Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Busuttil, Haili, Sahota and Padda.

Councillors Summers, Kim Nagpal, Hamidi, J Anand and Mohamed were in attendance virtually.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2022.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 July 2022 are agreed as a correct record of proceedings.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2022.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2022 are agreed as a correct record of proceedings.

The Mayor wished Council a belated happy Diwali, Vikram new year and Black History Month to all members.

The Mayor updated Council on her activities since the last Council meeting. The Mayor had attended a Windrush plaque unveiling ceremony in Walpole Park and reminded members that Remembrance Sunday was fast approaching.

There were no petitions from members of the public.

There were no petitions from members of the Council.

Helen Chan has given notice that she wishes to ask the following question of Councillor Raza:

The latest statistics show that there have been 140,500 applications since the BN(O) visa route’s introduction up to June 2022. It is estimated more than 35,000 Hongkongers have resided in London. Ealing Borough has always been Hongkongers’ top choice for residing from then and now. According to the 2011 census data, Ealing was one of the top 10 boroughs with the highest numbers of residents of Hong Kong origin. Among all local councils in the UK, Ealing is one of the top 10 most preferable councils for Hong Kong new arrivals and states as the second most desirable in Greater London following Kingston upon Thames. Additionally, Ealing has been the 8th having the highest number of BN(O) children admission in London in the last school placement period.

It is known that more than £200,000 has been granted to local authorities to ensure Hongkongers have the best chance to thrive in London through the Local Welcome Hong Kong Fund provided by the DLUCH. Eight local councils have applied for the funding, whereas Ealing is not on the recipient list. Therefore, will the Council inform the public:

Question: Whether the Council had applied for the funding, if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that.

Helen Chan asked the following question of Councillor Raza, Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality:

The latest statistics show that there have been 140,500 applications since the BN(O) visa route’s introduction up to June 2022. It is estimated more than 35,000 Hongkongers have resided in London. Ealing Borough has always been Hongkongers’ top choice for residing from then and now. According to the 2011 census data, Ealing was one of the top 10 boroughs with the highest numbers of residents of Hong Kong origin. Among all local councils in the UK, Ealing is one of the top 10 most preferable councils for Hong Kong new arrivals and states as the second most desirable in Greater London following Kingston upon Thames. Additionally, Ealing has been the 8th having the highest number of BN(O) children admission in London in the last school placement period.

It is known that more than £200,000 has been granted to local authorities to ensure Hongkongers have the best chance to thrive in London through the Local Welcome Hong Kong Fund provided by the DLUCH. Eight local councils have applied for the funding, whereas Ealing is not on the recipient list. Therefore, will the Council inform the public:

Question: Whether the Council had applied for the funding, if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that.

Councillor Raza responded, confirming that the Council had not applied for this funding. The reason a funding application had not been made was that there had not been a request to submit an application to this fund from the community. Councillor Raza stated that she would like to come and visit the club and talk to members of the club about what support the Council can provide to those who have moved from Hong Kong to Ealing.

Councillor Jammu asked Councillor Blacker:

Can the portfolio holder provide an update on providing the Real Living Wage to home care workers?

Councillor Blacker responded:

Building on our manifesto commitment, we are delivering the Real Living Wage ahead of schedule.

The uplift to the home care sector come into effect on November 14th and bring carer pay into line with the Real Living Wage of £11.05 per hour. This commitment will continue into next year and meet the RLW guidance of £11.95 per hour in May 2023.

In May 2022, we committed to invest £8million into adult social care, ensuring workers providing care to residents in their own home could finally be paid the RLW.

This will impact 200+ personal assistants, 75 staff working in extra care and the staff working for 70 home care providers in Ealing. Together the care agencies employ between 3,500 – 4,000 carers – a large proportion being women and from BAME communities.

 The only intervention from the short-lived Truss administration on social care was to brief that Boris Johnson’s oven-ready reforms – which took two years to unveil – would be delayed. In the reforms, the Tories altogether failed to provide workers with an uplift in pay. In Ealing, we have made it our priority and ensured that within our first six months all home care workers receive the RLW.

Thanks for the Tories underfunding and undercutting of healthcare budgets, we now face an unprecedented staff crisis in the NHS with vacancies in the sector reaching 165,000 – a 52% rise, meaning that one in 10 social care posts in England are unfilled – putting both the NHS and vulnerable residents at risk. In Ealing, we are supporting workers as much as we can but we know more needs to be done to elevate the pressure the Government relentlessly subject frontline workers to.

Faced with a cost of living crisis, at a time when we need to desperately fix adult social care, we are so pleased to be able to announce that we are putting into action the commitment we made to introduce the real living wage ahead of schedule.

This will make a huge difference to the pay packets and the wellbeing of care workers, and ultimately to the people they care for, who can be confident that their carers are earning a decent living.

Councillor Malcolm asked Councillor Mason:

Given the comments made by Rupa Huq MP, at a conference fringe event, does The Leader agree that these comments were totally wrong, condemn the comments and if found guilty do you believe she should be asked to resign her position as a local MP?

Councillor Mason responded:

I am unable to answer this question given that it is subject to an ongoing Labour Party disciplinary investigation.

Councillor Conti asked Councillor Costigan:

We are getting regular reports of tree surgeons not giving notice to residents of when they are going to particular streets. Cars are therefore often parked under the tree that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Proposed by Councillor Gallant, seconded by Councillor Conti:

This Council notes that it is nearly six months since this administration was elected and that, in that time, no progress has been made in the following areas, thus rendering the Council Plan mere empty words:

·       Conversion of Ealing Town Hall into an hotel

·       Demolition of Perceval House and building of “Gotham Tower” in its place

·       Replacement of Gurnell Swimming Pool

·       Falling recycling rates

This Council calls for the Executive to abandon the first two projects, and to make progress on the second two issues.

Councillor Gallant moved, and Councillor Stafford seconded, the following motion for debate:

This Council notes that it is nearly six months since this administration was elected and that, in that time, no progress has been made in the following areas, thus rendering the Council Plan mere empty words:

·       Conversion of Ealing Town Hall into an hotel

·       Demolition of Perceval House and building of “Gotham Tower” in its place

·       Replacement of Gurnell Swimming Pool

·       Falling recycling rates

This Council calls for the Executive to abandon the first two projects, and to make progress on the second two issues.

Councillors Manro, Malcolm, Costigan, Conti, Driscoll, Ball, Knewstub, Kumar, Blacker, Young, Johnson, Baaklini, D Crawford, Rice and Kamaljit Kaur Nagpal responded to the motion.

Councillor Gallant summed up the motion.

A vote was taken and the motion FELL.

Proposed by Councillor Donnelly, Seconded by Councillor Mason:

This Council notes that: 

·       Households across Ealing are under massive strain and public services are seeing their budgets squeezed dramatically as mortgages rise, the pound has crashed, inflation takes hold, and a recession looms.

·       Liz Truss has been one of the shortest serving Prime Ministers in history, but her time in office has been devastating for people in Ealing – the pound and gilt markets have crashed, the rent crisis in London has worsened and ordinary people are paying hundreds more a month for their mortgages. 

·       This is a Tory crisis made in Downing Street, paid for by working people.

·       There is a straight blue line between Liz Truss’s failed mini-budget and the multi-billion-pound blackhole in the nation’s finances: The Conservatives crashed the economy and now they want someone else to pick up the tab. They must not take it out on our communities.

·       None of us voted for this ridiculous failed experiment – and Ealing shouldn’t be punished for the Government’s mistakes. Local services were already under serious strain due to rampant inflation, soaring interest rates, and rising demand.

·       Roads need to be repaired, we must bring down crime, children need after-school clubs, bins have to be emptied, and streets must be kept clean. We need to build affordable housing, and we need to invest in the support that business needs to thrive.

·       Ealing is an open, honest and transparent council. With hope and creativity, Ealing Council is already doing everything we can to support families through the Conservatives’ cost of living crisis. 

·       While the Conservatives have been crashing the economy, we have been fighting to provide the support and services people need. Our residents shouldn’t pay the price for their failure.

This Council therefore resolves to declare a ‘Cost of Living and economic emergency’ and calls on the Government to:

·       Provide extra support for councils struggling with the effects of inflation and the possible impact of a recession.

·       Ensure that councils, public services, and ordinary people don’t pay the price for the Government’s incompetence.

·       Call a general election so that the British public can have their say on this disastrous government.

Councillor Mason moved, and Councillor Donnelly seconded, the Majority Group motion for debate.

Councillor Steed moved, and Councillor Hersch seconded, the Liberal Democrat amendment.

Councillor Conti moved and Councillor Gallant seconded, the Conservative amendment.

Councillors Nijhar, Jassal, Gallant, Iqbal, Stafford, Kohli, Mahfouz, Kumar, Young, Brett, Kaur Dheer, Hashani, Alexander, Manro and Raza responded.

Councillors Steed and Conti summed up their amendments, and Councillor Mason summed up the motion.

A vote was taken on the Liberal Democrat Group’s amendment, and the amendment FELL.

A vote was taken on the Conservative Group’s amendment, and the amendment FELL.

RESOLVED: That

This Council notes that:

·       Households across Ealing are under massive strain and public services are seeing their budgets squeezed dramatically as mortgages rise, the pound has crashed, inflation takes hold, and a recession looms.

·       Liz Truss has been one of the shortest serving Prime Ministers in history, but her time in office has been devastating for people in Ealing – the pound and gilt markets have crashed, the rent crisis in London has worsened and ordinary people are paying hundreds more a month for their mortgages.

·       This is a Tory crisis made in Downing Street, paid for by working people.

·       There is a straight blue line between Liz Truss’s failed mini-budget and the multi-billion-pound blackhole in the nation’s finances: The Conservatives crashed the economy and now they want someone else to pick up the tab. They must not take it out on our communities.

·       None of us voted for this ridiculous failed experiment – and Ealing shouldn’t be punished for the Government’s mistakes. Local services were already under serious strain due to rampant inflation, soaring interest rates, and rising demand.

·       Roads need to be repaired, we must bring down crime, children need after-school clubs, bins have to be emptied, and streets must be kept clean. We need to build affordable housing, and we need to invest in the support that business needs to thrive.

·       Ealing is an open, honest and transparent council. With hope and creativity, Ealing Council is already doing everything we can to support families through the Conservatives’ cost of living crisis.

·       While the Conservatives have been crashing the economy, we have been fighting to provide the support and services people need. Our residents shouldn’t pay the price for their failure.

This Council therefore resolves to declare a ‘Cost of Living and economic emergency’ and calls on the Government to:

·       Provide extra support for councils struggling with the effects of inflation and the possible impact of a recession.

·       Ensure that councils, public services, and ordinary people don’t pay the price for the Government’s incompetence.

·       Call a general election so that the British public can have their say on this disastrous government.

RESOLVED: That

1.     This Council notes that:

·       Ealing is proud of our history of welcoming people seeking safety

·       There are significant problems with the UK asylum system that affect people in Ealing including a record backlog of cases awaiting a decision, a de facto ban on working, and enforced poverty and homelessness.

·       The Nationality and Borders Act does not address these issues, and has instead created a two-tier system, punishing people seeking safety based on the journeys they make.

·       Under these laws, people seeking safety will be criminalised and threatened with removal to Rwanda.

·       People will be warehoused in large accommodation centres, segregated from communities and denied support.

·       Many recognised refugees will receive a temporary and precarious status.

This Council believes that:

·       Everyone’s claim for asylum should be treated equally and fairly.

·       These are fundamentally ‘anti-refugee’ laws that undermine internationally recognised rights for people fleeing war and persecution to seek safety.

·       These measures will create ever-longer delays in the asylum process, lead to greater poverty and homelessness in Ealing and will undermine people’s ability to rebuild their lives.

·       People seeking safety should be housed as our neighbours and as a part of our communities.

·       The UK needs an asylum system that empowers people seeking safety to rebuild their lives and enables communities to welcome them.

This Council resolves to:

·       Defend the right to seek safety from war and persecution in the UK and sign the national ‘Fight the Anti-Refugee Laws’ pledge.

·       Call on the UK Government to withdraw the UK-Rwanda agreement, repeal the Nationality and Borders Act, and work with Local Authorities and communities to build a refugee protection system that treats all people with dignity and compassion.

·       Join the network of cities and towns which promote the inclusion and welfare of people who are fleeing violence and persecution and work to become a recognised Council of Sanctuary.

2.     This Council wishes to congratulate the England Lionesses for their historic achievement in winning this summer’s Women’s European Championship. Throughout the tournament the entire squad, coaching and support staff dedicatedly worked to produce a number of fantastic performances.

This Council particularly recognises the resilience of Ealing’s Chloe Kelly in recovering from a serious injury to make England’s squad for the finals and scoring her first international goal in the final against Germany in July to win the game, securing the nation’s first international silverware since 1966.

This Council further congratulates Chloe Kelly and the Lionesses for qualifying for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next summer and sends our best wishes to Serina Wiegman’s squad as they attempt to become the first nation in the history of women’s football to win the European Championship and the World Cup consecutively.

This Council recommends to the Freedom of the Borough Committee that Chloe Kelly is nominated for Freedom of the London Borough of Ealing in recognition of her rise from Ealing student to role model for the nation’s women and for her continued advocacy for women’s sport.

3.     Ealing Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

RESOLVED: That

1.     The Treasury Management activities and performance against targets for the period to 31 March 2022 are noted.

2.     The Council’s investment balance of £528.725m at 31 March 2022 of which  £492.000m was invested with the Debt Management Office (DMO) are noted.

3.     The Prudential Indicators outturn for 2021/22 which have all been maintained within the limits set by Full Council in March 2021 (set out in Appendix 1) are noted.

To be tabled at the meeting

RESOLVED: That the following appointments to committees are agreed:

·       Councillors Shaw, Gordon, Summers and Rai be appointed to the Planning Pool for Planning Committee

·       Councillors Donnelly (First Reserve) and Manro (Second Reserve) be appointed to the Old Oak Common and Park Royal Development Corporation Board

·       Councillors R Wall (Member) and Manro (Reserve) be appointed to the Old Oak Common and Park Royal Development Corporation Planning Committee

·       Councillor Raza to replace Councillor Rai on Corporate Parent Committee

·       Councillor Anderson to replace Councillor Kamaljit Kaur Nagpal on Ealing Schools Forum

The following urgent key decisions were made and exempted from call-in since the Council meeting in July:

·       Implementation of the Discretionary Energy Bill Rebate Schemes (DEBRS) to support for households affected by increase in energy costs

·       Household Support Fund

RESOLVED: That the urgent key decisions exempted from call in are noted.