Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rebecca Challice and Councillor Reema Patel.

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

The Mayor’s chaplain, Reverend Tristan Chapman, offered prayers.

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that agenda item 14.1 – Opposition Motion in the name of Cllr Kath McGuirk, A Cultural Strategy for Barnet, referred to several organisations of which councillors may be members of. He noted that the Monitoring Officer had advised that Members only need to declare an interest relating to a body they have been appointed to by council.

The following members declared an interest:

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 2016 were agreed as a correct record.

The Worshipful the Mayor wished belated congratulations to Sir Philip Hulme who received a Knighthood in the Queens birthday Honours List. It was noted he had been knighted for his services to technology and philanthropy, with his services to philanthropy extended to the Hadley Trust whose objectives are primarily in creating opportunities for people who are disadvantaged to improve their situation either through financial assistance or involvement in project work and support work and research into the causes of, and means to, alleviate hardship.

The Worshipful the Mayor also reminded council that Civic Award nominations for this year needed to be submitted by 31 December.

The Worshipful the Mayor on behalf of council extended congratulations to Councillor Dean Cohen on the recent birth of his new baby, and Councillor Melvin Cohen on the birth of his new grandchild.

The Worshipful the Mayor proposed that the order of the agenda be varied to consider item 11.3 (Referral from Policy and Resources Committee – Diving Feasibility Study) directly after the Petition on Save Barnet Diving, and to consider items 11.2 and item 16 (Referral from Performance and Contract Management Committee) main report and exempt report, to follow item 13 on the agenda just before the break. The Worshipful the Mayor noted this would allow for a continuous consideration of the item, and an easier exclusion and re-admittance of the press and public should that be required. The changes to the order of business were duly noted.

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.

The Worshipful the Mayor introduced the report and outlined the procedure for consideration of the petition.

The lead petitioner, Ms Wendy Kravetz, addressed the council.

The following members asked a question of the lead petitioner:

·         Councillor Adam Langleben;

·         Councillor Alon Or-bach;

·         Councillor Arjun Mittra;

·         Councillor Alison Cornelius; and

·         Councillor Brian Salinger

Following debate on the petition the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee, Councillor Richard Cornelius, responded to the issues raised and noted that these matters would be considered as part of debate on agenda item 11.3 (Referral from Policy and Resources Committee: Diving Feasibility Study) Councillor Cornelius advised Council that he would be moving a motion during consideration of agenda item 11.3 seeking council approval for a financial contribution up to £500,000 as capital to ensure the provision of a diving pool in Barnet with land to build it on. He also called for support from the Mayor of London for this regional facility and for public fund raising to contribute to construction costs.

Council noted the petition.

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

Councillor Alison Moore moved the amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

Councillor Richard Cornelius gave closing comments in his right of reply and moved the amendment in his name.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius was put to the vote:

The amendment was declared carried.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Alison Moore was then put to the vote:

The amendment was declared lost.

The substantive recommendations, as amended by Councillor Richard Cornelius, were then put to the vote:

The recommendations in the report, as amended by Councillor Richard Cornelius, were therefore declared carried.

RESOLVED: that Council:

1.    Note the additional capital costs required to include a diving facility at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre.

2.    Note the negative revenue impact of including a diving facility at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre.

3.    Note the impact on swimming participation of the Option 1 diving facility at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre.

4.    Note the cost per head of the Option 2 diving facility at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre.

5.    Note the associated risks of including a diving facility at Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre.

6.    Agrees that the core facilities mix for the proposed Barnet Copthall Leisure Centre  remains as agreed in December 2015.

7.    Recognises the rapid growth of interest in diving that has captured the imagination of many people after the public consultations were undertaken. However there should be no delay to the provision of new swimming pools that will serve so many people and support the need for greater public participation in physical exercise. Council wishes to ensure the provision of a diving pool in Barnet  with land to build it on and a financial contribution up to £500,000 as capital but calls for support from the Mayor of London for what is a regional facility and for public fund raising to get this built.

The Leader moved reception and adoption of the report. Debate ensued.

The recommendations as set out in the report were then put to the vote and unanimously agreed by Council.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Council notes the draft North Central London Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

2.    That Council approves that the Leader writes to the relevant authorities to express the Council’s concerns regarding the lack of engagement throughout the development of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan and asks for a clear action plan.

Councillor John Marshall, Chairman of the Constitution, Ethics and Probity Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report.

