COUNCIL 14 JULY 2010 (19:15 TO 22:02) PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor Oonagh Moulton The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Margaret Brierly Councillors Tariq Ahmad, Agatha Akyigyina, Stephen Alambritis, Mark Allison, Stan Anderson, Laxmi Attawar, Mark Betteridge, John Bowcott, Richard Chellew, David Chung, David Dean, John Dehaney, Nick Draper, Iain Dysart, Chris Edge, Suzanne Evans, Karin Forbes, Brenda Fraser, Suzanne Grocott, Maurice Groves, Gam Gurung, Jeff Hanna, Richard Hilton, James Holmes, Janice Howard, Mary-Jane Jeanes, Philip Jones, Andrew Judge, Linda Kirby, Gilli Lewis-Lavender, Logie Lohendran, Edith Macauley, Russell Makin, Maxi Martin, Peter McCabe, Krystal Miller, Ian Munn, Diane Neil Mills, Henry Nelless, Dennis Pearce, John Sargeant, Judy Saunders, Linda Scott, Rod Scott, Debbie Shears, David Simpson, Peter Southgate, Geraldine Stanford, Sam Thomas, Ray Tindle, Gregory Udeh, Peter Walker, Martin Whelton, David Williams, Richard Williams, Miles Windsor and Simon Withey. Apologies for absence (Agenda item 1) were received from Councillor Samantha George and Ged Curran, Chief Executive. Councillors Peter McCabe and David Dean sent apologies for lateness. 1 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (Agenda item 2) Councillor Suzanne Grocott declared a personal interest in agenda items 8 & 5 in that her employer West LB AG had lent money to “New Schools – Merton” 2 MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD ON 26 MAY 2010 (Agenda item 3) Annual Council meeting – item 3 on the line following the resolution change “robbing” to “robing”; item 6 – The reverend Richard Sewell was the Vicar of St Mark’s in the Wimbledon Team Ministry. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meetings held on 26 May, as amended, are agreed as a correct record. 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS (Agenda item 4) The Mayor announced that the Reverend Richard Sewell was moving to a new post and that the Reverend Mary Bide, the rector of St Mary’s, would be taking over as chaplain. The Mayor advised the Council of the death of Angela Rumbold, former MP for Mitcham and Morden. At the invitation of the Mayor Councillor David Williams addressed the Council. The Chamber then stood for one minute’s silence. 1 All minutes are draft until agreed at the next meeting of the committee/panel. To find out the date of the next meeting please check the calendar of events at your local library or online at www.merton.gov.uk/committee. COUNCIL 14 JULY 2010 Simon Williams, on behalf of the Chief Executive, announced that Rachel Allen had won the Local Government Challenge and, together with the Mayor, presented the award to her. 4 QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS (Agenda item 5) The written questions and answers and oral supplementary questions and answers can be found at appendix 1. On a point of order the Mayor asked members to keep supplementary questions short and relevant to the original question. 5 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE REVIEW – STRONGER COMMUNITIES (Agenda item 6) The written questions and answers and oral supplementary questions and answers can be found at appendix 2. Councillor Edith Macauley introduced the report. Motion 1 moved by Councillors Edith Macauley and Sam Thomas Council notes that Merton has consistently been one of the safest London boroughs, due largely to the work of our local police and of the Safer Merton Partnership. This council regrets the 25% cuts in public spending announced by the coalition government on 22 June. Council notes that the Metropolitan Police will be affected by these cuts. Council recalls that the Mayor of London has already set a budget which will require a cut of 455 officers across London by 2012. The cuts imposed by central government come on top of this. Council notes that, in a speech to the ACPO conference, the new Home Secretary stated: “The cuts will be big, they will be tough to achieve, and they will fall on the police as they will on other important public services.” Council acknowledges that 83% of the police budget is spent on staff and is concerned that, like the cuts already imposed by the Mayor, these cuts will result in a reduction in the number of police officers, including our very successful Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Council also notes that the Safer Merton Partnership is made up of over 20 police officers and that cuts in police staffing will seriously affect the viability of the partnership. Council notes that the Home Secretary also announced that the public confidence target and the policing pledge will be scrapped with immediate effect. Council regrets that central government has imposed high levels of cuts on the police and calls on both local MPs to ensure that the safety of our residents is not put at risk by making appropriate representations to the Home Secretary and to the Mayor. Council also resolves to work with the police to try to stop any reduction in our current level of policing in Merton, to protect our valued Safer Neighbourhood teams in every ward, and to safeguard the future of Safer Merton. 2 All minutes are draft until agreed at the next meeting of the committee/panel. To find out the date of the next meeting please check the calendar of events at your local library or online at www.merton.gov.uk/committee. COUNCIL 14 JULY 2010 Amendment to Motion 1 moved by Councillors Henry Nelless and David Simpson – amend the motion to read as follows: Council notes that Merton has consistently been one of the safest London boroughs, due largely to the work of our local police and of the Safer Merton Partnership. This council regrets the 25% cuts in public spending announced by the coalition government on 22 June, but notes that this has been caused by the unprecedented deficit bequeathed to the new coalition government. Council notes that the Metropolitan Police will be affected by these cuts, but accepts that everyone will have to bear their fair share of the burden of reducing the national economic deficit. Council recalls that the Mayor of London has already set a budget which will require a cut of 455 officers across London by 2012 and that these will be primarily support staff and back office staff so as to protect frontline police jobs. The cuts imposed by central government come on top of this. Council notes that, in a speech to the ACPO conference, the new Home Secretary stated: “The cuts will be big, they will be tough to achieve, and they will fall on the police as they will on other important public services.” Council acknowledges that 83% of the police budget is spent on staff.. However, Council also acknowledges that the last Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, was unable to guarantee that police numbers would not fall under a future Labour government, and therefore resolves to work with the Borough Commander to seek to ensure that cuts are not made to frontline services. Council notes that the Home Secretary also announced that the public confidence target and the policing pledge will be scrapped with immediate effect. Council recognises that central government has imposed cuts on the police, as it has been obliged to do across the public sector, and calls on both local MPs to ensure that the safety of our residents is not put at risk by making appropriate representations to the Home Secretary and to the Mayor. Council also recognises however that the test of an effective police force is not necessarily how much it costs or the number of staff it employs, but how it protects the public it serves, noting that the Borough Commander intends to undertake a review of community policing in the borough. Council therefore resolves to work with the police to try to increase even further the effectiveness of our current policing in Merton, including our valued Safer Neighbourhood teams in every ward, and to safeguard the future of Safer Merton, particularly given the current financial constraints. Voting on the amendment For 27 Against 27 The Mayor used her casting vote in favour of the amendment 3 All minutes are draft until agreed at the next meeting of the committee/panel. To find out the date of the next meeting please check the calendar of events at your local library or online at www.merton.gov.uk/committee. COUNCIL 14 JULY 2010 Amendment carried On a point of order the Mayor confirmed that the count was correct. On a point of order the Mayor confirmed that she had used her casting vote in accordance with the constitutional advice she had received. The substantive motion was then agreed and it was RESOLVED: Council notes that Merton has consistently been one of the safest London boroughs, due largely to the work of our local police and of the Safer Merton Partnership. This council regrets the 25% cuts in public spending announced by the coalition government on 22 June, but notes that this has been caused by the unprecedented deficit bequeathed to the new coalition government. Council notes that the Metropolitan Police will be affected by these cuts, but accepts that everyone will have to bear their fair share of the burden of reducing the national economic deficit. Council recalls that the Mayor of London has already set a budget which will require a cut of 455 officers across London by 2012 and that these will be primarily support staff and back office staff so as to protect frontline police jobs. The cuts imposed by central government come on top of this. Council notes that, in a speech to the ACPO conference, the new Home Secretary stated: “The cuts will be big, they will be tough to achieve, and they will fall on the police as they will on other important public services.” Council acknowledges that 83% of the police budget is spent on staff.