Agenda and minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2023 as an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2023 were agreed as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

There were none.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business.

For Council to agree the change of date of the meeting scheduled for 21 February 2024 to the 28 February 2024, and to add a preliminary second meeting on Wednesday 6 March.

The Civic Mayor moved that the budget and council tax meeting on 21 February 2024 be moved to 28 February to allow for negotiations with central government and a preliminary second budget meeting be scheduled on 6 March 2024.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Mario Creatura.

RESOLVED:

That the budget council tax meeting on 21 February 2024 be moved to 28 February 2024 and a preliminary second budget meeting be scheduled on 6 March 2024.

To receive Announcements, if any, from the Mayor, the Leader, Head of Paid Service and Returning Officer.

The Chair paid respects to the recent deaths of Bradley Hutchins on 12 September and Elieanne Andam on 27 September 2023. He stated the deaths had caused deep sadness in the community and asked for a minute’s silence as a mark of respect for their lives, the loss to their families and the community.

Council then held a minute silence.

In his announcements, the Chair thanked Members for the success of the two events held to raise money for his charities. He stated that the events, a curry night at Royal Tandoori in Selsdon and a golf day at Farleigh Golf Club had cross party support and past Mayors, visiting Mayors from other Boroughs and a variety of businesses as guests.  He expressed gratitude for the support and confirmed that details of future charity events, the Chinese New Year, a beer festival and a gala dinner would be circulated when finalised.

The Executive Mayor in his announcements, expressed deep shock at the recent tragic loss of young lives in the borough. He advised that significant investment had been made in community intervention programmes to guide those at risk away from violence, but it was clear more needed to be done. He advised the Council would work closely with partners to increase efforts to make Croydon a safer place for young people.

The Executive Mayor then expressed sympathy with those affected by the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza especially those anxiously awaiting news about the safety of their loved ones.

Finally, the Executive Mayor advised Members of the results of the independent review of arrangements for the election count in May 2022. He stated that the review had concluded that the election was transparent, safe, and secure, identified areas for improvement and the action plan to implement the Panel’s eleven recommendations was approved by the General Purposes Committee on 9 October 2023. The Executive Mayor then invited the Chair of the General Purposes Committee to make further comments.

Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, the Chair of the General Purposes Committee advised the independent review panel had recommended an action plan for future elections in the borough and although the report had criticised the Returning Officer (RO) and staff, it also contained many positive comments. He advised resources were needed to meet democratic requirements to ensure confidence of all stakeholders in the election and better logistics on the day of the count.

The Executive Mayor proposed to reduce the allocated time to a number of the standing items in order to ensure that the Members could conduct all of the necessary business of the meeting. The Civic Mayor moved to suspend Council procedure rules in the following:

·       At Item 9a, Health and Wellbeing Board Annual Report, to suspend council procedure rules (3.70-3.71 of Section 4A) to move the recommendations without questions.

·       At Item 9b, Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report to suspend council procedure rules (3.66 of Section 4A) to allow the Chair of Scrutiny to introduce the report on behalf of all the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73/21

Public Questions (30 minutes)

To receive questions from the public gallery and questions submitted by residents in advance of the meeting.

The following Public Questions will be heard at this meeting, which will be responded to. The questioners will have the opportunity to ask a supplementary question based on the answer received.

The questions are as follows:

1.     As a local resident in Fairfield near East Croydon station, I’m feeling increasingly anxious when walking around the local area. Especially so after the spike in knife crime we’ve experienced in the last week or so. I’d like to know what is being done to tackle this at source and also what is being done to keep residents such as myself safe from not only actual crime, but the fear of crime itself.

2.     When will the council start taking action against fly tippers, especially in alleyways and hotspots like Euston road?

3.     TFL data for Croydon shows 51% go to work by car, 25% on foot, 17% by bus or tram, 6% by rail and 1% by bike.

Croydon introduced many car-hostile policies and restrictions under the previous administration, often with minimal consultation.

Given the Uxbridge byelection, how will you change the following to a more car-friendly voter-friendly approach – boosting the economy and setting the public free?

