Agenda item

MEMBERS' MOTIONS

To consider the following motions:

 

·  Tackling antisocial behaviour on Southwark’s estates

·  Liberal Democrats will Fix Southwark

·  Protecting the Freedom Pass for Older Londoners

·  Southwark has no confidence in Sir Keir Starmer

Minutes:

Motion 1: Tackling antisocial behaviour on Southwark’s estates

 

This motion was considered after the guillotine had fallen. 

 

There was one amendment to the motion. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  1. Council Assembly welcomes:

 

  1. Southwark Labour’s £5 million investment in tackling crime and antisocial behaviour (ASB), including £3 million to upgrade CCTV coverage across our borough.

 

  1. Southwark Labour’s investment in uniformed community wardens, with new enforcement powers, to tackle ASB day and night.

 

  1. This Labour-run council’s work with the Metropolitan Police Service to double the number of neighbourhood police officers in Peckham and Walworth town centres.

 

  1. The work of the Southwark Anti Social Behaviour Unit (SASBU) -coordinating enforcement and prevention across our borough.

 

  1. Recent walkabouts in ASB hotspot areas in our town centres and on our estates, to keep our neighbourhoods safe.

 

  1. Council Assembly notes with concern:

 

a.  Green Party proposals which could legalise drugs including crack cocaine, heroin and date-rape drug GHB for recreational use.

 

b.  The loss of power for community wardens and the police to prevent drug abuse in communal areas on estates and in town centres, should drugs be legalised.

 

c.  The devastating impact the legalisation of drugs could have on our communities, estates and town centres in Southwark, creating the prospect of open abuse in stairwells, streets and other communal areas.

 

d.  The potential acceptance of drug abuse in Southwark’s estates and in town centres, should the Green Party ever be in power.

 

  1. Council Assembly welcomes:

 

  1. The Labour Party’s zero-tolerance approach to drug dealing and taking on our estates and in other communal areas.

 

  1. Southwark Labour’s promise to double the number of community wardens.

 

  1. This Labour-run council’s £1.5 million investment in better street lighting, making streets safer after dark.

 

  1. Labour’s investment in security doors on estates including the Brimmington Estate in Nunhead and the St Saviour’s Estate in London Bridge & West Bermondsey.

 

  1. The new Resident ASB Partnership (RAP):

  i.  Bringing council, police and community services together to tackle ASB on our estates.

  ii.  Noting that decisions about estates should be made with our residents rather than for them.

  iii.  Further noting the partnership will ensure residents have a say in addressing drug related ASB on their estates and that everyone’s input is valued.

  iv.  Welcoming the trial of this new approach on the St Saviours, Brimmington and Nelson & Portland estates.

 

  1. Council Assembly also welcomes:

 

  1. The council’s increased enforcement measures on fly-tipping, including:

  i.  Targeted action across the borough to clean up hotspot areas, introduce preventative “design-out” measures, and deliver tougher enforcement.

  ii.  Working with businesses to ensure streets are free of waste.

  iii.  Organising visible daily patrols of hotspot areas, with additional environmental enforcement officers and graffiti removal operatives.

  iv.  Working with residents in flats above shops to improve waste collection practices and ensure optimal bin infrastructure to help keep waste off our streets.

 

  v.  Using crime tape as a visible warning to potential offenders that fly-tipping is a crime and that the council is cracking down on perpetrators.

  vi.  Issuing fixed penalty notices to offenders, with new £1,000 fines.

  vii.  Tackling fly-tipping on council estates, collaborating with tenants and residents associations on improved communications and behaviour change, enforcement trials including daily visible patrols, ‘crime tape’ warning notices and fixed penalty notices for repeat offenders, on 14 estates including Acorn Estate in Nunhead & Queen’s Road, Hawkstone Estate in Rotherhithe, Sceaux Gardens Estate in St Giles, and Manor Estate in South Bermondsey.

