N o t i c e o f M e e t i n g Council 22 July 2020 at 6.30pm Remote meeting: Link https://youtu.be/aBK2qLt5Is0 Contact: Mr M Carver E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 07890 397100 Website: www.rbkc.gov.uk Issue Date: 14 July 2020 Chief Executive – Barry Quirk PLEASE NOTE that any member of the press and public may listen-in to proceedings at this ‘virtual’ meeting via a weblink which will be publicised on the Council website at least 24hrs before the meeting. Members of the press and public may tweet, blog etc. during the live broadcast as they would be able to during a regular Council meeting at the Town Hall. It is important, however, that Councillors can discuss and take decisions without disruption so any activity of a manifestly disruptive nature will not be permitted. Agenda 72 SECONDS SILENCE At the start of the meeting there will be 72 seconds silence to remember those who lost their lives in the Grenfell tragedy. 1. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 24 June 2020 are submitted for confirmation. 2. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE MAYOR 3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S COMMUNICATIONS (i) Apologies for absence (ii) Declarations of interest Any Member of the Council who has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting is reminded to disclose the interest to the meeting and to leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place. Members are also reminded that if they have any other significant interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting, which they feel should be declared in the public interest, such interests should be declared to the meeting. In such circumstances Members should consider whether their continued participation, in the matter relating to the interest, would be reasonable in the circumstances, particularly if the interest may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interests, or whether they should leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place. 4. PUBLIC QUESTIONS 5. PETITIONS Presentation of petitions (if any). 6. STATEMENT BY THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL AND RESPONSE BY LEADER OF THE MINORITY PARTY (STANDING ITEM) 7. ORDER OF BUSINESS The Mayor to announce the order of business for the remainder of the meeting. 8. REPORTS FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM Urgent Key Decisions 9. REPORTS OF COUNCIL-SIDE COMMITTEES Report of the Administration Committee (6 July 2020) 10. MATTERS REFERRED TO THE COUNCIL BY SCRUTINY COMMITTEES Matters referred by the Family Servies Select Committee: (i) Childcare needs of the communities affected by the Grenfell tragedy (ii) School Exclusions 11. QUESTIONS ASKED OF LEAD MEMBERS (i) By Cllr Blakeman of Cllr Addenbrooke “Will the Council assist all care homes (including the Royal Hospital), sheltered housing schemes and hostels in the Borough to protect their residents from a second wave of Covid-19 more effectively than it did in the first wave?" 12. MATTERS OF LOCAL CONCERN RAISED UNDER S.O. 11 Members may draw to the Council’s attention Ward or other ‘live’ issues of general / broad principle. Each member raising such an issue under this Standing Order should speak for not more than two minutes in addressing the Council. No more than three Majority Group members and one Minority Party member may raise issues in this way per meeting. Members wishing to raise such matters should register their intent with the Chief Executive prior to the meeting. The relevant Lead Member or Executive Director will be expected to respond to the Councillor raising this issue within six weeks. 13. MOTIONS FOR DEBATE (i) Modern Slavery “Modern slavery is an insidious crime which devastates lives and tears families apart. The Global Slavery Index estimates there are 136,000 victims in the UK. Right here, in our borough, women are being treated as commodities for sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, men are trapped in debt bondage, working for no pay in forced labour, and children are trafficked up and down the country to carry drugs. Modern Slavery is a human rights abuse and every one of us comes into contact with it on a daily basis, often without even realising it. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea recognises the need to ensure our communities are resilient to modern slavery and our supply chains free from exploitation. This is why we will publish a Modern Slavery Statement outlining our approach. Large private sector organisations are required to publish a Modern Slavery Statement detailing what actions they are taking to tackle slavery in their supply chains. Although as a Council we are not required to do this by law, we feel strongly that these issues should be brought to the fore and outline the actions we are taking to challenge them.” Proposed by: Cllr. Walaa Idris Seconded by: Cllr. Dori Schmetterling (ii) Short-term and holiday letting “This Council: • Welcomes the Greater London Authority’s