Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Jennifer Grocock, Councillor Reema Patel and Councillor Gill Sargeant.

The Worshipful the Mayor was present.

Rabbi Goldsmith was called upon by the Worshipful the Mayor to speak to Council and say prayers.

Councillor Arjun Mittra declared a non-pecuniary interest by virtue of being an employee of the Great London Authority, in relation to agenda:

a)    Item 14.1 (Administration Motion in the name of Cllr Helene Richman - Policing in Barnet) and

b)    Item 14.4 (Liberal Democrats motion in the name of Cllr Gabriel Rozenberg - Protect Finchley Central - The Mayor of London cannot act as judge in his own case).

The minutes of the meeting dated 29 October 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

The Mayor was delighted to announce that that Middlesex University had launched a Mayor of Barnet’s Golden Kilometre and were the first university to take on the idea to promote mental wellbeing. She further noted that that Barnet’s entry in the London New Years’ Day parade won £6,000 which had been donated to The Mayor’s Charity.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed Council that she had attended the moving Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration which had been held at the Rickett Quadrangle, Middlesex University. The Worshipful the Mayor noted that the theme this year was ‘Stand Together’, marking 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 25th anniversary of the Genocide in Bosnia. The Worshipful the Mayor expressed her thanks to all those who gave their time to participate in the commemoration.

The Worshipful the Mayor informed Council that the BBC had filmed a documentary about Councillor Lisa Rutter’s Dementia Club UK which would be broadcasted during the Inside Out series on the 10th February 2020 at 7.30pm on BBC1.

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.

There were none.

There were none.

Councillor Alex Prager, Vice-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:

1.     That Council note the report of the Constitution & General Purposes Committee held on 16 January 2020 (Annex 1) and the decisions of the Committee set out in in Section 1.2 of the report.

2.     That Council approve the Constitution amendments as set out in Appendix A.

3.     That Council authorise the Monitoring Officer to implement these revisions and publish a revised Constitution.

Councillor Alex Prager, Vice-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 Council approve the Annual Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2020/21 as set out in Annex A.

Councillor Richard Cornelius, Chairman of the Housing and Growth

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 agreed.

Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that Council approve the Deputy Chief Executive to proceed with an application to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for consent to process with transferring empty properties from the Housing Revenue account to Opendoor Homes.

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

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

RESOLVED:

1.     That Council approve joining the London wide Business Rates Pool, as detailed in paragraphs 1.2.28-1.2.30 of the Business Planning – Medium Term, Financial Strategy 2020-25, Budget Management 2019/20 and Draft Budget for 2020/21 report to the Policy & Resources Committee on 6 January 2020, as linked in section 6.1 of the report.

2.     That Council delegated delegates responsibility to the Chief Finance Officer (S151 Officer) in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee to agree the arrangements for the London Wide Business Rates Pool in the form of the Memorandum of Understanding as set out in paragraph 1.2.31 of the same report referred to in recommendation 1 above.

Council noted that an additional Appendix (Equalities Impact Assessment) had been added and circulated.

Councillor John Marshall, Chairman of the Licensing 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 results of the Cumulative Impact Assessment and adopt the Cumulative Impact Zone in Burnt Oak.

Council noted that an amended Appendix 2 (Consultation Responses) had been circulated and an Appendix 3 (Equalities Impact Assessment) had been added and circulated.

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

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

Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that Council adopt the Licensing Policy 2020-2025.

The Worshipful the Mayor moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report.

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

RESOLVED that:

1.     That Council designate Jessica Farmer as the Council’s Monitoring Officer for the purposes of Section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 for an interim period.

2.     That Council approve the following consequential changes to the Constitution:

·       Article 9 (Chief Officers) – delete “Chief Legal Advisor” throughout Article 9 and so that it reads “Monitoring Officer”.

·       Article 9 (Chief Officers) – delete 9.3 (d) “Managing the relationship with Harrow and Barnet Public Law” and include in the Director of Assurance Scheme of Delegation as a responsibility for the Head of Governance.

The Worshipful the Mayor moved reception and adoption of the recommendations in the report.

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

Council RESOLVED that:

1.     The recommendation of the London Councils Leaders’ Committee for an overall level of expenditure and borough contributions of £6,668,000 in 2020/21, involving a levy on Barnet of £293,535, be approved.

2.     That the Director of Finance be instructed to inform the Chief Executive of London Councils accordingly.

Council noted an amendment to section 1.5 of the report.

The Worshipful the Mayor 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.     That the Council of the London Borough of Barnet reaffirms the Municipal Link in the 25th Anniversary year of the twinning between the London Borough of Barnet and Morphou which has been established for the purposes of furthering goodwill between the two communities through the exchange of views and ideas and by personal contact among the citizens of the two towns, and that the Council sincerely hope that the link will prosper and flourish in the coming years.

2.     That an engrossment on vellum of the foregoing resolution over the Common Seal of the Corporation be presented to the representatives of Morphou.

