Minutes for Council meeting, Mar 2 2011, 7.00PM official page

To agree the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 26 January 2011.

 

No motion or discussion may take place upon the Minutes except as to their accuracy, and any question on this point will be determined by a majority of the Members of the body attending who were present when the matter in question was decided.  Once confirmed, with or without amendment, the person presiding will sign the Minutes.

Public Involvement Items

Presentation to the Council of petitions for consideration.

Up to half an hour will be allowed for questions by Members of the Public.

 

Questions will be taken in the order notices are received by the Chief Executive.  Each question to have no more than one part.  No member of the public shall ask more than 2 questions at a meeting.

a.      To receive written responses to questions submitted by Members in line with procedure Rule A1.38

 

b.     Up to 10 minutes will be allowed for Members questions.

 

Matters for Early Debate

Up to 3 items of business may be prioritised for consideration under this section.  Each political party may select an item of business, from the list of items on the agenda, for early debate.  The order in which early debate items are taken will be based on each party in rotation choosing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd items.

Item                              Title of Report                      Page

No.                                                                                 No.

 

Reports from Cabinet in Relation to the Council's Budget and Policy Framework

Reports from Officers

Council notes that at its October meeting, a motion moved by the Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Offord, was resolved which concluded:-

 

“Council further believes that any plans to end security of tenure for new social housing tenants will exacerbate the drift towards a stigmatised social housing sector occupied only by the most vulnerable in our communities and will undermine the shared ideal of mixed communities. Council calls upon the Government to re-examine its proposals in this area.”

 

During the debate on this motion, Council is aware that Cllr Offord stated:-

 

·        “I believe secure housing is a basic human right and it’s this security that appears to be threatened by the policies of the coalition Government.”

·        “This motion is intended to re-state the Labour Council’s commitment and determination to defend its tenants security of tenure now and in the future”

 

Cllr Pennycook in seconding the motion asked opposition members “will you support this Council in saying that the Government should rethink an end to secure tenures for new tenants?”

 

Council notes that the opportunity for Greenwich Council to call “upon the Government to re-examine its proposals in this area” was presented in the recent “Local decisions: a fairer future for social housing” consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government.  Council further notes that the key reforms that this consultation addressed were flexible tenancies, fairer allocations and affordable rents.

 

Given his previous statements, Council is concerned to note that the Cabinet Member for Housing did not call upon the government to ‘re-examine its proposals in this area’ but instead stated on behalf of Greenwich Council:-

 

·        ‘Greenwich ….. welcomes the opportunities set out in the White Paper.’ (p13)

·         ‘Greenwich Council would welcome the capability to vary rents and length of tenure independently’ (p6)

·        ‘we do not think that landlords should be required to offer a lifetime tenancy’  (p8)

·        ‘we would seek to have the flexibility to be able to charge up to 80% of local market rents’ (p3)

 

Council considers that Cllr Offord has said one thing in this chamber and quite another in his response to the Coalition Government’s consultation.  Council is extremely concerned at the inconsistency in Cllr Offord’s statements and his failure to react to a policy laid down and voted for by Labour Members of this Council.  Council also notes that no Labour Councillor has publically rejected this response to the Coalition Government’s consultation on housing. 

 

Council notes that Conservative members remain committed to security of tenure in this borough and that the Coalition government is not seeking to change the arrangements for existing tenants.

 

Council calls upon the Leader of the Council to make clear the Cabinet’s policy with regard to security of tenure and to ensure that the Cabinet Member for Housing follows this policy both in public and in private.