Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Anita Vukomanovic, Email: anita.vukomanovic@barnet.gov.uk, 020 8359 7034 

Items
Note No. Item

1.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Shimon Ryde and Councillor Thomas Smith. 

 

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor John Hart, who arrived at 7.19 pm. 

 

2.

Elect a Member to preside if the Mayor is absent

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

3.

Prayer

Minutes:

Father Gladstone Liddle was called upon by the Worshipful the Mayor to speak to Council and say prayers.

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

No interests were declared.

5.

Minutes of the last meeting pdf icon PDF 144 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting dated 22 May 2018 were approved as a correct record.

 

6.

Official announcements

Minutes:

The Worshipful the Mayor congratulated the Barnet winners of the Le Raincy Twin Town Digital Photographic competition, noting that Sue Willoughby had won first place, Alan Last had won second place and David Loebell had won third place. 

 

The Worshipful the Mayor announced a Victoria Cross Paving stone laying ceremony would take place at 11am on Saturday 29th September in Station Road, New Barnet.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that 11 November 2018 would mark 100 years since the end of the Great War and advised that there would be a Civic Service of Commemoration and Reconciliation at 3pm at St Paul’s Church Mill Hill.

 

The Worshipful the Mayor noted that on Friday 29 June 2018 he had welcomed HRH the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, to the borough when he attended the RAF Museum, Hendon, to celebrate the RAF Centenary.

 

7.

Any business remaining from last meeting

Minutes:

There was none.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed Council that he would vary the order the business for the meeting to deal with one of the motions listed on the agenda before the other items of business.  He reported that in relation to agenda item 14.1 (Administration in the Name of Councillor Brian Gordon), the Monitoring Officer had advised that this motion should be referred directly to the Policy & Resources Committee which Council duly AGREED.

 

8.

Questions to the Leader (and Committee Chairmen if he/she has delegated) pdf icon PDF 254 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 from the Audit Committee - Annual Report of the Audit Committee pdf icon PDF 233 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Anthony Finn, Chairman of the Audit 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 Council note and approve the Annual Report of the Audit Committee for 2017/18. 

11.2

Referral from the Constitution & General Purposes Committee - Electoral Review of the London Borough of Barnet Stage 1 - Council Size Submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission pdf icon PDF 240 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Melvin Cohen, Chairman of the Constitution and General Purposes Committee, moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report. Debate ensued.

 

The recommendations as set out in the report were put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

36

Against

0

Abstentions

25

Absent

2

Total

63

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    Council agree the draft submission to the Local Government Boundary Commission that proposes the future council size (number of councillors) as set out in Appendix A.

 

2.    Council acknowledges that there may be initial feedback from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England to be considered which may subsequently effect the submission on Council Size.

 

11.3

Referral from the Constitution & General Purposes Committee - Constitution Review pdf icon PDF 203 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Melvin Cohen, Chairman of the Constitution and General Purposes 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 approve the recommendations contained in the report from the Constitution & General Purposes Committee at Annexe 1 and the track change versions attached at Appendix A to Appendix C (incorporating the amendments set out in Annexe 1A).

 

2.    The Monitoring Officer and Chief Legal Advisor be authorised to implement these revisions and published a revised Constitution.

 

7.45pm - 9.30pm

12.

Reports of Officers

12.1

Report of the Head of Governance pdf icon PDF 232 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance introduced the report.  Appendix A set out changes to the Calendar of Meetings.  Appendix B set out a change in membership of the Finchley and Golders Green Area Planning Committee and the North London Waste Planning Group.  Appendix C, which had been tabled, set out further changes to committee memberships and outside bodies.  The following corrections to Appendix C were reported:

 

·         Item 2 – amend to be a substitute Member of the Committee (rather than Member of the Committee)

 

·         Item 3 – amend to be the Finchley and Golders Green Area Planning Committee (rather than Area Committee)

 

He further noted that in relation to Item 6 in Appendix C, Members were being asked to note that Council was noting the appointment to the directorship of Regional Enterprise (RE) Ltd rather than making an appointment to it as the appointment is made by Barnet Holding Limited.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    Council notes the changes to the calendar of meetings as set out in Appendix A.

 

2.    Council approve the change of membership of the Finchley and Golders Green Area Planning Committee as set out in Appendix B.

 

3.    Council approve the changes to committee memberships and outside bodies and note the appointment to the directorship of RE Ltd as set out in Appendix C.

 

12.2

Council Tax Reduction for Care Leavers pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

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

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1.    Council note the consultation results in Appendix B pertaining to a policy for offering council tax relief to care leavers based on guaranteed relief for their first two years of independent living or until their 25th birthday, whichever is first.

 

2.    Council ratify the endorsement from Policy & Resources Committee of the Care Leaver Council Tax Reduction Policy attached in Appendix A, to be implemented and backdated to 1 April 2018.

