Issue - meetings

Motions for Council – 28 January 2020

Motion 1 in the name of Councillor Achilleas Georgiou

Test and trace system

Crucial for defeating Covid-19 is an effective test and trace system. Thus far,

government attempts have proved inadequate. This Council believes that

local authorities working with local public health teams are best placed to

deliver test and trace.

The current test and trace system should be de-centralised with responsibility

and government funds given to local authorities to manage and administer.

Motion 2 in the name of Councillor Joanne Laban

In the week of Holocaust Memorial Day, this council reaffirms its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism:

 “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Enfield Council pledges to continue to work towards combating antisemitism.

Motion 3 in the name of Councillor Maria Alexandrou

Cervical Cancer Screening

Cervical screening is a way for women to protect themselves from cancer. The sad reality is that fewer women are now having cervical screening. Last year 1.3m women didn’t attend NHS screenings. There are 3,200 new cases of cervical cancer every year and of those 870 women die from it.

According to Cancer Research UK 99.8% of cases are preventable. When Jade Goody fought her cancer battle, nearly 80% of women went for smear tests.10 years later, only 72% of women go. If this rate falls any lower, the rise in deaths will shoot up. In the case of Jade Goody, she ignored letters about her abnormal cells. She needed to go to hospital for surgery to remove those abnormal cells, surgery which most probably would have saved her life.

Many young women in their 20s and 30s are dying from cervical cancer and the tragedy is they are leaving behind their partners and young children.  We need to encourage everyone to look after their health and have regular check-ups.

Enfield Council therefore agrees to work together with other agencies for a local campaign on cervical cancer awareness and encourage women to attend that important screening test. It only takes 5 minutes at the doctor’s surgery and this test can save your life.

Motion 4 in the name of Councillor Joanne Laban

Covid thank you

The chamber gives it heartfelt thanks to the Enfield Council staff involved in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Motion 5 in the name of Councillor Joanne Laban

The Council supports the provision of meat options at its events and to exclude them is discriminatory against meat eaters. This chamber agrees that all Enfield Council events where catering is provided should include meat, vegetarian and vegan options to show its commitment to inclusivity.

Motion 6 in the name of Councillor Edward Smith

This Council agrees to review its recently published Climate Change Action Plan which set a target for the Council achieving carbon neutrality by  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11

Councillor Laban moved and Councillor Dey seconded the following motion: 

“In the week of Holocaust Memorial Day, this council reaffirms its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism:

 “Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Enfield Council pledges to continue to work towards combating antisemitism.”

Cllr Caliskan reaffirmed that previously Full Council has agreed to endorse the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism.

Following the debate on this motion, it was approved unanimously. 

Motions 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 and 14 lapsed under the guillotine arrangements.  

Motion 1 in the name of Councillor Joanne Laban

The Council supports the provision of meat options at its events and to exclude them is discriminatory against meat eaters. This chamber agrees that all Enfield Council events where catering is provided should include meat, vegetarian and vegan options to show its commitment to inclusivity.

Motion 2 in the name of Councillor Edward Smith

This Council agrees to review its recently published Climate Change Action Plan which set a target for the Council achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 because it is flawed and was not subject to adequate consultation for such an important and far reaching project. 

Motion 3 in the name of Councillor Aramaz

No Return to Austerity Post-Pandemic

Enfield Council recognises that the COVID-19 Pandemic has disrupted the economy significantly.  Lockdown measures have meant that the UK economy had shrunk over 20% by the end of August 2020 in comparison to the previous three months.

This will inevitably mean that certain reforms must be made to the economy in order to avoid exacerbating the economic crisis. 

Since 2010, austerity measures were introduced and quantitative easing was used to stimulate the economy unsuccessfully.  By 2016, up to £445 billion was created and given to the financial markets whereby a minuscule 8% of the wealth trickled down to the real economy, toppling the trickle-down economics argument. In June 2020, this figure now stood at a total of £745billion.

Realistically, quantitative easing should be used not to aid the financial markets but to aid the real economy by investing into building homes, developing infrastructure and creating jobs.

Currently, Enfield Council finds itself at breaking point because of austerity measures introduced by the government.  Since 2010, the council has lost more than 60% of its budget in real terms and cannot suffice anymore. 

Therefore, Enfield Council demands that the government does not reintroduce austerity measures post-pandemic and instead embraces the opportunity to change society for the better by investing in the real economy.

Motion 4 in the name of Councillor Aramaz

Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Alevi and Kurdish People

The Council recognises that there are a huge number of Alevi and Kurdish people in the borough. It is acknowledged by the British Alevi Federation that the London Borough of Enfield has the highest amount of Alevis and Kurdish people living in one area in the United Kingdom.

Enfield public bodies do not currently have enough information about Alevis. More data would help inform the approach of the education, health, local government and general support towards the Alevi community. Lack of inclusion in the census indicates an underestimation and insufficient recognition of the Alevi community as well as inadequate resources directed towards them.

Enfield Council supports the campaign by the British Alevi Federation to include Alevism in the census. Data about minority groups is vital because underreporting could allow discrimination to go unnoticed.

Therefore, in order to not disenfranchise those that identify themselves as Alevi or Kurdish, Enfield Council will ask officers to  ...  view the full agenda text for item 10

Councillor Jewell proposed and Councillor Achilleas Georgiou seconded the following motion: 

The important campaign led by the Premier League footballer, Marcus Rashford, has shone a light on the importance offree school meals to many of our children, particularly during the pandemic when so many families have had their householdincome drop.

Enfield Council condemns the government’s decision not to fund Free School Meals during the October half term this year. If the government can find £7000 a day for consultants for the failed track and trace system, it can fund to help the most vulnerable families in our communities with free school meals during the school holidays.

During the October half term, Enfield Council has been in contact with more than 2,500 families on the free school meal lists, offering support to ensure no child went hungry.

This Council believes that when schools are closed, such as during school holidays, or if children are not able to attend school because of Covid-19, that those children who are entitled to free school meals should have access to food.

Enfield Council believes that no child should ever go hungry whilst at school or during the holidays and we call on the government to quickly resolve to funding FSMs.

During the debate Councillor Stewart moved and Councillor Barnes seconded a motion to proceed to the next item of business.

This was agreed with the following result:

For:  45

Against:  17

Abstentions:  0

After the debate the motion was agreed with a vote with the following result:

For:  45

Against:  17

Abstentions: 0

Councillor Savva moved and Councillor Rye seconded the following motion: 

Enfield condemns in the strongest possible way the unlawful killing and continued unfair treatment of Black lives. Racism has no place in Enfield or elsewhere in this Country and the World.

Those found to exercise or practice racism, if found guilty, should be punished with jail and or fines.

After the debate the motion was agreed unanimously. 

Councillor Stewart moved and Councillor Caliskan seconded a motion to extend the time allowed for motions by 35 minutes. 

Councillor Aramaz moved and Councillor Ergin Erbil seconded the following motion: 

The Council recognises that there are a huge number of Alevi and Kurdish people in the borough. It is acknowledged by the British Alevi Federation that the London Borough of Enfield has the highest amount of Alevis and Kurdish people living in one area in the United Kingdom.

Enfield public bodies do not currently have enough information about Alevis. More data would help inform the approach of the education, health, local government and general support towards the Alevi community. Lack of inclusion in the census indicates an underestimation and insufficient recognition of the Alevi community as well as inadequate resources directed towards them.

Enfield Council supports the campaign by the British Alevi Federation to include Alevism in the census. Data about minority groups is vital because underreporting could allow discrimination to go unnoticed.

Therefore, in order to not disenfranchise those that identify  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10