To debate any motions submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rules.
Minutes:
The Mayor read out the first Council Debate Motion on behalf of the Administration:
“This Council mourns the death of Sarah Everard along with 116 including black and minority ethnic women who were killed as a result of male violence in the last twelve months alone prior to 11 March 2020. This Council believes that this pernicious prevalence of violence against women and girls is an epidemic in its own right where 80% of women of all ages have been sexually harassed in public. 97% of young women have been sexually harassed. 1 in 2 women have been sexually harassed in the workplace and 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. 1 in 5 women will be raped in their lifetime. 2 women a week are killed by a current or former partner and 3 women take their own lives following domestic abuse.
Reported cases of domestic abuse have risen significantly nationally in lockdown. Calls to nation domestic helplines almost doubled. Croydon has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in London and during lockdown saw further increases in reported cases of domestic violence and calls for support to our domestic violence services. This rise in domestic violence, particularly high risk cases, is now recorded on our corporate risk register. We pay tribute to the council’s staff who are part of the FJC who have worked so hard to provide critical support and advice to those experiencing domestic violence and to partners and those voluntary sector partners for everything they do to keep women and their children safe and bring perpetrators to account.
This Council believes that harassment faced by all women, from all backgrounds and diversity is unacceptable. We must create an environment women are safe in both public and private spaces. This Council resolves to:
Set out in the VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) Strategy how we will tackle forms of violence against women including street harassment, domestic violence, sexual violence, online violence against women, FGM. So called honour based violence and hate crimes against women.
Ensure that Croydon’s multi agency Community Safety Strategy continues to prioritise tackling all forms of violence against women and girls and ensure that the work we pursue with our partners engages men in the response, not just support and protection for women.”
Madam Mayor invited Councillor Patsy Cummings to propose the motion.
Councillor Cummings stated that the motion quoted the shocking statistics but went on to highlight the additional disadvantage that black, brown and refugee women face with the additional systemic racism. The BAME Domestic Abuse Partnership Forum stated a petition last week and hundreds of women had added their names. To highlight this issue Councillor Cummings read a statement from them which raised the cases of Blessing Olusegun, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman to illustrate the issue. The amendment to the Domestic Violence Bill going through the House of Lords calls for non- discrimination to ensure that all women and girls receive the same treatment. There is a lack of data and statistics specifically around black, brown and migrant women and these must be properly investigated and recorded.
Councillor Skipper seconded the motion and reserved her right to speak.
Councillor Redfern stated violence against women and girls is nothing new but that the openness with which it was now being discussed is. She welcomed the aims of the motion and of using the Community Safety Strategy to tackle such violence. She additionally explained that the Domestic Abuse Bill will provide additional funding through the GLA to support the cost of new services required by the Bill. Education of men in this subject was key and the council needs to change its own culture and show deeds not words.
Councillor Redfern supported the motion.
Councillor Oviri stated that she identified with Sarah Everard, and shared some of her personal experiences. She asked that the word epidemic be retracted as this should be seen as a global pandemic that has not suddenly appeared and is not confirmed to Croydon. It should be recognised that 95% of incidents are never reported. The motion shows that those who do report will be treated with compassion.
Councillor Oviri supported the motion.
Councillor Skipper shared her personal experiences of domestic violence and how the incidents were dealt with by people who should have been able to provide support. This week the news covered the story of private schools which chose to cover up incidents of sexual assault and put reputation over reporting the problem. She also stated that one amount of street lighting or other measures that women and girls can take would have protected her form the abuse that took place in her home. Women have been trying to protect themselves for generations, what is needed is for men to stop attacking women and for society to support women who do come forward to report.
Madam Mayor thanked Councillor Skipper for her openness and honesty and assured her that everyone on the call tonight would support her in any way if required.
Before the vote was taken the Madam Mayor confirmed that there were 38 Labour members and 25 Conservative members present on the call.
The motion was put to the vote and was unanimously carried.
The Mayor read out the second Council Debate Motion on behalf of the Opposition:
“The negligence of Croydon Council has caused families in council housing to be subject to unacceptable and dehumanising living conditions. It is unacceptable that in the 21st Century in Britain families should be forced to live amongst thick layers of mould and severe damp. The council must take responsibility for the fact that soaking wet floors and un-useable kitchens put people’s lives at risk. The council acknowledges that residents have been raising these issues for many months and complaints have either been woefully mismanaged or wilfully ignored. The council acknowledges that by claiming ignorance of these diabolical conditions, they cannot say with any confidence how many other residents across the borough may be suffering similar circumstances. The council agrees that such a systemic failure to manage the council’s housing stock is entirely its fault and wholeheartedly apologise to all those families affected.”
Madam Mayor invited Councillor Hale to propose the motion.
Councillor Hale stated that if it had not been for the issue being shown on ITV News this matter would not have come to light. Residents had been complaining for eighteen months and this was a terrible failure of the part of this council. Twenty times residents complained and the Cabinet Member at the time was also the ward councillor. Once identified the problem was quickly solved but being completely ignored must have been a very distressing time for those residents. This followed on from the financial issues and the Government bailout but even when money is not the issue, this shows the systemic failure of this council.
Councillor Streeter seconded the motion and reserved his right to speak.
Councillor Fraser stated that as the local ward councillor he was shocked, saddened and angry when he visited Regina Road last week. There are more than 13000 flats and houses in the borough which provide social housing, most of which was of good quality but did acknowledge that some was not. It was clear that there is a problem with housing management and council contractors visited the blocks but failed to resolve the issues and that this was a corporate failure in many different areas. The investigation currently underway will highlight where it went wrong and what actions are required to ensure that this does not happen again.
Councillor Hay-Justice stated that seeing the ITV News item showing the conditions that Croydon tenants faced filled her with horror. The tenants certainly felt that they had no-one to turn to and as a council responsibility must be acted upon. The initial priority was to re-house those tenants most affected and they were moved immediately and others were subsequently moved. It could not have been foreseen that this type of issue would arise but the council must learn lessons and find out what went wrong. The independent investigation will give tenants a voice as part of its work but we need to wait until that investigation is completed before making judgments on any of our staff. This has caused shame to our town but this will be turned around.
Last week all councillors, in their role as tenant advocates, were called upon to raise tenants concerns through a dedicated email address and thank you to the twenty five responses that were received. However, I cannot support this motion until the work of the independent investigation is completed.
Councillor Streeter stated that although the councillors have their differences on this occasion we were all united in our horror at the images on ITV News last week. He felt that in her statement earlier that the Leader has understood the severity of the situation and that there was genuine remorse and a genuine sense that this should be put right. Context from Councillor Fraser, although helpful cannot be a reason to shirk responsibility and talking about what happened in the 1990’s does not detract from the fact that this happened in 2021. Opposition councillors have been trying to get issues resolved on behalf of tenants and any support from the Cabinet Member was most welcome to clear the backlog of cases.
It appeared that this issue uncovered a cultural problem within the council which too easily blamed systems and structures rather than looking into the decisions of individuals. We need to face up to these issues and focus on what happened locally. I cannot say with any certainty that this administration listens to the residents.
The motion was put to the vote and was defeated.