Agenda and minutes

To agree the procedures for the operation of hybrid meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on hybrid meetings be agreed.

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on 7^th March, 6^th April and 25^th May 2022

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meetings held on 7^th March, 6^th April and 25^th May 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

In relation to Motion 3 on the agenda, Councillor Dixey declared that she used the Council’s green waste collection service.

Broadcasting of the meeting

The Mayor announced that the meeting was being broadcast live to the Internet and would remain available for viewing for twelve months, after which it could be made available upon request. Anyone addressing the meeting was deemed to be consenting to having their contributions recorded and broadcast, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.

Order of agenda

The Mayor announced that he had agreed under Council procedure rule 17(p) that the emergency motion circulated on the first supplementary agenda would be considered at this meeting.  He proposed, and it was agreed, that this be taken as the first substantive item of business.

Floods in Bangladesh

The Mayor spoke of the devastating floods in the Greater Sylhet district of Bangladesh and said that he would be working with various charities in Camden to raise funds to provide relief to those affected.  He encouraged those present to help if they could.

Councillor Rishi Madlani

The Mayor congratulated Councillor Madlani on receiving the Inspirational Leader Award at the British LGBT Awards 2022.

Mary Allen

The Mayor paid tribute to Mary Allen, a well known figure in the London Irish community, who had recently passed away, and on behalf of the Council expressed condolences to her family and friends.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

The Mayor congratulated former councillor Abdul Hai on receiving an OBE and Christine Gilbert on being made a DBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Pride in London 2022

Councillor Madlani thanked all those who had marched with the Council at Pride in London on 3^rd July 2022.

Siobhan Baillie MP

Councillor Spinella congratulated former councillor Siobhan Baillie MP on the birth of her second child.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Athian, Cotton, De Ayala Parker, Fulbrook, Johnson, Mulholland, Parkinson, Rahman, Simpson, Stark and Vincent.

Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Olszewski.

There were no deputations or petitions.

Consideration was given to the following motion, notice of which was given by Councillor Abdi-Wali and which was seconded by Councillors Simon, Spinella and Berry:-

This Council notes that the access to safe, legal abortions is a human right and a conquest for women, their health and their rights across the world. That prior to legal abortion in the UK in 1967, 9% of all maternal deaths were due to unsafe and illegal abortions.

That according to the World Health Organisation 7 million women a year are hospitalized due to unsafe abortions and 70,000 women die across the world every year due to the lack of access to safe legal abortion.

That the denial of access to legal and safe abortion hits disproportionately the youngest and the poorest women.

That denying women access to abortion is a form of gender discrimination.

That safe abortion services protect women's right to health.

That forcing a woman to undergo a life-threatening, unsafe abortion threatens her right to life.

That women have the right to decide whether or not to bring their own pregnancy to term.

And further notes

That legitimate moral reservations over the practice of abortion are a matter of individual personal conscience and cannot be imposed on the rest of the population.

That the ruling of the United States Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade is a devastating blow for women’s rights in the very heart of the Western world and a tragedy for millions of women in the USA.

That the right to legal safe abortion is under attack in different parts of the world, from Brazil to Poland.

That in our own country, there remains unequal access to safe abortions, as women in Northern Ireland are still awaiting access to abortion care, a right granted to them in 2020 but not yet implemented 2 years later.

And therefore resolves:

To re-iterate Camden’s unqualified support for women’s rights including the right of access to safe and legal abortion and unqualified support for the laws that safeguard this in the UK, from the Abortion Act (1967) to the Human Rights Act (1998).

To call for the full implementation of access to safe and legal abortion care across the UK.

To condemn the ruling by the United States Supreme Court.

To send a message of solidarity to all the women and families who will suffer as a result of this ruling.

That Camden Council lobbies national government to directly introduce legislation that enables local authorities to introduce 'buffer zones' specifically around abortion clinics and related services. This power would allow local authorities to more effectively protect anyone using these services, so they are able to do so free from harassment and intimidation.

The motion was then put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED –

This Council notes that the access to safe, legal abortions is a human right and a conquest for women, their health and their rights across the world. That prior to legal abortion in the UK in 1967,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

The Cabinet Member for Safer Communities 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.

