MINUTES Meeting: London Assembly (Plenary)

MINUTES

Meeting: London Assembly (Plenary) Date: Wednesday 7 December 2016 Time: 10.00 am Place: Chamber, City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London, SE1 2AA

Copies of the minutes may be found at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor-assembly/london- assembly/whole-assembly

Present:

Tony Arbour AM (Chairman) Florence Eshalomi AM

Gareth Bacon AM David Kurten AM

Shaun Bailey AM Joanne McCartney AM

Sian Berry AM Steve O'Connell AM

Leonie Cooper AM Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM

Tom Copley AM Keith Prince AM

Unmesh Desai AM Caroline Russell AM

Tony Devenish AM Dr Onkar Sahota AM

Andrew Dismore AM Navin Shah AM

Len Duvall AM Fiona Twycross AM

Nicky Gavron AM

City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA Enquiries: 020 7983 4100 minicom: 020 7983 4458 www.london.gov.uk Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

1 Apologies for Absence and Chairman's Announcements (Item 1)

1.1 Apologies for absence were received from Jennette Arnold OBE AM, Kemi Badenoch AM and Andrew Boff AM.

1.2 In accordance with section 100(B)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and Standing Order 2.2D, the Chairman stated that he had agreed to accept an item of urgent business, to be considered after the Question and Answer session with the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development at Agenda Item 5a (Urgent Motion). A tabled document had been distributed prior to the meeting.

2 Declarations of Interests (Item 2)

2.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

Resolved:

2.2 That the list of offices held by Assembly Members, as set out in the table at Item 3, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests.

3 Minutes (Item 3)

3.1 Resolved:

That the minutes of the 2 November 2016 (Plenary) meeting and the 16 November (Mayor’s Question Time) meeting be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

4 Question and Answer Session - Gavin Barwell MP, Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Minister for London (Item 4)

Part A:

4.1 The Assembly received an opening statement from Gavin Barwell MP, Minister of State for Housing, Planning and Minister for London.

4.2 The Assembly then put questions to the Minister.

4.3 The opening statement made by the Minister and the record of the questions put by Assembly Members and the answers given is attached as Appendix 1.

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

4.4 During the course of the question and answer session the Minister undertook to provide a written response to the Assembly on what safeguards the Government had put in place to make sure that no further education or adult education colleges in London would go bankrupt.

Part B:

4.5 The Chairman formally moved the motion in the agenda, namely:

“That the Assembly notes the answers to the questions asked.”

4.6 Resolved:

The answers to the questions asked be noted.

5 Question and Answer Session - James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development (Item 5)

Part A:

5.1 The Assembly received an opening statement from James Murray, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development.

5.2 The Assembly then put questions to the Deputy Mayor.

5.3 The record of the questions put by Assembly Members and the answers given is attached as Appendix 2.

5.4 During the course of the question and answer session the Deputy Mayor undertook to provide an update to the Assembly on discussions between the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Housing Associations on implementing the eligibility criteria under the Government’s Right to Buy Scheme.

5.5 The written answers provided following the meeting are attached as Appendix 3.

Part B:

5.6 The Chairman formally moved the motion in the agenda, namely:

“That the Assembly notes the answers to the questions asked.”

5.7 Resolved:

The answers to the questions asked be noted.

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

Urgent Motion (Item 5a)

5.7 In accordance with section 100(B)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman agreed to admit an urgent motion in the name of Len Duvall AM to the agenda. In accordance with Standing Order 3.15 B (1), the Assembly unanimously agreed to accept the motion as urgent.

5.8 Len Duvall AM moved and Dr Onkar Sahota AM seconded the following motion, which was amended during debate, following a suggestion from Gareth Bacon AM, in accordance with Standing Order 3.6A (1):

“This Assembly notes that on 6th December 2016 the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP, announced his plans for the future of rail. These plans require franchises to have integrated operating teams between train services and infrastructure. This Assembly also notes with disappointment that the Minister has formally rejected TfL’s proposals to take over Southeastern services from 2018 and is concerned that this demonstrates the Minister’s attitude to further rail devolution across London.

