Agenda item

To consider motions referred from council assembly 25 November 2015 on the following:

 

·  Employment and local economy

·  Arnold Estate warm, dry and safe works programme

·  End cuts to policing in London

·  Great London Nation Park City campaign

·  Extend the 42 bus route

·  Trade Union Bill

·  Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

·  The Housing and Planning Bill.

RESOLVED:

 

Employment and local economy

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

1.  That supporting a strong local economy, improving skills and employment opportunities, and in particular helping some of Southwark’s most vulnerable residents to access jobs is key for the council’s plan to achieve a fairer future for all.

 

2.  That despite the severe cuts to the council’s funding imposed on Southwark over the last five years under the Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition government, which continue to be imposed under the Tory government, this administration has continued to invest in the borough; growing the local economy, building more homes and creating more jobs and opportunities for local people.

 

3.  That council assembly regrets that instead of supporting people into work, the Government is continuing the coalition’s policies of penalising working families by cutting tax credits, hitting more than three million families in work who will lose £1,300 next year on average, and cutting Employment and Support Allowance pushing hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people further away from employment.

 

4.  That council assembly welcomes the steps this administration has taken to create employment opportunities for local people, including:

 

·  Supporting 1,450 residents into jobs since May 2014, including nearly 300 people with a range of complex barriers to employment including physical and mental health issues, caring responsibilities and other barriers.

 

·  Delivering employment support to residents in partnership with local and national organisations, including InSpire St Peters, St Giles Trust, Pecan, Royal Mencap and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

 

·  Promoting employer led skills provision through initiatives like the business forum and the creation of a new construction skills centre, due to open next year.

 

5.  That council assembly welcomes the council’s support for local businesses, including:

 

·  Supporting 24 business projects with £382,000 through the High Street Challenge.

 

·  Supporting Southwark employers to access £268,000 worth of finance to help their business to grow.

 

·  Providing direct access to council services for businesses through the council’s online business portal.

 

·  Supporting small local businesses to take on young people through the Southwark Employment and Enterprise Development Scheme (SEEDS), helping local employers to stimulate business growth and generating sustainable jobs and apprenticeships for young people.

 

6.  That council assembly welcomes this administration’s commitment to giving young people in Southwark the opportunity to fulfil their potential by:

 

·  Creating 2,000 new apprenticeships to give young people the opportunity to develop their skills and become work-ready.

 

·  Guaranteeing opportunities for every school leaver in Southwark to learn, work or train through the youth guarantee.

 

·  Introducing the Southwark apprenticeship standard to guarantee quality apprenticeships and ensure secure employment, a fair wage, quality training provision and mentoring support for apprentices.

 

7.  That council assembly also welcomes the council’s partnership work with neighbouring boroughs Lambeth and Lewisham, bringing in excess of £1 million worth of funding into the three boroughs to get residents up-skilled and into work through the ‘pathways to employment’ project, and establishing a joint committee to deliver a joined-up approach to employment and skills.

 

8.  That council assembly calls on the cabinet to:

 

·  Continue work on the youth guarantee, to ensure every young person in Southwark has the opportunity for employment, education or training.

 

·  Continue to invest in skills directly through council apprenticeships, and work with local businesses and partners to expand apprenticeships, particularly focusing on industries like construction where there are job opportunities in the borough.

 

·  Work in partnership with businesses and organisations in the borough to promote the London Living Wage, and encourage the take up of apprenticeships.

 

·  Continue working collaboratively with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to secure employment for the borough’s most vulnerable residents, and recognise the role of volunteering in Southwark for leading to employment opportunities.

 

9.  That council assembly recognises that national employment programmes do not always provide the right support at the right time to help people with more acute needs get back into work in places like Southwark. Therefore council assembly calls on the cabinet to work with other local authorities to campaign for greater devolution of employment and skills funding and powers to local government.

 

Arnold Estate warm, dry and safe works programme

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

That council assembly:

 

1.  Welcomes the improvements currently underway on the Arnold Estate as part of the warm, dry and safe programme.

 

2.  Notes that although the kitchens and bathrooms programme was brought forward to April 2015, the warm, dry and safe works on the Arnold Estate started before that, so it was not possible to bring the kitchens and bathrooms programme into the scope of the work.

 

3.  Notes that the council is spending £303.9m on housing investment works during 2015/16, which is significantly more than the council has ever spent before in a year.

 

4.  Regrets however that the impact of the Chancellor’s post-election decision to impose rent reductions on councils and housing associations without compensation, which will result in a net loss of £62m to the HRA over the next four years, unfortunately means that the council has to slow the proposed major works programme from that originally envisaged.

 

5.  Notes that no decision has yet been taken on when the kitchens and bathrooms work will take place at the Arnold Estate, as all proposals from 2017/18 onwards are currently being consulted on and a final decision will not be taken until March 2016, and therefore asks that Cabinet consider carefully the views on the programme set out by the tenants and residents of Arnold Estate carefully before taking its decision in March.