20mph on most roads

School streets

Road closures

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods
Controlled parking zones

Yellow lines

High parking charges

Emission charges

Cycle lanes

Road humps

4.     The residents of Croydon welcome and applaud mayor Perry’s Croydon clean-up campaign August 14th (Norbury clean up). But does this extend to eyesore front gardens where owners / occupiers leave fridges, mattresses, sofas in their front gardens and ignore polite requests to clean up their front garden? Is there or will there be a council department which will respond to residents’ complaints about eyesore front gardens, and will such council / department officers attend and deal with and take enforcement action in respect of reported eyesore front gardens?

5.     My name is Lisa Grady, I work at Applegarth school, where my children attended. There has been an increasing risk for the children of Applegarth and Good Shepherd school when crossing the road to school as cars and buses do not stop for them. I have seen children walking into the road having to look around parked cars and buses to try to cross. My son was also almost hit when crossing the road as we couldn’t see clearly. Therefore, could I put forward a request for a zebra crossing to be added in Fieldway by Brierley and Applegarth?

6.     What does Croydon Council intend to do about the total lack of provision for dyslexic primary school-aged children? 1 in 5 children are dyslexic with either ASD/ADHD or Visual Stress conditions, and yet we as one of London’s largest boroughs do not have our own Crested LA maintained school with Level 7 Dyslexic and Dyscalculia input.

7.     As part of the modernisation of Croydon managed bus shelters those  ...  view the full agenda text for item 74/21

Before the Croydon Question Time, the Chair informed Council that many residents had submitted questions about knife crime and community safety due to the recent tragic events in the Borough. He advised that in accordance with the Council Procedure Rules similar questions had been grouped together and the first question had been allocated to this topic. He advised that residents who still had questions following the response at the meeting should contact Democratic Services via the online form.  

 Public Questions

1.    The answer was given and printed in the agenda. The questioner had no supplementary question.

2.    In response to the answer given and printed in the agenda, the questioner asked a supplementary question about how penalty notices would be issued if the identity of the perpetrators were unknown as there were no cameras to help identify them.

The Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, Councillor Scott Roche, advised the NSL service had been cancelled and forcibly taken away. The Council was looking into other options such as redesigning the service, redeveloping the app, reestablishing a new team, and revisiting options the Council could financially support given its limited resources. 

3.    In response to the answer given and printed in the agenda, the questioner asked if the Executive Mayor would write to the Mayor of London to ascertain if his recent strategy for transport in London would be reviewed in accordance with the national guidance and if Croydon would make any changes to its strategy as a result.

The Executive Mayor in response stated the Council was awaiting the release of the detailed guidance on the strategy and he would consult with the Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment to respond accordingly.

4.    In response to the answer given and printed in the agenda, the questioner stated the problem was more about crossing the main road to get to the school. As most children were too small to see round or over the buses before crossing the road. More safety measures were needed.

Councillor Scott Roche, the Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment in response stated, that the relevant officers would investigate the specific situation and respond to the questioner accordingly.

5.    In response, to the answer given and printed in the agenda, the questioner disagreed there was inclusivity and primary support for children with learning disabilities in the Borough. She detailed the difficulties face by her children such as lack of SENCO staff and suitable non-overwhelming learning environments in addition to the closure of Dyslexic society due to budget cuts as evidence the Council needed to do more primary aged early intervention for children in Croydon.

In response, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young people, Councillor Maria Gatland, advised the questioner to email her directly so she could discuss the situation with the Corporate Director Children, Young People & Education.

6.    It was noted that Question 7 had been withdrawn and deferred to the next meeting of Council.

7.    In response, to the answer given and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74/21

For Council to receive a Public Petition and / or a Member Petition.

One Public Petition has been received. The petition has been verified and is worded as follows:

The South Norwood Country Park visitor centre has been closed since it was damaged by a fire in Spring of 2020. Despite persistent engagement by the local community, Croydon Council have not begun work to restore the centre, set out a plan for doing so, or explained why nothing has happened in three years since the fire.

South Norwood Country Park is an important designated local nature reserve and provides easy access to a variety of natural habitats that would otherwise be largely inaccessible for many residents in the area. The visitor centre provided a vital venue for school children to learn about and experience wildlife up close, an office for a park warden and was a base for volunteers. The visitor centre provided the only toilets in the park which means the park is now inaccessible for many people and is unsuitable for large groups of volunteers.

Since the visitor centre closed, other facilities in the park have begun to decline - the environment garden behind the centre is overgrown and its pond is empty, paths throughout the park have deteriorated, and the viewing platforms at the lake have become increasingly dangerous to use. The longer the centre remains closed, the more damage will be done and the more it will cost to repair.