The Head of Governance introduced the report.

RESOLVED that:

1.     Council appoint Councillor Richard Cornelius and Councillor Sarah Wardle as his deputy onto the Colindale Communities Trust for the remainder of the current term (28 January 2020 to 19 May 2020) as set out in Appendix Ai.

2.     Council note the changes to the Calendar of Meetings 2019/20 as set out in Appendix B and Bi.

3.     Council note the Amendment to Business Planning Process for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix C.

4.     Council appoint Ms Rebecca Doctors as an Employers Representative to the Local Pension Board for a period of four years (28 January 2020 to 27 January 2024) as set out in Appendix D.

5.     Council note the changes to the Calendar of Meetings 2020/21 as set out in Appendix E and Ei.

There were none.

Councillor Jess Brayne gave apologies and left the meeting at 8:01pm.

Councillor Helene Richman moved the motion in her name. Councillor Sara Conway moved an amendment in her name. Debate ensued.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Sara Conway was put to the vote.

A formal division was called in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.

Votes were individually recorded for all Members.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Sara Conway was declared LOST.

The motion in the name of Councillor Helene Richman was then put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The motion was therefore carried.

RESOLVED that:

Council notes that:

1.     Crime has risen in Barnet each year since Sadiq Khan became Mayor of London in 2016.

2.     The Mayor of London closed the Vivian Avenue Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) hub in July 2019 despite having made a promise to keep it open.

3.     The Government have pledged new police officers for Barnet from 2020.

4.     Barnet residents currently pay more per police officer than those of any other borough.

5.     Barnet has the fewest number of police officers per person of any London borough.

6.     The most recent data shows an increase of crime in 19 of Barnet’s 21 wards.

7.     The Mayor of London spends 26% more on PR and 82% on staffing than his predecessor, Boris Johnson.

Council believes that:

1.     The people of Barnet should feel safe in their borough, their neighbourhoods and their homes.

2.     In order to make our residents feel safe, it is important that there is a visible police presence across the borough.

3.     The SNT hub on Vivian Avenue should be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.1

Councillor Paul Edwards moved the motion in his name. Councillor Ross Houston moved an amendment in his name. Councillor Anne Clarke moved the amendment in her name Debate ensued.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Ross Houston was put to the vote.

A formal division was called in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.

Votes were individually recorded for all Members.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the amendment of Councillor Ross Houston was declared LOST.

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

A formal division was called in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.

Votes were individually recorded for all Members.

Councillor Daniel Thomas moved the motion in his name.

The motion in the name of Councillor Daniel Thomas was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that

Council notes that:

1.     All three of Barnet’s sitting Members of Parliament were re-elected on the 12th December 2019.

2.     The re-election of these MPs: Mike Freer, Matthew Offord and Theresa Villiers coincided with a landslide victory for the Conservative Party across the United Kingdom.

Council believes that:

1.     The re-election of our MPs is testament to their hard work, both for their constituents in Barnet and for the national interest.

This Council congratulates:

1.     Chipping Barnet MP, The Right Honourable Theresa Villiers on both her re-election and re-appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

2.     Finchley and Golders Green MP, Mike Freer.

3.     Hendon MP, Matthew Offord.

4.     Boris Johnson on winning a landslide Conservative victory in the 2019 General Election, in which dozens of Conservative candidates proved that there is no such thing as a safe Labour seat.

Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg moved the motion in his name. Councillor Peter Zinkin moved an amendment in his name. Councillor Ross Houston moved an amendment in his name. Debate ensued.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Peter Zinkin was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Peter Zinkin was CARRIED.

The amendment in the name of Councillor Ross Houston was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

The amendment in the name of Councillor Ross Houston was declared LOST.

The substantive motion as amended by Councillor Peter Zinkin was put to the vote.

Votes were recorded as follows:

RESOLVED that:

Transport for London (TfL) intends to build major schemes on land that it owns around Finchley Central and High Barnet underground stations. The current plans regarding Finchley Central and High Barnet underground stations are strongly opposed by local residents and local Members of Parliament alike.

Council notes that:

1.     The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has appointed himself as Chair of TfL.

2.     The Mayor of London has the legal power to call in major planning applications, including those of TfL.

3.     Called-in applications are decided by a planning committee of one – the Mayor of London himself.

Council believes that:

1.     The situation set out in 1,2,3 above to be a serious conflict of interest.

2.     It would be inappropriate, should the situation arise, for the Mayor of London to act as the Local Planning Authority in such applications and call-in against the resolution of the Barnet Planning Committee.

Council resolves to:

1.     Call on the Leader of the Council to write to the Mayor of London, to request that in order to avoid a conflict of interest:

o   In cases where TfL applies for planning permission in the London Borough of Barnet, the Mayor or London should voluntarily recuse himself from the process regarding called-in referrals and refer the application to the Secretary of State.