 

  1. Council Assembly resolves to ask that:

 

  1. Cabinet use the evidence gained from the council’s new estate ASB pilots to tackle ASB right across our borough.

 

  1. The council moves swiftly to deliver on investment in infrastructure to tackle ASB, such as new security doors.

 

  1. The council continues to take a zero-tolerance approach to ASB right across our borough, including doubling the number of community wardens, as proposed by Southwark Labour.

 

  1. Cabinet continue to tackle fly-tipping on estates and in our town centres, taking an evidence-based approach following the council’s estate plots.

 

Motion 2: Liberal Democrats will Fix Southwark

 

This motion was considered after the guillotine had fallen. 

 

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

 

Motion 3: Protecting the Freedom Pass for Older Londoners

 

This motion was considered after the guillotine had fallen.

 

There was one amendment to the motion.

 

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.

 

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

 

  1. Council Assembly notes:

 

  1. The Freedom Pass enables older residents of pension age and disabled residents to travel for free on public transport across London.

 

  1. That the Freedom Pass is a vital lifeline for older Londoners, enabling them to travel across the city, see their loved ones, make appointments and access essential services.

 

  1. The Freedom Pass is funded by every London council.

 

  1. Local government funding has been slashed by previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat governments, leaving councils to pick up increased costs.

 

  1. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Conservative government sought to impose restrictions on the Freedom Pass and attempted to remove free travel for young people through the Zip Oyster card as a condition of funding Transport for London.

 

  1. The Conservative government did not seek to impose such restrictions on private rail companies in their bailouts but targeted older and younger Londoners.

 

  1. Southwark is a borough where the majority of residents do not own a car, making affordable public transport essential.

 

  1. Losing access to the Freedom Pass would hit the poorest Londoners hardest, at a time when finances are stretched more than ever, with the impact of Conservative and Liberal Democrat cost-of-living crisis and austerity still felt.

 

  1. Despite huge cuts to council finances from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat governments, Southwark Labour has protected concessionary travel in our borough as prices elsewhere became more difficult to afford.

 

  1. Council Assembly also notes:

 

  1. Southwark Labour has, with the Labour Mayor of London and other Labour councils, consistently made it safer, more affordable and more accessible for people to travel in and around our borough.

 

  1. This Labour-run council has recently secured £10 million from Transport for London to deliver a Better Bus Partnership, rolling out new, fully electric buses and reducing travel times from London Bridge to the South Circular, via Elephant, Walworth Road, Camberwell Green, Denmark Hill and Lordship Lane.

 

  1. Southwark Labour used taxes on big developers to fund the Bakerloop Bus – a new express route down the Old Kent Road which is easing congestion, baking regular services quieter and proving the demand for the Bakerloo Line Extension.

 

  1. Council Assembly notes with concern:

 

a.  That a Liberal Democrat councillor serving on the committee responsible for overseeing the Freedom Pass described the Pass as an “expensive burden”, as reported in the Evening Standard.

 

b.  The Liberal Democrats’ track record of austerity – with deliberate budget and funding cuts delivered when in government.

 

c.  That rising living costs mean any restriction to concessionary travel would significantly impact older residents’ independence and wellbeing.

 

  1. Council Assembly welcomes:

 

  1. The commitment of Southwark Labour and other Labour councils to oppose restrictions to the Freedom Pass scheme.

 

  1. The leadership of London Councils’ Labour Group in ensuring sustainable funding solutions do not come at the expense of older Londoners.

 

  1. That the Mayor of London has confirmed his full support for Labour councils working to protect the Freedom Pass and continues to provide the 60+ Oyster card and other concessionary options.

 

  1. Council Assembly resolves to ask that:

 

  1. Cabinet continues joint work to ensure the Freedom Pass remains fully protected.

 

  1. Southwark Council actively opposes any proposals that diminish the scope or value of the Freedom Pass.

 

  1. The Council reaffirms its commitment to keeping costs down for residents, especially older people.

 

  1. That investment opportunities continue to be sought to improve bus and other public transport, including continuing campaigns to upgrade train stations across Southwark to be fully accessible.

 

Motion 4: Southwark has no confidence in Sir Keir Starmer

 

This motion was considered after the guillotine had fallen.

 

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

Supporting documents: