Agenda item

Councillor Fairbrass moved that a recorded vote be taken on each motion.  This was supported by Councillors Rush, L. Smith and Bramley.

 

AGREED that a recorded vote be taken for each motion.

 

Motion 1:  Commending a petition against Knife Crime

 

Moved by Councillor Mrs Rush and seconded by Councillor Fairbrass

 

“That this Council commends the work of the Reverend Steven Hanna in starting a petition that will make a valuable contribution to this Labour Council’s fight against knife crime and that the Council notes the efforts of Labour Councillors in getting support for this petition.”

 

In moving the motion Councillor Rush also explained that the petition focused on changing the due diligence law which protected some shopkeepers from being accountable for selling knives to young people.  She also commented on her surprise to read a newspaper article which spoke of the BNP training youngsters to shoot rifles and throw wooden darts called “dutch arrows.”  Referring to the newspaper article she spoke of her disappointment in a political party engaging their young in such dangerous activities given the current climate in which knife crime incidents are reported on a daily basis.

 

Councillor Bailey urged Members to reject the motion alleging that it will do little to help stop knife crime.  He stated that the BNP had, 2 years ago, called for metal detectors and security guards to be deployed in local schools and it was his belief that these measures would have more impact on the fight against knife crime than the motion by Councillor Rush.  He countered Councillor Rush’s allegations of the BNP training the young to use weapons by referring to the Army Cadets who also teach young people to use rifles.

 

Councillor Barnbrook stated that the current Labour administration should take accountability for both the negative and positive effects of their leadership.  In his opinion the increase in knife crime has happened under a Labour government and there are already petitions and campaigns by non-political parties who are taking a stand against knife crime.  One campaign in particular, “London Mothers Against Knives” had accrued more than 21,000 signatures from members of the public.

 

Councillor Justice declared his support for any campaign against knife crime and violence, however, he objected to the principle of the motion, stating that the Labour administration was responsible for the increase in knife crime.

 

Councillor Rustem said that he could not support the motion because he felt that the current government was not enabling police to do their jobs in combating knife crime.

 

Councillors L. Smith, L. Waker and P. Waker reported that the Reverend Hannah did not have political links with the Labour Party and that he was a long standing resident of the borough who was a former pupil of Robert Clack Secondary School.  The Members also objected to the idea of metal detectors and security guards in schools stating that adopting such provisions would mainstream the problem and a firmer stance of excluding any pupil bringing a weapon into school would be more suitable.

 

Councillor Fairbrass reiterated that the petition was aimed at getting a change to the law which currently enabled a defence for shopkeepers who had sold knives to youngsters.  He also declared that the Army Cadets taught young people to use rifles in a controlled and disciplined environment.

 

Councillor Rush advised Members of the Reverend Hannah’s work in the community and his commitment to the petition, she urged every Member to support the motion and the petition.

 

The motion was put to a recorded vote and by a majority vote was AGREED as follows:

 

Councillor	For	Against	Abstain	Absent
Agrawal	ü
Alexander	ü
Bailey	ü
Barnbrook			ü
Barns	ü
Bramley	ü
Buckley	ü
Carpenter	ü
Carroll	ü
Collins				ü
Connelly			ü
Davis	ü
Denyer				ü
Claire Doncaster				ü
Sandra Doncaster				ü
Ronald Doncaster				ü
Fairbrass	ü
Fani	ü
Flint	ü
Nirmal Gill	ü
Rocky Gill	ü
Hemmett	ü
Hunt	ü
Jamu	ü
Jarvis	ü
Justice			ü
Kallar	ü
Knight	ü
Lansdown	ü
Little				ü
McCarthy	ü
McDermott	ü
McKenzie				ü
Patricia Northover				ü
Warren Northover				ü
Obasohan				ü
Poulton	ü
Rawlinson	ü
Reason	ü
Rush	ü
Rustem	ü
Liam Smith	ü
Nadine Smith	ü
Steed	ü
Tuffs				ü
Twomey				ü
Vincent	ü
Lee Waker	ü
Philip Waker	ü
West	ü
White	ü

Motion 2.  Congratulating Team GB on their Olympic Success

 

Moved by Councillor Liam Smith and seconded by Councillor Fairbrass

 

“That this Council congratulates Team GB on their success at the Olympics.  This Council notes that the money that our Labour Government has invested in sports has been pivotal in supporting this success.  Council also notes that this Labour administration has introduced initiatives such as ‘Summer Sorted’ and free swimming for young people that will hopefully help produce local gold medal winners in 2012.  Council further notes that, along with the Rugby World Cup and the Football World Cup, this country” achieves its greatest sporting successes when there is a Labour Government.”

