Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ. View directions

Contact: Email: Corinna.Demetriou@barnet.gov.uk 020 8359 2860 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Daniel Thomas, Jennifer Grocock, Rishikesh Chakraborty, Matthew Perlberg and Mark Shooter.

 

 

2.

Elect a Member to preside if the Mayor is absent

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

 

3.

Words from Young People in Barnet

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor invited Safiya, Saliha, Zubair and Assiya members of the My Say Matters project to say a few words. 

 

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

Cllr Lemon declared an interest in relation to item 13.4 by virtue of being employed by Transport for London (TfL).

 

Cllr Clarke declared an interest in relation to items 13.2 and 13.4 by virtue of being the London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.

 

Cllr Mittra declared an interest in relation to items 13.2 and 13.4 by virtue of working for the Greater London Authority.

 

5.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 126 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Council meetings held on 1 November 2022 be agreed as a correct record.

 

6.

Official announcements

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor informed that she had written to the Mayor of Pokhara following the recent air crash in our twin town of Pokhara.  The  borough flag had been flown at half-mast. A letter received from the Mayor of Pokhara was read out and The Worshipful the Mayor then invited the Chamber to join in standing for a minutes silence.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor sadly acknowledged the passing of Councillor Melvin Cohen and expressed her condolences to his family who were in the public gallery.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor invited tributes to Councillor Melvin Cohen from Councillors Dean Cohen, Councillor Barry Rawlings, Councillor David Longstaff, Councillor Tony Vourou, Councillor Richard Cornelius, Councillor Alan Schneiderman and Councillor Alison Cornelius.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor then asked the Council to stand for a minute’s silence.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor acknowledged the sad passing of Vi Britchfield, who sat as Chair of the Barnet Homes Board up until The Barnet Group was formed in 2012.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor also acknowledged the passing of two officers, Matthew Kendall who was an Assistant Director of Adult Social Care for Barnet until 2019 and Robert Woolhead who was part of the Members IT Support team and had worked at Barnet Council for many years.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded members of the Holocaust Memorial Commemoration being held at Middlesex University on Sunday 29th January 2023 and encouraged all to attend.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor reminded members that we were in pre-election period for the Golders Green by-election and were asked to be mindful of any matters that relate to that ward.

 

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 447 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.

Reports from Committees

11.1

Referral report from Constitutional & General Purposes Committee - Pay Policy Statement 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 160 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Rawlings, Chair of the Constitution and General Purposes Committee, moved the reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report.

 

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For: 56

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

RESOLVED that Council approves the Annual Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2023/24 (Appendix A).

 

12.

Reports of Officers

12.1

Report of the Monitoring Officer - Constitution Review pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer introduced the report, outlining the changes to various sections of the Constitution.

 

Councillor Rawlings moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report.

 

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For: 38

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1. Council consider and approve the first tranche of the Constitution as set out in the Appendices A to H attached.

 

2.  Council agree that the Constitution sections attached as Appendices A to G will come into effect at Annual Council in May 2023 and that the Members Licensing Code will come into effect immediately.

 

3. Council delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to make ‘housekeeping changes’ to the Constitution such as terminology to ensure consistency, numbering and formatting changes.

 

12.2

Report of the Director of Finance - London Boroughs Grants Scheme - Borough Contributions, 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 223 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Governance introduced the report, outlining the proposals of the London Council’s leaders Committee regarding the overall level of expenditure of, and borough contributions to the London Boroughs Grants Schemes (LBGS) in 2023/24.

 

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For: 56

Against:0

Abstain:0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    The recommendation of the London Councils Leaders’ Committee for an overall level of expenditure and borough contributions of £6,686,152 in 2023/24, involving a levy on Barnet of £295,545, be approved.

 

2.    That the Executive Director of Strategy & Resources (Section 151 Officer) be instructed to inform the Chief Executive of London Councils accordingly.

 

12.3

Report of the Head of Governance pdf icon PDF 158 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Head of Governance introduced the report, outlining the various administrative matters for Council’s agreement.