This Assembly notes London’s success story in rail devolution. The North London Line has been transformed beyond recognition since it was taken over by TfL and rebranded as London Overground. Network Rail’s latest public performance measurements for period 8 of 2016/17 show TfL Rail in 1st place and London Overground in 2nd place.

This Assembly highlights the cross party support for further rail devolution in London. For example, Kent County Council would be in favour of TfL taking over parts of the South Eastern franchise. Furthermore, the Conservative and Labour Co- chairs of the cross-party All Party Parliamentary Group for London, Bob Neill MP and Steve Reed MP, are convinced “that transferring more suburban services to TfL will bring about positive and tangible changes for rail passengers across the capital.”

This Assembly believes that through TfL, London is already well-placed to provide solutions to the challenges of transport provision in our capital.

The Assembly therefore asks the Secretary of State for Transport to reconsider his decision not to devolve franchise management to TfL, which has proven record of delivering to a high standard.”

5.9 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Len Duvall AM, was unanimously agreed.

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

5.10 The Assembly also agreed for the Chairman to write to the Prime Minister to request her to reconsider the decision of the Secretary of State bot to devolve franchise management to Transport for London.

6 Petitions (Item 6)

6.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

6.2 Shaun Bailey AM presented a petition with the following prayer:

“We the undersigned are concerned about the speed of traffic and the noise generated from motorbikes and modified cars on Shooters Hill Road and Kidbrooke Park Road.

Our roads are plagued by noisy vehicles speeding along them and local residents have had enough. The speeding makes both roads more dangerous and increases both noise and air pollution in the area.

We call on Greenwich Council, Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police to take whatever enforcement action is available to them to reduce speeds and unnecessary, intrusive noise.”

6.3 Resolved

That the petition be forwarded to the Mayor of London, as Chair of Transport for London (TfL), for a response.

6.4 Sian Berry AM presented a petition with the following prayer:

“Ask the Mayor to support a UK HIV/AIDS Memorial in London. Support us in the creation of a UK HIV/AIDS Memorial. London, the chosen city, was hardest hit by the pandemic in the UK. It is from there where many of the National HIV/AIDS services were established.

We the undersigned call on the Mayor of London to support us in the creation of a UK HIV/AIDS Memorial.

HIV/AIDS disproportionally affected gay men but also new African communities; people with haemophilia; prisoners and injecting drug users. It influenced the whole nation by forcing us to confront deep rooted prejudices and ask questions about equality, difference, religion, morality and identity which hit at the very core of our values as a people and as a nation.

There is currently no memorial to those who died in London in contrast to most other major cities affected including Amsterdam, Auckland, Barcelona, Berlin, Brighton, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Dublin, Edinburgh, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Kiev, LA, Madrid, Manchester,

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

Melbourne, Montreal, Moscow, Munich, NYC, Paris, San Francisco, San Salvador, Sydney, Toronto, Vienna and Zurich.

We want the Mayor of London to support our campaign for a national memorial in the city, by meeting with campaigners and helping in practical ways to find a location, funding and wider support.

Why Now?

1) 2017 is the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 which partly decriminalised sexual acts between two men in private and aged over 21.

2) 2016 is the 20th anniversary since the widespread use of the life-saving anti-retroviral therapy that arrested the number of deaths and literally, allowed for a new awakening.

3) New communities are examining and documenting their unique histories for future generations to make more sense of their own lives and to make secure as well as more grounded, their identities and narratives.

The National AIDS Memorial in London aims:

• To pay tribute to the men, women and children who died in the UK; • To remember the struggles of those living with HIV as well as those who took on the challenge to treat, support and campaign for those who were affected by AIDS; • To acknowledge an almost forgotten period in British history; • To form a linear historical path between the past, the present and the future for all the communities in the UK who bore the brunt of the epidemic; • To remember those worldwide who perished and who continue to live with HIV, the majority of whom still cannot access treatment.

This campaign is being led by GMFA (Gay Men Fighting AIDS), in conjunction with the UK HIV sector.”

