Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th November 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 18^th November 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

In relation to Item 6 of the agenda, the Themed Debate, Councillor Martin-Lane declared in the interests of transparency that he was employed by a company that did some work for Google, but that this did not involve the representatives of Google present at this evening’s meeting.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Deputy Mayor announced that the meeting was being broadcast to the internet and may be filmed by members of the press or public. Those speaking at the meeting were deemed to be agreeing to being recorded and broadcast.

Procedure for debating the petition at Item 5

In relation to the petition that would be received under Item 5, the Deputy Mayor proposed, and the Council agreed, that the procedure to be followed would be:-

·         Petition organiser to have three minutes to introduce the petition.

·         Three minutes for questions of clarification.

·         Three minutes for the petition organiser to respond.

·         Twelve minutes for comments and contributions from Members, with a maximum of two minutes per speaker.

·         Three minutes for the Chair of the Pension Committee to speak and propose a course of action.

Charity Football Match

Councillor Olad announced that the charity football match held in November had raised several thousand pounds for the Camden New Journal hamper appeal and he thanked the CNJ and all those who took part.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ali, Aref-Adib, Cotton, Headlam-Wells, Khatoon, Mulholland, Simpson and Tiwari.  Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Thompson and Revah.

Requests to address the Council or to present a petition on a matter in which the authority has functions or which affects the area of the authority must be made in writing to the clerk named on the front of this agenda by 12 noon three working days before the meeting.

Petitions

The Council received a petition for debate which was introduced by Lubaba Khalid, and considered a report of the Borough Solicitor setting out the background and procedure for the petition’s consideration.

Members asked questions of the petitioners and had a brief debate, after which the Chair of the Pension Committee summed up and proposed that the matter referred to in the petition be referred to the Pension Committee for further consideration alongside the wider questions relating to responsible investment.

It was then RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the matter as stated in the petition be further considered by the relevant decision maker, which is the Pension Committee; and

(ii)          THAT the wider question as detailed in paragraph 4.7 of the report be referred to the Pension Committee for it to continue its ongoing work on responsible investment.

Deputations

A deputation was heard from David Bieda in relation to the closure of the Central YMCA, as per the deputation statement circulated to Members and published on the Council’s website.

Members of the Council then asked questions of the deputee and the Cabinet Member for the Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion responded to the deputation.

Report of the Borough Solicitor

The Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture will introduce the topic.

There will then be contributions from experts and community representatives, followed by questions and discussion.

Finally, the Cabinet Member will sum up.

The Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture introduced the report and the Council then heard from the following speakers:-

·         Freddie Hudson, Head of Arsenal in the Community, spoke about the work that the organisation did in Camden and explained that a workforce of teachers, health workers, employment officers and coaches worked to provide a sense of community by delivering community programmes in areas such as youth engagement and adult and community health, and by funding the refurbishment of sports pitches.  This work was delivered in partnership with other organisations such as the Police, the Council and numerous voluntary sector organisations.

·         Adewale Oyenuga, a local resident, spoke of how the partnership between UCLH and Good Work Camden had benefitted themselves and their family during a very difficult time, eventually assisting Adewale to gain employment, as well as providing a sense of community.

·         Zoe Stern and Amy Brown from Google spoke about the work that the company was doing to be a good neighbour in the cities in which it operated and commented that the clarity of Camden’s missions was helpful in identifying where Google could add value.  They spoke of the work taking place within the Community Leadership Programme and the company’s involvement with both the Food Mission and the Youth Opportunity Mission, as well as the development of the London AI campus.  They commented on the Council’s willingness to try something new and be true partners when working to develop the AI campus.

·         Natasha Friend of Camden Giving spoke about the organisation’s work raising money from businesses in the borough to fund grants to community projects, and the crucial importance of partnership is doing this work.  They spoke of the work that the Council was doing as a convenor as well as a funder in this area, but added that on occasion it could be difficult to find a route in to engage with the Council outside of existing programmes, so that was an area where practice might usefully be improved.

Members of the Council then made the following comments:-

·         The football industry was not still not welcoming to women and people from minority ethnic groups and more work was needed to kick racism out of football.

·         Opportunities were needed to train older people on how to make the best use of technology in order to bridge the digital divide.

·         How could the partners involved in the AI campus ensure that the opportunities it presented reached a diverse audience and it benefitted the people that needed it most?

·         What were the long term plans for the AI campus?

·         Camden was in a good position, not just because of its location, but because of years of work supporting and engaging with business and institutions.

·         It was important that global businesses located in Camden were also supporting talent within the borough.

·         In due course HS2 could bring a lot of opportunities to Camden.

·         The Council’s role was to support institutions and businesses in the borough to continue to make a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Leader of the Council will make a statement, followed by responses from the Leaders of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative Groups and then the Leader to sum up.  There will then be questions from Members to the Leader and Cabinet Members.

(There are no pages for this part of the agenda.)

Councillor Richard Olszewski, the Leader of the Council, made a statement to those present. Councillor Simon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and Councillor Adams, Leader of the Conservative group, then made statements in response.  Councillor Olszewski then made some final remarks.

The Leader and Cabinet Members then took questions as follows:-

·         Councillor Russell asked the Cabinet Member for Better Homes about the commitments made to residents of Holly Lodge Estate at a meeting before Christmas and why they had not been met.  Councillor Abdi-Wali responded that the public meeting that had been committed to at the meeting before Christmas was in the process of being arranged and she would update ward councillors as soon as she had more detail.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Abdi-Wali remarked that it was the intention to replace outdated district heating systems in council properties in the borough with systems that were more sustainable and would assist residents with the cost of living.

·         Councillor Hardwick asked the Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden what plans were in place to deter fly tippers and clean up the streets of Camden.  Councillor Harrison responded that fines for littering, fly tipping and graffiti had been increased and a clear message was being sent that Camden would use fixed penalty notices and would seek to prosecute those responsible for environmental crime.   It was also notable that perhaps 30% of business in the borough did not have waste contracts and this was contributing to the issue of waste on the streets.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Harrison remarked that an additional £1m was being invested in environmental services and that would enable extra street sweeping, and extra nighttime beats to address the impacts of the evening and night time economy.  Camden would also be rolling our cargo bikes which would allow the service to be more flexible, and there would also be a review of time banding.

·         Councillor Chung asked the Cabinet Member for Better Homes about the masonry that had fallen from Council-owned property in Heath Street recently and what was being done to make the building safe.  Councillor Abdi-Wali responded that contractors had been appointed to review the façade, determine what works were needed and carry out those works.  There would also be a review of the Council’s remaining holdings on Heath Street, Oriel Place and Perrins Court.  External assessments of all properties held under the general fund were being carried out and the programme looking at the safety of commercial properties was undertaking a full review.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Abdi-Wali remarked that she could not comment on whether compensation would be available to affected businesses in Heath Street as the property in question was a General Fund property, rather than a Housing property.

·         Councillor Parkinson drew the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families’ attention to government data published in December indicating that Camden schools had the worst Progress 8 scores in London and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Borough Solicitor

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Report of the Borough Solicitor

As there were no nominations, this report was not considered.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living and a reference from the Cabinet, which were introduced by the Leader of the Council.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT from 1 April 2025, the current Council Tax Reduction Scheme be updated to reflect the new London Living Wage amount in the income bands as set out in Appendix B of the report; and

(ii)        THAT authority be delegated to the Director of Finance to make changes to the approved scheme during 2025/26 to reflect any requirements set by Government to either the prescribed regulations for pensioners or the local working age scheme to ensure the scheme remains legally consistent and up to date as the legislation changes.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living and a reference from the Cabinet, which were introduced by the Leader of the Council.

Following a comment from a Member and summing up from the Leader, it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the calculation of the Council Tax Base for the year 2025/2026 as set out in appendix 1 of the report be approved;

(ii)          THAT in accordance with Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Camden as its Council Tax Base for the year 2025/2026 shall be 95,769 as shown in appendix 1 of the report;

(iii)         THAT the tax base for the three Garden Squares as shown in appendix 2 of the report shall be as follows:

Gordon Square                                24.51

Fitzroy Square                                 58.12   

Mecklenburgh Square                     115.55

(iv)         THAT the approach and assumptions for the calculation of the Council’s business rates yield as set out in appendix 3 of the report be approved;

(v)          THAT, in accordance with the Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Camden as its business rates yield for the year 2025/2026 shall be c£696 million as shown in line 16 of Appendix 3 of the report;

(vi)         THAT authority be delegated to the Executive Director Corporate Services, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living, to make any adjustments to the calculation of the estimated business rates yield for year 2025/2026. This is to reflect any technical amendments to the calculations or late regulatory changes made by the Treasury or in respect of the former London Pilot Pool; and

(vii)        THAT authority be delegated to the Executive Director Corporate Services to submit the notification of the calculation of the estimated Non-Domestic Rates income to the Secretary of State and the Greater London Authority.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor and a reference from the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee, which were introduced by the Chair of that Committee.

RESOLVED –

(i)            That the changes the Council’s Contract Standing Orders as shown in tracked changes on Appendix 1 to the report be agreed, subject to a change to footnote 8 on page 5 to refer to contracts published after February 2025; and

(ii)        THAT authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor to make the requisite changes to the Council’s Constitution.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor and a reference from the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee, which were introduced by the Chair of that Committee.

Following a comment from a Member, it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the arrangements for polling districts and polling places as detailed in the report and Appendix A be adopted, subject to the recommendation in relation to Kilburn Ward being amended to read ‘Change to Polling District FA to allow flexibility to use an alternative polling place if required’ and the recommendation in relation to South Hampstead Ward being amended to read ‘No change’; and

(ii)          THAT authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the relevant ward members, to make any further changes if further changes are required before the next review, including decisions on alternative polling places where these need to be found.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor and a reference from the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee, which were introduced by the Chair of that Committee.

RESOLVED –

(i)            That the proposed changes to the Planning Protocol and membership of the Strategic Panel, as set out in the report, be agreed; and

(ii)          THAT authority be delegated to the Borough Solicitor to amend the Constitution to give effect to the changes.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, who introduced the report.

Following a comment from a Member, it was

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Consideration was given to the following motion, notice of which was given by Councillor Dixey and which was seconded by Councillor Kirk:

In 2022, Age UK Camden called on candidates in local elections to commit themselves to make Camden an Age-Friendly Community and join the growing network, which so far in London includes Lewisham, Islington, Hackney, Barnet, Sutton, Newham, Lambeth.

Camden Council recognises: 

·           That councils have a duty to put the needs of vulnerable people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration. 

·           That the Borough has a substantial number of members of the older generation among its residents, with a variety of needs and aspirations. According to census data, there are nearly 26,000 Camden residents over 65 (11.9%), with more than 3,000 over 85.

·           That Camden has the worst statistic for loneliness among London Boroughs; while some are younger people, the majority will be elderly people.

·           Camden has the shameful description of being officially the loneliest place in the country, according to statistics published in a report which warns that isolation can result in poor mental and physical health issues and outcomes, adding to NHS chaos.

·           a widespread poll of adult residents in Camden found more than one in three (36%) admitted feeling “lonely often or always”.

Camden Council celebrates: 

·           We Make Camden, where every department is working towards creating the Borough as a community where people of all generations feel listened to, and that their needs are attended to.

·           That the Borough has the established policy of working with residents and the voluntary sector to co-produce ideas and projects.

·           That the Borough aspires to be a place where people live well and age well (Supporting People Connecting Communities); however, it acknowledges that Adult Social Care is not the only department where the needs of elderly residents should be taken into account.

·           That work is being undertaken to create long-term strategies looking to address these issues, through setting up integrated neighbourhoods, local champions, and engaging with the voluntary sector.

Camden Council further recognises:

·           That working to long-term strategies can detract from addressing immediate concerns and resolving particular problems.

Accordingly, the Council calls for:

The Leader of the Council to commit to making Camden an Age-Friendly Borough, bringing the Borough into line with the Age-Friendly Communities approach, which gives the opportunity of sharing learning and working collaboratively with other boroughs and the Mayor of London to develop this concept.

This includes taking up and embedding an age-friendly lens, working with residents, Age UK Camden and other parts of the voluntary sector, to develop ideas, plans and proposals in every department, such as:  

Incorporating age-friendly design principles, such as better lighting and welcoming places to rest, into all aspects of planning. Age-Friendly design should make public spaces comfortable for older and disabled residents and foster positive connections between people of all ages.

Particular issues which have been raised over the last two and a half years by older residents include:

·           communication: there are many people without IT (for a number  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

During this part of the meeting any Member may make a contribution of up to two minutes primarily on any matter which affects their ward.

(There are no pages for this part of the agenda.)

This item was not considered due to lack of time.

There was no urgent business.