Agenda and minutes

The Mayor’s Chaplain to give a blessing.

Father John gave a blessing on the Council.

The Mayor made the following announcements:

1.         My first two months

Members of the Council I have enjoyed my first two months as Mayor. It has been a pleasure to visit so many voluntary groups and to meet individuals who work in a voluntary capacity as they all contribute so much to the life of the borough. Enfield has such history we should all take the time to discover our borough. 

2.         Capel Manor Mayor’s Day

I am delighted to report that the Annual Mayors’ Garden Party at Capel Manor was very successful. It was interesting to learn about the jobs that they teach young people, such as saddle making.  On a personal note it was good to see so many colleagues and we had 32 visiting mayors at the Garden Party.

3.         John Jackson’s Memorial Dinner

My thanks to members of both sides for contributing and attending John Jackson’s Memorial Dinner at the Penridge Suite.  I know that it meant a lot to Sylvia and Mark Jackson.  The evening went very well and I am delighted to say that we raised in the region of £500 - £600 for the Mayor’s Charity.  

4.            Donations to my Charity Appeal

On that note my thanks also to North London Waste for their generous donation of £1000 and to the Octopus Restaurant for their donation of  £500. 

5.         Death of past Mayoress Gloria Price

On a sad note I would like to remind members of the recent passing of former Mayoress Gloria Price. I and many councillors from both sides joined Bill Price at her funeral, which was a celebration of Gloria’s life.   

Would members please stand for 1 minute’s silence in her memory.

6.            Artwork from Southgate College

I would ask members to note the artwork displayed in the Council Chamber this evening, from pupils at Southgate College.  I attended their awards evening and thought that this artwork would be of interest to you.

To approve, as a correct record, the minutes of the Council meeting held on 6 May 2009.

AGREED that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 6 May 2009 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Constantinides, Lappage, McCannah, Rodin, T Smith and Zinkin.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Bond, Georgiou and Giladi.

Members of the Council are invited to identify any personal or prejudicial interests relevant to items on the agenda. Please refer to the guidance note attached to the agenda.

Councillors Brett, Brown, Buckland, During, Hassan, Simbodyal and Taylor declared personal interests in Item No. 18 – Motions, being members of the Unite union.

Councillors Charalambous, Murphy, Orhan, Oykener and Simon declared personal interests in Item No. 18 – Motions, being members of the GMB union.

An issues paper prepared by the Labour Group is attached for the consideration of Council.

The Constitution Procedure Rules relating to Opposition Business are attached for information.

Councillor Taylor introduced the issues paper prepared by the Labour Group and highlighted that this had been prepared to provoke thought and debate on an important issue and for the Council to look for more and better scrutiny.  He felt that it was for Members to drive democratic engagement in the Council. He highlighted that a recent figure indicated that 73% of the public felt that they had no influence over decision making.  The aim of this debate was to seek to improve and re-energise residents involvement in what we do.

Councillor Taylor moved and Councillor Charalambous seconded the recommendations set out in the report:

Councillor Rye responded on behalf of the Majority Group and welcomed the sentiment in the paper and in Councillor Taylor’s introduction, however he did not recognise in the Council the premise in which the paper had been written.  He believed there was a disconnection with the public and European institutions, which was not helped by MEPs not being directly accountable to local people. He felt that it was a scandal the way our European institutions were run and this did not encourage people to come out and vote.

Councillor Rye responded to each of the recommendations detailed in the paper, but felt that the request to provide political assistants to each group was very poorly timed and did not see this being the way forward.

In response to the discussion at the meeting Councillor Charalambous proposed that recommendations (h) and (j) be withdrawn.  This was seconded by Councillor Taylor.

Councillor Charalambous summed up the debate on behalf of the Labour Group, he highlighted the need for greater standards in public life and that the Council needed to enhance the role of Councillors to make it more than administration and casework.

In response to the debate Councillor Rye responded to the proposals set out in the paper, he confirmed that recommendations (a), (b), (c), (e) and (f) were either already possible under the existing arrangements or their introduction was currently under consideration.

He confirmed that a pilot was planned to address (k), regarding (l) these groups were already funded/ supported by the Council and these areas would be developed further over the coming months.

Recommendations (h) and (j) had been withdrawn.

The information requested in (g) was already available on the Council’s website and (m) was a statement.