6.5 Resolved

That the petition be forwarded to the Mayor of London, for a response.

7 Petition Update (Item 7)

7.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

7.2 Resolved:

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

That the response received to a petition presented at a recent London Assembly (Plenary) meeting be noted.

8 Motion s (Item 8)

8.1 Shaun Bailey AM moved (on behalf of Andrew Boff AM) and Tom Copley AM seconded the following motion:

“The Assembly notes the work of Electrical Safety First and supports the Government in their introduction of electrical safety checks to the private rented sector.

London Fire Brigade figures show that although there has been a downward trend in the numbers of fires in London, the proportion with an electrical source of ignition has been slowly increasing.

Furthermore, the Assembly acknowledges that the provisions in the Housing and Planning Act to introduce electrical safety checks would align electricity with gas safety in the PRS and that mandatory electrical safety checks are conducted every five years in Scotland and are due to be brought in in Wales.

As London has the largest private rented sector in the UK, the Assembly believes it is right for the Government to introduce mandatory electrical safety checks to be conducted every five years.

The Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor to make representations regarding the introduction of electrical safety checks to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, highlighting the important contribution they would make to improving housing standards in London’s PRS and for these checks to be both mandatory and conducted every five years in line with the rest of the Great Britain.”

8.2 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Andrew Boff AM was agreed (with 20 votes cast in favour and none against).

8.3 Steve O’Connell AM moved and Leonie Cooper AM seconded the following motion:

“The Assembly notes that the Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) is 25 years old this year. It is noted that the Metropolitan Police will destroy around 300 dogs that have been seized by its officers this year. The Status Dog Unit, a special team of police officers only dealing with dangerous dogs, has seen a 7% increase in seizures in 2016. The Act’s aim, to use Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) (as applied through s1) to prohibit certain types of dog has not reduced dog bite incidents or the number of prohibited

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

types of dog. The Assembly accepts that BSL has not had a positive impact on improving human safety or protecting dog welfare.

The Assembly notes that other authorities have started to review and overturn BSL such as the Netherlands, Italy, and Lower Saxony, Germany and have identified other ways of reducing dog bite incidents. The Assembly calls on the Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs asking for a formal review of the legislation as proposed by the RSPCA and for London bodies such as the Metropolitan Police, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the stray dog services of the London Boroughs and relevant non-governmental organisations to be part of this review.”

8.4 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Steve O’Connell AM was agreed (with 20 votes cast in favour and none against).

8.5 It was noted that the motion set out on the agenda in the name of Keith Prince AM had been withdrawn.

8.6 Caroline Russell AM moved and Sian Berry AM seconded the following motion:

“The Assembly welcomes the ruling of the High Court on the recent case brought by ClientEarth against the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for her failure to draw up and implement plans that would ensure that nitrogen dioxide (N02) limit values are met and exposure to air pollution reduced within the shortest time possible.

The Mayor of London is an interested party and supports the position of ClientEarth.

The Assembly notes the High Court’s criticisms of the arbitrary 2025 compliance date chosen for London and the mistaken reliance on the ‘computer programme to calculate emissions from road transport’ or ‘COPERT’. The Assembly also notes a requirement for the Secretary of State to choose a route to reduce exposure, not just meet limit values.

The Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and T-charge proposals to reduce London’s air pollution.

The Assembly notes that the 2010 Mayor’s Transport Strategy recognises road user charging as a measure the London Mayor may consider ‘if other measures at his disposal are deemed insufficient to meet the strategy’s goals and where there is a reasonable balance between the objectives of any scheme and its costs and other impacts’.

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

This Assembly also acknowledges the recent support of the Federation of Small Businesses, London First, the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Institute of Civil Engineers and the Royal Academy of Engineering for a smart, effective and comprehensive system of traffic demand management.

The Assembly calls on the Mayor to commission a study to assess the potential of such a system to reduce Londoners’ exposure to pollution.”

8.7 Leonie Cooper AM moved, and Unmesh Desai AM seconded, an amendment to the motion, so that it would read as follows:

The Mayor of London, is an interested party, and supports the position of ClientEarth.

The Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and T-charge proposals to reduce London’s air pollution.

The Assembly calls on the Mayor to commission a study to assess the potential of a range of further measures to reduce London’s exposure to air pollution.”

8.8 Upon being put to the vote, the amendments to the motion, was carried (with 11 votes cast in favour and 3 votes cast against).

8.9 Upon being put to the vote, the substantive motion, as amended, was agreed (with 14 votes cast in favour and 1 vote cast against).

8.10 Leonie Cooper AM moved and Nicky Gavron AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly notes:

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

1. That meeting the goals of the legally-binding and ratified Paris Agreement - to keep global warming well below 2 degrees - will require a rapid transition away from fossil fuel extraction, and keeping the vast majority of known fossil fuel reserves in the ground; 2. That the divestment movement calls on institutions to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies and divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds;

3. The commitment by Mayor Sadiq Khan in his manifesto to ‘take all possible steps to divest the London Pension Fund Authority (LPFA) of its remaining investments in fossil-fuel industries;

4. That the divestment of the LPFA has cross-party backing - divestment was supported by 2016 mayoral candidates from the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green parties, who secured 89.6% of the popular vote between them;

5. That a motion supporting the divestment of the LPFA previously passed in the London Assembly in March 2015;

6. The commitments to fully divest the pension and investment funds of a significant number of global cities - including Berlin, Paris, Sydney, Washington DC and Copenhagen, as well as fossil fuel divestment commitments from over 600 other global institutions;

7. That the London Borough of Waltham Forest Pension Fund passed a policy to fully divest from fossil fuels in September, becoming the first UK local government pension fund to do so.

This Assembly therefore calls on the Mayor of London to reaffirm his commitment to divesting the LPFA by;

a. Issuing a statement calling on the London Pension Fund Authority to commit to full divestment;

b. Immediately setting out a concrete plan for the swift implementation of his manifesto promise, including a precise timeline and deadline for divestment and what steps the Mayor’s Office will take to achieve this, in conjunction with the LPFA Board.”

8.11 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Leonie Cooper AM was agreed (with 14 votes cast in favour and 4 votes against).

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

8.12 Leonie Cooper AM moved and Tom Copley AM seconded the following motion:

“The London Assembly notes the latest statistics which show that rising homelessness is hitting London hardest. People living on the streets with few possessions is something Londoners thought they had seen the last of - but is sadly now on the increase once again. In Autumn 2015 London had 940, a 27% increase from 2014.

London is caught in a perfect storm. Increasing house prices, rising rents and unscrupulous landlords– as well as the impact of the Bedroom Tax and increased Local Authority rents – means that many to struggle to find secure accommodation. Government caps to the Local Housing Allowance, make many private sector tenancies simply too expensive for claimants, whilst benefit caps across the board are making household budgets tight for many, not just the poorest. On top of this, local authority budgets to support those with alcohol, drug or mental health needs are under severe pressure, if not reduced or cut. The DCLG estimates that 41% of rough sleepers have alcohol support needs, 31% drug support needs and 45% mental health support needs, with 13% having all three needs. The young LGBT community is also disproportionately affected; LGBT young people are more likely to find themselves homeless than their non LGBT peers, comprising up to 24% of the youth homeless population.

Overall, there is now insufficient supply to meet Londoners’ housing needs, whether in the private or social rented sector - or for those who wish to purchase their own home - and many people find themselves in over-crowded accommodation, sofa surfing or on the streets.

People who have left the care system and ex-service personnel continue to be over- represented amongst those on the streets something that Assembly Members feel strongly about and must be acted upon.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to recognise the depth of the problem in London, and:

• Work with London Boroughs to ensure that those sleeping out are offered quick and appropriate alternatives, with support for additional needs, if any;

• Work with the Boroughs to ensure care leavers do not end up on the streets of London;

• Work with the Royal British Legion and other organisations that support ex- service people, to ensure we support them on their return from duty;

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

• Lobby the Government to offer a ring-fenced increase in funding for London Local Authorities to ensure the additional costs of providing accommodation for homeless Londoners does not disproportionately impact the budgets of London Authorities.”

