Minutes for Council meeting, Jan 26 2011, 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.

 

Under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, any Member who is in arrears of two or more months Council Tax must declare it at the meeting and abstain from voting on agenda item 9.

‘The Educational Maintenance Allowance was designed to help pupils from lower income backgrounds to stay on in education post 16. Students were entitled to up to £30 a week from the EMA making all the difference in supporting their studies.

 

Last year, the Coalition Government announced that the EMA would be scrapped.

 

Hackney has 54% of 16-18 year old students receiving EMA - this is one of the highest percentages in London. At HackneyCommunity College, 720 students out of 1400, and at BSix college 760 out of 1300 currently receive the EMA.

 

The Government has criticised EMA saying that 9 out of 10 students say they would attend college even without EMA.  We believe that in an area as poor as Hackney, this is not the case and participation will fall without EMA.  Our experience is that EMA has enabled us and many young people like us to stay on in education. Post 16 education should not be dependent on whether your family can pay for it or not.

 

We have already been active in the national Save EMA campaign.

 

We are calling on Hackney Council to campaign against the changes to EMA and write to the Government expressing our concerns about the impact that this will have on Hackney students.’

 

Deputation to be introduced by Cllr McShane

Speakers: students from BSix College and Hackney Community College

 

‘To ask the Council to join with others in the community in a campaign to seek the repeal or withdrawal of the coalition Government’s proposed changes to the health service contained in the White Paper “Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS” and to help publicise the dangers to the health and well being of the people of Hackney.’

 

Deputation to be introduced by Cllr Akehurst

Speaker: Bronwen Handyside, Hackney Keep Our NHS Public.

 

6.1 Question from Christopher Sills to the Mayor:

‘Are you aware that the new Skinners Academy is next door to a building site? What steps are the Council taking to reduce the chance of an accident to students and staff of the Skinners Academy and the nearby Woodberry Down Primary School caused by the heavy lorries that pass the schools?’

7.1 From Cllr Gregory to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods:

‘Could you provide an update on the Ridley Road Market improvement project and the streetscene improvements to Dalston Town Centre?’

 

7.2 From Cllr Plouviez to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People:

‘Could you tell the Council what the latest is with the MyPlace project, and in particular the proposals for a hub on Forest Road in my ward?’

 

7.3 From Cllr Stops to the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods:

‘When the guard rail was removed from along Mare Street there was some concern regarding road safety. Now that three years has elapsed can you please tell me what the statistics for casualties are compared to the three years prior to removal?’

 

7.4 From Cllr Russell to the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Crime and Sustainability:

‘Could you provide an update on the Co2 reduction pilot in Hackney Downs ward, and what work is being undertaken with residents to help them reduce their fuel bills?’

 

7.5 From Cllr Webb to the Cabinet Member for Community Services:

‘What assessment of Hackney's adult social services has been made by the Care Quality Commission for 2009/10?’

 

7.6 From Cllr Muir to the Cabinet Member for Finance:

‘Can you confirm whether the Council will receive the £3.6 million from the NHS to cover social care services that the Government has claimed is included in our finance settlement?’

End Legal Loan Sharking Campaign

“This Council:

Notes and welcomes the UK-wide campaign to end ‘legal loan sharking’.

Believes that the lack of access to affordable credit is socially and economically damaging. Unaffordable credit is causing a myriad of unwanted effects such as poorer diets, colder homes, rent, council tax and utility arrears,depression (which impacts on job seeking behaviour) and poor health.

Further notes that unaffordable credit is extracting wealth from the most deprived communities.

Believes it is the responsibility of all levels of government to try to ensure affordablecredit for all, and therefore pledges to use best practice such as thatused by Cornwall and Stevenage Councils to promote financial literacy and affordable lending. This will help to ensure that wealth stays in the local economy, it will improve the effectiveness of local regeneration initiatives and reduce pressure on public expenditure.

Calls on the government to introduce a cap on the total lendingrate that can be charged for providing credit.

Calls on the government to give local authorities the power toveto licenses for high street credit agencies where they could have negativeeconomic or social impacts on communities.

Proposer:Cllr Ian Rathbone

Seconder: Cllr Linda Kelly

 

To replace Cllr Demirci with Cllr Linden on Licensing Committee.