Housing Research Note 2020/04, Short-term and holiday letting in London, and notes the benefits and disbenefits of short-term letting set out in the report; • Welcomes the engagement of the Lead Member for the Environment with AirBnB, and that company’s positive response to calls for a registration scheme and to establishing a mechanism to prevent bookings of more than 90 days per year, but notes that there are workarounds and other lettings portals; • Notes the difficulties of enforcing the 90-day limit for short-term letting; • Notes the Local Government Association’s recent call for councils to have the ability to set a local tourism levy; • Expresses concern at the potentially permanent loss of more than 5% of the borough’s housing stock to short-term letting; • Welcomes the work of the Lead Member for the Environment to develop a toolkit to assist residents concerned by the negative effects of short-term letting in their buildings and neighbourhoods; and • Directs the Lead Member for the Environment to write to the borough’s MPs to draw attention to the GLA’s research note, outline the borough’s response to the problem and the challenges faced, and request them to lobby for a registration scheme for short-term letting.” Proposed by: Cllr. Malcolm Spalding Seconded by: Cllr. Gregory Hammond (iii) Black Lives Matter “For a very long time the BAME community and windrush generation have suffered injustice, racism and prejudice. This Council condemns the injustice and brutality against the BAME community and discrimination at any level. We call on the Chief Executive and Lead Member for Communities to report back to this Council on whether racist attitudes exist within the Council, and to put in place steps that ensure that racism and discrimination where it exists are stamped out. In addition, we call for an independent investigation to be given wide powers to look into any discriminatory practices within RBKC including in the areas of recruitment, inclusion and social injustice.” Proposed by: Cllr Portia Thaxter Seconded by: Cllr Emma Dent Coad Amendment To amend the Motion as follows: “For a very long time the BAME community and windrush generation have suffered injustice, racism and prejudice. This Council condemns the injustice and brutality against the BAME community and discrimination at any level. We call on the Chief Executive and Lead Member for Communities to report back to this Council on whether racist attitudes exist within the Council, and to put in place what steps are being put in place to that ensure that systematic racism and discrimination in our services is where it exists are stamped out. In addition, we call for a Council-wide report into staffing arrangements and practices within the Council to examine whether there are instances or patterns of discrimination on grounds of race and ethnicity; and whether improved workforce processes of recruitment, inclusivity and social justice at work can be implemented swiftly. an independent investigation to be given wide powers to look into any discriminatory practices within RBKC including in the areas of recruitment, inclusion and social injustice.” Proposed by: Cllr. Anne Cyron Seconded by: Cllr. Cem Kemahli 14. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES AND OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS 15. ANY OTHER ORAL OR WRITTEN ITEMS WHICH THE MAYOR CONSIDERS URGENT [Each written report on the public part of the Agenda as detailed above: (i) was made available for public inspection from the date of the Agenda; (ii) incorporates a list of the background papers which (i) disclose any facts or matters on which that report, or any important part of it, is based; and (ii) have been relied upon to a material extent in preparing it. (Relevant documents which contain confidential or exempt information are not listed.); and (iii) may, with the consent of the Mayor and subject to specified reasons, be supported at the meeting by way of oral statement or further written report in the event of special circumstances arising after the despatch of the Agenda.] Exclusion of the Press and Public There are no matters scheduled to be discussed at this meeting that would appear to disclose confidential or exempt information under the provisions Schedule 12A of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985. Should any such matters arise during the course of discussion of the above items or should the Mayor agree to discuss any other such matters on the grounds of urgency, the Council will wish to resolve to exclude the press and public by virtue of the private nature of the business to be transacted. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled to be held on 21 October 2020 at 6.30pm Minutes of a virtual meeting of the Council held at 6.30pm on 24 June 2020 Please note: This was a fully remote meeting held using Microsoft Teams software and ‘livestreamed’ via a weblink publicised on the Council website in accordance with The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020.