This Council Believes the Labour London Mayor's Proposed 'Freeze

Council 25 January 2017

Council Motions

Wards: All

Report Authorised by: Strategic Director Corporate Resources: Jackie Belton

Contact for enquiries: [email protected] Wayne Chandai, Democratic Services Manager, 020 7926 0029

Report summary Motions and amendments submitted by Councillors, in accordance with Standing Order 13, are set out below. Motion one and two will be debated per the council’s standing orders.

Key to shading:

Bold – additions

Strikethrough – deletions

Motion 1: Conservative

Travel fares

This council believes the Labour London Mayor’s proposed ‘freeze on fares’ was misleading and did not make clear that the freeze on public transport would only apply to single journeys.

In an Evening Standard article on 4th January 2016 Sadiq Khan stated: ''There’ll be a cash freeze across all Transport for London fares for the full four years of my mayoral term of office. You won’t pay a penny more in 2020 than you do now.'

The Council believes this is unfair on the many thousands of Lambeth residents who use Oyster cards, Travelcards or pay-as-you-go caps on contactless cards who will not benefit and believed his broken promise.

Motion 2: Labour

Business rates campaign

“This council notes Lambeth’s strong track record of encouraging small businesses in our borough, providing jobs and economic opportunities to residents from all backgrounds.

This council further notes the appalling likely impact that the government’s proposed business rate changes will have on hundreds of small businesses, with some facing rises of as much as 43% from 1 April 2017. The average rise is likely to be around 35% for those seriously affected. Although local authorities like Lambeth must collect business rates, the majority of the collected revenue goes to central government with the redistribution mechanism meaning Lambeth will see no extra investment despite the large projected increases for local businesses.

Council further notes that Lambeth’s Business Improvement Districts, as well as hundreds of small businesses and local residents have expressed concern about these unfair rises. This council therefore resolves to:

 Stand up for small businesses by campaigning against these changes.  Welcomes the letter from the Leader of the council to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government calling for measures to allow businesses to cope with any rates rise.  Further supports the proposal that a phasing plan or more appropriate transitional relief be put in place to help those affected, and for ministers to carry out a longer term review of the effectiveness of business rates as a method of taxation.  Urge all residents to sign the council’s petition supporting our small businesses in their lobbying against these changes.

Amendment 1: Councillor Scott Ainslie

“This council notes Lambeth’s strong track record of encouraging small businesses in our borough, providing jobs and economic opportunities to residents from all backgrounds.

Motion 3: Greens

Streatham transport links

Council notes that at the first public meeting after the council election to discuss bringing the Crossrail 2 route to Streatham, held on the 2nd July 2014, Streatham residents voted overwhelmingly that the campaign to improve transport links for Streatham should proceed on a cross party basis.

Council believes that a Crossrail 2 station in Streatham would help tackle congestion and pollution on local roads - including the dangerous A23 – and improve the quality of life for local residents.

Council notes that at the public meeting on 29th June 2016, attended by senior local politicians from different parties and Council officers, it was highlighted how the decision not to bring Crossrail 2 through Streatham was based on outdated evidence. Council notes the resolve of the meeting to ask the Mayor of London and Secretary of State for Transport to do a proper, up-to-date assessment of the transport needs of Streatham.

Council notes that Green London Assembly member, Caroline Russell tabled a Mayor’s question on Wednesday 14th September 2016, asking for all modeling work relating to the assessment of Streatham’s transport needs be made available to Streatham Action’s Transport Group and Lambeth Council, so comparisons could be made with up to date data.

Council notes that the Mayor asked TfL to forward the findings of the analysis. This data has still not been made available.

Council further notes that at the Overview & Scrutiny meeting on 18th November 2016, it was highlighted that in Lambeth's draft Long Term Transport Strategy (LTTS) none of the five site visits undertaken in the Mott MacDonald-commissioned report ventured South of Brixton.

Council Resolves to:

Ensure that Streatham is added to Lambeth’s Long Term Transport Strategy (LTTS) as soon as possible.

Release to all Streatham Cllrs the evidence which shows what lobbying LB Lambeth has done to make the business case for CR2 to come through Streatham

Lobby the deputy mayor for transport and the London Mayor to make the business case for Crossrail 2 to come though Streatham Lobby the Department for Transport to make the case for CR2 to come through Streatham

Amendment 1: Councillor Jennifer Brathwaite

Notes that improving the transport network throughout the borough, with a particular focus on Streatham, has been a key council priority for the last few years.

Notes that the Council has lobbied Government, the Mayor of London and Transport for London repeatedly for the takeover of Southern’s rail franchise by TfL, bringing Crossrail 2 to Streatham, improvements to cycleways in the local area, better pedestrian crossings on the A23 and for a clean bus corridor through Streatham and Brixton.

Council notes that the Mayor asked TfL to forward the findings of the analysis. This data has still not been made available.

Council further notes that Streatham forms a key part of Lambeth’s draft Long Term Transport Strategy that at the Overview & Scrutiny meeting on 18th November 2016, it was highlighted that in Lambeth's draft Long Term Transport Strategy (LTTS) none of the five site visits undertaken in the Mott MacDonald-commissioned report ventured South of Brixton.

Council Resolves to:

Continue to lobby for transport improvements for Streatham

Ensure that Streatham is added to Lambeth’s Long Term Transport Strategy (LTTS) as soon as possible. Release to all Streatham Cllrs the evidence which shows what lobbying LB Lambeth has done to make the business case for CR2 to come through Streatham

Continue to lobby the deputy mayor for transport and the London Mayor to make the business case for Crossrail 2 to come though Streatham

Continue to lobby the Department for Transport to make the case for CR2 to come through Streatham

Motion 4: Labour

Govia Thameslink railways Council notes the motion passed at October’s council meeting about the failures of Govia Thameslink railways and the Southern Rail franchise to provide an adequate service to Lambeth residents, and the further decline in standards that passengers have suffered in recent months. Lambeth's scrutiny committee reviewed the issue in November and found clear failings in how this vital part of the borough's transport infrastructure was performing.

Council further notes the disgraceful comments of the Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling MP, in a leaked letter in December 2016 that stated he was not authorising the transfer of the failing franchise to Transport for London (TfL) purely to stop the network “falling into the hands of a Labour Mayor”.

This council:

 Condemns the Transport Secretary for playing politics with the rail network at a time when thousands of commuters are facing a substandard service characterised by long delays and cancelled trains.  Calls on the government to listen to the recommendations of Lambeth's scrutiny committee and the letter to the Transport Secretary from the Leader of the council and hand the operation of the franchise to TfL immediately so they can begin improving our rail network.

Motion 5: Labour

Adult social care

This council notes with disappointment the recent announcements from the government about the future funding of adult social care and health services in this country. It further notes that, having ignored this issue completely in the Autumn Statement, it then announced an inadequate package in December that will not remedy the growing gap between demand and funding in Lambeth and other parts of the country.

This council:

 Condemns the £4.6 billion in cuts that the government has made to adult social care funding since 2010 and their failure to address the crisis that resulted from that.  Calls on ministers to hold an urgent review of the adult and social system and to work with local authorities to produce a long term strategy for how these services are properly resourced and delivered.

Amendment 1: Councillor Scott Ainslie

This council notes with disappointment the recent announcements from the government about the future funding of adult social care and health services in this country.

It further notes that, having ignored this issue completely in the Autumn Statement, it then announced an inadequate package in December that will not remedy the growing gap between demand and funding in Lambeth and other parts of the country.

This council: