Minutes for Council meeting, Oct 28 2009, 7.00PM official page

This is the time for Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests, or dispensations they may have in any matter being considered at this meeting having regard to the guidance attached to the agenda.

‘We, the undersigned, ask the Council to support the Friends of Clapton Cinematograph Theatre in its bid to receive support under the Sustainable Communities Act, and open Hackney’s second cinema and centre for the community in Clapton, a cultural meeting place, for the exhibition of films and an educational, training and conference facility.’

10 signatures

Deputation to be introduced by Cllr Kelly

Speaker: Julia Lafferty

6.1 From Mr Jed Keenan to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods:

‘With regard to the CLG report on Street Markets HC308-1 and Hackney Council’s 2010-2025 Local Development Frameworks Core Strategy Policy 14, what is the Council’s progress on the development of a Market Strategy and Action Plan and the resulting clear strategic vision for how it intends to secure the long-term sustainability of the borough’s nine existing street markets and the planned tenth street market at Woodbury Down and possibly an eleventh at Gillett Square?’

6.2 From Mr Christopher Sills to the Mayor:

‘Would you agree with me that there is inadequate youth provision in Hackney and what steps are the Council taking to encourage an increase in provision, particularly in estates and area-based provision, open to all?’

7.1 From Cllr Rathbone to the Cabinet Member for Community Services:

‘The Hackney Empire has been part of my family’s life in Hackney for many years and has been an icon for this borough. Could she tell us what the Council is doing to help them through their current restructuring?’

7.2 From Cllr Borris to the Mayor:

‘Given the high levels of ill-health in Hackney, does the Mayor support the tendering of GP-led health centres in our borough to private companies as a suitable way to combat that, as advocated by the Labour Government?’

7.3  From Cllr Bellto the Mayor:

‘Could the Mayor confirm if he has had any indication of the Council’s ‘star rating’ for this year?’

7.4  From Cllr Shaikh to the Mayor:

‘In the Mayor’s view, what could the Council do to encourage the elimination of waste of food and other consumable goods and gadgets?’

7.5  From Cllr Williams to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods/ Deputy Mayor:

‘What steps are being taken to improve response times from Safer Neighbourhoods Teams to reports from Hackney residents of drug taking and drug dealing in estate stairwells? What steps are being taken to improve how Hackney works with Safer Neighbourhoods Teams in neighbouring boroughs in order to reduce anti social behaviour on Hackney estates?’

7.6  From Cllr Coggins to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games:

‘How many people are currently employed at the Olympic site?  How many of these are Hackney residents?’

7.7  From Cllr Stops to the Mayor:

‘What proposals will he be making in relation to next year’s Council Tax levels, and how does this compare to other boroughs?’

7.8  From Cllr Chapman to the Cabinet Member for Finance:

‘What efficiency savings has the Council made in the last few years, how has it achieved these, and does she know how this compares to other boroughs?’

7.9  From Cllr Kemp to the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games:

‘What steps is the Council taking to help Hackney residents through the current economic downturn?’

7.10 From Cllr Thomson to the Mayor:

‘In other Councils where they have frozen Council Tax, vital local services have been cut or put at risk.  Can the Mayor give an assurance that any Council Tax freeze will not mean a cut to vital local services in Hackney?’

‘This Council:

·  is alarmed by the announcement by Boris Johnson, the Conservative Mayor of London on 15th October to:

- raise the cost of a single bus fare by 20%, from £1 to £1.20

- raise the cost of a weekly bus pass by over 20%, from £13.80 to £16.60

- raise the cost of an off-peak tube journey from Hackney into central London by 12.5%, from £1.60 to £1.80

·  expresses concern at the commitment of the Mayor of London to abolish the Western Congestion Charge, at an estimated cost to TfL of £70m, and to abolish the £25 gas guzzler charge at an estimated cost to TfL of £50m.

·  notes that as Hackney has comparatively low car ownership, rises in public transport fares affect Hackney residents disproportionately.

·  condemns the use of inflation-busting fare rises to fund Boris Johnson's vanity projects, at the expense of Hackney bus and tube users and calls on the Mayor of London to reverse his decision.

This Council resolves:

- to make clear to Boris Johnson this Council's opposition to these fare rises

- to publicise its opposition to these unfair and un-necessary fare hikes.’

Proposed: Cllr Chapman, Seconded: Cllr Plouviez