Councillor Callaghan introduced the report and the Council then heard from the following speakers:-

·         Faduma Ibrahim, Youth Safety Co-ordinator at the British Somali Community Centre, spoke about the Community Centre and specifically about the aim of the Girls Project to provide a safe space for girls in Camden, the role of the Police Workshop in building a better relationship between the community and the Police, and the work taking place with the detached youth team on establishing more inter-generational projects.  More funding was needed though in order to carry on with these projects.

·         Mubarak Mohamud of Clime-It Brothers spoke about the fact that financial reward and the poor job market for young people was driving some to criminality, and of the need to replace the ‘job before a job’ that used to be available in the form of paper rounds and Saturday jobs, in order to give young people an alternative to making money by drug dealing and other criminality.

·         Liz Mack of Change Grow Live explained that her organisation was commissioned by the Council to deliver the Routes of the Street service for vulnerable adults with complex needs.  She detailed the services provided to assist those sleeping rough or involved in street activity to access support in a safe multi-agency setting.  She added that the intelligence led approach relied on information from the community, the Council and partners.

·         Omar Hall, Camden Detached Youth Team Co-ordinator, explained that his team was part of the Council’s Integrated Youth Support Service and was effectively a mobile, street based team of youth workers who worked with young people where they were, both physically and as an individual, in a way that suited them individually.  The Team also worked in Camden schools offering a range of programmes supporting personal, social and health education and citizenship work, and also did a lot of work in the community to support community cohesion.

·         Shaheeda Rahman, Camden Community Safety Manager, spoke about how the Community Safety Service had evolved to listen to communities and residents through a number of mechanisms, and via being geographically based.  She explained that the role of Community Presence Officers was to deter anti-social activity and gather intelligence, and the Team took a multi-agency approach focussing on actions and outcomes.  She also spoke about the work taking place to combat ‘cuckooing’.

·         Chief Superintendent Andy Carter of the Metropolitan Police remarked that policing was undergoing a significant transformation to adapt to new crime challenges and social issues.  He detailed the 3 main objectives of the Met Direction and how the progress against these objectives was measured.  He commented that the bond between Police and community had come under strain recently and strengthening this, as well as focussing on the Police’s culture and standards, was key.  More officers were coming in through different pathways and all were keen to learn so he had set up a board to focus on organisational learning.

·         Superintendent Jack Rowlands of the Metropolitan Police expressed his support for Camden’s public health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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 Georgia Gould, Leader of the Council, made a statement to those present.  Councillor Tom Simon, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, and Councillor Gio Spinella, Leader of the Conservative Group, made statements in the response and then Councillor Gould made from final remarks.

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

·         Councillor Berry asked the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment whether Camden needed a better strategy for meanwhile uses, and permanent uses, of council owned spaces.  Councillor Beales responded that an affordable workspace strategy was in development and would look at council owned spaces and meanwhile uses.  This would be launched in the next year with a view to replicating different models already in use.  The Camden Future Fund had also recently been launched to provide some funding to those locked out of traditional finance and there was advice available too, though Greater London Authority (GLA) and central government funding would be key.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Beales remarked that he could not commit other Cabinet Members to create lists of available meanwhile spaces, but he was sure they had heard the request for such a list.

·         Councillor Aref-Adib asked the Leader of the Council what support was available to refugees from places other than Afghanistan and Ukraine and whose situations had not received the same press attention.  Councillor Gould responded that there were 2000 refugees in Camden, 439 of whom were in contingency hotels as they were from places in the world that did not automatically qualify them to be considered for asylum.  There was a large amount of support but they could not access employment and this area of work was not funded so Camden was making the case to government for changes to the scheme to allow the provision of a wider ranging support service.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Gould remarked that the Council was working with Groundwork to support those coming into the country to convert their qualifications to those recognised in the UK.

·         Councillor Jirira asked the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment about what steps had been taken to ensure that the redevelopment of the O2 Centre was offering a good deal for Camden.  Councillor Beales responded that meetings had taken place with the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group about a potential future health facility within the site and a meeting had taken place with Transport for London to bottom out costs for step free access.  Officers continued to talk with the developers about the planning application and were considering consultation responses on that application, having made it clear that comments could be made right up until the application was determined by the Planning Committee.  In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Beales remarked that there was a major housing crisis and a car park was not a good use of the space.  Alongside housing, amenities for local people were also needed and this was a significant  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Borough Solicitor

This report relates to the unconsidered motions and the responses to written Council questions from the Council meetings held on 7^th March and 6^th April 2022.

Consideration was given to a report of the Borough Solicitor.

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Report of the Borough Solicitor

Members are asked to agree the appointments to various bodies of the Council.

There were none.

Reference from the Cabinet

Consideration was given to a report and a reference from the Cabinet, which were introduced by the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment.  Following a comment from a Member, it was

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the equalities impact assessment set out in Appendices C and D of the report, and having had due regard to the obligations set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2022, the North London Waste Plan, as set out in Appendix B to this report, which incorporates the amendments recommended by the Planning Inspector who carried out the public examination of the Plan, be adopted.

Under Council Procedure Rule 20.5, Councillor Berry requested that her vote against the recommendation be recorded in the minutes.

Reference from the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee

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

Following comments from Members and closing remarks from Councillor Abdi-Wali, it was

RESOLVED –

i)           THAT the Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix A of the report be agreed, with the payment to be backdated to the beginning of the financial year.

ii)          THAT the Borough Solicitor be authorised to take all necessary steps in relation thereto, including amendments to the Constitution and publication and operation of the Scheme.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion

The report provides an overview of the Full Council debate on 6th April 2022.

This report summarises the views of speakers and subsequent debate within the Chamber. The report provides further details on the issues raised and explains how the Council is continuing to tackle inequality and disproportionality.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion, who introduced the report.

Members made a number of comments, after which it was

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

Consideration was given to the following motion, notice of which was given by Councillor Greenwood and which was seconded by Councillor Frondigoun:-

This Council notes:

The need to prioritise community safety in our borough and to ensure that Camden is a safe and inclusive place for everyone.

That crime has risen by 18% nationally since July 2019, while prosecution rates have fallen by an unprecedented 18% over the same period.

That whilst in government, both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have implemented dramatic spending cuts to policing budgets. This has led to Camden losing 264 patrolling police officers since 2010.

That the previous Mayor of London and current Prime Minister oversaw the closure of 63 police stations across London during their tenure.   

The shocking rise in hate crime across London in recent years and the worrying increase in Racism, Islamophobia, Antisemitism, Misogyny, and abuse targeting the LGBT+ community and disabled residents.

This Council further notes:

Camden Council’s ongoing work to introduce 900 new and improved CCTV systems across the borough’s housing estates, tackling crime and antisocial behaviour.

The critically important work of Camden’s Youth Safety Taskforce in reducing violent crime; and the borough’s public-health approach to reducing knife violence.

The Council’s successful rollout of uniformed Community Presence Officers and the positive impact that this has had on improving community safety.

The unsatisfactory situation facing the current Mayor of London because of successive real-terms police budget cuts imposed by the Home Office.

This Council believes:

That national government has badly let down Camden by handing down harsh spending cuts to local policing year-on-year, which means crime and antisocial behaviour has risen in Camden and across London.

That the Council should continue its work rolling out Community Presence Officers, who can help to fill the gaps created by police spending cuts and help to improve community safety.

That the previous Mayor of London was wrong to close multiple local police stations, including one in this borough.  

That gender-based violence must be classified as a hate crime, so that we can better combat domestic and misogynistic abuse. 

That the Council should continue working closely with community organisations, such as the Community Security Trust and Tell Mama, in order to better identify and stamp out hate crime in our borough. 

This Council calls on:

The Government to assess the impact of over a decade of policing cuts on community safety in Camden.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Members to continue to implement local measures that will offset national cutbacks to policing and the closure of local police stations; and improve community safety in the borough.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Members to continue to build upon successful campaigns for two new neighbourhood policing teams for Camden; and to campaign for investment in more community policing across the borough.  

The Cabinet Members responsible to launch new enforcement hubs across Camden. These should link up the work of the Council's enforcement officers with police officers.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Kirk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

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.