The visitor centre is the first of many areas of South Norwood Country Park and its management that require commitment and leadership from the Council. An area the size of South Norwood Country Park requires a full-time warden with experience in conservation and a fully operational visitor centre. Reopening the visitor centre is an important first step that would not only restore the facilities it provides but act as a focal point for future work in the park and a clear sign of the Council's commitment to the people of South Norwood.

We call on the Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, to commit to reopening the visitor centre, to set out a timeline for doing so, and to consulting the local community about the centre's future.

One Member Petition has been received. The Petition has been verified and is worded as follows:

Petition - Introduce a weight restriction on Heavy Goods Vehicles on Plough Lane, Purley

“We the undersigned call on the Mayor and his Administration to introduce a weight restriction on Heavy Good Vehicles (HGVs) which use Plough Lane as a short cut. This should address the volume and speed of these vehicles, road damage, increased noise, and pollution levels.

"Plough Lane has a width of 5.25 metres kerb to kerb yet is designated as a B-road which is required to meet a width of 7 metres. Plough Lane is therefore unsuitable for HGVs due to its width. However, it is used regularly as a cut through for these vehicles. Given the width of the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 75/21

Council received a public petition for the reopening of a visitors’ centre in South Norwood Country Park that achieved just over 2,500 signatures by the deadline for submission to the meeting.

Mr Will Hoyle, the lead petitioner, attended Council and made a case for how important the visitors’ centre was to the community before its closure. He advised that a restored visitors’ centre would present renewed education opportunities, be a base for arts activities, allow the Friends group to expand its conservation work and bring the environment garden to its full potential.

He further advised reopening the refreshment kiosk as an income stream for the park would give residents the sense their park was valued and halt the decline in recent years. He asked the Council to commit to a timeline for reopening of the visitors’ centre in the park and actively lead the process of exploring funding options to finance the reopening of the centre.

The Executive Mayor thanked Mr Hoyle for bringing the petition, the Friends Group of Southern Country Park for their great work and the local residents who signed the petition. He advised that the visitor centre had been severely damaged by arson in 2020 and should have been dealt with swiftly as an insurance claim and rebuilt by the previous administration. He stated that the present administration was building a record of investing in Croydon’s parks by accessing several funding options and wished more resources was available to the Council to help resolve the issues facing many parks in the borough.

Councillor Amy Foster, the Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, responded by highlighting the work of the grassroots organisations and community champions and commended their efforts with Stanley Hall and South Norwood Library. She advised the issue was about trust and not money, as backing the petition was a committed group with a wealth of expertise that had raised over £10,000 to run a pop-up visitors’ centre right next to the building. She advised the Council should use this opportunity to revitalize the space as this would empower local communities and protect the Borough’s assets.

Councillor Scott Roche, the Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, clarified the works being carried out by the Council at the site, such as viewing platforms repair with £30,000 compensation from Thames Water, major ground works to improve the biodiversity of the site, and encourage more diverse bird population and, depending on finances, there were further plans to commence the maintenance programme and recruitment of Park Wardens. He stated the Council was committed to doing everything under very restricted circumstances to improve the park.

Councillor Christopher Herman, Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, advised that since the fire, there had been no commitment to reopen the visitors’ centre or a time frame for when residents could expect anything to be done. He stated that there were legitimate concerns that without the visitors’ centre the park would continue to decline and the Council needed to be transparent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75/21

This Annual Croydon Health and Wellbeing Board Report provides an opportunity to celebrate all the hard work that has been achieved over the past year by everyone in the Croydon Borough right across the health and social care system, as well as looking ahead to some of the opportunities for the coming year.

Councillor Yvette Hopley, the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care introduced the report which outlined the work of the Board with the council’s key partners in both health and social care and future opportunities.

She advised the Board met five times during the year as part of its statutory duties to review strategic work and pharmaceutical needs.  She stated that updates on the new integrated care systems and substructures, had played a key part in promoting integrated care across the system and the Council was currently carrying out a review of the current Health Wellbeing Board strategy. She thanked the Local Government Association for its assistance in working with the Board during initial scoping meetings.

