Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BG

Contact: Kirstin Lambert, Email: kirstin.lambert@barnet.gov.uk, 020 8359 2177 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Maureen Braun.

2.

Elect a Member to preside if the Mayor is absent

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

3.

Prayer

Minutes:

Mr Natubhai Shah of the Jain religion was called upon by the Worshipful the Mayor to speak to Council on the difference between Jain and other religions. Mr Natubhai Shah then said prayers.

 

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor drew Members’ attention to the Report of the Monitoring Officer, at agenda item 12.2. It was noted that the Monitoring Officer had noted that the matters raised in agenda item 14.5 on Council agenda: Motion in the name of Cllr Ross Houston on ‘Standards in the private rented sector’ pertained to many of Barnet Councillors in a general sense. For the avoidance of any doubt, the Monitoring Officer confirmed that Councillors who are private landlords in the borough, private landlords outside the borough and tenants within the borough may stay, speak and vote on item 14.5 of the council meeting.

 

The following interests were declared:

 

Councillor

Subject

Interest declared

Cllr Ross Houston

Various items – reference to Barnet Homes

Councillor Ross Houston declared a non-pecuniary interest by virtue of being a council appointed director of the Barnet Group

Cllr John Marshall

Various items – reference to Barnet Homes

Councillor John Marshall declared a non-pecuniary interest by virtue of being a council appointed director of the Barnet Group

Cllr Anne Hutton

Item 14.5 – Motion in the name of Councillor Ross Houston

Councillor Anne Hutton declared a non-pecuniary interest as she is a landlord of a property outside the borough. Councillor Hutton indicated she would leave the meeting for the consideration of this item and would not take part in the vote.

Cllr Gill Sargeant

Item 14.5 – Motion in the name of Councillor Ross Houston

Councillor Gill Sargeant declared a non-pecuniary interest as she is a landlord of a property outside the borough. Councillor Sargeant indicated she would leave the meeting for the consideration of this item and would not take part in the vote.

Cllr Tim Roberts

Item 14.5 – Motion in the name of Councillor Ross Houston

Councillor Tim Roberts declared a non pecuniary interest as is a joint owner of a privately let property in the borough.

Councillor Roberts

indicated he would leave the meeting for the consideration of this item and would not take part in the vote.

Cllr Adam Langleben

Motion in the name of Councillor Brian Gordon

Councillor Langleben declared a non-pecuniary interest as his employer, the Jewish Leadership Council, has campaigned on Hezbollah

Councillor Arjun Mittra

Motion in the name of Councillor Brian Gordon

Councillor Arjun Mittra declared a non-pecuniary interest as his employer is City Hall.

 

Councillor Laurie Williams clarified that he was not a private landlord of a property in the borough.

5.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2017 were agreed as a correct record.

6.

Official announcements

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor expressed, on behalf of Council, Council’s shock and sadness at the terror attacks on 22 May in Manchester where 22 people lost their lives many of whom were children, and the 8 innocent people killed in the London Bridge terror attack on 3 June, with many more injured in both incidents. He noted Council condemns this senseless and tragic loss of life.

 

In response to the attacks The Worshipful the Mayor noted he had received three letters of condolence from:

·           Jean-Jaques Guillet – Mayor of Chaville (a twin town of Barnet)

·           Israel Singer – the Mayor of Ramat-Gan

·           Angelika Schottler – the Mayor of Bezirksamt Tempelhof-Schoneberg von Berlin

 

The Worshipful the Mayor paid tribute to the victims of the recent fire at Grenfell Tower. He noted the Council was shocked and saddened by the terrible loss of life, and that Council’s thoughts were with the survivors and the families of the victims.  It was noted that details of how the Council has provided assistance to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in response to this tragedy were detailed in the response to question number 23. in Questions to the Leader.

 

In other announcements The Worshipful the Mayor noted that Ronald Hobson, one of the founders of National Car Parking and former resident of Barnet, had sadly passed away.  It was noted he was a generous benefactor who supported both individuals and organisations in the borough.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor announced he had also been informed that former Labour councillor John Stevenson who represented the Arkley Ward had sadly passed away on 20 April 2017.

