Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ann Rosenberg, Andrew Jones Nikos Souslous, Emma Apthorp and Rebecca Harvey.

Councillors Asif Siddique and Zarar Qayyum joined the meeting remotely.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter.  The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

Councillor Rory Vaughan declared a non-pecuniary interest in item 6.1, Special Motion 1 – Hammersmith & Fulham Pension Fund, due to his employment as a financial regulator. He left the room for the duration of the item.

To approve the minutes of the Annual and Special meetings of Full Council held on 24 May 2023.

The minutes of the Annual and Special Council meetings held on 24 May 2023 were approved as accurate records.

King’s Official Birthday Honours List 2023

The Mayor noted the Council’s congratulations to the following people who were recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list for their outstanding achievements.

Professor Peter Barnes FRS, Professor of Thoracic Medicine at Imperial College London, was awarded a Knighthood for services to Respiratory Science.

David Buxton, Chief Executive Officer, Action on Disability and lately Chair, British Deaf Association was awarded an OBE for services to the Deaf and British Sign Language Communities.

Patricia Longdon - Chair, Strategic Lay Forum at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust was awarded an MBE for services to Health and Social Care.

Brenda Deo-Campo, Ward Manager, Acute Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust was awarded an MBE for services to Nursing.

Mark Younger was awarded an BEM for services to the community in Parsons Green.

The Mayor then led a round of applause to thank them for their hard work and contributions.

The Leader/relevant Cabinet Member to reply to questions submitted by members of the public. This item is limited to 20 minutes.

The Mayor thanked the residents who submitted questions. Questions 1, 3, 5, and 6 were addressed in the meeting. The Mayor explained that any questions not addressed in the meeting would receive written responses. All questions and responses to them can be found in Appendix 1.

To consider and determine the following Special Motions:

7.32pm – Councillor Karmel addressed the meeting and asked that Special Motion 5 take precedence on the agenda.

Councillor Schmid moved, under Standing Order 15(e)3, that the Special Motions listed in the agenda be taken in the following order: 5, 8, 7, 6, 9, 1, 2, 3, 4. Councillor Genevieve Nwaogbe seconded the motion, and it was agreed.

7.34pm – Councillor Jose Afonso moved, seconded by Councillor Adrian Pascu-Tulbure, the special motion in their names:

“This Council notes with alarm the closure of Wandsworth Bridge this summer, which will be the second of three bridges serving the Borough to be closed to traffic. This Council calls upon the Administration to work constructively with Wandsworth Council to ensure the works to take place as swiftly as possible, offer a business rates rebate for businesses affected, and lift traffic restrictions for the duration of the works, so businesses can make up the loss in customers from Wandsworth by allowing people to come in from other boroughs.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Afonso and Pascu-Tulbure (for the Opposition).

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Sharon Holder moved, seconded by Councillor Ben Coleman, an amendment:

“Delete after “This Council” and replace with:

•   Notes with concern the impending 10-week closure by Wandsworth Council of Wandsworth Bridge due to essential safety work.

•   Resolves to work constructively with Wandsworth Council to ensure the works are completed as swiftly as possible.

•   Recognises the difficulties that the closure will cause for South Fulham businesses already dealing with the worst cost-of-living crisis in memory caused by the Conservative government’s economic failures.

•   Welcomes the announcement of the new business visitor access permit which enables businesses to give free access through the Clean Air Neighbourhood cameras for shoppers, staff and deliveries.

•   Notes that 60 businesses have already taken advantage of the new business visitor access permit and around 2,000 visits per month have been authorised using the bespoke RingGo codes provided to businesses and business parks from the early days of the trial.

•   Notes the introduction of extra shopper parking bays and e-cargo bikes to support businesses and the suspension of the Imperial Road camera to enable visitors without permits to have easier access to Wandsworth Bridge Road businesses during the bridge closure.

•   Notes the continued support of residents for the South Fulham Clean Air Neighbourhood and the view of traffic experts that suspending the scheme during the closure of Wandsworth Bridge would lead to large amounts of traffic on residential roads that are benefiting from the Clean Air Neighbourhood.

•   Commits to working closely with businesses to develop further measures to enable customers to access businesses in South Fulham during the closure of Wandsworth Bridge.

•   Notes that the government sets business rates, which councils are required to collect in full and hand over to the government, and that if councils offer rebates they still have to pay the full sum to the government; and therefore calls on the area’s Member of Parliament, Greg Hands, to press the government to introduce a targeted business rates relief scheme for South Fulham businesses affected by the Wandsworth Bridge’s closure.”

Speeches on the amendment were made by Councillors Holder, Coleman, Ree, and Cowan (for the Administration) – and Councillor Dinsmore (for the Opposition). The amendment was then put to the vote:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.5

8.24pm – Councillor Sharon Holder moved, seconded by Councillor Mercy Umeh, the special motion in their names:

“The council notes that 22 June 2023 marked the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush in the UK, a day celebrated locally by a special event on Shepherd’s Bush Green.

This council gives thanks:

·       To the Windrush Generation, who came from the Caribbean to help Britain rebuild following the Second World War.

·       To the many thousands of Caribbean men and women who had previously volunteered to serve in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War.

·       To those of the Windrush Generation who played an invaluable role serving in the newly established NHS.

·       To those of the Windrush Generation who contributed immensely to modern British culture, bringing and enhancing a wide range of music—including Jazz, Soca and Reggae—as well as dance and other arts.

·       To the many members of the Windrush Generation who made their homes in Hammersmith and Fulham, contributing greatly to the area’s economy, public services and culture.