Councillor Yvette Hopley encouraged Members to read the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment report, which was a digitally produced live document that highlighted all future health and social care needs and was published on the Croydon Observatory website. She advised that despite challenges, the achievements through the Board included developing a newly refreshed health care plan, transforming mental health services for children, work on the government funded Discharge Fund, fulfilling the Executive Mayor’s Manifesto pledge by having a mental health summit in partnership with boy and citizens[RM1] .

She stated that the programme of works reflecting this year would be presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board soon. She closed by thanking Councillor Janet Campbell and all Members for the cross-party support.

The Executive Mayor MOVED the recommendations.

The motion was seconded by Councillor Mario Creatura, put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED, to: Note the Annual Report.

The overall time, which may be devoted to questioning the Annual Report of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, shall be not more than 20 minutes. The Chair of the Committee (or in the absence of the Chair, the Deputy Chair) and the Chairs of each Sub-Committee shall introduce and answer questions on the Report. The Chair of the Committee shall have not more than 3 minutes’ speaking time and the Chairs of each Sub-Committee shall each have not more than 3 minutes’ speaking time to introduce the report.

For the remaining time available, the report will be open to questions. In the event that any recommendation in the report has not been reached when the overall time limit has expired, it shall be put immediately to the vote.

Any Member, except the Seconder of the Report, may ask the Chair, Deputy or Vice Chair, as appropriate, not more than two questions on each paragraph of the Report.

The Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Councillor Rowenna Davis Council in moving the recommendation stated:

·       Scrutiny Committee was an independent minded, cross-party group of councillors whose job was to hold the Council's executive and partners to account with the right to ask for information, robustly challenge and question those in power and make recommendations for change.

·       She welcomed the renewed strength of the Scrutiny committee which had allowed it to scrutinise the council's finances to ensure the Council was making the best use of the funds provided by struggling residents. The Children's Sub-Committee had questioned how money was spent on children in the Borough; the Streets Sub-Committee had scrutinised the New Year waste contract; and the Health Sub-Committee had fought to ensure the Council obtained its fair share of funding. The Homes Sub-Committee had ensured that tenants were getting the decent service they paid for.

·       Councillor Rowenna Davis advised that the Scrutiny and Overview Committee had concluded the budget was ambitious in its plans to turn around the Council’s finances, but acknowledged the difficulty with the outstanding debt and was committed to relentlessly supporting the Council's efforts to broker a deal with national governments to enable Croydon to be financially independent again.

Councillor Rowenna Davisencouraged Members to read the report and highlighted the following achievements:

·       The introduction of the Homes Sub-Committee had helped shine a light on those languishing in expensive temporary accommodation and ensured that the horrific conditions experienced by residents at Regina Road would not be repeated.

·       The agreement by all the political groups to change the rules that allowed new Green and Liberal Democrat voices into Scrutiny.

·       The changes to council tax enforcement resulting from the Scrutiny meeting with residents struggling to pay their bills. The haunting testimony of those who conceived the council to lack empathy and accessibility led to the practical recommendations rooted in their experience. Some of the changes might have seemed small, but they could offer lifelines to the council’s most vulnerable.

·       In response to a question about the impact of having a member of the Opposition as Chair of Scrutiny had made on the ability to hold the Mayor to account, Councillor Rowenna  Davis said she welcomed the decision and the cross-party decision to allow extra spaces for Green and Liberal Democrat Councillors on the committees, and that the introduction of the new Homes Sub-Committee had strengthened scrutiny but the  committee’s efficiency could be further improved by reviewing timetables to ensure adequate time for consideration of reports before Cabinet meetings.

·       When asked how the committee learnt about the cost of living crisis in Croydon, and how it planned to continue its work in this area, Councillor Davis responded that the committee, through meetings with faith groups, food bank leaders, community leaders and charities,  was able to identify the issues with digital exclusion, council tax enforcement and debt and, due to the lack of awareness about the council tax hardship support scheme, the committee had made a recommendation to include information on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78/21

The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Croydon Equality Strategy, refreshed for 2023-2027 and the updated Equality Objectives.

The Executive Mayor, Councillor Jason Perry in moving the recommendations of the Equality Strategy Report stated:

That the Council's current equality strategy was adopted in 2021 during a period of significant transformation and change, including the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic, shifts in working practices, and the Council’s response to the 2020 Report in the Public Interest.