 

Councillor Jim Tierney spoke in tribute to former councillor John Stevenson.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor noted the funeral of Mr Maurice Charles Sills who died on 25 June aged 101 was held in St Paul’s Cathedral and attended by nearly 1,000 people.  The Worshipful the Mayor  noted Mr Sells was lately a resident of Whetstone, and formerly also of Torrington Park, and was a retired Headmaster who devoted the forty years of his retirement to conducting tours of St Paul’s, chiefly for schoolchildren, and was a noted volunteer. Notably his was the first funeral to be held in the Cathedral since that of someone else with local connections, Lady Thatcher LG.

 

A minutes silence was held in remembrance.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded members there would be a stone setting at Bushey cemetery for the late and former Councillor Dan Hope to take place on Sunday 17th September at 4.30pm.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor then extended his congratulations to the three Barnet MPs on their re-election at the June General Election. 

 

The Worshipful the Mayor noted he was delighted to announce that the Queen’s award for voluntary service 2017 was presented by the Lord to the Jewish Volunteering Network, registered in Barnet. He noted the Deputy Lieutenant, Mr Martin Russell, had asked members to consider nominating worthy local charities for this award.

 

In terms of recent achievements, The Worshipful  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Any business remaining from last meeting

Minutes:

None.

8.

Questions to the Leader (and Committee Chairmen if he/she has delegated) pdf icon PDF 286 KB

Minutes:

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.

9.

Petitions for Debate (20 minutes)

Minutes:

None.

10.

Reports from the Leader

Minutes:

None.

11.

Report of the Constitution Ethics and Probity Committee - Constitution Review pdf icon PDF 243 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance noted that in addition to the recommendations set out in the report of the Constitution, Ethics and Probity Committee, Council was requested to approve the following amendments:

 

1.    Responsibility for Functions, Annex B (Scheme of Delegated Authority to Officers) –

a.    Delete references to ‘Remuneration Committee’ on pages 89 and replace with ‘General Functions Committee’ and delete the reference to the ‘Remuneration Committee’ on page 90

b.    Delete the sentence “They are, in turn, accountable to the public and are responsible for all matters which impact upon the Council exercising its powers and duties.”

 

2.    Meetings Procedure Rules, Section 1 (Membership and Quorum) – increase the number of substitute Members for the Planning Committee to 10 (5 from each Group).

 

Councillor John Marshall, Chairman of the Constitution Ethics and Probity Committee, then moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report and the additional recommendations noted above. Debate ensued.

 

The recommendations as moved were put to the vote and were unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

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

 

2.      That Council note the Monitoring Officer’s use of delegated authority to make minor amendments to Chief Officers post titles in the Constitution as set out in track change versions attached at Appendix G to Appendix J.

 

3.      That Responsibility for Functions, Annex B (Scheme of Delegated Authority to Officers) be amended to –

a.    Delete references to ‘Remuneration Committee’ on pages 89 and replace with ‘General Functions Committee’ and delete the reference to the ‘Remuneration Committee’ on page 90

b.    Delete the sentence “They are, in turn, accountable to the public and are responsible for all matters which impact upon the Council exercising its powers and duties.”

 

4.      That Meetings Procedure Rules, Section 1 (Membership and Quorum) – increase the number of substitute Members for the Planning Committee to 10 (5 from each Group).

 

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

 

12.

Referral to Council from the Children Education Libraries and Safeguarding Committee - Barnet Ofsted Inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers pdf icon PDF 251 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Reuben Thompstone, Chairman of the Children Education Libraries and Safeguarding Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Councillor Pauline Coakley-Webb moved her amendment. Debate ensued.

 

Votes were taken on Councillor Pauline Coakley-Webb’s amendment and the votes were declared as follows:

 

For

31

Against

31

Abstain

0

Absent

1

TOTAL

63

 

The Worshipful the Mayor used his casting vote against the amendment in accordance with Meeting Procedure Rule 18.3. 

 

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:

 

 

 

For

Against

Not Voting

Absent

Maureen Braun

 

ü

Jess Brayne

ü

 

 

 

Rebecca Challice

ü

 

Pauline Coakley Webb

ü

 

 

 

Dean Cohen

 

ü

 

 

Jack Cohen

ü

 

 

 

Melvin Cohen

 

ü

 

Philip Cohen

ü

 

 

 

Geof Cooke

ü

 

 

 

Alison Cornelius

 

ü

 

 

Richard Cornelius

 

ü

 

 

Tom Davey

 

ü

 

 

Val Duschinsky

 

ü

 

 

Paul Edwards

ü

 

 

Claire Farrier

ü

 

 

 

Anthony Finn

ü

 

 

Brian Gordon

ü

 

 

Eva Greenspan

ü

 

 

Rohit Grover

 

ü

 

 

Helena Hart

ü

 

 

John Hart

ü

 

 

Ross Houston

ü

 

 

 

Anne Hutton

ü

 

 

 

Andreas Ioannidis

ü

 

 

 

Devra Kay

ü

 

 

Sury Khatri

 

ü

 

 

Adam Langleben

ü

 

 

 

Kathy Levine

ü

 

 

David Longstaff

 

ü

 

 

Kitty Lyons

ü

 

 

John Marshall

 

ü

 

 

Kath McGuirk

ü

 

 

Arjun Mittra

ü

 

 

 

Alison Moore

ü

 

 

 

Ammar Naqvi

ü

 

 

 

NagasNarenthira

ü

 

 

 

Charlie O’Macauley

ü

 

 

 

Graham Old

 

ü

 

 

Alon Or-Bach

ü

 

 

Reema Patel

ü

 

 

Bridget Perry

 

ü

 

 

Wendy Prentice

 

ü

 

 

Sachin Rajput

 

ü

 

 

Barry Rawlings

ü

 

 

Hugh Rayner

 

ü

 

 

Tim Roberts

ü

 

Gabriel Rozenberg

 

ü

 

 

Lisa Rutter

 

ü

 

 

Shimon Ryde

 

ü

 

Brian Salinger

 

ü

 

 

Gill Sargeant

ü

 

Joan Scannell

 

ü

 

Alan Schneiderman

ü

 

Mark Shooter

 

ü

 

Agnes Slocombe

ü

 

 

Stephen Sowerby

 

ü

 

Caroline Stock

 

ü

 

 

Daniel Thomas

 

ü

 

 

Reuben Thompstone

 

ü

 

 

Jim Tierney

ü

 

 

 

Laurie Williams

ü

 

 

 

Peter Zinkin

 

ü

 

 

ZakiaZubairi

ü

 

 

 

For:                 31

Against:         31

Abstain:          0

Absent:           1

 

TOTAL:           63

 

The Worshipful the Mayor used his casting vote against the amendment in accordance with Meeting Procedure Rule 18.3. 

 

The amendment was lost.

 

The recommendations in the report were then put to the vote and were unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That Council consider and vote on the recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 contained at Annex 1 of the report which was referred from the Children Education Libraries and Safeguarding Committee on 18 July 2017.

 

2.    That Council consider and vote on the amended recommendation 6 and new recommendation 7 as set out in paragraph 1.5 to this report.

13.

Report of the Head of Governance pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance introduced the report. He noted that the item set out at agenda item 12.1 detailed changes to the calendar of meetings (Appendix A and Appendix A1), a nomination to a vacancy on an outside body (Appendix B) and changes to committee memberships (Appendix C).

 

The recommendations as set out in Appendices A and A1 were put to the vote and were unanimously agreed.

 

Council considered the nominations for appointments to an outside body, the Stonegrove Community Trust, as set out in Appendix B. The Administration Group Secretary, Councillor Joan Scannell moved the Administration Group nomination of Councillor Brian Gordon. The Opposition Group Secretary, Councillor Ammar Naqvi moved the Opposition Group nomination of Councillor Adam Langleben.

 

On the Administration Group nomination being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows:

 

For

31

Against

30

Abstain

1

Absent

1

Total

63

 

On the Opposition Group nomination being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows:

 

For

30

Against

31

Abstain

1

Absent

1

Total

63

 

The Administration Group nomination was carried.