 

13.

Questions to Council Representatives on Outside Bodies

Minutes:

None. 

14.

Motions (45 minutes)

14.1

Administration Motion in the name of Councillor Brian Gordon - Boycott the Antisemitic BDS Movement pdf icon PDF 54 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This motion had been referred directly to the Policy & Resources Committee.

 

14.2

Administration Motion in the name of Councillor John Marshall - Conserve Our Family Homes pdf icon PDF 35 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor John Marshall moved the motion in his name.  Councillor Paul Edwards moved the amendment in his name.  Debate ensued.

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Paul Edwards was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

25

Against

36

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The amendment was declared lost. 

 

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

 

For

61

Against

0

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The motion was declared carried.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council, recognising that the untrammelled conversion of family homes into flats can change the character of an area, and believes the borough should place a ceiling upon the extent to which such conversions can take place on any road.

 

Council instructs Officers to investigate how this can be achieved and to present their findings to the Housing Committee.

 

14.3

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Barry Rawlings - Broken Election Promises in Broken Barnet pdf icon PDF 40 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Barry Rawlings moved the motion in his name.  Councillor Anne Clarke moved an amendment in her name.  Debate ensued.

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Anne Clarke was put to the vote.

 

Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

25

Against

36

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The amendment was declared lost.

 

The motion in the name of Councillor Rawlings was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

25

Against

36

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The motion was declared lost. 

 

14.4

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Jo Cooper - Pesticide Free Barnet pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

For

36

Against

25

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The amendment was carried.  The substantive motion was then put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

36

Against

25

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council notes that pesticides and herbicides like Glyphosate that are used in our parks and public spaces divide opinion, and some residents believe they can cause harm to people, animals and the environment.

 

However, Council notes that residents’ complaintsabout weeds consistently outweigh those about pesticides.

 

Council notes that LB Hammersmith & Fulham have gone pesticide free, and other councils are now taking the pesticide free route, but that the European Union authorised a further five-year lease on the use of Glyphosate in November 2017.

 

Council requests that the Environment Committee monitor the legislative status of Glyphosate, regardless of the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union in 2022, as well as cost-effective and results-paritive alternatives.

 

14.5

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Jess Brayne - Equality in Mental Health Services for BAMER Communities pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Rajput’s was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

36

Against

25

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The amendment was carried.  The substantive motion was then put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

61

Against

0

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Adults who use Barnet’s adult social care services increasingly have complex needs. There is a strong correlation between mental and physical health, and those accessing our support services will increasingly need support with both their mental and physical health. All Councillors have a responsibility to promote good mental health for all those living in our Borough.

 

Council notes there is evidence for black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee (BAMER) disadvantage in the adult social care system. Being a borough which prides itself on its ethnic and cultural diversity, Council requests all committees place equality of access and service delivery as a primary concern when enacting the Conservative manifesto pledge to:

“…support the integration of Social Care and the NHS and use our democratic mandate to get excellent joined-up care. We will push for parity in the importance and excellence of mental health care, which has too often been treated as a secondary concern.”

 

14.6

Administration Motion in the name of Lisa Rutter - Reunify Cyprus Allow Refugees Home pdf icon PDF 41 KB

Minutes:

The motion in the name of councillor Lisa Rutter was put to the vote.

 

The motion was unanimously agreed.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Barnet has a large Greek and Turkish Cypriot community. Many of these residents are refugees or descendants of refugees from the illegal invasion and occupation of northern Cyprus in 1974.

 

As these residents’ elected representatives, in a borough twinned with the occupied town of Morphou, Council believes we all have a vested interest in the Cypriot peace process. Presently, many Barnet residents from both communities are unable to return to their ancestral homes, which remains a source of considerable distress.

 

On 17th July the United Nations Security Council urged all sides to resume talks on a settlement for the island “towards a bizonal, bicommunal, federal solution" and sent an envoy of the Secretary-General to meet leaders last week.

 

Council supports these efforts and joins MPs and Peers in calling for the reunification of Cyprus through a just and viable settlement, including the removal of Turkish troops, in the interests of all displaced Cypriots in Cyprus, Barnet and around the world.

14.7

Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Ross Houston - People's Vote on the Final Brexit Deal pdf icon PDF 41 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

For

36

Against

25

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

The amendment was carried.  The substantive motion was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

36

Against

25

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

Total

63

 

RESOVLED that:

 

Council notes that 62% of Barnet residents voting in the EU Referendum voted to remain in Europe.

 

Council also notes that whatever is in the final Brexit deal, it will have implications for local businesses, our local economy, public services including our local NHS, local partners including Middlesex University, local jobs and our residents including circa 29,000 EU citizens and their children living in Barnet.

 

Council notes that it is not clear whether there will be a soft Brexit, hard Brexit or no deal at all.

 

Council therefore calls on the Government to give the British people, including Barnet residents, the best possible deal.