He explained that the strategy sought to build on the foundations laid by the original strategy and reflected the results of recent changes and initiatives introduced by the Council. It also incorporated the adoption of the George Floyd Race Matters Pledge, New People and Cultural Transformation Strategy, the Council’s work as the pilot organisation in the London Tackling Racial Inequality programme and updated the strategy by drawing on 2021 census data.

The Executive Mayor advised that the format of the strategy had been refreshed with the original four outcomes streamlined into three, all objectives redistributed accordingly, and the  responsibilities for health and social care were now better reflected. He stated that he was happy to accept the amendment submitted by Councillor Stuart King which proposed that the Equality Annual Report be brought to Council to enable discussions on the progress made on delivering the Strategy.

Councillor Stuart King, Leader of the Opposition, seconded the motion and stated that:

·       It was right that the Council should be addressing social inequalities as a community leader and employer and advised that the Opposition supported the adopted approach and endorsed the outcomes underpinning the strategy.

·       He expressed concerns about the absence of a delivery plan alongside the strategy as the aspirations of the strategy had to be measured and monitored transparently in a meeting where all parties were represented and able to debate any progress made delivering the strategy.
In closing, the Executive Mayor stated that delivery plans ensured the Council followed through on its many good  strategies and he was happy to accept the amendment as Croydon was one of the most diverse boroughs in London  and the strategy was designed to make Croydon as equal a place as possible and expressed gratitude for the cross-party support for the strategy.

The motion was put to the vote and CARRIED.

RESOLVED to:

1.    Approve the refreshed Equality Strategy 2023-2027 (Appendix A) and the updated Equality Objectives at paragraph 4.11.

2.    Note the adoption on 27 September 2023 by the Executive Mayor in Cabinet of the London Local Government Anti-Racism Statement, developed by the London Councils Chief Executives London Committee (Appendix B).

3.    Refer the Equality Annual Report for discussion at Full Council each year to ensure that progress delivering the strategy is visible and accountable to councillors and the community.

(65 minutes)

To receive questions from Councillors. The first five minutes of this item may be used by the Mayor to make any announcements.

Mayor Jason Perry, supported by members of the Cabinet, invited questions from Council on various topics affecting the borough. The Chair called upon councillors in turn and Mayor Perry responded that:

·      The prevalence of domestic violence against women and girls was an ongoing issue and the Council was intent on tackling this. It was one of the delivery plans in the community safety strategy.

·       The Council’s partnerships with the police, health, and community colleagues were regularly reviewed to refresh the community safety strategy. The three delivery plans were live documents co-produced with partners and featured in the Council’s budget.

·      The Community Safety Strategy was reviewed, the safety delivery plans were considered by Cabinet the previous week, the Youth Justice plan was considered by Scrutiny Committee on 10 October and the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy would be coming forward in due course.

·       The Community Safety Engagement Board was initiated in April 2023 at the request of local community groups.

·       The Town Centre was top priority, and the council was working with partners on a renewed master plan for the Town Centre. A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was initiated in April and 130 notices within the PSPO had been issued. Also, the Safer Streets group had been reformed to support the homeless and improve the cleanliness of the Town Centre.

·      Regarding Croydon Limited Partnership, the Council was currently in ongoing negotiations with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) and firm timetables were expected towards the end of the year.

·       One of the ways the Council was implementing the recommendations of the Violence Reduction Network contained in the Strategic Assessment Report 2022 was by focusing on funding community groups.

The Executive Mayor held monthly and daily meetings with the Borough Commanderto discuss issues and challenges facing the borough and hold the Police to account and ensure all was being done to make Croydon’s streets safe. Also, the Safer Neighbourhood Board was a public board that was in place to hold the police to account.

·      The supplementary design guide (SPD) was removed in July last year. The Local Plan would be focused on design character rather than being density driven and would be agreed by Cabinet and Council.

·      There was no total quantum of resources available for preventive projects but an ongoing process of funding local grassroots groups through resources drawn down from government funding in addition to council resources and advice was being sought from professional officers and professionals in the field on the best programmes to keep the Borough’s young people safe.

·       The Council’s “blitz” clean-up campaign had successfully led to the reduction of fly tipping by 84 percent over a three-week period in Norwood and the Thornton Heath Clock Tower had been restored. The next   target for the blitz cleaning was Thornton Heath.