 

6.  Calls on the cabinet to ensure that despite the significant financial challenge, the kitchens and bathrooms programme is still delivered to all council properties, including the Arnold Estate.

 

End cuts to policing in London

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

That council assembly notes:

 

1.  As a result of the spending review in 2010 the Metropolitan Police Service has faced cuts of almost £600 million, totalling 20% of its budget. 

 

2.  The ‘safer neighbourhood team’ (SNT) model introduced by the previous Labour Mayor was widely welcomed by communities and saw each ward allocated a dedicated team of six officers (one sergeant, two police constables (PCs) and three police community support officers (PCSOs)).

 

3.  The introduction of Boris Johnson's local policing model dismantled SNTs reducing them to just a single dedicated PC and PCSO per ward, demonstrating the impact of a Tory Mayor on London and Londoners’ safety.

 

4.  Since May 2010, as a result of government cuts, London has lost 3,170 dedicated neighbourhood PCSOs, a cut of over 70% compared with May 2010. In Southwark 110 PCSOs have been lost since 2010.

 

5.  In December the Metropolitan Police Service management board will consider proposals to scrap neighbourhood PCSOs all together, resulting in a loss of over 1,000 officers if approved. In Southwark this proposal could mean losing all of the few remaining PCSOs in the borough.

 

6.  That whilst PCSOs have been informed of the Met's intention to make this decision, there has been no meaningful consultation with boroughs, the public or PCSOs about the impact of scrapping PCSOs.

 

That council assembly believes:

 

7.  The introduction of neighbourhood policing teams transformed local policing, increased public confidence and provided a integral link between communities and the police.

 

8.  The £600 million of cuts handed down from government have devastated the police service in the capital despite promises from the Mayor of London and Home Secretary that they would not hit the frontline.

 

9.  Proposals to scrap all of London's neighbourhood PCSOs will have a profound impact on the shape of London's police force and should be subject to full public consultation if approved by the Metropolitan Police Service management board.

 

That council assembly resolves:

 

10.  That the council consult residents on any proposed changes to its own community warden scheme.

 

11.  To call on the Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner to engage with local authorities to find alternatives to the badly thought-out proposals to scrap neighbourhood PCSOs, particularly in light of the chancellor’s announcement that there will be no further budget cuts to policing this year.  Including retaining at least one dedicated PCSO in each of the 21 wards across Southwark, as well as keeping the existing structure.

 

12.  To call on the Mayor of London to set out the true impact of government cuts and engage in meaningful consultation with Londoners about the future of policing in the capital, including the option of not reducing the council tax precept next year to ensure PCSO numbers can remain at current levels in Southwark by raising extra funding for the Metropolitan Police.

 

Greater London National Park City campaign

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

That council assembly:

 

1.  Congratulates the council on the amount of open and green space available and maintained for residents in Southwark.

 

2.  Acknowledges the health, environmental and leisure benefits of parks, green spaces and water in built-up urban areas.

 

3.  Notes that Southwark has a large number of parks and green spaces we can be immensely proud of, including a record number of Green Flag parks, and that resident satisfaction with Southwark parks is very high.

 

4.  Notes that parks in Southwark already have the planning protection required to ensure that they are not under threat.

 

5.  Notes that Southwark is a leading borough in London for parks and green spaces and that the council is continuing to invest in parks open spaces, while many local authorities are scaling back investment because of budget cuts.

 

6.  Welcomes the council’s work to ensure that standards in Southwark parks continue to improve against a very difficult backdrop of central government cuts.

 

7.  Notes that there is no real detail on the potential benefits and risks of a Greater London National Park City for local authority parks and it is not yet clear what the implications of the proposals would be on Southwark’s parks and open spaces.

 

8.  Calls on the cabinet to ensure that at a time of ever-growing budgetary pressure, the council focuses on protecting investment in Southwark’s parks and green spaces, continuing to improve standards and fulfilling the manifesto promise to increase the number of Green Flag parks in the borough.

 

Extend the 42 bus route

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

1.  That council assembly notes that the 42 bus route is a key route in Southwark linking the south-west to the north-east of the borough and providing a much needed direct link north across the river for our residents.

 

2.  That council assembly recognises that residents in Camberwell and Walworth currently have to put up with an inadequate 42 bus service, which is unreliable and overcrowded, with people often being left at bus stops. This route does not run enough services and currently terminates at Sunray Avenue rather than the Sainsburys, which makes it difficult for residents travelling to the shop who have mobility issues or small children.

 

3.  That council assembly therefore calls on cabinet to lobby Transport for London:

 

·  To deliver more frequent and reliable services

 

·  To turn the route into a double decker in order to increase capacity for passengers

 

·  To extend the southern terminating point to Sainsburys East Dulwich

 

4.  That council assembly further notes that Transport for London has already announced a consultation on the extension of the 42 bus route to Sainsbury’s East Dulwich for next month, including whether a double-decker is supported by both passengers and local residents.

