Agenda and minutes

To appoint a relief Chairman.

1.1       The Motion was moved by the Lord Mayor and seconded by Councillor       Melvyn Caplan that Councillor Louise Hyams be elected as Relief Chairman.

To sign the Minutes of the Meetings of the Council held on 12 November 2014.

2.1       The minutes of the proceedings of the Council meetings held on 12             November 2014 were, with the assent of the Members present, signed by the           Lord Mayor as a true record of the proceedings.

(a)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Thursday 30 October she attended the Westminster Looked After Children and Care Leavers Service Annual Awards Ceremony at Tate Britain.

(b)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Thursday 4 November she hosted, with Councillor Christabel Flight, a reception to thank the organisers of events that took place in Westminster on ‘Silver Sunday’. 

(c)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Wednesday 5 November she attended the Catholic Police Guild 92^nd Annual Solemn Requiem Mass for Deceased Police Officers at Westminster Cathedral.

(d)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Thursday 6 November she laid a wreath at the Fields of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.

(e)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Saturday 8 November she attended the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence of HM The Queen. 

(f)           The Lord Mayor to report that on Sunday 9 November she attended in Civic State the Remembrance Day Service at Westminster Abbey. 

(g)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Tuesday 11 November she jointly unveiled with the French Ambassador a plaque to commemorate the re-dedication of the Marshal Foch statue in Grosvenor Gardens.

(h)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Thursday 13 November she attended the Annual Marylebone Service held in the Church of Annunciation which also marked the Centenary of the church. 

(i)            The Lord Mayor to report that on Sunday 16 November she attended the AJEX Parade and Service at the Cenotaph and Horseguards Parade Ground.

(j)            The Lord Mayor to report that on Wednesday 19 November she was Guest of Honour of the Mayor of Oslo at the Ceremony of the cutting down of the Oslo Christmas Tree in a forest outside Oslo.

(k)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Monday 24 November she presided at the tenth anniversary of British Citizenship ceremonies held in Westminster. The ceremony took place in the Jerusalem Chamber, Westminster Abbey and the Dean of Westminster gave an address.   

(l)            The Lord Mayor to report that on Tuesday 25 November she jointly unveiled with Lt Col Kitson (a descendent of Lt de Pass) an engraved paving stone in Victoria Gardens Embankment in honour of Lt Frank de Pass VC, a resident of Westminster and the first person from the borough to be awarded the Victoria cross in the First World War.  The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government also attended.

(m)        The Lord Mayor to report that on Thursday 27 November she switched on the Christmas tree lights in Churchill Ward in an event organised by the Churchill Ward Councillors. 

(n)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Friday 28 November she attended the Active Westminster Annual Awards Ceremony at the MCC at Lords.

(o)          The Lord Mayor to report that on Saturday 29 November she attended ceremonies to switch lights on Christmas Trees in Westbourne Ward and then Harrow Road Ward.

(p)          The Lord Mayor to report  ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

3.1       The Lord mayor referred to the Communications set out on the agenda.

3.2       The Lord Mayor advised that she had attended, on 9 January 2015, the funeral service of former Councillor Pamela Batty which had been attended by both former and serving Councillors.  The Council stood in silence in memory of former Councillor Batty.

3.3       The Lord Mayor advised that this would be the last ordinary Council meeting attended by Leith Penny, Executive Director of City Management and Communities.  The Leader of the Council and other Members spoke in tribute to his contribution to the Council over the last 28 years.

4.1       Councillor Nick Evans declared a personal interest as a former member of the        military.

5.1       Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg presented a petition from residents living in the Fernhead Road area calling on the Council to introduce a 20mph speed limit on Fernhead Road between Carlton Vale and Shirland Road.  The petition was referred to the Executive Director for City Management and Communities for reporting to the Cabinet Member for City Management, Transport and Infrastructure.

Standing Order 9 limits the questions to matters relevant to the general work or procedure of the Council.

A list setting out the order of questions is attached.

6.1       The questions, supplementary questions and replies will be included on the            Council’s website.

(a)        Councillor Tom Crockett – Border Country Maida Vale: Development,          Business and Community

(b)        Councillor Robert Rigby – Lords, More than just a Cricket Ground.

7.1       Border Country Maida Vale – Development Business and Community.

            Councillor Crockett spoke and Councillor Astaire replied.

7.2       Lords, More than just a Cricket Ground.

            Councillor Rigby spoke and Councillor Summers replied.

With the approval of the Chairman of the meeting, the Leader of the Council may make a statement on an urgent matter and the Leader of the Opposition will have an equivalent right of reply.

8.1       There were no urgent matters.

To consider items chosen for debate from the attached Future Policy Plan.