 

Councillor Justice declared that he would not be supporting the motion which congratulated a government that two years ago announced that competitive sport was unhealthy for young children.  The sporting achievement of individuals is taken away by crediting the government with Britain’s Olympic success.

 

Councillor Barnbrook noted that sport was A-political and individual sporting triumphs were beyond politics.

 

Councillor L. Smith spoke of his school years under a Conservative government when he observed many school playing fields were sold-off for financial gain.  He reiterated that it was important to congratulate and thank those staff who had worked hard to make the summer schemes a success.  In summary he repeated his gratitude for the investment made by Labour into sports and sporting facilities.

 

The motion was put to a recorded vote and by a majority vote was AGREED as follows:

 

Councillor	For	Against	Abstain	Absent
Agrawal	ü
Alexander	ü
Bailey			ü
Barnbrook			ü
Barns	ü
Bramley	ü
Buckley			ü
Carpenter	ü
Carroll	ü
Collins				ü
Connelly			ü
Davis	ü
Denyer				ü
Claire Doncaster				ü
Sandra Doncaster				ü
Ronald Doncaster				ü
Fairbrass	ü
Fani	ü
Flint	ü
Nirmal Gill	ü
Rocky Gill	ü
Hemmett	ü
Hunt	ü
Jamu	ü
Jarvis			ü
Justice		ü
Kallar	ü
Knight			ü
Lansdown			ü
Little				ü
McCarthy	ü
McDermott	ü
McKenzie				ü
Patricia Northover				ü
Warren Northover				ü
Obasohan				ü
Poulton	ü
Rawlinson	ü
Reason	ü
Rush	ü
Rustem	ü
Liam Smith	ü
Nadine Smith	ü
Steed		ü
Tuffs				ü
Twomey				ü
Vincent	ü
Lee Waker	ü
Philip Waker	ü
West	ü
White	ü

Motion 3.  Condemnation of a Councillor’s Action

 

Moved by Councillor Barnbrook and seconded by Councillor Bailey

 

“Considering the alleged recent disgraceful, foul-mouthed, homophobic outburst directed towards the mother of a fellow Councillor, this motion calls for a vote of recognition and condemnation concerning not only the severity of the situation which, considering the hypocrisy and the seniority of Councillor Liam Smith, considerably undermines the authority and standing of the Council itself.  In so doing, we wish to condemn the politically inspired emasculation of the report of this incident contained in last week’s Barking and Dagenham Post.

 

Further to this, if the resultant Standards Board investigation does not find in favour of Councillor Smith, we call upon him to resign from all positions of responsibility currently held within Barking and Dagenham Council.”

 

Councillor Fairbrass moved that the motion now be put in accordance with the provision in paragraph 16 of Article Part B of the Council Constitution and requested the Assembly go straight to the vote. This was seconded by Councillor Rush

 

AGREED by majority to move straight to the vote.

 

The motion was put to a recorded vote and by a majority vote was REJECTED as follows:

 

Councillor	For	Against	Abstain	Absent
Agrawal		ü
Alexander		ü
Bailey	ü
Barnbrook	ü
Barns		ü
Bramley		ü
Buckley	ü
Carpenter		ü
Carroll		ü
Collins				ü
Connelly (having declared a personal and prejudicial interest at the start of the meeting withdrew from the vote)
Davis		ü
Denyer				ü
Claire Doncaster				ü
Sandra Doncaster				ü
Ronald Doncaster				ü
Fairbrass		ü
Fani		ü
Flint		ü
Nirmal Gill		ü
Rocky Gill		ü
Hemmett		ü
Hunt		ü
Jamu		ü
Jarvis	ü
Justice (having declared a personal and prejudicial interest at the start of the meeting withdrew from the vote)
Kallar		ü
Knight	ü
Lansdown	ü
Little				ü
McCarthy		ü
McDermott		ü
McKenzie				ü
Patricia Northover				ü
Warren Northover				ü
Obasohan				ü
Poulton		ü
Rawlinson		ü
Reason		ü
Rush		ü
Rustem		ü
Liam Smith		ü
Nadine Smith		ü
Steed	ü
Tuffs				ü
Twomey				ü
Vincent		ü
Lee Waker		ü
Philip Waker		ü
West		ü
White		ü

Motion 4.  Community Spirit in the Borough

 

Moved by Councillor McDermott and seconded by Councillor Agrawal

 

“That this Council believes that one of the roles of councillors is to maintain and build community spirit in our borough.  Councillors should be building strong relationships with headteachers and local vicars and not attacking them.”

 

Councillor Justice stated his support for the motion with the reservation that vicars and teachers are discouraged from actively taking part politics and expressing their political views.

 

Councillor Bailey declared his support for the motion with the caveat that a political party’s policies are either upheld or defeated on merit and not fought through schools and places of worship.

 

Councillor L. Smith expressed his support for the motion and noted that the Church has a history of expressing its views on specific policy debates, in particular their disagreement with abortion laws and opposition to stem research.  He continued that teachers should also not be restricted from actively participating in politics particularly when they retire.

 

Councillor Lansdown stated her support for the motion but also declared her opposition to teachers and religious figures participating actively in politics.  She commented on the strict conflict of interest regulations which prevent councillors from sitting on school governing boards, expressing her view that teachers would have the same conflict of interest should they wish to engage in party politics.

 

Councillor Barnbrook expressed his concern with blurring the lines between education and doctrination.  He was of the view that communities and vulnerable people should be protected from political rhetoric by people of faith.

 

Councillor McDermott spoke of Reverend Martin Luther King’s involvement in both religion and politics.

 

The motion was put to a recorded vote and by a majority vote was AGREED as follows:

 

Councillor	For	Against	Abstain	Absent
Agrawal	ü
Alexander	ü
Bailey			ü
Barnbrook			ü
Barns	ü
Bramley	ü
Buckley			ü
Carpenter	ü
Carroll	ü
Collins				ü
Connelly	ü
Davis	ü
Denyer				ü
Claire Doncaster				ü
Sandra Doncaster				ü
Ronald Doncaster				ü
Fairbrass	ü
Fani	ü
Flint	ü
Nirmal Gill	ü
Rocky Gill	ü
Hemmett	ü
Hunt	ü
Jamu	ü
Jarvis			ü
Justice	ü
Kallar	ü
Knight			ü
Lansdown			ü
Little				ü
McCarthy	ü
McDermott	ü
McKenzie				ü
Patricia Northover				ü
Warren Northover				ü
Obasohan				ü
Poulton	ü
Rawlinson	ü
Reason	ü
Rush	ü
Rustem			ü
Liam Smith	ü
Nadine Smith	ü
Steed			ü
Tuffs				ü
Twomey				ü
Vincent	ü
Lee Waker	ü
Philip Waker	ü
West	ü
White	ü

5.  One Stop Shop in the Heathway

 

Moved by Councillor L. Waker and seconded by Councillor P. Waker

 

“That this Council congratulates officers, local residents and local Labour Councillors on the progress being made in the development of a one stop shop in the Heathway.  Council believes that this is yet another step that this Labour Council is taking to regenerate Dagenham and improve the Services it is giving to its residents.”

 

Councillor P Waker hoped that the problems around the car park close to the site would also be resolved as part of the scheme

 

Councillor Justice recounted both the good achievements and the failures of the Council and stated that the administration had to be equally accountable for both the positive and negative outcomes of the borough.  He stated that he could not support the motion as he could not see any value that the Assembly would be giving by doing so.

 

Councillor L. Smith confirmed his support for the motion remarking that it showed gratitude to the Council’s officers and the borough’s partners for their time and commitment in completing a good example of a regeneration project that was well planned, well delivered and well executed. 

 

Councillor McCarthy also declared his support for the motion paying particular attention to the local community that had supported the project from the outset.  He reported that the Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) that the Council had attained in order to progress the scheme had the full backing of the local community and Government Office for London (GOL).

 

In response to a query from Councillor Barnbrook, Councillor Fairbrass confirmed that the local post office in Heathway was not being considered as part of the scheme and would therefore remain as it stood.

 

Councillor L. Waker summarised by reiterating that the scheme would improve the look of the area and would facilitate a service that benefits the local community.

 

The motion was put to a recorded vote and by a majority vote was AGREED as follows:

Councillor	For	Against	Abstain	Absent
Agrawal	ü
Alexander	ü
Bailey			ü
Barnbrook			ü
Barns	ü
Bramley	ü
Buckley				ü
Carpenter	ü
Carroll	ü
Collins				ü
Connelly			ü
Davis	ü
Denyer				ü
Claire Doncaster				ü
Sandra Doncaster				ü
Ronald Doncaster				ü
Fairbrass	ü
Fani	ü
Flint	ü
Nirmal Gill	ü
Rocky Gill	ü
Hemmett	ü
Hunt	ü
Jamu	ü
Jarvis		ü
Justice			ü
Kallar	ü
Knight			ü
Lansdown				ü
Little				ü
McCarthy	ü
McDermott	ü
McKenzie				ü
Patricia Northover				ü
Warren Northover				ü
Obasohan				ü
Poulton	ü
Rawlinson	ü
Reason	ü
Rush	ü
Rustem			ü
Liam Smith	ü
Nadine Smith	ü
Steed		ü
Tuffs				ü
Twomey				ü
Vincent	ü
Lee Waker	ü
Philip Waker	ü
West	ü
White	ü