Agenda item

Under Standing Order 15(e) iii, Councillor Mark Loveday moved and Councillor Greg Smith seconded a motion that special motion 4 be considered before special motion 3 as the guillotine was approaching. This was agreed.

21.13pm - Councillor Hannah Barlow moved, seconded by Councillor Ali Hashem, the special motion standing in their names:

“This Council calls on Thames Water and the Conservative government to listen to residents objections to many of the potential sites for the Counters Creek storm relief sewer and find better sites that do not damage neighbourhoods and blight homes.

The Council agrees to support residents to fight these proposals if Thames Water and the Conservative government do not work with the Council and borough residents to find better ways to deal with the risk of flooding in homes across the borough.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Hannah Barlow and Ali Hashem, who delivered his maiden speech (for the Administration).

Under Standing Order 15(e) (vi), Councillor Lucy Ivimy moved, seconded by Councillor Steve Hamilton, an amendment to the motion as follows:

“Delete all (including title of Special Motion) and insert:

Special Motion No. 4 – Counter’s Creek Sewer Sites

This Council:

1.        Understands that sewer flooding is a problem in our borough and brings misery and upset to those affected.

2.        Notes with real concern the sites in Hammersmith & Fulham identified by Thames Water to support The Counters Creek sewer flooding alleviation scheme. These sites will cause unacceptable disruption and disturbance to residents during the works proposed.

3.        Calls on Thames Water to come up with alternative sites and solutions which minimise the impact, inconvenience and financial loss to residents of Hammersmith & Fulham.

4.        Calls on the Administration to publish the minutes of the meetings it has had with Thames Water and give guarantees to residents it will not agree a deal to transfer Council owned sites to Thames Water behind closed doors.

5.        Resolves to use every means possible to defend the right of residents impacted by this blight wherever they live in Hammersmith & Fulham.”

Speeches on the amendment to the special motion were made by Councillors Lucy Ivimy, Steve Hamilton, Joe Carlebach, Belinda Donovan, and Caroline Ffiske (for the Opposition) and by Councillors Larry Culhane, Sue Fennimore, Lisa Homan and PJ Murphy (for the Administration), before it was put to the vote and a roll-call was requested:

The amendment was declared LOST.

The substantive motion was then put to the vote:

The motion was declared CARRIED.

10.03pm - RESOLVED

This Council calls on Thames Water and the Conservative government to listen to residents objections to many of the potential sites for the Counters Creek storm relief sewer and find better sites that do not damage neighbourhoods and blight homes.

The Council agrees to support residents to fight these proposals if Thames Water and the Conservative government do not work with the Council and borough residents to find better ways to deal with the risk of flooding in homes across the borough.