recent enrichment of the few to the detriment of the many. The council therefore calls upon Government to enact the FTT and use the revenues from this measure to reverse on-going shrinkage in central grants to Harrow Council.
The Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Chancellor and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Harrow’s 3 MPs stating this Council’s support for the FTT.”
(ii) Upon a vote, the Motion was lost.
RESOLVED: That the Motion not be adopted.