Regarding (i) the Council’s committees and panels were politically balanced in accordance with statutory requirements and the opposition were granted the chairmanship of two scrutiny panels in accordance with past good practice introduced by the Labour Group.

In response to demands that each proposal in opposition business be put to

the vote, the Mayor ruled that under the rules of procedure (13.3 vii) The

Majority Group will say if, and how, the matter will be progressed and the

Leader had already stated the majority party's response to each proposal.

To receive the sixth Annual Report of the London Borough of Enfield’s Standards Committee (No. 26) which sets out the key issues dealt with during the past year and looks ahead to the Committee’s priorities for 2009/10.

Mr G Mills moved and Councillor Dreblow seconded the sixth Annual Report of the London Borough of Enfield’s Standards Committee (No. 26), which set out the key issues dealt with during the past year and looked ahead to the Committee’s priorities for 2009/10. 

NOTED that 2008/09 was the first year of operation under the new Standards Committee Regulations, three new Sub Committees had been created and the Membership of the Committee had been increased from 6 to 9 Members to meet the new requirements placed on the Council.

AGREED to note and endorse the report.

To receive the report of the Director of Health and Adult Social Services (No. 27), the strategy seeks to prevent the abuse of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, as opposed to the current primary focus of responding to abuse once it has happened.  .

The recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

Councillor Smith moved and Councillor Lamprecht seconded the report the report of the Director of Health and Adult Social Services (No. 27), proposing a strategy seeking to prevent the abuse of some of the most vulnerable people in our society, as opposed to the current primary focus of responding to abuse once it has happened.

NOTED that the recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

AGREED

1.  the Safeguarding Adults Strategy which sets out the future direction and priorities of the Safeguarding Adults arrangements in the borough, for which the Council is the lead agency. 

2.  that the Cabinet member for Adult Social Services or their nominee be a member of the Safeguarding Adults Board. 

To receive the report of the Director of Place Shaping and Enterprise (No. 17) outlining proposals for the allocation of additional capital investment in parks and open spaces for the period 2009-2012.

The recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

Councillor Rye moved and Councillor Lavender seconded the report of the Director of Place Shaping and Enterprise (No. 17) outlining proposals for the allocation of additional capital investment in parks and open spaces for the period 2009-2012.

NOTED that the recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

AGREED

1. The addition of £2.75million to the Parks and Open Spaces Capital Programme over the next three years as outlined in Appendix 1.

2. To note the existing Parks and Open Spaces Capital Programme as outlined in Appendix 2.

3.  To delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources to the release and spend on individual schemes, as they are prepared in more detail.

To receive the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 28) providing Council with a final update on the Young Peoples Life Opportunities Scrutiny Commission’s work.

Councillor Prescott moved and Councillor Dreblow seconded the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 28) providing Council with a final update on the Young Peoples’ Life Opportunities Scrutiny Commission’s work.

NOTED that a report detailing the Commission’s findings and recommendations would be submitted to Council on the 23September 2009.

To receive the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (No. 29) detailing the work undertaken by the Council’s scrutiny function over the last Municipal Year. The report is presented for consideration and endorsement, prior to publication.

Councillor Prescott moved and Councillor Pearce seconded the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (No. 29) detailing the work undertaken by the Council’s scrutiny function over the last Municipal Year.

Following debate the recommendations were put to the vote and agreed with the following result:

For: 27

Against: 24

Abstained: 0

AGREED

1.         to endorse the Scrutiny’s Annual Report 2008/09 for publication;

2.         to note the areas identified as future challenges for Enfield’s Scrutiny function within the Annual Report, including the implementation of the new powers for scrutiny contained within the Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and Councillor Call for Action.

To receive the joint report of the Directors of Place Shaping and Enterprise and Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 19) seeking approval to the amended level of rents to be operative from 6 April 2009.

The recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

Councillor Laban moved and Councillor Hurer seconded the report of the Directors of Place Shaping and Enterprise and Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 19) seeking approval to the amended level of rents to be operative from 6 April 2009.

NOTED that the recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Cabinet meeting held on 17 June 2009.

AGREED

1.         that the guideline rents for 2009/10 will increase by 3.1% only, in line with amended government guidance.  This will result in an average increase of 2.85% for Enfield tenants.  This amends the rent increase agreed at Cabinet (11 February 2009) and Council (25 February 2009) whereby guideline rents were increased by 6.2%.  This resulted in an average rent increase of 5.74% for tenants for 2009/10 effective from 6 April 2009. 

2.         that the weekly reduction in actual rents as outlined above (which is an average of £2.30 per tenant for 2009/10) be backdated to 6 April 2009.

3.         that the HRA budget is amended to reflect these changes.

To receive the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 30) seeking approval to the formation of a new Scrutiny Panel covering the function of Place Shaping and Enterprise.

Councillor Rye moved and Councillor Lavender seconded the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 30) seeking approval to the formation of a new Scrutiny Panel covering the function of Place Shaping and Enterprise.

AGREED

1.         that an additional Scrutiny Panel entitled Place Shaping and Enterprise be created  to commence meeting as soon as possible during the 2009/10 Municipal Year;

2.         the Terms of Reference, remit and membership of the Panel, as detailed in section 4 of the report, and associated changes to the Constitution;

3.         that the nominations of the Conservative and Labour Groups to this panel be notified to the Assistant Director of Corporate Governance.

4.         the support arrangements for the new Scrutiny Panel, as detailed in section 4.4 of the report.

To receive the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 31) asking Council to review the options in respect of the new executive arrangements and to give a view as to a preferred option which will go in to the consultation as the Council’s preferred option for the executive arrangements.

The recommendations set out in the report were endorsed at the Constitution Review Group meeting held on 10 June 2009.

Councillor Rye moved and Councillor Boast seconded the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 31) asking Council to review the options in respect of the new executive arrangements and to give a view as to a preferred option which will be included for consultation as the Council’s preferred option for the executive arrangements.

AGREED

1.         The Leader and Cabinet model as the preferred ‘Council’s’ option.

2.         To adopt the power to remove the leader prior to the expiry of the term of office.

3.         the extent and type of consultation detailed in schedules 2 & 3 of the report.

4.         that a specially convened meeting of the Council be held to pass a resolution, following the consultation, to take place on the same night as  the 11 November 2009 meeting of full council with the first meeting to start at 7.00pm and the second meeting to commence on the rising of the first meeting.

To receive the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 32) setting out proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution agreed by the Constitution Review Group (CRG) at their meeting on 10 June 2009.

Councillor Rye moved and Councillor Boast seconded the report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources (No. 32) setting out proposed changes to the Council’s Constitution agreed by the Constitution Review Group (CRG) at their meeting on 10 June 2009.

AGREED

1.         to approve the following changes to the Council’s Constitution:

2.         that the proposed changes to the Conservation Advisory Group (CAG) membership as detailed in paragraph 3.1.1 be approved.

3.         that the proposed new Terms of Reference and change of name to the Tourism & Town Twinning Working Party be approved.

4.         to approve an administrative change in the Constitution in respect of the Licensing Committee, by removing the ‘title’ of Licensing Panel and confirming that all licensing matters will continue to be discharged by the Licensing Committee, including the delegation to the Licensing Sub Committee.

5.         to approve to the merger of the Constitution Review Group and the Members Service Working Group, with revised Terms of Reference and to agree that the group be renamed the Governance Working Group.

6.         to agree the abolition of the Local Joint Group as a standing body, to be replaced by a steering group of 5 members (3 nominated by the majority and 2 by the opposition parties) who would be available to meet with trade union representatives in the event that a dispute over a corporate issue relating to terms and conditions were to arise which could not be resolved at officer level.

17.1    Urgent Questions (Part 4 - Paragraph 9.2.(b) of Constitution – Page 4-9)

With the permission of the Mayor, questions on urgent issues may be tabled with the proviso of a subsequent written response if the issue requires research or is considered by the Mayor to be minor.

Please note that the Mayor will decide whether a question is urgent or not.  The definition of an urgent question is “An issue which could not reasonably have been foreseen or anticipated prior to the deadline for the submission of questions and which needs to be considered before the next meeting of the Council.”

A supplementary question is not permitted.

17.2            Councillors’ Questions (Part 4 – Paragraph 9.2(a) of Constitution – Page 4 - 8)

The ten questions and responses are attached to the agenda.

1.      Urgent Questions (Part 4 - Paragraph 9.2.(b) of Constitution – Page 4-9)

None received.

2.            Questions by Councillors

NOTED

1.         The ten questions, on the Council’s agenda, which received a written reply by the relevant Cabinet Member.

2.         The following supplementary questions received for the questions indicated below:

Question 1 from Councillor G Savva to Councillor Kaye, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Olympics 2012 and Voluntary Sector

“Do you consider that the mobile library stopping for one hour forty five minutes at the Haselbury School is enough?”

