Agenda and minutes

Father Mehall of St Monica’s Catholic Church in Palmers Green gave the blessing.

There was no business transacted under this item.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mahmut Aksanoglu, Kate Anolue, Mahym Bedekova, Sinan Boztas, Adrian Grumi, James Hockney, Gina Needs and Emma Supple.

The Mayor welcomed everyone to the Chamber.

The Mayor began by expressing her sincere sadness over the conflicts currently taking place around the world. She prayed for peace in regions facing conflict and tragedy as all people should be able to live in safety and security, enjoying equal rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy. 

The Leader was invited to say a few words in relation to the Israel/Gaza  conflict. The Leader acknowledged the impact on Enfield residents and their families and that the loss of life and displacement of families resonated with all. She noted with concern the troubling increase in both antisemitism and Islamophobia and acknowledged that work continued with the Police and local communities and schools to stand against hatred and discrimination. Commitment to the wellbeing of all Enfield’s residents was reaffirmed.

Cllr Ruby Sampson spoke about the fear being experienced by Jewish people. Cllr Ergin Erbil recorded gratitude to colleagues, in particular the Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Cohesion and the Leader of the Council, for their work towards community cohesion. Cllr Alessandro Georgiou praised Police reassurance patrols, and thanked the Leader for her words and ongoing support for Enfield’s residents.

The Mayor informed the Chamber that sadly, former Councillor, former Mayor and Freeman of the Borough, John Wyatt, had passed away last month. He was first elected as a councillor in 1968 and was subsequently elected in every election from 1974 to 2002 for Bush Hill Park Ward. He was granted the Freedom of the Borough in 2003 ‘in recognition of the long and valuable public service rendered by him to the borough and as an expression of the high esteem in which he is held’. Sincere condolences went out to his family and friends. Councillors were invited to say a few words in tribute.

Cllr Michael Rye spoke of John Wyatt’s valuable service to Enfield Council, and also to Epping Forest. Cllr George Savva praised John Wyatt’s knowledge and talent as a councillor and as a great mayor.

The Mayor thanked Members for the moving tributes and led a minute’s silence for former councillor John Wyatt, for all those that had recently lost their lives through the conflict in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine and elsewhere, and of course, in remembrance of all those who had given their lives in many wars over the years defending freedom. May they rest in eternal peace.

The Mayor had continued to support the residents of Enfield by attending the Citizenship Ceremonies that took place most weeks. She was honoured to stand before the new citizens of Enfield. They stood proud to be part of our Borough and she too was delighted to receive them.

The Mayor had been invited to many Black History Month events during October and November. There were also many fireworks and festivities taking place to celebrate Diwali Festival of Lights. It had been wonderful for the younger generations to embrace their culture with many events taking place in Enfield. She wished to thank our diverse  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To receive and agree the minutes of the previous meeting of Council held on Wednesday 27 September 2023 as a correct record.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 27 September 2023 were received and AGREED as a correct record.

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to the items on the agenda.

Councillors were advised that if they had a pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in a motion, they should declare their interest at the start of the debate on that motion if it was debated.

In respect of other items of business on the agenda, the following Councillors declared non-pecuniary interests in the following items:

Items 9, 10 and 11 – Cllr Sabri Ozaydin as a director of Housing Gateway Limited.

Items 9, 10 and 11 – Cllr Doug Taylor as a director of Energetik.

The Council is asked to formally make the Hadley Wood Neighbourhood Plan, incorporating it as part of the Statutory Development Plan for Enfield.

Cllr Nesil Caliskan moved, and Cllr Chris James seconded, the report.

Cllr Caliskan introduced the report, which sought formal approval to ‘make’ the Hadley Wood Neighbourhood Plan so that it would be used alongside already adopted policies to assess and determine planning applications within the Hadley Wood Neighbourhood area. The hard work of local residents over several years developing this document was recognised. The recent referendum showed a strong endorsement of the neighbourhood plan.

Opposition members expressed support for the neighbourhood plan and pride in the hard work and community spirit involved in it reaching this point. The Hadley Wood Association were thanked for putting the plan together, which was the first neighbourhood plan in the Borough. The Leader of the Council, and the staff of the Planning Department, were thanked as having been supportive of the process.

The Council was asked to formally ‘make’ the Hadley Wood Neighbourhood Plan, incorporating it as part of the Statutory Development Plan for Enfield.

The recommendations were AGREED.

Recommendation from Cabinet, for noting.

Cllr Alev Cazimoglu moved, and Cllr Chris James seconded, the report.

Cllr Cazimoglu introduced the report, which presented the Enfield Safeguarding Adults Board’s (SAB) annual report for noting. She recorded thanks to Geraldine Gavin, Independent Chair of Enfield SAB, for her hard work and to the SAB for their dedication. Members’ attention was drawn to key points in relation to activity of the SAB in 2022-23, and learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews. Updates from partner agencies were included in Appendix A to the annual report. The five-year Enfield Safeguarding Adults Board Strategy would be developed to guide future work on agreed priorities. Members thanked Council staff for their hard work and commitment in Adult Social Care.

Opposition members welcomed the detail set out in the annual report, and the separation of adults safeguarding reporting from children’s safeguarding, though some felt the report could have had greater substance. Some members felt there was a need for more analysis of the rise in incident numbers and that further information should be provided in respect of modern slavery and Council procurement.

Exercising the right of reply, Cllr Cazimoglu thanked Members for the level of engagement, and that the constructive comments would be noted. Cllr Cazimoglu advised that detailed analysis was presented at SAB meetings, and Members were welcome to attend the meetings if they wished.

Council was asked to note the Annual Report.

The recommendations were put to the vote and AGREED.

Recommendation from Cabinet, for noting.

Cllr Abdul Abdullahi moved, and Cllr Gunes Akbulut seconded, the report.

Cllr Abdullahi introduced the report, which presented the Enfield Children’s Safeguarding Partnership (ECSP) annual report for noting. The key achievements and issues of the year were highlighted. The priorities for 2023/24 were set out and were ambitious. Thanks were recorded to social workers and to the panel members for their hard work. The collaboration of the Local Authority, Police and NHS made sure there was shared understanding and commitment to safeguarding Enfield’s children.

During the debate, a procedural motion was moved by Cllr Sabri Ozaydin and seconded by Cllr Chris Dey under paragraph 13.20 (viii) of the Council’s Procedure Rules to extend the debate for a further 30 minutes which was AGREED.

Opposition members noted the importance of safeguarding young people in the borough as the most essential work undertaken by the Local Authority, and it was vital to learn lessons from every case. Initiatives showed continuous improvement, and the priorities for 2023/24 showed wider development.

Council was asked to note the Annual Report.

The recommendations were put to the vote and AGREED.

Recommendation from Cabinet, for approval.

Cllr Tim Leaver moved, and Cllr Nesil Caliskan seconded, the report.

Cllr Leaver introduced the report, which sought approval of the Ten Year Capital Strategy. The Council’s ten year plan by department was set out in Appendix A of the report. Of the total capital investment planned, the majority was funded by grants (non-borrowing). A new Prudential indicator was proposed in response to new borrowing affordability measures. Members welcomed the comprehensive strategy and noted that the need for review was due to pressures, inflation and high interest rates.

Opposition members noted the proposed reduction in capital investment but considered that would not be enough. They felt there was an inherent risk of asset deterioration arising from reduced capital investment in highways infrastructure, which was concerning.

During the debate, a procedural motion was moved by Cllr Sabri Ozaydin and seconded by Cllr Ergin Erbil under paragraph 13.20 (viii) of the Council’s Procedure Rules to extend the debate for a further 20 minutes which was AGREED.

Council was asked to approve

I. The 2024/25 – 2033/34 Capital Strategy.

II. The delegation to Cabinet approval of projects up to £10m from the Pipeline Programme, provided the programme continues to fit within the affordability metrics.

III. The use of the Prudential indicator “Ratio of Financing Cost to Net Revenue Budget” as the primary indicator for affordability of the Capital Programme with the target set at 10% to 12% for the first five years.

The recommendations were put to the vote and AGREED.

Recommendation from Cabinet, for noting.

Cllr Tim Leaver moved, and Cllr Nesil Caliskan seconded, the report.

Cllr Leaver introduced the report, which described the activities of the Council’s Treasury Management function over the five months to 31 August 2023. The treasury management position and the change since the start of the financial year was set out in Table 3 of the report. Paragraph 69 onwards of the report set out the Treasury Management indicators, and the Council was in compliance with all nine indicators and borrowing was well managed.

As the extended time for the debate had ended, the recommendation was put to the vote and AGREED.

AGREED to note the report of the Treasury Management Mid-Year Update 2023/24.

Recommendation from Cabinet, for approval.

This report was dealt with at the end of the meeting under guillotine arrangements and the recommendations were put to the vote without debate in accordance with the guillotine arrangements and were AGREED.

In accordance with the guillotine arrangements, the Opposition advised they would have voted against the recommendations.

A procedural motion was moved by Cllr Sabri Ozaydin and seconded by Cllr Ergin Erbil under paragraph 13.20 (iii) of the Council’s Procedure Rules to change the order of business on the agenda so the Motions would be taken as the next item of business, and to change the order of Motions so that Motion numbers 13.15, 13.26, 13.9, 13.25, 13.23, 13.19, 13.18, 13.20, 13.17 and 13.24 would be taken in that order which was put to the vote and AGREED.

13.1    Motion in the name of Councillor Ergin Erbil

This Council notes that:

·         The mismanagement of the economy by central government has caused the highest levels of inflation in 40 years, rising interest rates and stagnant economic growth.

·         Household energy bills have skyrocketed over the last year – 96% higher than last winter – while just over 16,000 households in Enfield are already fuel poor.

·         The effects of climate change are intensifying the impact of energy prices, increasing pressures on families and businesses.

·         As the cost-of-living increases, people and businesses are less able to finance adaptations to improve energy efficiency and to prepare for extreme weather events.

·         More families need help. Yet steeply increasing inflation means this Council’s ability to mitigate impacts and provide essential services is increasingly challenging.

The Council agrees to:

1.    Recognise that the Cost of Living and Climate Crisis are connected and jointly require attention to ensure the wellbeing of local people and businesses.

2.    Make decisions on investment and delivery that, wherever possible, contribute to environmental and social benefits across Enfield.

3.    Advocate for more robust, affordable public transport that connects employees with work, links students to education and reduces carbon emissions.

4.    Work with social landlords operating in Enfield to review the energy efficiency of their housing stock, recognising that poor insulation and inefficient heating are key factors in the rising cost-of-living.

5.    Write to the Prime Minister, our local MPs, and the relevant government ministers to call for:

a.    Increased financial support for residents, with most support provided to low-income households.

b.    Lobby government to deliver a more ambitious nationwide commitment to fund improvements in the energy efficiency of homes, resulting in energy bill reductions and environmental benefits.

c.    Insulation schemes and renewable energy generation programmes funded by fossil fuel profits.

13.2    Motion in the name of Councillor Maria Alexandrou

We condemn the shocking brutality that led to the death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini on the 16^th of September 2022, sparking world-wide protests.

We stand together in support of Amini’s family and the brave people of Iran demanding Freedom.

13.3    Motion in the name of Councillor Julian Sampson

·         Over 2,000 Enfield residents are members of Enfield clubs, of which approximately 900 are resident in an N postcode,

·         Of these residents, almost 700 are women and over 200 are under 18 years old.

·         Irrespective of membership basis, over 60,000 members of the public who were not golf club members played golf at one of the Enfield clubs in the y/e 31/12/22;

·         All Enfield clubs are open to non-members throughout the week and year, with only some weekend times reserved for members;

·         These non-members would have paid a price from as little as £18 to £125 at the most, depending on which course and the time of year;

·         For a four-hour round this represents an hourly rate of £4.50 to £31.25 / hour;

·         Enfield clubs have outreach programmes to attract men, women and young people from all socio-economic groups not traditionally associated  ...  view the full agenda text for item 13.

13.15    Motion in the name of the name of Councillor Ayten Guzel

“Ahead of the final local government finance settlement announcement, Enfield Council is calling on the Chancellor to address immediate funding pressures in local government, secure long-term financial stability and provide more support to councils in key areas such as housing, adult social care and children’s services.

Government inaction has meant that the homelessness crisis has spiralled out of control. Councils in London are currently spending £60 million per month on temporary accommodation alone. Council notes the recent study by London Councils, showing that 60,000 Londoners could become homeless by 2030 if Local Housing Allowance rates remain frozen.

The Government should also provide funding for local government that reflects the acute rise in demand for adults and children’s social care, with these statutory services causing significant pressure nationally.

Thirteen years of cuts and underfunding from Government has exacerbated these problems, with Enfield receiving 60% less than in 2010. Like other local authorities across the country, Enfield Council has also had to deal with the consequences of the Government crashing the economy, causing record inflation and interest rates.

Enfield Council will:

·    Continue to work with London Councils and the Local Government Association (LGA) to lobby the Chancellor ahead of the local government finance statement so that funding reflects the severity of the challenges local government faces.

·    Proactively pursue dialogue with all government departments to explore additional funding opportunities for our council services and the borough as a whole.”

Following the debate, the Motion was put to the vote and AGREED.

13.26    Motion in the name of Councillor Abdul Abdullahi

“That Enfield Council recognises that Care Experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.

That future decisions, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should be made after a thorough Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA) to determine the impact of any policies on care experienced people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.

That the Fairer Enfield Policy and Equality Objectives will be reviewed to ensure that it is reflective of the Council’s commitment to recognise the impact its decisions will have on Care Experienced People and it will annually publish information relating to people who share protected characteristics.

The council will treat Care Experienced individuals as well as those with protected characteristics fairly and equally.

To formally invite our partner agencies to treat Care Experienced people as those with protected characteristics until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.

For the Council to continue to proactively seek and listen to the voices of Care Experienced people when developing new policies.”

Following the debate, the Motion was unanimously AGREED.

The remainder of Motions LAPSED under the guillotine arrangements.

The list of questions and their written responses will be published prior to the meeting.

In accordance with the guillotine arrangements, answers to questions were taken as printed in the supplementary agenda.

Councillor Thomas Fawns and Councillor Gunes Akbulut to replace Councillor Rick Jewell and Councillor Susan Erbil on the Councillor Conduct Committee.

Councillor Andrew Thorp to replace Councillor Jim Steven on the Fostering Panel.

Any further changes received once the agenda has been published will be included in the supplementary Agenda to be circulated at the meeting.

The following changes to committee memberships were noted under the guillotine arrangements:

Councillor Thomas Fawns and Councillor Gunes Akbulut to replace Councillor Rick Jewell and Councillor Susan Erbil on the Councillor Conduct Committee.

Councillor Andrew Thorp to replace Councillor Jim Steven on the Fostering Panel.

Any changes received once the agenda has been published will be included in the supplementary Agenda to be circulated at the meeting.

London Councils Greater London Employment Forum – Nomination of Cllr Susan Erbil as representative to substitute for Cllr Nesil Caliskan at the February meeting.

North London Waste Authority – Nomination of Cllr Bektas Ozer as representative.

The following changes to nominations on outside bodies were noted under the guillotine arrangements:

London Councils Greater London Employment Forum – Nomination of Cllr Susan Erbil to replace Cllr Ayten Guzel.

North London Waste Authority – Nomination of Cllr Bektas Ozer as representative.

Local London – Nomination of Cllr Chinelo Anyanwu as reserve member.

To note the agreed date of the next Council meeting as Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 7pm.

The date of the next meeting was NOTED as Wednesday 24 January 2024 at 7pm.