Agenda item

To consider the following motions:

 

·  Building more affordable homes in Southwark

·  Transport improvements

·  Low water pressure in Bermondsey

·  East Street Market.

(See pages 48 – 52 of the main agenda)

 

MOTION 1 – BUILDING MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES IN SOUTHWARK(See page 49 of the main agenda)

 

Councillor Adele Morris, seconded by Councillor Ben Johnson, moved the motion.

 

The Mayor stated that there was one amendment to the motion.

 

Councillor Lucas Green, seconded by Councillor Jasmine Ali, moved Amendment B.

 

Following debate (Councillors Mark Williams, Maisie Anderson, Anood Al-Samerai and Richard Livingstone), at 9.45pm the Mayor stated that the time for consideration of motions had expired and the meeting would move to the vote on all the outstanding amendments and motions listed under item 4.2.

 

Amendment B was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That council assembly:

 

1.  Notes the escalating housing crisis in London and Southwark and the desperate need for more genuinely affordable housing for residents.

 

2.  Further notes the negative impact that policies in the Conservative government’s Housing and Planning Bill will have on the construction of new affordable homes and access to existing affordable housing.  These policies include:

 

·  Extending the right to buy to housing association tenants.

 

·  Requiring councils to sell vacant high-value properties to fund the extended right to buy policy.

 

·  Introducing a ‘Pay to Stay’ scheme, where households with an income over £40,000 pay a higher rent to stay in their council or housing association home.

 

·  Forcing local authorities to reduce tenants’ rents by £1 a week and thereby reducing the council’s housing budget by £62.5m.

 

·  Extending the definition of ‘affordable housing’ to Starter Homes and requiring councils to promote them.

 

·  A reduction in the annual benefit cap for families to £23,000 in London making private rented housing even more unaffordable.

 

3.  Acknowledges the steps the administration is taking in Southwark to solve the housing crisis, including building 11,000 new council homes over thirty years, the first 1,500 of which will be delivered by the end of 2018.

 

4.  Condemns the previous Conservative/Liberal Democrat government for cutting the affordable housing grant by 70%, making it more difficult for councils to build much-needed affordable homes.

 

5.  Believes that the scale of the housing crisis requires additional help from the Mayor of London to build new social rented housing in Southwark and other boroughs.

 

6.  Calls on the cabinet to support plans for the future Mayor of London to:

 

·  support councils and housing associations to build homes for social rent

 

·  support councils to enforce clear, new rules to maximise the affordable housing in new developments

 

·  support Londoners struggling to rent private by providing Homes for London Living Rent and improving Londoners’ experience of private renting by enabling London councils to strengthen renters’ rights over tenancy lengths, rent rises, and the quality of accommodation

 

·  provide homes to buy for Londoners, including for first-time buyers, by building new homes on land owned by the Mayor and tying in long-term planning for new and affordable homes with new transport infrastructure, including the Bakerloo Line extension.

 

Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.

 

MOTION 2 – TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENTS(See page 50 of the main agenda)

 

The time limit for the consideration of motions having been reached, Councillors Renata Hamvas and Tom Flynn were deemed to have formally moved and seconded the motion.

 

Councillors Damian O’Brien and James Barber formally moved and seconded Amendment C.

 

Amendment C was put to the vote and declared to be lost.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That council assembly realises how essential good public transport is for residents in Southwark to carry out their day to day lives.

 

2.  That council assembly recognises that transport fares are one of the biggest costs many households in the borough face.

 

3.  That council assembly also is aware of the significant transport problems on trains across south east London, including overcrowding at London Bridge, Peckham Rye and Canada Water Stations, proposed ticket office closures, and unacceptable delays, cancellations and lack of capacity on the Govia Thameslink's Catford loop  affecting passengers at Nunhead, Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill, and Elephant and Castle and reiterates its call for Transport for London (TfL) to run all rail services in south east London in order to have a properly integrated transport system.

