Minutes:
Prior to the debate on the strategic theme motions, the Monitoring Officer gave a short statement to advise members on their discussion of the Strategic Theme Motion, Conservative 1.
Strategic Theme Motion 1 (Conservative)
The motion was moved by Councillor Hamish Badenoch and seconded by Councillor Brian Lewis-Lavender.
The Labour amendment to the motion as set out in agenda item 23 was moved by Councillor Ross Garrod and seconded by Councillor Agatha Akyigyina.
The Labour amendment was put to the vote and was carried. Voting was as follows:
Votes in favour: 34
Votes against: 22
Not voting: 1.
The substantive motion (as amended) was agreed.
RESOLVED: That this Council notes that the best way to find out what local people want is on the door step and at the ballot box and further notes it has agreed to abide by the principles set out in the Community Engagement Strategy and that, according to the Council’s website, “all our consultation and community engagement activities should meet the highest standards of inclusion and involvement”.
This Council notes some of Merton Council’s recent consultations, which include but are not limited to:
· Despite the acknowledged difficulty of consulting on commercially confidential contract negotiations, a pilot with residents on proposed changes to Merton’s waste collection system, which trialled a wheeled bin option in Lavender Fields in 2015, and which gave the council an opportunity to learn the views of residents, including that 89% of residents were satisfied with wheeled bins and 81% thought their streets were cleaner as a result, with these views feeding into the optimum solution proposed by the preferred contractor across South West London. In addition Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel undertook pre-decision scrutiny of the proposed contract and the Overview and Scrutiny Commission heard the call-in and agreed that Cabinet could proceed to the next stage in progressing contracts estimated to save £2m every year for the potential 24 year life of the contract after having listened to the views of residents.
· Again, despite the acknowledged difficulties of consulting on commercially confidential contract negotiations across four boroughs, engagement with Friends of Parks groups on the proposals and arrangements for the new maintenance contract for the borough’s parks and open spaces.
· Perceived Confusion around the recent council tax consultation, any decision on which is of course a “political” issue and will be considered by Cabinet on 12 December in the context of six years of government cuts and the Conservative government’s refusal to address the national crisis in adult social care.
· The consultation with residents undertaken by Harris Foundation prior to their being granted approval by government to open a new secondary school in Wimbledon, and, now that the commercially sensitive necessary site purchases have been completed, the work to be undertaken with High Path Community Resource Centre users and carers on shaping the plans for the replacement centre at Leyton Road which will be on a like for like basis with no loss of services.
This Council recognises the difficulties in trying to please all of the people all of the time especially when there are strongly held views on all sides, but recognises that council officers do their very best to deliver transparent Consultations and calls on the Leader of the Council to:
a) ensure that the Council meets its commitments under the Community Engagement Strategy in the formulation of policy; and
b) Bring a report to the Overview and Scrutiny Commission on Merton’s approach to consultation so that the Commission can consider whether it would wish to make any recommendations.
Strategic Theme Motion 2 (Conservative)
The motion was moved by Councillor David Williams and seconded by Councillor Stephen Crowe.
Councillors James Holmes, Peter Southgate, Jerome Neil and Imran Uddin spoke on the motion.
The motion was put to the vote voting was as follows:
Votes in favour: 21
Votes against: 34
Not voting: 2
The motion was lost.
Supporting documents: