Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dr Devra Kay and Councillor Adam Langleben.

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

Ms Ajantha Tennakoon of the Buddhist Faith was called upon by the Worshipful the Mayor to speak to Council and say prayers.

The minutes of the meeting held on 31 October 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

The Worshipful the Mayor thanked Ms Ajantha Tennakoon of the Buddhist Faith for her words and prayer.

The Worshipful the Mayor thanked Rabbi Overlander for leading the lighting of the Hanukkah lights ceremony, which had taken place outside the Town Hall immediately before the meeting.

The Worshipful the Mayor wished everyone a Happy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year.

The Worshipful the Mayor outlined that he recently wrote to Buckingham Palace on behalf of the Council to congratulate HM the Queen and His Majesty the Duke of Edinburgh on their 70^th wedding anniversary.   He noted the response from David Ryan, Director of Private Secretaries Office which he read as follows:

“The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to thank you and all concerned for your kind message of congratulations on the occasion of their 70^th Wedding Anniversary.   Her Majesty and his Royal Highness much appreciated your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and, in return, send their warm good wishes to you all”

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that he had also written to the Palace to extend the Council’s warm congratulations on the occasion of the engagement of HRH Prince Harry to his fiancée Meghan Markle, he stated that he had received a letter of thanks.

The Worshipful the Mayor announced that  the Barnet Multi-Faith Forum recently received a Certificate of Recognition for Services to and for faith and belief communities in Greater London from the 3 Faith Forum’s Evening of Faith Recognition and Celebration.     He stated that this was an event celebrating Unsung Heroes of London, supported by Her Majesty’s Lord – Lieutenant of Greater London’s Council of Faith, held at the Royal Society of Medicine.

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that this Celebration Barnet achieved: Unity in the Community our Festival of Faiths, which was held in May last year.  He stated that there were also the following Award Winners from Barnet:-  Community Focus (Creating Interfaith Spaces); Alyth (Reform Synagogue) Refugee Drop In; and the Larches Community (Improving Health and Wellbeing).  

The Worshipful the Mayor also congratulated the Chandos Arms in Colindale for winning theCommunity Pub of the year award in theGreat British Pub Awards for 2017.

The Worshipful the Mayor on behalf of all Members of the Council thanked all Council staff who worked so hard to ensure that the Council’s roads and pavements were kept as clear as possible of the recent snow and ice. 

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded all Members of the Council of Holocaust Memorial Day which is due to take place on Sunday 28 January 2018 at the Ricketts Quadrangle, Middlesex University, The Burroughs Hendon, NW4 4BT.

The Worshipful the Mayor announced with great sadness that Canon Louis Thomas died peacefully on Monday at Nazareth House, at the age of 100. Canon Louis Thomas had celebrated 70 years of priesthood in 2013.   He stated that his first parish was at St Agnes, Cricklewood, and he was also previously the priest  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

There was none.

Answers to the questions submitted were provided as a supplementary paper to the agenda.

Supplementary questions were then asked and answered within the allotted time given for the item.

None.

None.

None.

Councillor Dean Cohen, Chairman of the Environment Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Debate ensued.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

1.            RESOLVED that: Council approve the amendments to the London Council’s Technical and Environment Committee Governing Agreement dated 13th December 2001 (as amended) and agree the delegation of the Council’s functions to the London Council’s Transport and Environment Committee as set out in Appendix A.

2.            Council delegated authority the Strategic Director for Environment to sign and send an engrossed copy of the amendment to the London Council Technology and Environment Committee Agreement as set out in Appendix A.

The Leader, Councillor Richard Cornelius, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Debate ensued.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote the recommendations were unanimously agreed.

RESOLVED that:

1.            Council agree and accept the designation by the Secretary of State as an authority within London Business Rates Pilot Pool pursuant to 34(7)(1) of Schedule 7B Local Government Finance Act 1988.

2.            Council agree to participate in the London Business Rates Pilot Pool with effect from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019.

3.            Council delegate the authority’s administrative functions as a billing authority pursuant to the Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 to the City of London Corporation (“COLC”) acting as the Lead Authority.

4.            Council authorise the Lead Authority to sub-contract certain ancillary administrative functions (regarding the financial transactions such as payment of tariffs and top-ups within the Pool to the GLA as it considers expedient).

5.            Council agree to delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive, in consultation with the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee and agreed the operational details of the pooling arrangements with the participating authorities.

6.            Council agree to enter into such Memorandum of Understanding with the participating authorities as may be necessary to implement and/or regulate the pool and to delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive to negotiate, finalise and execute the same on behalf of Barnet council Operation of the Pool.

7.            Council authorise the Deputy Chief Executive to represent the authority in relation to consultations regarding the London Business Rates Pilot Pool as may be undertaken by the Lead Authority pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding.

8.            Council delegate to the Deputy Chief Executive the authority to consider such consultative reports as the Lead Authority may circulate and to respond on behalf of the authority with regard to any recommendations and in particular, proposals for projects to be approved for funding from the Strategic Investment Pot.

9.            Council delegate to the Lead Authority the functions of assessment, due consultation and approval of projects eligible for funding from the Pool's Strategic Investment Pot following consultation with the participating authorities (provided that at least two thirds of such participating London Boroughs are (including the City of London Corporation) in favour of the relevant recommendation as well as the Mayor of London, and that no entire sub-region is in disagreement with the decision) on such terms and conditions as shall ensure value for money and compliance with the law

The Head of Governance introduced the report.  In relation to Appendix A (Calendar of Meetings) he reported the following changes:

-       Chipping Barnet Area Committee had moved from 5 February 2018 to 19 February 2018 

-       Chipping Barnet Residents Forum had moved from 23 January 2017 to 24 January 2017

-       Performance and Contract Management on 16 January  2018 had been cancelled

RESOLVED that Council agree the Calendar of Meetings (December 2017 to May 2019) as set out in Appendix A, subject to the changes set out above. 