9.1       The meeting debated the items chosen for debate from the Future Policy Plan        by the Majority Party.

            Counter Terrorism

            The Majority Party had selected Item Number 32 on the Future Policy Plan: Counter Terrorism.  The debate will be referred to the relevant Executive Director for consideration when next reporting on the subject.

(a)        Private Rented Sector in Westminster

            To be moved by Councillor Vincenzo Rampulla and seconded by Councillor            Murad Gassanly:

            This council notes:

?            The enormous growth in the private rented sector, with more than 4 out of 10 households in Westminster now renting from private landlords;

?            The high cost of the sector, with households paying around 40 per cent of their income on rents, in Westminster 3 out of 4 private renters rely on benefits to pay their rent;

?            The council has this year subsidised private landlords, through housing benefit, paying out an enormous £75 million - partly explained by average rents in Westminster in 2011-12 increasing by around £744 whilst wages decreased by 13 per cent;

?            The poor standards within the sector compared to other tenures, with figures showing 4 out of 10 homes still failing to meet Decent Homes standards. In 2011/12 one in 8 homes the council inspected received a legal notice;

?            That only 52 per cent of private renters thought renting privately was a 'good' tenure, as opposed to 93 per cent owner occupiers and 82 per cent of social renters;

            This council resolves to:

?            Support a better private rented sector in Westminster, one that is well-run, well-regulated and offers value for money to both renters and taxpayers;

?            Play an active role in ensuring a well-run, sufficiently regulated private rental market, producing a dedicated council private rented sector strategy that will focus on:

?         Identifying those areas that represent the worst standards in the borough;

?         Using all legal powers currently available to address poor standards in the private rented sector, including proactively taking enforcement measures;

?         Encouraging the use of longer-term tenancies to add stability for renters;

?         Encouraging institutional investment to increase the supply of new, well-run and affordable rented accommodation in Westminster;

?         Ensuring renters and landlords in Westminster know about the Mayor's Rental Standard and making sure it is actively championed by the council;

?            Support the principle of a borough-wide licensing scheme to champion the better standards in Westminster's private rented market, commissioning a working group of equal political representation, to report the possible development and implementation of such a scheme within six months;

?            Continue to lobby central Government to ensure local authorities are given stronger powers to intervene in the private rented sector for the benefit of Westminster renters and taxpayers.

(b)        Health Care

            To be moved by Councillor Barrie Taylor and seconded by Councillor Adam            Hug

            This Council notes that the winter months are producing severe pressures on our local A&E service at St Mary’s hospital – which is subject to the ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ plan as approved by the Secretary of State and covering nine local authority areas in North West London.

            It is also noted that the physical infrastructure of local primary health care services in Westminster is not adequate to provide integrated care, due to the poor state of many GPs practices and land prices in Westminster.

            The Council acknowledges the national intention of major political parties to integrate health  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

The Minority Party had selected for debate the Notices of Motion as set out on the agenda.

The first item was the Notice of Motion – Private Rented Sector moved by Councillor Vincent Rampulla and seconded by Councillor Murad Gassanly.  Following the debate the Lord Mayor put the motion – Private Rented Sector in Westminster to the vote.

In accordance with Standing Order 16 (2) a division was requested and granted. Accordingly there voted:

In favour of the Motion: Councillors Begum, Boothroyd, Bush, Dimoldenberg, Gassanly, Grahame, Hug, McAllister, McKie, Mukerji, Qureshi, Rampulla, Taylor, Toki and Williams.

Against the Motion: Councillors Acton, Adams, Aiken, Arzymanow, Astaire, Beddoe, Burbridge, Caplan, Chalkley, Church, Connell, Crockett, Cuthbertson, Davis, Devenish, Evans, Flight, Freeman, Glanz, Hall, Holloway, Hyams, Mitchell, Mohammed, Prendergast, Rahuja, Rigby, Robathan, Roberts, Roe, Rowley, Scarborough, Summers and Warner.

The Lord Mayor declared the Notice of Motion moved by Councillor Vincenzo Rampulla and seconded by Councillor Murad Gassanly LOST.

At 9.39pm the Lord Mayor advised that the time allocated for debates selected by the Minority Party had finished.

The Lord Mayor then put the remaining business to the vote in accordance with Standing Order 18.

Council Tax Discounts (including Council Tax Local Reduction Scheme) and Council Tax Base Report.

The Lord Mayor put the recommendations of the Cabinet as set out in the report to the vote and on a show of hands declared the recommendations to be AGREED.

RESOLVED:  That the recommendations set out in the report of the Cabinet (Agenda Item 10) be agreed.