·       Cabinet approved the extension the PSPO to include Thornton Heath Ponds and the whole of Grangewood Park. The protection orders would be in place by the end of 2023. Training on what  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80/21

To debate any motions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.

The following two Motions, one from the Administration and one from the Labour Group, will be debated:

Conservative Administration Motion

This Council RESOLVES:

Labour Group Motion

This Council RESOLVES:

This year, Croydon proudly joins the nation in celebrating 'Windrush 75’, marking 75 years since the Empire Windrush's arrival at Tilbury in 1948, bringing 1,027 passengers from the Caribbean including 500 from Jamaica.  

This saw the start of the ‘Windrush Generation’ defined as people who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1973, invited by the British government to help rebuild the mother-country after World War II.  

Croydon Council salutes the 'Windrush Generation,' their contribution to post-war Britain and enrichment of our borough's cultural diversity.

As we celebrate Windrush 75, we recognise that the country must address ongoing fallout from the ‘Hostile Environment,' which leaves many Windrushers still seeking fair and just compensation for the adverse impact on their lives. 

We also recognise that legacies of the past still manifest themselves today in inequitable outcomes for Windrush descendants as evidenced in the educational attainment of Black boys who are disproportionately excluded from mainstream education. These issues require robust policies to address them. 

We affirm Croydon’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist Council and extend our apology for past unjust Council policies, like the 'Ban on Bashment' affecting Reggae, Grime and Hip-Hop performers, that was introduced in 2008 and lasted for a decade. 

Croydon Council is resolute in supporting cultural expressions and commits to fostering a thriving, inclusive, night-time economy for all.

May Windrush 75 remind us of our shared history and our unwavering commitment to social justice and inclusivity in Croydon.

Conservative Group Motion

Councillor Lynne Hale in moving the Conservative Group Debate Motion, spoke in favour of the motion and argued that:

·       The Council’s most valuable work, in terms of potential outcomes, must be focused on the borough’s diverse local communities, grassroots organisations that understood exactly what their local communities needed and could deliver better value for money and more agile solutions.

·       The Council would have to do less until the finances stabilised but could still listen and empower residents to do more for themselves.

·       While the events of the past few weeks have been extraordinarily distressing and difficult, it had been incredibly moving to see how so many diverse communities had pulled together.

Councillor Leila Ben-Hassel spoke to the motion on behalf of the Opposition and stated that:

·       The Opposition welcomed the motion and was dedicated to ensuring that local voices were heard and all residents were treated fairly with respect and dignity and solutions provided to the issues facing residents despite the council's financial situation.

·      Though the Council had not been able to help in some issues such as homelessness, but could work collectively with local residents as they were happy to get more involved but wanted to be better supported.  Community groups were well resourced networks and had the ability to respond and transform local assets to meet their own needs. Also, Councillors should be fully informed of the Council’s initiatives and engaged to work in partnership with the Council in putting residents first.

Councillor Ola Kolade, the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, seconding the motion argued that:

·       The Council was listening to its diverse communities and taking action to tackle the key issues in the borough and this meant true partnership, fostering relationships with voluntary and community groups and faith groups, listening to residents, empathizing and addressing the issues that mattered to them.

·       The Council was also listening to the business community and actively seeking opportunities to support town and district centres and local businesses in areas that have been let down for too long.

·       Diverse committee groups had played a key role in co-creating and co-delivering over 30 projects with over 50 schools engaged in community safety.

·       The introduction of the Residence Charter and a community safety engagement board, the Blitz Clean-up campaign was evidence that the Council was listening to its diverse communities and taking action to tackle the key issues facing local residents.

Councillor Rowenna Davis, Chair of Scrutiny argued that:

·       Whilst the Opposition would vote for the motion, it had no confidence in the words due to the results of past attempts. She stated that the passion expressed in the community meetings after the recent tragic events showed that residents were desperate to get involved. 

·       She advised that Council should have given residents opportunities to help design and lead solutions to the violence in the borough or explore examples of best practice from other London boroughs such as Islington Council’s Fairness Commission on Newer Citizens Assemblies.

The motion was put to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81/21

For Council to receive the Maiden Speeches of the remaining newly-elected members of the May 2022 Local Election.

This item was deferred to the next Council meeting.

(Please see minute 73/21)

For Council to agree any in-year amendments to committee memberships.

No changes to appointments were proposed.