None.

Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg moved the motion in his name.  Councillor Alan Schneiderman moved the amendment in his name. Debate ensued.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Alan Schneiderman was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

For: 29

Against: 32

Abstain: 0

Absent: 2

The amendment was declared lost.

The motion in the name ofCouncillor Gabriel Rozenberg was then put to the vote and recorded as follows:

For: 33

Against: 0

Abstain: 28

Absent: 2

RESOLVED:

Council welcomes the Government’s announcement that it will ban sales of new petrol and diesel powered vehicles by 2040. In Barnet, Conservatives have encouraged the shift to electric to electric power by introducing free parking for electric vehicles, additional CPZ charges on diesel vehicles, and eight electric charging points — with a further 50 being installed from early 2018.

Council notes that, while addressing the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee of the House of Commons on 23 November 2017, the Mayor of London called for permitted development powers to “speed up [the introduction of] charging points without going to [local council planning] committees who refuse permission because residents complained about rapid charging points.”

Council is disappointed by this apparent lack of faith in local councillors and the residents they represent. Bypassing local planning committees, and ignoring local ward members, is not the way to achieve a smooth transition to electric vehicles. Council therefore calls on the Leader of the Council to write to Mayor Khan to express its concern.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17.9 The Worshipful the Mayor called for a vote on whether Council agreed to the debate of an additional motion. This was unanimously agreed. Councillor Scannell moved that the following Motion be debated and considered.  

Councillor Barry Rawlings moved the motion in his name.  Councillor John Hart moved the amendment in his name.   An amendment in the name of Councillor Zakia Zubairi was moved in her name.  Debate ensued.

Both Councillor Melvin Cohen and Councillor Greenspan noted that they both wished to abstain from voting on the Motion.  

Under Council Procedure Rule 10.9 Councillor John Marshall then moved "that the question be now put".

The amendment in the name of Councillor John Hart was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

For: 25

Against: 2

Abstain: 34

Absent: 2

The amendment was declared carried.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Zakia Zubairi be was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

For: 29

Against: 28

Abstain: 4

Absent: 2

The amendment was declared carried. 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote:

For: 37

Against: 1

Abstain: 23

Absent: 2

The substantive motion was declared carried. 

RESOLVED:

Council note the recent planning application for a Paddy Power betting shop at The Edition development in Colindale, even though there is already another Paddy Power betting shop only a few minutes’ walk away on the A5.

Council also note the two recent planning application hearings for this betting shop which resulted in the application being refused both times.

Council further note that an appeal may be lodged by Paddy Power to challenge the refusal.

Council is concerned that it is becoming increasingly difficult to prevent the proliferation and clustering of betting shops in the borough, despite the removal of permitted development rights for this type of business.

Council note that in July 2016 the Local Government Association referred to research conducted by Geofutures for the Responsible Gambling Trust, which found that rates of "problem gambling" were higher in areas with clusters of betting shops:

• Analysis of betting shop loyalty card holders shows that 28 per cent of those living within 400 metres of a cluster of betting shops are problem gamblers, compared with 22 per cent of those who don't live near them. 

• Those living in areas with a higher number of bookmakers were also more likely to be problem or at-risk gamblers compared with those in areas with fewer betting shops. However, the increased risk of being a problem or at-risk gambler was greater among those living near a cluster of betting shops. 

• This suggests that clusters themselves may be associated with particular risks.

Council therefore supports the Local Government Association's call for Government to introduce a 'cumulative impacts test' to enable councils to reject applications for new betting shops where there are already existing clusters of shops, and is disappointed that the Government has ruled out such a test in its recently published 'Consultation on proposals for changes to Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures'.

Council wishes to ensure the viability and vitality of Barnet's town centres, and supports local residents who oppose the proliferation and clustering of betting shops in our communities.

Council also notes the Government's  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.3

Councillor Shimon Ryde moved the motion in his name.  Debate ensued. 

The Motion in the name of Councillor Shimon Ryde was then put to the vote:

For: 59

Against: 0

Abstain: 2

Absent: 2

The motion was declared carried. 

RESOLVED:

Council recognise that there is continued and strong demand for family sized homes in the London Borough of Barnet.

However, the conversion of small and medium sized family homes into flats, defined as 130 m² or less in original built size, is already beginning to threaten character of many neighbourhoods in the borough. One of the environmental impacts of this is the loss of front garden space to accommodate forecourt parking. Further, the conversion of small to medium sized family houses which are usually terraced and semi-detached properties can often lead to problems of noise disturbance to neighbouring properties, particularly those adjoins. For instance, a living-room or kitchen may be introduced at first-floor level which adjoins a bedroom in an attached house. For this reason, we should not normally favour the conversion of terraced or semi-detached houses.

Such conversions are often difficult to resist in planning terms. Council therefore believes that, as a Local Planning Authority, Barnet requires powers enabling it to take decisions mindful of the impact of the conversion. Council therefore instructs Officers to produce an evidence-led amendment in our Local Plan to retain adequate stock of family sized housing.

Councillor Joan Scannell moved that Councillor Peter Zinkin replace Councillor Richard Cornelius as a substitute Member of the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee.

RESOLVED that Council agree that Councillor Peter Zinkin be appointed as the Council’s substitute Member of the London Councils Transport and Environment Committee.