Agenda item

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 GROUP DEBATE MOTION

The Council RESOLVES:

To note the recent success of our bid for £18.5m in funding from HM Government to transform our town centre. Council notes that the funding will be spent on multiple projects that cover the South End restaurant quarter, East Croydon Station, West Croydon Station, and Old Town & Croydon Minster, as well as a new civic square for the Fairfield cultural complex, connecting Queen’s Gardens and Surrey Street Market. 

The success of this bid shows that Croydon is a Borough with a bright future. It also shows what can be achieved by working together in partnership across the Borough - be it the Executive Mayor, Councillors, MPs, Voluntary & Faith sectors and statutory partners such as health and the Police.

LABOUR GROUP DEBATE MOTION

The Council RESOLVES:

To condemn the Chancellor's decision not to extend the Household Support Fund when it expires in March 2024.

The fund has provided a lifeline to hundreds of Croydon families facing hunger and hardship and its withdrawal during an ongoing cost of living crisis will hit many households hard.  We call on the Executive Mayor to write to the Chancellor to urge him to extend the Household Support Fund for a further year and to publish the chancellor’s reply on the council’s website.

In moving the motion, Mayor Jason Perry stated:

·       the successful bid for 18.5 million pounds from the government's Levelling Up fund was a fantastic achievement for the Council. He informed Council that the Minister had described the bid as high quality and ready to deliver.

·       the investment in the Town Centre would bring funding to a number of wards as the scheme provides for six infrastructure and public, realm projects, which would dramatically improve connections in Town Centre and enable safer and easier travel for residents and visitors.

·       that he was intent on tackling the broken windows effects of the borough, making Town Centre, cleaner, healthier, and safer. The public space Protection order had been reintroduced and the Police had been given the power to tackle and social behaviour. The Council was also delivering on a program outreach providing support for young people at risk of youth violence.

·       In buying out the development partner earlier this year,Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield had showed long, term commitments to Croydon, the development of a master plan and a planning application were eagerly awaited to begin Croydon’s transformation.

Councillor Chris Clark, the Shadow Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration spoke in support of the motion stated:

·       that the success of the bid was welcomed  and the plans had been developed over a number of years, and  showed the ambition to make Croydon a  safer, cleaner borough row through improvements to walking, cycling infrastructure, and the urban environment. 

·       He argued that as the bid was submitted in Summer 2022,  there may be need for a review taking into account inflation and rising costs, to make sure that all the important projects costs were still affordable before the government released the money. 

·       local government needed longer term funding settlements  and as residents wanted a safe, clean Town Centre where they and members of their families could safely go about their business safely, the Council needed to work together with its various partners, if it wanted to bring Town Centre back to life and deliver the change that Croydon communities needed.

·       Councillor Jason Cummings seconded the motion and reserved his right to speak

Councillor Elilly Ponnuthurai spoke in support of the motion and argued that:

·       The Bid had identified air pollution and crime as barriers to a prosperous borough and had outlined key four key objects objectives at its heart.

·       The first objective was economic growth for investors to have confidence in Croydon but more and more business businesses were leaving Croydon.

·       The second key objective was levelling up to include better quality of life outcomes but the quality of life outcomes Croydon’s young people was at an all, time low.

·       The third objective was to revitalize the Town Center and make it vibrant but there was no timeline to the talks with Westfield and though there been speculation of a company takeover yet there seemed to be no concrete alternative plan.

·       The final key objective was decarbonizing transport and adapting to climate change but the units introduced by the London Mayor to significantly reduce Pollution had been fiercely rejected and the Council’s air pollution team was underfunded.  There seemed to be a lack of seriousness and urgency about reducing crime, air pollution, and regenerating Croydon Townhall to improve the lives  of residents.

·       But it's not as welcoming or safer place as it used to be, the many people now go elsewhere to do their shopping.

The Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Jason Cummings spoke in support of the motion stating that:

·       The bid being granted this second round after initial refusal could only be described as a success and showcased political cooperation at its best as the bid was initiated by Mayor Perry, but was backed by councillors across the chamber and endorsed by Sarah Jones MP. Though the bid would not change everything, but it was a step in the right direction.  He closed by saying the bid was to be celebrated and the cooperation that helped obtain it was welcomed, and the expected benefits, eagerly awaited.

·       In closing Mayor Perry in exercising his right of last reply, said, the investment was good for Croydon create time and would bring other investments, creates homes, jobs and bring people back to Croydon’s Town Centre.

RESOLVED:

1.       To note the recent success of our bid for £18.5m in funding from HM Government to transform our town centre. Council notes that the funding will be spent on multiple projects that cover the South End restaurant quarter, East Croydon Station, West Croydon Station, and Old Town & Croydon Minster, as well as a new civic square for the Fairfield cultural complex, connecting Queen’s Gardens and Surrey Street Market. 

2.       The success of this bid showed that Croydon was a Borough with a bright future. It also showed what could be achieved by working together in partnership across the Borough - be it the Executive Mayor, Councillors, MPs, Voluntary & Faith sectors and statutory partners such as health and the Police.

Labour Group Motion

Councillor Chrishni Reshekaron, the Shadow Cabinet Member for Homes opened the debate by stating:

·       that the Household Support Fund was an important safety net that provided much, needed assistance to those who needed help with food and energy. It was a vital lifeline for hundreds of families, including facing hunger and hardship.

·       that the decision not to extend the Household Support Fund and the recent increase in council rent and Council Tax would impact on the most vulnerable residents employed who are doing everything they could to get their families through the cost of living crisis.

·       that she hoped the Mayor would follow through with Councillor King’s request and write a letter condemning the Chancellor's decision not to extend the Household Support Fund, urge him to extend the fund for a further year, and publish the letter and the Chancellor’s response on the council's website.

Councillor Foster seconded the motion and reserved her right to speak.

The Deputy Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Alasdair Stewart then spoke in support of the motion stating that:

·       the Conservative group would be voting in support of the motion, but would not condemn the Chancellor's decision,

·       Every budget, local or national involved difficult decisions and the need to carefully balance the level of income, expected expenditure, and levels of debt. Many of the Chancellor’s announcements were welcomed such as child welfare benefits increasing to match inflation and the retention of the triple lock, which would increase the income of pensioners.  The Household Support Fund was one of a number of existing additional support programs for local residents, which included a counter, tax support scheme, counter tax hardship fund and benefits from the Housing Revenue Account discretionary fund and the Healthy home Service.  So, while inflation was falling, it was recognised that the cost of living pressures were still affecting many residents.

·       the current Household Support Fund had enabled Croydon to provide amazing support to local vulnerable households who were most in need so any additional   central government funding that would enable this to continue was welcomed and Mayor Perry’s request to central government should be supported.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Maria Gatland, spoke in support of the motion stating that:

·       She welcomed that the Household Fund had been allocated to our schools, and was directed to Croydon’s most vulnerable families.

·       She also welcomed the additional funding for pupils on free school meals, especially the discretionary fund for pupils just outside the threshold of free school meals and the fact that the fund also supported families with hampers or vouchers during holidays as well as families in emergency situations.

·       She was in support of the motion as the support from the government had been vital for many families, and it should continue beyond 2004.

Shadow Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Amy Foster, in closing the debate, argued that:

·       the Chancellor’s decision to bring the Household Support Fund to a close was not surprising and that the situation in Croydon was extremely serious but was made worse due to national policy decisions.

·       that local authorities across the country were struggling to manage the increasing costs of children's social care due to the autumn budget. The Local Government Association had made clear their profound disappointment with the Autumn statement and its failure to reference children's Services funding for early years and support for students with special educational needs and disabilities.

·       it was understood that Mayor Perry’s powers were limited, but he had a strong voice, which was needed for the letter as it had to be firm and to publicly state that these policies do not serve Croydon.

RESOLVED:

·       To condemn the Chancellor's decision not to extend the Household Support Fund when it expires in March 2024.

·       The fund has provided a lifeline to hundreds of Croydon families facing hunger and hardship and its withdrawal during an ongoing cost of living crisis will hit many households hard.  We call on the Executive Mayor to write to the Chancellor to urge him to extend the Household Support Fund for a further year and to publish the chancellor’s reply on the council’s website.

·       The Executive Mayor speaking in response to the debate stated:

that it was fair to say that all local authorities, had challenging budgets right now across the country but the immediate priorities were to ensure that as many of Croydon’s eligible residents as possible were receiving the supportthey needed this winter. He said that the Household Support Fund was doing important work and that must continue and advised he had drafted the letter and it would be circulated to Members before the Christmas break.