The council further commends the extraordinary resilience of this pioneering generation, who faced discrimination not only when they first arrived but also up to and through the period marked by the Government’s pernicious Hostile Environment Policy, which led to the injustice of the Windrush Scandal.

The council calls on the Government to move urgently to reform the Windrush Compensation Scheme – making it transparent, fair and fit for purpose – and ensure that British people of colour will never again be victimised by the very authorities that are meant to protect and serve them.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Holder, Mercy Umeh, Lang, Chevoppe-Verdier, Patel, and Antoniades (for the Administration) – and Councillors Lloyd-Harris and Borland (for the Opposition).

Councillor Holder made a speech winding up the debate before the motion was put to the vote:

FOR                        UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

9.05pm – RESOLVED

The council notes that 22 June 2023 marked the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush in the UK, a day celebrated locally by a special event on Shepherd’s Bush Green.

This council gives thanks:

·       To the Windrush Generation, who came from the Caribbean to help Britain rebuild following the Second World War.

·       To the many thousands of Caribbean men and women who had previously volunteered to serve in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War.

·       To those of the Windrush Generation who played an invaluable role serving in the newly established NHS.

·       To those of the Windrush Generation who contributed immensely to modern British culture, bringing and enhancing a wide range of music—including Jazz, Soca and Reggae—as well as dance and other arts.

·       To the many members of the Windrush Generation who made their homes in Hammersmith and Fulham, contributing greatly to the area’s economy, public services and culture.

The council further commends the extraordinary resilience of this pioneering generation, who faced discrimination not only when  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.8

9.20pm – Councillor Ben Coleman moved, seconded by Councillor Rowan Ree, the special motion in their names:

“This Council:

·      Regrets the statement by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Stephen Barclay, in the House of Commons on 25 May 2023 that Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith and St Mary’s Hospitals are no longer on the list of 40 hospitals to be refurbished or rebuilt by 2030 but instead “may now fully complete construction after 2030”.

·      Notes that this breaks the pledge given by the Conservative government in 2019 to refurbish and rebuild Charing Cross, Hammersmith and St Mary’s Hospitals by 2030 as part of the New Hospitals Programme.

·      Notes that the well-respected Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Charing Cross, Hammersmith and St Mary’s, said the Health Secretary’s statement was “clearly disappointing” and “hugely damaging for the health and healthcare of hundreds of thousands of people”.

·      Notes that Professor Orchard also said the statement “does not reflect our understanding of next steps on the urgently needed redevelopment of our hospitals”; and notes that Mr Barclay subsequently apologised for making the incorrect claim in the House of Commons that work had already started at Charing Cross Hospital.

·      Views as meaningless the government’s claim to be committed to refurbishing Charing Cross, given that they have delayed any building work, given no deadline by which any refurbishment will be completed and not guaranteed any funding for the building work.

·      Regrets the inaccurate and disingenuous statements by Greg Hands, MP for Chelsea and Fulham, who in leaflets and on his website has wrongly claimed that funding has been secured for the full refurbishment whereas funding has not been secured and the previous 2030 deadline for completion of works has been scrapped.

·      Urges the Conservative government to honour its promise to provide the funding for the refurbishment and rebuilding of Charing Cross, Hammersmith and St Mary’s hospitals and to reinstate the 2030 deadline for completion of the works.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Coleman and Ree (for the Administration).

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Amanda Lloyd-Harris moved, seconded by Councillor Jose Afonso, an amendment:

“Delete after “This Council” and replace with:

“notes the letter sent by the Borough’s Monitoring Officer on 9 June, which makes clear that the floor-by-floor refurbishment of Charing Cross Hospital will indeed go ahead, and that political language suggesting the contrary was inappropriate in a Council publication. This Council calls upon the Administration to apologise for telling residents that the refurbishment of Charing Cross Hospital has been ‘scrapped’, and to instead welcome the confirmation that the hospital will be refurbished. This Council further calls upon the Administration not to spread false information, alarming the most vulnerable in our community, for party political purposes.””

Speeches on the amendment were made by Councillors Lloyd-Harris, Afonso, and Dinsmore (for the Opposition) – and Councillors Miri, Vaughan, Perez, Ree, Schmid, and Cowan (for the Administration). The amendment was then put to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.7

The special motion was withdrawn.

The special motion was withdrawn.

As the guillotine had fallen, the special motion standing in the names of Councillors Ross Melton and Rowan Ree was taken as moved and seconded and put to the vote.

FOR                        UNANIMOUS

AGAINST                0

NOT VOTING         0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

10.30pm – RESOLVED

The Council welcomes the shortlisting the of the Hammersmith & Fulham Pension Fund as one of the four top performing funds valued under £2.5 billion in the country in the 2022 Local Authority Pension Fund (LAPF) Investment Awards.

The Council:

Praises the skill, dedication and strong performance of the Council’s pensions officials and independent advisors in successfully maintaining the value of the H&F Pension Fund during a period of extreme economic volatility.

Congratulates the H&F Pension Fund's pioneering divestment programme for developing an innovative, world-first Environmental, Social and Governance dashboard which enables all fund members to see in detail how their pension contributions are part of a robust response to global climate change.

Highlights the value of responsible local government fiscal management and robust, transparent governance in giving confidence to members to the H&F Pension Fund.

The special motion was withdrawn.

The special motion was withdrawn.

The special motion was withdrawn.

This report asks Council to note several changes to senior officer job titles and roles.

10.31pm – The report was noted.

This report outlines the operation of the Council’s Petitions Scheme during the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

10.31pm – The report was noted.