 

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For:  56

Against: 0

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.         Council note and approve the appointments to Outside Bodies in Appendix A.

 

2.         Council approve the appointments of the Other Appointments outlined in Appendix B.

 

3.         Council approve the changes to appointments of Committees outlined in Appendix C.

 

4.         Council approve the additional changes to appointments of Outside Bodies outlined in Appendix D.

 

12.4

Calculation of Political Balance Report pdf icon PDF 173 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance introduced the report outlining the casual vacancy that had arisen from the sad death of Councillor Melvin Cohen which has altered the political balance of the Council. On 24th January the Proper Officer received notification that Councillor Linda Lusingu would be becoming an Independent Member. 

 

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were recorded as follows:

 

For: 56

Against:0

Abstain:0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.  That Council note the political balance of the Council is:

 

Ø  40 Members of the Labour Group

Ø  21 Members of the Conservative Group

Ø  1 Independent Member

 

 2.  Council agree the allocation of seats as set out in the tables in Appendix Ai in order to comply with the political balance regulations requiring seats to be allocated proportionately to the political groups on Council.

 

13.

Motions (45 minutes)

13.1

Administration Motion in the name of Cllr Ross Houston- Great Homes upgrade pdf icon PDF 44 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Houston moved the motion in his name. Councillor Richard Cornelius moved an amendment in his name. Councillor Clarke moved an amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

 

Votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius were recorded as follows:

 

For: 18

Against: 38

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Richard Cornelius was LOST.

 

Votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Clarke were recorded as follows:

 

For: 38

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Clarke was CARRIED.

 

Votes on the motion as amended by Councillor Clarke were recorded as follows:

 

For: 38

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 6

Total: 62

 

The motion as amended by Councillor Clarke was CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council believes that:

 

1.    A green recovery from the pandemic is not only possible but imperative if we are to meet our carbon reduction targets as a local authority.

 

2.    Up to now much of the proposed action by Government is little more than rhetoric. We need to turn rhetoric into action.

 

Council notes that:

 

1.    Melting ice caps and forest fires can often seem like someone else’s crisis when many are taking effect so far from our homes.

 

2.    Crises closer to home affecting thousands of local families cannot be separated from those further afield.

 

3.    There are 15,188 households living in fuel poverty in Barnet.

 

4.    Across the UK there are more than 24 million homes leaking heat.

 

5.    There is no route to decarbonising the economy without retrofitting these homes across the UK.

 

6.    Doing so would not only help to protect our planet, but can improve housing, lead to cheaper energy bills and create hundreds of thousands of good quality jobs.

 

7.    Here in Barnet it is estimated that there are at least 61,399 homes below EPC C that require retrofitting and this could create thousands of good quality jobs in our local communities.

 

8.    LB Barnet is doing all it can to improve the energy efficiency of its own housing stock, and to decarbonise the Council by 2030 and the Borough by 2042, but additional investment from the Government will be needed to retrofit all homes in the Borough.

 

Council therefore resolves to write to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Homes and Communities calling on them to:

 

1.    Commit to a Great Homes Upgrade to retrofit 19 million homes by 2030.

 

2.    Use the Spring Budget to commit to spending £11.7bn over the next three years to begin the Great Homes Upgrade.

 

3.    Commit to working with local authorities, housing associations, private rental landlords and owner occupiers to upgrade properties for net zero.

 

4.    Commit to setting up a retrofitting taskforce to target resources now to achieve net zero through upgrading properties.

 

Council also resolves to:

 

1.    Write to our neighbouring local authorities to ask them to join the campaign.

 

2.    Support London-wide efforts to lobby  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.1

13.2

Opposition Motion in the name of Cllr Jennifer Grocock - Combatting Crime in Barnet- more police for Barnet pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Longstaff moved the motion the name of Councillor Grocock and moved an amendment in his name. Councillor Sara Conway moved an amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

 

*Councillor Zakia Zubairi left the meeting at 20.54pm*

 

The votes on the amendment in Councillor Sara Conway name were recorded as follows:

 

For: 37

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Sara Conway was CARRIED.