8.13 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Leonie Cooper AM was agreed (with 12 votes cast in favour and none against).

8.14 Andrew Dismore AM moved and Dr Onkar Sahota AM seconded the following motion:

“The Assembly notes that MedCity is a collaboration between the Mayor and London’s three Academic Health Science Centres - Imperial College, King’s College, and UCL which aims to promote life sciences investment, entrepreneurship and industry; and seeks to position London and the south east of England as a world- leading, interconnected region for life sciences research, development, manufacturing and commercialisation to stimulate greater economic growth.

The Assembly believes much of this depends on securing a good deal from the EU. Over the last five years London has attracted 35 major new life sciences foreign investment projects, bringing more than £330m and over 1,300 new jobs. The UK has done disproportionately well with EU research funding, securing 15.5% of the last programme.

The Assembly notes EU support for science goes well beyond funding. Free movement of skills and ideas is especially important in science. 48 Nobel Prize Science Laureates have links with London universities, and more research papers are generated here than in any other city in the world after Boston, (home to Harvard). More than half of the Post-Doctoral researchers in the new £700m Crick Institute are from the EU.

The Assembly notes that when the Swiss government was unable to commit to free movement, Switzerland was suspended from access to the biggest ever EU Research and Innovation programme. While the Government claim they would honour any EU funding for projects already funded up until 2020, they say nothing about new projects or what would happen after then.

The Assembly believes London must be able to recruit and retain the very best scientists, whatever country they come from, including freedom of movement for international students.

The Assembly call on the Mayor and the Chair of the Assembly to write a joint letter to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Exiting the European Union to seek reassurances from the Government that London’s life science sector will be protected as part of any Brexit negotiations.”

8.15 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Andrew Dismore AM was agreed (with 13 votes cast in favour and 1 vote cast against).

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

8.16 Tom Copley AM moved and Fiona Twycross AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly notes that London has the largest share of private tenants anywhere in the country. Further notes that Citizen’s Advice Bureau research has found that private tenants pay an average of £337 in lettings agency fees.

This Assembly also notes that a ban on lettings agency fees for tenants has been in place in Scotland since 2012 and that research by Shelter found that there had been no increase in rents for tenants as a result.

This Assembly therefore welcomes the Government’s announcement that lettings agency fees for tenants in England will be banned. We call on the Mayor to make the strongest representations to the Government that this ban must be comprehensive and not contain any loopholes.”

8.17 Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Tom Copley AM was agreed (with 18 votes cast in favour and none against).

9 Appointments made by the Mayor under Section 67 of the GLA Act (Item 9)

9.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

9.2 Resolved

That the appointment of the following under Section 67(1) (b) of the GLA Act be noted:

 Shirley Rodrigues as Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, with effect from 3 October 2016; and

 Matthew Ryder QC as Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement, with effect from 3 October 2016.

10 Action Taken by the Chairman Under Delegated Authority (Item 10)

10.1 The Assembly received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

10.2 Resolved:

That the action taken by the Chairman of the Assembly, Tony Arbour AM, in accordance with the authority delegated to him, namely to agree not to hold a

Greater London Authority London Assembly (Plenary) Wednesday 7 December 2016

Confirmation Hearing in relation to the proposed appointment of Sir Merrick Cockell as Chair of the London Pension Fund Authority, be noted.

11 Date of Next Meeting (Item 11)

11.1 The next scheduled meeting of the London Assembly would be the Mayor’s Question Time meeting which would take place at 10.00am on Wednesday 14 December 2016 in the Chamber, City Hall.

12 Any Other Business the Chairman Considers Urgent (Item 12)

12.1 There were no items of urgent business.

13 Close of Meeting (Item 13)

13.1 The meeting closed at 1.33pm.

Chairman Date

Contact Officers: Vishal Seegoolam Principal Committee Manager GLA Secretariat, City Hall The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA

Telephone: 020 7983 4425 Email: [email protected]