Minutes:
The Mayor announced that a late amendment had been received to the motion.
The guillotine having fallen, Councillors David Noakes and Tim McNally, formally moved and seconded the motion.
The Mayor stated that Amendment G had been withdrawn.
Councillors Caroline Pidgeon and Adele Morris formally moved and seconded the late amendment.
The late amendment 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 notes the Labour government review of the last year of the 3-year special grant for concessionary fares to support the introduction of the English national concession which has resulted in London losing £28.6 million from the funding it had already been promised.
2. That council assembly condemns this decision for the following reasons:
a) It means the council is likely to lose around £1,000,000 of already promised central government funding in 2010-11.
b) It goes against sensible financial planning as the government is proposing unilateral changes to the final year of a three year funding settlement.
c) The announcement is very late and creates huge uncertainty for London boroughs in dealing with Transport for London (TfL) by the end of December.
3. That council assembly notes with anger that every other urban area in the country will receive a 100% subsidy from the Labour government for the cost of elderly and disabled travel, while London council taxpayers will have to contribute between one half and a third of the cost of the scheme in the capital.
4. That council assembly supports the view of London Councils’ Chairman, Councillor Merrick Cockell, who said earlier today: “The government’s decision at this late stage to renege on the deal they had already agreed is absolutely stunning and will be met with anger across the capital.”
5. That council assembly calls on the executive members for resources and health and adult care to write to the Minister for London and the Junior Transport Minister, Sadiq Khan, in the strongest possible terms, to express its anger and demand that London boroughs get a fair deal.
6. That council assembly calls on the executive to use all appropriate means to publicise this funding withdrawal, particularly among Southwark residents applying for freedom passes.
Note: This motion will be referred as a recommendation to the executive for consideration.