Agenda item

To consider the following motion:

 

• Retention of school crossing patrols in Dulwich

 

• Safer neighbourhood team sergeants

 

• Local government pension scheme

MOTION 1 – RETENTION OF SCHOOL CROSSING PATROLS IN DULWICH

(See pages 19-21 of the main agenda)

 

This item was considered after the deputation from the Lollipop campaign/safe routes to school, prior to the guillotine having fallen.

 

The Mayor stated that following consultation with the whips and in line with council assembly procedure rule 1.6 she had agreed to vary the way that Motion 1 was considered as follows:

 

·  The motion and each amendment would be moved and seconded and then all the items would be opened up for debate

·  The Mayor would move to the vote on each amendment and the substantive motion.

 

Councillor Toby Eckersley, seconded by Councillor Michael Mitchell, moved Motion 1.

 

Councillor Rosie Shimell, seconded by Councillor Robin Crookshank Hilton, moved Amendment D.

 

Councillor Richard Livingstone, seconded by Councillor Helen Hayes, moved Amendment E.

 

Following debate (Councillors Barrie Hargrove and Lewis Robinson), Councillor Helen Morrissey, seconded by Councillor Ian Wingfield, moved that the vote be put.

 

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

 

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

 

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:

 

1.  That council assembly;

 

·  Notes the unprecedented financial situation the council must deal with following estimated Tory/Liberal Democrat government cuts over three years of £90 million to the council’s non-housing budget.

 

·  Notes that as part of looking for all possible sources of funding or ways of continuing to run school crossing patrols, senior council officers are currently in discussions with local schools; both private and community and local residents across the borough.

 

2.  That council assembly further notes following the deliberations of the Democracy Commission, the cabinet intends to propose as part of the forthcoming budget process the introduction of a cleaner, greener, safer revenue budget, equating to £10,000 per ward, for community councils to determine from 1 April 2012.

 

3.  That, therefore, council assembly invites Dulwich and those community councils affected by previously agreed budget savings to school crossing patrols to consider whether they wish to prioritise the continued funding of those crossing patrols as part of this cleaner, greener safer revenue spend from 2012/13 onwards.

 

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

 

MOTION 2 – SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS TEAM SERGEANTS

(See pages 19-21 of the main agenda)

 

The guillotine having fallen, Councillors Catherine Bowman and Robin Crookshank Hilton, formally moved and seconded the motion.

 

Councillors Kevin Ahern and Neil Coyle, 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 regrets the loss of five safer neighbourhood team sergeants in Southwark which is a direct result of the government’s 20% cut in the police grant.  Council assembly further regrets the decision by the Mayor of London to make these cuts irrespective of the level of crime in any borough.

 

2.  That council assembly notes that MPs from all parties had an opportunity to vote against this 20% cut in funding if they wanted to preserve police numbers in Southwark.  It welcomes the fact Harriet Harman and Tessa Jowell voted against this cut, but regrets that Simon Hughes, once again, abstained.

 

3.  That council assembly notes that the council’s budget allocated £5.5 million in contingency funds and that the figure of £9.5 million is incorrectly calculated.  Council assembly further notes that the quarter 2 revenue monitoring report considered by cabinet on 22 November indicates that £2.6 million of this contingency fund may need to be used to offset pressures in departmental budgets this year.

 

4.  That council assembly believes the council has demonstrated its ability to protect people from the worst excesses of the government; for instance, by introducing a £3 million youth fund as a direct response to the cut to educational maintenance allowances and the trebling of tuition fees.

 

5.  That, in the circumstances, council assembly urges the government to reverse its reckless cut to the Metropolitan Police’s budget and calls on Mayor Boris Johnson to maintain police numbers in Southwark.

 

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

 

MOTION 3 – LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEME

(See pages 19-21 of the main agenda)

 

The guillotine having fallen, Councillors Patrick Diamond and Mark Glover, formally moved and seconded the motion.

 

Councillors James Barber and Poddy Clark, formally moved and seconded Amendment G.

 

Amendment G 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 that the local government pension scheme is a sustainable, good quality pension scheme that benefits from being funded and locally managed.  It is valuable to employers and employees alike.

 

2.  That council assembly is concerned by proposals announced by the Chancellor in the last comprehensive spending review to impose an extra 3.2% contribution tax on scheme members, increasing scheme average member contributions from 6.6% to 9.8%.

 

3.  That council assembly also notes that none of the additional revenue raised from this increase will go towards improving the financial security of the scheme and risks the sustainability of public sector pension schemes in the long term by encouraging people to opt out of occupational schemes because they cannot afford to pay this increase; ultimately costing the tax payer more in the future.

 

4.  That council assembly welcomes the recent but limited change in position from the government and hopes that this indicates, after months of grandstanding, a willingness to finally enter into proper negotiations with trade unions.

 

5.  That council assembly believes that both private and public service workers have suffered as a result of the austerity measures of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government and regrets the impact any industrial action will have on people in Southwark who rely on council services.  We urge both the government and unions to explore every other possible course of action.

 

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