 

Council considered the nominations for appointments to committees as set out in Appendix C. The Administration Group Secretary, Councillor Joan Scannell moved the Administration Group nominations for additional substitute members of Planning Committee as set out in Appendix C. The Opposition Group Secretary, Councillor Ammar Naqvi moved the Opposition Group nominations for additional substitute members to Planning Committee and a change of membership to Licensing Committee as set out in Appendix C.

 

The nominations were put to the vote and were unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

1.    That Council note the changes to the calendar of meetings 2017-18.

 

2.    That Councillor Brian Gordon be appointed to the vacancy on the Stonegrove Community Trust.

 

3.    That the following changes be made to committee memberships:

 

 

Committee

Additional Substitute Members

Planning Committee

Cllr Philip Cohen (Labour)

 

Cllr Arjun Mittra (Labour)

 

Cllr Shimon Ryde (Conservative)

 

Cllr John Marshall (Conservative)

 

 

Committee

Current Member

Replacement Member

Licensing Committee

Cllr Kitty Lyons

Cllr Barry Rawlings

 

14.

Report of the Monitoring Officer pdf icon PDF 242 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That Council note the action taken by the Monitoring Officer in granting the dispensations for this meeting as set out in the Report of the Monitoring Officer.

 

15.

Questions to Council Representatives on Outside Bodies

Minutes:

There were none.

16.

Administration Motion in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius - Ensuring the safety of Barnet's tower block residents pdf icon PDF 42 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Tom Davey moved the motion in Councillor Richard Cornelius’ name. Councillor Ross Houston moved the amendment in his name. Debate ensued.

 

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

 

For

31

Against

31

Abstain

0

Absent

1

TOTAL

63

 

The Worshipful the Mayor used his casting vote against the amendment in accordance with Meeting Procedure Rule 18.3. 

 

The amendment was declared lost.

 

The motion was then put to the vote and was declared carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

Ensuring the safety of Barnet’s tower block residents

 

Council expresses shock and sadness at the tremendous loss of life at Grenfell Tower, North Kensington, on 14 June 2017. Members extend their condolences to all those who lost their homes, family, and friends in the fire, and recognise this was a catastrophe made all the more tragic for being avoidable.

 

Council notes the decision of the Housing Committee on 26 June 2017 to instruct Barnet Homes to carry out a review of fire safety measures in the Council’s 28 high rise blocks and give consideration to the installation of sprinkler systems, improved fire and smoke alarm systems, and any other measures which may be required to meet best practice.

 

Council also welcomes the assurance given by Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid to the chairman of the Local Government Association that ‘funding will be made available to those councils that need to conduct work’. The £10 million set aside by the Housing Committee from the Housing Revenue Account was taken as an emergency measure, and concerns funds otherwise earmarked for capital projects and maintenance.

 

In light of the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, and the ongoing misery they have caused, Council calls on officers of the Council and Barnet Homes to complete their fire safety review with due care and attention at the earliest possible opportunity to provide reassurance to, and ensure the safety of, Barnet residents and to seek funding from Government.

 

17.

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Phil Cohen - NHS funding in North London pdf icon PDF 40 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Phil Cohen moved the motion and the amendment to his motion in his name. Councillor Helena Hart moved the amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

 

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

 

For

31

Against

31

Abstain

0

Absent

1

TOTAL

63

 

The Worshipful the Mayor used his casting vote against the amendment in accordance with Meeting Procedure Rule 18.3. 

 

The amendment was declared lost.

 

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

 

For

31

Against

30

Abstain

1

Absent

1

TOTAL

63

 

The amendment was declared carried.

 

The substantive motion as amended by Councillor Helena Hart was then put to the vote and the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

31

Against

30

Abstain

1

Absent

1

TOTAL

63

 

The substantive motion was declared carried. 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

NHS funding in North London

Council notes that the latest NCL Sustainability and Transformation Plan states that if nothing is done there will be an estimated £811 million deficit across the NHS in North Central London in 2020/21 with a funding gap across North London Councils on Social Care and Public Health of a further £247 million.

 

Council also notes with concern that the Plan further states that despite their work to deliver efficiencies in the way that health and care is delivered, this has not been enough to bring their Plan into financial balance and warns that difficult choices will have to be made.

 

Despite assurances from the STP Convenor that there are no plans for changes to local health services beyond those set out in the STP Plan, in view of the marked and constant lack of democratic local political involvement and input permitted into the process from the outset, Council remains extremely concerned as to what measures will have to be taken to close the financial gap and the effect that these will have on the quality, quantity and accessibility of health services for Barnet residents.

 

Barnet politicians have led the way in highlighting both the lack of progress in integrating health and social care services across the five London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington and the lack of democratic input.

 

Council calls on the NHS to start taking these concerns seriously and to consult properly and in a timely fashion with Barnet residents and their democratically elected representatives and on all members of this Council to continue to support the Leader, the Health & Wellbeing Board and the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee in all their efforts to hold the NHS to account.

 

18.

Motions for Adjournment

19.

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Ross Houston - Standards in the private rented sector pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Tim Roberts, Councillor Claire Hutton and Councillor Gill Sargeant left the chamber for consideration and voting on this item.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that under Full Council Procedure Rule 1. 16. He had received notice that Councillor Ross Houston would like to propose a ‘Motion for the Adjournment’ to enable the motion listed at agenda item 14.5 on Standards in the Private Rented Sector to be debated. Councillor Ross Houston proposed his motion be moved and Council duly agreed to debate.

 

Councillor Ross Houston moved the motion and the amendment to his motion in his name. Councillor Tom Davey moved the amendment in his name. Under Council procedure Rule 13.5 Councillor Richard Cornelius moved "that the question be now put". Councillor Ross Houston had right of reply.

 

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

 

For

28

Against

31

Abstain

0

Absent

4

TOTAL

63

 

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:

 

 

For

Against

Not Voting

Absent

Maureen Braun

 

ü

Jess Brayne

ü

 

 

 

Rebecca Challice

ü

 

Pauline Coakley Webb

ü

 

 

 

Dean Cohen

 

ü

 

 

Jack Cohen

ü

 

 

 

Melvin Cohen

 

ü

 

Philip Cohen

ü

 

 

 

Geof Cooke

ü

 

 

 

Alison Cornelius

 

ü

 

 

Richard Cornelius

 

ü

 

 

Tom Davey

 

ü

 

 

Val Duschinsky

 

ü

 

 

Paul Edwards

ü

 

 

Claire Farrier

ü

 

 

 

Anthony Finn

ü

 

 

Brian Gordon

ü

 

 

Eva Greenspan

ü

 

 

Rohit Grover

 

ü

 

 

Helena Hart

ü

 

 

John Hart

ü

 

 

Ross Houston

ü

 

 

 

Anne Hutton

 

 

ü

Andreas Ioannidis

ü

 

 

 

Devra Kay

ü

 

 

SuryKhatri

 

ü

 

 

Adam Langleben

ü

 

 

 

Kathy Levine

ü

 

 

David Longstaff

 

ü

 

 

Kitty Lyons

ü

 

 

John Marshall

 

ü

 

 

Kath McGuirk

ü

 

 

ArjunMittra

ü

 

 

 

Alison Moore

ü

 

 

 

AmmarNaqvi

ü

 

 

 

NagasNarenthira

ü

 

 

 

Charlie O’Macauley

ü

 

 

 

Graham Old

 

ü

 

 

Alon Or-Bach

ü

 

 

Reema Patel

ü

 

 

Bridget Perry

 

ü

 

 

Wendy Prentice

 

ü

 

 

Sachin Rajput

 

ü

 

 

Barry Rawlings

ü

 

 

Hugh Rayner

 

ü

 

 

Tim Roberts

 

ü

Gabriel Rozenberg

 

ü

 

 

Lisa Rutter

 

ü

 

 

Shimon Ryde

 

ü

 

Brian Salinger

 

ü

 

 

Gill Sargeant

 

ü

Joan Scannell

 

ü

 

Alan Schneiderman

ü

 

Mark Shooter

 

ü

 

Agnes Slocombe

ü

 

 

Stephen Sowerby

 

ü

 

Caroline Stock

 

ü

 

 

Daniel Thomas

 

ü

 

 

Reuben Thompstone

 

ü

 

 

Jim Tierney

ü

 

 

 

Laurie Williams

ü

 

 

 

Peter Zinkin

 

ü

 

 

ZakiaZubairi

ü

 

 

 

For:                 28

Against:         31

Abstain:          0

Absent:           4

 

TOTAL:           63

 

The amendment was lost.