Reply from Councillor Kaye:

“The schedules for the mobile library service are frequently looked at, this includes the level of demand for the service at individual sites.  The situation at the Haselbury School will be monitored over the coming year and if the level of support is there the number of hours will be revised.  I can confirm that the level of usage at the new Fore Street Edmonton Library has increased recently by 50%.

Question 2 from Councillor Boast to Councillor Rye, Leader of the Council:

Are the figures accurate, as I can’t reconcile them with Councillor Rodin’s reported remarks that they foretold the imminent change of control in Enfield in the next council elections?  Was he aware that the ratio between the Labour and Conservative vote was little different from that that had occurred in the 2002 election, which had resulted in a large Conservative majority.   He asked if Councillor Rodin had intended to express relief that Labour had not quite suffered the wipeout.

Reply from Councillor Rye:

“The electoral map illustrates the wipe-out of Labour in councils across the country, we have to give credit to Councillor Rodin for his optimism, but the recent poll results and the ratio of voting tells a different story.  I feel certain that this administration will be returned again next year.”

Question 6 from Councillor R Hayward to Councillor Neville, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene:

Do you have any concerns about the evolving Mayor’s Transport Strategy?

Reply from Councillor Neville:

“I think we all ought to note a couple of things, the new approach of Mayor for London, Boris Johnson, in being less prescriptive.  Two issues need looking at, the issue of car parking spaces in new developments, the current policies are not working and too few parking spaces are being provided.  We do need to do something about this and his Labour colleagues on other London authorities’ support this view.   Secondly there is more traffic on the local rail network and this is scheduled to increase further over the coming years.  With this increase there will be increased delays for motorists at level crossings, which need to be addressed.  These crossings and the delays they cause to motorists cause a physical divide across our borough and this needs to be dealt with by Ministers and the Mayor.”

18.1In the name of Councillor Neville

“The Council notes with concern that the 48 hour strike by members of the RMT Union on London Underground between 10 – 12 June 2009 caused considerable inconvenience to many Enfield and other London commuters and travellers at a time when London’s economy can ill afford the substantial losses incurred as a result of this action.  The Council supports the Mayor of London’s desire for a ‘no strike’ deal with the trade unions in the transport sector and calls upon all parties to negotiate such a deal to bring to an end the history of unnecessary and unreasonable tube and/or bus strikes and other industrial action affecting public transport in London.”

Councillor Neville moved and Councillor Lamprecht seconded the following motion:

“The Council notes with concern that the 48 hour strike by members of the RMT Union on London Underground between 10 – 12 June 2009 caused considerable inconvenience to many Enfield and other London commuters and travellers at a time when London’s economy can ill afford the substantial losses incurred as a result of this action.  The Council supports the Mayor of London’s desire for a ‘no strike’ deal with the trade unions in the transport sector and calls upon all parties to negotiate such a deal to bring to an end the history of unnecessary and unreasonable tube and/or bus strikes and other industrial action affecting public transport in London.”

Councillor Hurer moved and Councillor Rye seconded a procedural motion that the question be now put.  This was put to the vote with the following result:

For: 27

Against: 27

Abstained: 0

With the vote tied the Mayor used his casting vote and the procedural motion was agreed.

The motion was then put to the vote and agreed with the following result:

For: 28

Against: 26

Abstained: 0

19.1    To confirm the following change to Committee Memberships:

i.                    Audit Committee

Councillor Croshaw to replace Councillor Pipe.

19.2    To consider any changes to the proportionality of the Council’s committees.

AGREED the following change to Committee Memberships:

1.         Audit Committee

To appoint CouncillorCroshaw to replace Councillor Pipe.

To confirm the following change to nominations to outside bodies:

i.                    Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

To appoint Councillors Rye and Taylor (Deputy) until 30 June 2013.

AGREED the following change to nominations to outside bodies:

1.                   Lee Valley Regional Park Authority

To appoint Councilors Rye and Taylor (Deputy) until 30 June 2013.

None.

None.

The next meeting of the Council will be held on Wednesday 23 September 2009 at 7.00 p.m. at the Civic Centre.

NOTED that the next meeting of the Council was to be held Wednesday 23 September 2009 at 7.00 p.m. at the Civic Centre.