 

The votes on the amendment in the name of Councillor Longstaff were recorded as follows:

 

For: 18

Against: 37

Abstain: 0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Longstaff was LOST.

 

Votes on the motion as amended by Councillor Sara Conway were recorded as follows:

 

For: 37

Against: 18

Abstain: 0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The motion as amended by Councillor Sara Conway was CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council notes that:

1.    Barnet has experienced some horrific acts of crime over many years, including recently with three stabbings and a shooting on our streets.

2.    While the Government increased its funding to the Metropolitan Police by £138.9m in 2021 and have committed to a further increase of £164.2m in 2022 with the additional announcement in December 2022 that in the 2023/2024 period the total funding for Policing will be up to £17.2 billion, this is too little, too late.

3.    Before that, the Government had cut the Met’s funding by £1bn since 2010.

4.    During the last decade of Conservative austerity, Met police officer numbers plummeted below 30,000 and Ministers slashed police, justice and youth services - causing violent crime to rise in London and across the UK.

5.    Since 2010 under a Conservative Government and Conservative Mayor, Barnet lost hundreds of police officers.

6.    Since 2017, violence against the person has risen 11%, muggings by 25%, rape by nearly 11% and other sexual offences by over 33.1% in London. In Barnet, between the same time, general crime rose by 21% with lockdown being the only respite in the continual increase.

7.    The main increases in crime in Barnet are:

a)    Violence and sexual offences

b)   Vehicle crimes

Council also notes that:

1.       The Labour Mayor of London has reinvested over £1bn in policing and tackling crime – the most of any Mayor from City Hall – funding 1,300 more police officers across London with a minimum of two Dedicated Ward Officers and one PCSO allocated to every ward in the City, including Barnet.

 

2.       Overall, crime in London is now falling, bucking the national trend.

 

3.       But the level of violence remains too high and the Mayor is determined to use his budget to continue making progress by investing more in the police as well as programmes to tackle the complex causes of crime.

 

4.       The Mayor has stablished a Violence Reduction Unit, which is bringing together local councils, the NHS, schools, community groups and others to work on a shared approach to diverting vulnerable young Londoners away from violence by providing them with help  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.2

13.3

Administration Motion in the name of Cllr Sara Conway - Borough of Sanctuary pdf icon PDF 47 KB

Minutes:

Votes on the motion in the name of Councillor Sara Conway were recorded as follows:

 

For: 55

Against: 0

Abstain:0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Sara Conway was CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council notes that: 

 

1.            Barnet is proud of its diversity and history of welcoming people from across the world to the borough.

 

2.         There is a tradition at the heart of Barnet’s communities, those of faith and of none, of working together to welcome, host, feed, clothe and support people seeking sanctuary here.

 

3.         Barnet is enhanced by the contribution of those from a diverse range of backgrounds.

 

4.         Over the last few years, the council has, with the support of the VCFS, residents, partners and community groups, co-ordinated the resettlement of refugees and supported asylum seekers. This has included:

 

a.     Supporting the resettlement of 50 individuals through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

b.     Hosting 1,553Ukrainian refugees escaping war

c.     Resettling 4 refugee families through the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme

d.     Working with the VCFS to support the integration of those arriving in Barnet on the Hong Kong BN(O) visa scheme.

e.     Provision of drop-in and other support through the Barnet Together VCFS network, Barnet Multi-Faith Forum, Citizens UK, Nisa Nashim and faith spaces like the New North London Synagogue, Finchley Progressive Synagogue and Hendon Synagogue Community Centre who work together and separately to provide welcome and practical support for refugees and asylum seekers in terms of advice and legal signposting, food, clothes, community spaces, and cultural events.

f.          Commissioning the New Citizens Gateway and Persian Advice Bureau to support asylum seekers

g.     Ongoing work with London-wide partners such as the GLA, London Councils, the Home Office and the London Strategic Migration Partnership to shape policy and provide insight onto the challenges local authorities face.