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Tom Davey was then put to the vote. Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

31

Against

28

Abstain

0

Absent

4

TOTAL

63

 

The amendment was declared carried.

 

The substantive motion as amended by Councillor Tom Davey was then put to the vote and the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

31

Against

28

Abstain

0

Absent

4

TOTAL

63

 

The substantive motion was declared carried. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

Standards in the private rented sector

 

Council notes there was no Housing & Planning Bill introduced, debated, or voted on in Parliament this year, nor were there any Labour amendments to said bill  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Administration Motion in the name of Councillor Brian Gordon - Proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety pdf icon PDF 42 KB

Minutes:

Under Full Council Procedure Rule 1. 16. Council agreed to debate the Motion in the name of Councillor Brian Gordon – Proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety.

 

Councillor Brian Gordon moved the motion in his name. Debate ensued.

 

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

 

RESOLVED:

 

Proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety

 

Council expresses grave concern that the terrorist ideology of Hezbollah was allowed to be paraded yet again on the streets of London on Sunday 18th June at the annual ‘Al Quds Day’ march.  The display of overtly racist, violence-provoking flags and banners and the delivery of blatantly antisemitic speeches with impunity is an affront to this country’s democratic and tolerant way of life.

 

It is even more reprehensible at a time when innocent civilians of all faiths and none have been repeatedly targeted by, and fallen victim to, terrorist attacks on British soil this year. The Government has rightly declared its commitment to fighting this scourge in every conceivable way. However, there is presently one major string missing to this bow.

 

Council notes the unacceptable legal loophole whereby the so-called military wing of Hezbollah has been proscribed in the United Kingdom but the ‘political wing’ has not. The reality, however, is they are one and the same — a fact recognised by the Arab League, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Bahrain, Canada, the United States, Israel, France, and the Netherlands.

 

As Barnet is a multi-cultural borough committed to the values of community cohesion and an abhorrence of hate crime, we as members of its Council consider we have a duty to speak out on this issue, which has caused acute anxiety to numerous Barnet residents who are rightly proud of the borough’s large and coexisting Muslim and Jewish communities. To ensure this harmony is not threatened, Council calls on the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London to use their respective powers and influence to:

 

1.      Proscribe Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organisation;

2.      Ensure the police and other law enforcement agencies        appropriately prosecute those who display Hezbollah flags and        banners and use our streets to propagate racial hatred and           incitement to violence.

 

21.

Administration Motion in the name of Councillor John Marshall - Failure of UN-sponsored talks in Cyprus pdf icon PDF 37 KB

Minutes:

Under Full Council Procedure Rule 1. 16. Council agreed to debate the Motion in the name of Councillor John Marshall – Failure of UN-sponsored talks in Cyprus.

 

Councillor John Marshall moved the motion in his name. Under Council procedure Rule 13.5 Councillor John Marshall then moved "that the question be now put".

 

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

 

RESOLVED:

 

Failure of UN-sponsored talks in Cyprus

 

Council regrets the failure of the United Nations-sponsored intercommunal talks in Cyprus, caused by the intransigence of the Turkish Cypriots refusing to let Greek Cypriots return to Morphou, our twin town.

 

Morphou was home to a predominantly Greek Cypriot community before the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. There cannot, therefore, be a lasting settlement to the dispute on the island without a right of return for this displaced population — many of whom live in Barnet.

 

Council urges the borough’s MPs Theresa Villiers, Mike Freer, and Matthew Offord to condemn this selfishness and urges foreign secretary Boris Johnson to raise these concerns with the Turkish government.