Councillor Barry Rawlings moved the amendment in his name. Debate ensued.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Barry Rawlings was put to the vote:

The amendment was declared lost.

The recommendations as set out in the report were then put to the vote:

The recommendations were declared carried.

RESOLVED:

1.      That Council approve the recommendations contained in the report from the Constitution Ethics & Probity Committee at Annexe 1A, and the track change versions attached at Appendix A to Appendix P.

2.      That the Monitoring Officer be authorised to implement these revisions and publish a revised Constitution.

The Head of Governance introduced the report. He noted that Appendix A1 should note that the agreed new dates for the Finchley and Golders Green Area Committees in 2016 are 16 February, 7pm and 27 April 7pm (and not 8 February and 19 April). It was also noted that an additional special meeting of the Licensing Committee had that day been agreed for 28 February 2016, 7pm.

The recommendations as set out in Appendices A, A1 and B were put to the vote, and were declared carried.

RESOLVED – that Council:

1.    Note the changes to the Calendar of Meetings 2015/16 in Appendix A with update as advised by the Head of Governance.

2.    Approve appointments to committee memberships as set out below:

There were none.

The order of business was varied to consider agenda items 11.2 and 16 together. The Worshipful the Mayor asked Councillors to indicate whether they had any comments to make on the exempt item relating to the main report, noting that any such comments would need to be made in closed session following the main debate on item 11.2. There were no such requests.

Councillor Anthony Finn, Chairman of the Performance and Contract Management Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report, and of the amendment in the name of Councillor Geof Cooke, which he noted he was in agreement with.

Councillor Geof Cooke moved the amendment in his name. Cllr Geof Cooke then moved that a separate vote be taken on recommendation 3(b) in the report. The Worshipful the Mayor, on the advice of the Monitoring Officer, ruled the requested vote out of order. Councillor Cooke had already moved an amendment which included recommendation 3(b). This amendment had been accepted and had become the substantive motion being debated by Council. Debate ensued.

The substantive recommendations as set out in the report and amended by Cllr Cooke, were then put to the vote:

At least ten members called for a formal division on the voting. Upon the vote being taken, the results of the division were declared as follows:

The recommendations were declared carried.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee notes the content of the report, along with the proposed service improvements and savings, as set out in the body of the report and summarised in Appendix A to this report.

2.    That the Committee notes that the Chief Operating Officer is authorised under the existing Scheme of Delegation to conclude negotiations and finalise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

The Conservative Group Secretary stated that of the two motions put forward by the Administration, the Administration had chosen to debate the motion in the name of Councillor Caroline Stock.

Councillor Kath McGuirk moved the Motion in her name. Debate ensued.

The motion was put to the vote and unanimously agreed by Council.

RESOLVED –

Council believes that culture and the arts enriches lives, inspires learning and education, boosts economic growth, attracts investment, helps build communities and strengthens community cohesion by celebrating diversity.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said he plans to "democratise the arts" in the capital, so that Zone 1 should not "hog the best arts and culture in our city".

Council notes that Barnet has a rich cultural heritage and history, and is one of the best placed boroughs to demonstrate what outer-London can offer.

Barnet has vibrant community festivals in East Barnet and East Finchley; museum space at the RAF Museum, Avenue House and Barnet Museum; an English Heritage registered battlefield where the Battle of Barnet was fought during the Wars of the Roses; 2,155 listed buildings, objects or structures considered to be of special architectural or historic interest; 4 registered historic parks and gardens; amateur and professional theatres such as the artsdepot, Finchley Youth Theatre, The Bull Theatre, The Incognito Theatre and The Garden Suburb Theatre, and Community Focus who has a long history of engaging with young people and those with disabilities through the arts.

Barnet also has other venues hosting arts events within the borough and on our borders such as The Phoenix Cinema, The Hampstead Garden suburb Institute and Chicken Shed Theatre.

This list is not exhaustive, but shows the breadth of Barnet's cultural offer.

Council believes that investing some time and effort into developing a cultural strategy for Barnet could help meet council policy objectives across all themed committees, as well as improve the Borough's standing in London, nationally and internationally.

Council also believes that a proper cultural strategy for the borough could help position Barnet to be a future London Borough of Culture.

Council therefore requests that the CELS Committee works with partners including schools, Barnet College, Middlesex University, Barnet Borough Arts Council and local businesses to develop a Cultural Strategy for Barnet.