 

The Trade Union Bill

 

Councillor Victoria Mills left the room for the discussion on this motion.

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

1.  That council assembly recognises the positive contribution that trade unions and trade union members make in our workplaces.  This council values the constructive relationship that we have with our trade unions and we recognise their commitment, and the commitment of all our staff, to the delivery of good quality public services.

 

2.  That council assembly notes with concern the Trade Union Bill which is currently being proposed by the government and which would affect this council’s relationship with our trade unions and our workforce as a whole. Council assembly rejects this bill’s attack on local democracy and the attack on our right to manage our own affairs.

 

3.  That council assembly further notes that human rights groups Liberty, Amnesty International and the British Institute of Human Rights have all condemned the Bill as an attack on the basic right to protest and that the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has branded this law an 'outdated response that could have potentially counter-productive consequences.'

 

4.  That council assembly is clear that facility time, negotiated and agreed by us and our trade unions to suit our own specific needs, has a valuable role to play in the creation of good quality and responsive local services. Facility time should not be determined or controlled by government in Westminster.

 

5.  That council assembly is happy with the arrangements we currently have in place for deducting trade union membership subscriptions through our payroll. We see this as an important part of our positive industrial relations and a cheap and easy to administer system that supports our staff.  This system is an administrative matter for the council and should not be interfered with by the UK government. 

 

6.  That council assembly resolves to support the campaign against the unnecessary, anti-democratic and bureaucratic Trade Union Bill.

 

7.  That council assembly calls on cabinet to support the campaign against the unnecessary, anti-democratic and bureaucratic Trade Union Bill and to seek to continue its own locally agreed industrial relations strategy and take every measure possible to maintain its autonomy with regard to facility time and the continuing use of check-off.

 

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

1.  That council assembly notes that there has been no impact assessment about the potential impact of a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, currently being negotiated by the EU and USA, on local authorities, and that there has been no scrutiny of the negotiating texts by local government and no consultation with local government representatives.

 

2.  That council assembly believes that TTIP could have a detrimental impact on local services, employment, suppliers and decision-making. In particular, TTIP could effectively prevent public services from being brought back in-house, which could have a negative impact on Southwark where significant improvements have been made by bringing services back in-house, such as the council’s revenues and benefits service in 2011.

 

3.  That council assembly notes that Labour MEPs have been campaigning to ensure that, should a trade agreement between the EU and the USA be concluded, it does not in any way limit the ability of public authorities, whether at local, national or European level, to act for the public interest. Council assembly welcomes the amendments to the recently adopted European parliament resolution successfully moved by Labour MEPS for a full exclusion of all public services, present or future, from the scope of the agreement, as well as a clear rejection of any type of measures that could undermine public authorities’ autonomy and sovereignty, including at local level, and their commitment to veto any agreement that fails to address these concerns.

 

4.  That council assembly believes that a thorough impact assessment of TTIP on local authorities must be undertaken before the negotiations can be concluded.

 

5.  That council assembly calls on the cabinet to:

 

·  Write to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, local MPs and London MEPs, raising our serious concerns about the impact of TTIP on local authorities and the secrecy of the negotiating process.

 

·  Write to the Local Government Association to raise our serious concerns about the impact of TTIP on local authorities and ask them to raise these with government on our behalf.

 

·  Join with other local authorities and local campaigners to raise awareness about our concerns over TTIP and call for an impact assessment on the impact of TTIP on local authorities.

 

The Housing and Planning Bill

 

That the motion referred from council assembly as a recommendation to cabinet, set out below, be noted:

 

That council assembly notes:

 

1.  That the Housing and Planning Bill is currently being debated in Parliament, and if passed would threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and buy through:

 

a)  forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market

b)  extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants, and

c)  undermining Section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes.

 

2.  That there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced like-for-like in the local area.

 

3.  That whilst measures to help first-time buyers are welcome, the 'starter homes' proposals in the Bill will be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country, will not preserve the taxpayer investment and will be built at the expense of genuinely affordable homes to rent and buy.

 

4.  That the Bill undermines localism by taking new wide and open-ended powers for the Secretary of State over councils and local communities, including the ability to override local plans, to mandate rents for social tenants, and to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.

 

5.  That the Bill, whilst introducing some welcome measures to get to grips with rogue landlords, does not help with the high rents, poor conditions and insecurity affecting many of England's private renters - including one in four families with children - and does nothing to help arrest the recent rise in homelessness.

 

That council assembly calls on cabinet:

 

6.  To analyse and report on the likely impact of the forced sale of council homes, the extension of right-to-buy and the 'starter homes' requirement on the local availability of affordable homes.

 

7.  To analyse and report on any further likely impacts of the Bill on Southwark.

 

8.  To use this information to:

 

a)  write to the Secretary of State with our concerns regarding the Bill

b)  set up an urgent meeting between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive with the local Members of Parliament to raise our concerns, and

c)  make public our concerns, including by publishing the above information on the council's website and promoting through the local press.