 

5.            We are committed to continuing to work with partners, schools, and the voluntary, community and faith sector to create a welcoming and secure borough for those seeking sanctuary.

 

6.            LB Barnet is currently supporting 55 Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children.

 

7.        The Borough of Sanctuary is awarded by City of Sanctuary to institutions that are welcoming to those fleeing violence and persecution in their own countries, and protecting the rights of all migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees.

 

Council believes that:

 

1.        Standing up for those facing persecution, and welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and migrants is a moral responsibility that enriches our borough.

 

2.            LB Barnet must continue to support its migrant communities and that the journey to become a Borough of Sanctuary will solidify this commitment.

 

3.            Refugee & asylum seekers are much more likely to be subject to both criminal and sexual exploitation as well as modern day slavery.

 

4.        We have a duty of care towards children, and vulnerable and trafficked adults in our borough, and this must extend to refugees and migrants.

 

 

 

Council resolves to:

 

1.            Welcome those fleeing persecution and launch the journey to become an awarded Borough of Sanctuary by joining City of Sanctuary’s local  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.3

13.4

Opposition Motion in the name of Cllr Dan Thomas - Stop expansion of the ULEZ and say 'no' to future road pricing pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Minutes:

  

 

 

*Cllr Lemon left the chamber before the vote on this item*.

 

Votes on the motion in the name of Councillor Thomas were recorded as follows:

 

For: 18

Against: 36

Abstain: 0

Absent: 8

Total: 62

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Thomas was LOST.

 

*Councillor Lemon re-entered the chamber*

 

13.5

Administration Motion in the name of Cllr Gill Sargeant - Age Friendly Barnet pdf icon PDF 46 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Votes on amendment in the name of Councillor Thomas were recorded as follows:

 

For: 18

Against: 37

Abstain: 0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Thomas was LOST.

 

Votes on the substantive motion in the name of Councillor Gill Sargeant were recorded as follows:

 

For: 55

Against:0

Abstain:0

Absent: 7

Total: 62

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Gill Sargeant was therefore CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

 Council notes that: 

 

1.    According to the 2021 census, there are 26,300 residents in Barnet who are 75 and over.

2.    This is an increase of 11% since 2011 and means that older people are an increasingly significant proportion of our community and projections show this will only continue to increase.

3.    We want older people in Barnet to be able to live active, independent and fulfilling lives for as long as possible.

4.    Just as we aspire to Barnet being family friendly and dementia friendly, we want our Borough to be ‘age friendly’

5.    Age Friendly Communities is a concept developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2007 with almost 1500 members worldwide.

6.    In an Age Friendly Community, services, local groups, businesses and residents all work together to identify and make the necessary changes in both the physical and social environment to both support and enable older people to lead healthy and active lives.

7.    Council recognises that older people make a positive contribution to life in Barnet, through employment, volunteering, caring, and in other spheres.

8.    Council recognises that Barnet has a strong foundation in its network of community, voluntary, faith and public services that support older residents

9.    Working together with community and voluntary groups, the council’s Ageing Well and Mental Health champion and interested councillors have already identified the first steps we need to take to put this plan into action.

 

Council also notes that:

1.    Becoming an Age Friendly Community is a statement of intent to:

a.    take into account ageing, and the needs and wishes of older people in every area of policy making,

b.    to take those needs seriously,

c.    to combat ageism that is seen in every area of society, particularly the portrayal of older people as a burden

d.    to share with the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities knowledge and expertise that will improve the lives of our residents in later life.

2.    To become officially recognised as Age Friendly, the leadership in a town, city or county must make a written commitment to actively work towards becoming a great place to grow old in for all of its residents.

3.    This must be done with the support and engagement of older people and relevant stakeholders across the public, education, voluntary, community and faith sector, and businesses.

Council, therefore, resolves to:

1.    Make an official application to join the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities as a first step in its commitment towards joining the World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

2.    Rename  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.5

14.

Motions for Adjournment

Minutes:

None.