As a first step, Council asks that the CELS Committee receives a report at the next committee meeting detailing:

·         What LB Barnet is doing to promote culture and the arts in the borough, and

·         How LB Barnet is engaging with arts and heritage groups in the borough, the Arts Council and the Mayor of London to promote Barnet as a cultural centre.

Councillor Caroline Stock moved the Motion in her name. Debate ensued.

The motion was put to the vote and was unanimously agreed by Council.

RESOLVED –

Taking on Diabetes

Council notes that it is two years since the Mayor's Golden Kilometre was launched and to date it has encouraged thousands of children, their parents and teachers to become active. Since launching the project the Council has become increasingly aware of the time bomb that is ticking, namely obesity.

Council also recognises that obesity is a major public health problem due to its association with serious chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease and Cancers. All of these can lead to disability, reduced quality of life and premature death. Obesity is estimated to be the fourth largest risk factor contributing to deaths in England. In England 61.3% of adults and 30% of children aged between 2-15 are overweight or obese.

Council can see that there is an explosion in medical problems associated with obesity: a 30-fold increase in bariatric surgery, a 4-fold increase in hospital admissions for obesity-linked conditions such as asthma and sleep apnoea, a surge in prescribing for high cholesterol and high blood pressure and rocketing diabetes. Obesity is the most potent risk factor in Type 2 diabetes. It accounts for 80-90% of the overall risk of developing it and underlies the current global spread of the condition.

Council notes that people who are diabetic are 62.1% more likely to have a heart attack and 23.5% more likely to have a stroke. It is also an issue of health inequality, as individuals living in the 20% most deprived areas of the country being 56% more likely to have diabetes. Research clearly indicates that improving dietary habits, managing weight and keeping active will directly influence diabetes. It is estimated that we currently spend about £23.7 billion (direct and indirect costs) on diabetes in the UK, which is nearly £3 million an hour, and is predicted to rise to £39.8 billion by 2035.

Council recognizes that prevention is an essential part of the equation if we are to have any hope of solving this growing crisis. Council further recognizes that  it already has a raft of Public Health programs in place to tackle both childhood and adult obesity – examples of which include Healthy Children’s Centres, the Shape Programme to engage 13-19 year olds in Burnt Oak & Colindale in sport & physical activity, Awards for Restaurants and Cafes using healthy cooking techniques, Outdoor Gyms and Marked & Measured Routes in Parks, Free Adult Cycle Training, Leader-led Walks, Over 50’s Adult Activity classes and  Move Like a Pro, a Men’s health program for 35-55 year olds with BMIs over 28 who are inactive.

However, there is much more that can be achieved through engaging more with the general population in Barnet - firstly by alerting them to the seriousness of this problem and then involving them in actively taking preventative measures themselves. Projects need to be made innovative, enjoyable and inclusive so  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.2

Under Council Procedure Rule 23.5 it was noted that Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg had requested his motion would be voted on in the meeting.

The motion was put to the vote, and was unanimously agreed by Council.

RESOLVED –

Letting Agent Fees

Council notes that sustaining quality in the private rented sector is a key priority of the borough, as set out in Barnet's Housing Strategy 2015-2025. Within 10 years, half of the properties in Barnet are likely to be rented, and the Council's strategy includes helping deprived households with rising housing costs in both the social rented and private rented sector. 

In that context, Council welcomes the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, that the Conservative Government intends to ban the practice of landlords requiring tenants to pay letting agent fees. 

Council notes that under a system where landlords pay agency fees, landlords have the ability to shop around for the lowest-cost provider and therefore keep their expenses under control. By contrast, renters have no choice of letting agents. When renters pay, agencies have the ability to raise their fees indefinitely.

Council notes that, according to data from Citizens Advice, agent fees have risen from an average of £125 in 2009-10 to £200 in 2014-15, with some fees as much as £700 per person.

Council therefore agrees with Shelter, the Resolution Foundation, Citizens Advice and other respected bodies that the time has come to ban letting agent fees being imposed on tenants.

Council believes that this policy will directly improve the lives of Barnet residents who rent. It will complement Barnet's approach of raising standards across the private rented sector via the landlord forum run by Barnet Homes and other means. 

Noting that the proposed ban is currently open to consultation, Council therefore mandates the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressing Council's support for this welcome proposal.

There were none.