Minutes for Council meeting, Oct 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.

Housing Resolution to Hackney Council

 

Hackney Council is committed to maintaining mixed and stable communities, and encouraging the development of housing to meet local need.

 

The proposals from the Coalition government to invite local councils to replace secure tenancies with fixed term tenancies will undermine the stability of sustainable communities and discourage tenants’ investment of time and energy in our community.

 

To meet local housing need requires more new and improved council and other secure and genuinely affordable homes for rent.  New RSL fixed-term tenancies with up to 80% market rents, should be opposed as they will not create homes for those who most need them.

 

The impact of Housing Benefit cuts will fall overwhelmingly on women, people with disabilities, black and minority ethnic families, single parents and the most vulnerable.  They will destabilise communities further, disrupting education, health, carer and child protection services to many.

 

We believe that legislation which regulates private sector rents is the most effective way to reduce Housing Benefit costs.

 

We therefore call on Hackney Council to agree to:

 

·  To refuse to either replace existing secure tenancies with fixed term tenancies or create new fixed term secure tenancies

 

·  As a strategic housing authority and planning body, to discourage RSL development of fixed term tenancies at up to 80% market rents

 

·  Seek to involve private sector tenants, and support them in organising against high rents, housing benefit cuts, insecurity of tenure and disrepair.  To do this we call on the Council to recruit private sector caseworkers to investigate the suitability of private sector properties and landlords

 

·  To lobby the government against proposed cuts in Housing Benefit

 

·  Support campaigns for more secure and genuinely-affordable council and other housing.  This may require the Council taking a position to call for an urgent review of the ‘right to buy’

 

·  Call on other Local Authorities to support these points

 

Deputation to be introduced by Cllr Akehurst

Speakers: representatives of Banister House and Priory Court Tenants and Residents Association

6.1  From Mischa Borris to the Mayor:

‘It is impossible to cut £44.274m from Hackney's grant funding without it having an effect.  Not all of that can be made up by efficiency savings. Front line services need adequately resourced support services.  We are already hearing about reductions to the library provision and youth services but the Mayor has promised there will be no cuts to front line services. Given this, will Hackney Council provide via Hackney Today and the website an easily understandable breakdown of the effects of this grant reduction across services (whether provided directly or indirectly by the Council), how any shortfall will be made up and whether there will be job losses whether by redundancy or non-renewal of contracts?’

7.1  From Cllr de Botton to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services:

‘Can the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services set out plans for the expansion of Mossbourne Academy, which yet again this year has delivered outstanding results for the children of Hackney?’

 

7.2  From Cllr Jacobson to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services:

‘It has been announced by Sarah Teather the Lib Dem Minister of State for the Department of Education that the new Pupil Premium will mean that every school with a child on free school meals will receive an extra £488 per annum.  Please can you advise as to how the schools in Hackney will be spending this additional funding in order to break the link between poverty and achievement?’

 

7.3  From Cllr Gordon to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services:

‘Does the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services agree with me about the importance of the extended schools programme in raising achievement in schools and providing equality of opportunity for Hackney’s children and could she provide details of how the programme will be funded in the future?’

 

7.4  From Cllr Akhoon to the Cabinet Member for Crime, Sustainability and Customer Services (Deputy Mayor):

‘How much money has Hackney Council received in relation to the Government’s Prevent Strategy since its inception, and how and with which organisations has it been spent?’

 

7.5  From Cllr Mitchell to the Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture:

‘What progress has been made on establishing Hackney’s Health and Wellbeing Board?’

 

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

‘What is being done in the run up to Christmas to help businesses suffering from the risk of lowering footfall, particularly market streets?’

 

7.7  From Cllr Brown to the Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care and Culture:

‘In light of the fantastic works to improve Clissold Park, what steps can be taken to improve security in the Park, an issue that has been raised before by the Clissold Park Users Group?’

 

7.8  From Cllr Stevens to the Cabinet Member for Housing:

‘What is the Council doing to encourage the establishment of Tenants’ and Residents Associations on Lordship estates, in particular Queen Elizabeth’s Close, Hill Court Estate and Sandford Court?’

 

To appoint the following representatives from the Hackney Youth Parliament as non-voting members:

·  Mehria Fazli

·  Mahmoudat Sanni-Oba

·  Yoldas Yildiz