 

4.  That council assembly acknowledges this administration’s commitment to prioritising sustainable journeys, including walking and cycling, to help minimise the environmental impact of transport and make this borough a safer, cleaner and healthier place to live and work.

 

5.  That council assembly believes that our city needs a Mayor who will stand up for Londoners and deliver affordable, reliable public transport, and therefore welcomes London Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan’s commitments to:

 

·  Freeze all TfL Underground, Docklands Light Railway and Overground and travelcard fares for four years, freeze bus fares following a first-year cut in fares, and introduce a one-hour bus ticket;

 

·  Push TfL to take on more London commuter rail services so that responsibility for all transport within London lies with the Mayor;

 

·  Ensure that London councils are given a central role in planning London’s transport infrastructure;

 

·  Champion new measures to encourage cycling and walking and prioritise 'Quiet Ways' to broaden London’s safe cycle network, completing the roll out of the existing town centre cycling improvement plans; and make it easier and safer for our residents to cycle around the borough.

 

Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.

 

MOTION 3 – LOW WATER PRESSURE IN BERMONDSEY(See page 51 of the main agenda)

 

The time limit for the consideration of motions having been reached, Councillors Hamish McCallum and Eliza Mann were deemed to have formally moved and seconded the motion.

 

Councillors Anood Al-Samerai and Ben Johnsonwere deemed to have formally moved and seconded Amendment D.

 

Councillors Kath Whittam and Andy Simmons were deemed to have formally moved and seconded Amendment E.

 

Amendment D was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

Amendment E was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That council assembly:

 

1.  Notes with concern ongoing reports from residents and businesses about low water pressure affecting residents across the borough, which is causing problems for residents with daily essentials, including boilers, showers and washing machines.

 

2.  Further notes that Thames Water has acknowledged that the low pressure is a deliberate strategy to reduce burst water mains in the area.

 

3.  Believes that it is unacceptable that thousands of Southwark residents and businesses, especially those on higher floors, should have to suffer a reduction in water pressure while still being required to pay for a full service.

 

4.  Notes that the council has raised this issue with Thames Water and that Thames Water has apologised for the impact on residents and has agreed to increase water pressure in Rotherhithe following an investigation into over 150 properties in the area.

 

5.  Welcomes the announcement last week from Thames Water that is has increased water pressure in the area following pressure from local councillors and after an additional survey found that the problem was much more extensive than originally thought.

 

6.  Further notes that the council has installed booster pumps in 25 council buildings to improve water pressure.

 

7.  Calls on the cabinet to:

 

·  ensure that all residents living in blocks where the council is the freeholder also benefit from this return to normal water pressure; and

 

·  continue working with Thames Water to resolve low water pressure issues for residents across the borough.

 

Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.

 

MOTION 4 – EAST STREET MARKET(See page 51 of the main agenda)

 

The time limit for the consideration of motions having been reached, Councillors Lorraine Lauder and Samantha Jury-Dada were deemed to have formally moved and seconded the motion.

 

Councillors Rosie Shimell and Maria Linforth-Hallwere deemed to have formally moved and seconded Amendment F.

 

Amendment F was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

The substantive motion was put to the vote and declared to be carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.  That council assembly celebrates the rich diversity, cultural heritage and many opportunities within the East Street Market, which is one of London’s oldest, largest and busiest markets and has been used by local people for decades.

 

2.  That council assembly recognises that improvements are needed to revive the market, to encourage new traders into empty shop units and to create an easier and more sociable shopping experience for the public, including improvements to street cleaning around the market and blocks surrounding East Street.

 

3.  That council assembly welcomes the £207,000 awarded to East Street Market from Southwark Council and the Greater London Assembly (GLA) to regenerate and develop the market.

 

4.  That council assembly calls on the cabinet to work closely with market traders and local businesses to encourage a stronger working partnership and to bring forward improvements to the market which build on the character of the market, encourage growth, and help attract a wider range of customers.

 

Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the cabinet for consideration.