Agenda item

10.06pm – Councillor Adronie Alford moved, seconded by Councillor Alex Karmel, the special motion in their names:

 

“This Council notes the ongoing situation regarding safety at Lannoy and Hartopp Points. The Council is commended for its actions placing Fire Wardens in Lannoy and Hartopp as the welfare and safety of our residents must be paramount.

 

The Council calls on the Administration to fully explain how the need for this has arisen and to explain how the blocks have been allowed to become so neglected.

 

The Council calls on the Administration to provide a breakdown of the additional costs for these fire wardens and further to provide information on the timescale and costs to make the blocks fit for the residents.”

 

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Adronie Alford and Alex Karmel (for the Opposition).

 

Under Standing Order 15(e)(6), Councillor Lisa Homan moved, seconded by Councillor Larry Culhane, an amendment in their names:

 

“Delete all after "This Council" and replace with:

 

...acknowledges and supports the extensive work undertaken by Hammersmith & Fulham's Labour Administration to ensure the safety of all residents at Hartopp and Lannoy Points. That action includes:

 

·         Commissioned leading structural engineers Arup to advise on the condition of the blocks;

·         Commissioned world-leading fire safety experts CS Todd Associates to advise on all fire safety measures;

·         Invested over £600,000 in fire safety measures to the communal areas;

·         Organised for Fire Wardens to be present 24/7·to waking-watch standard;

·         Put in place all necessary fire safety measures including fire and smoke alarms, evacuation chairs and provided residents with fire safety information and advice.

 

It notes all these actions were introduced in conjunction with advice from the London Fire Brigade.

 

The Council agrees that it must always take all necessary actions to protect its residents’ safety which must always be the priority.

 

The Council notes that the administration has worked extremely closely with the residents of Hartopp and Lannoy Points throughout this process. That includes:

 

·         Thirteen letters updating residents on what is happening;

·         Having undertaken a thorough door-knocking canvass of all residents so that we can advise residents of the work the Council is doing and of their housing options;

·         So far, held four public meetings by the Cabinet Member for Housing;

·         Holding special surgeries each week, three times a week and one Saturday a month over the last year especially for Hartopp and Lannoy Points residents;

·         Undertaking all follow-up casework meetings with residents to deal with their issues;

·         Prioritising moves for tenants to alternative accommodation and offered to buy back resident leaseholders.

 

The Council notes that none of the Conservative ward councillors nor Greg Hands, the Conservative MP, have attended any of the public meetings. The Council therefore notes with concern that on 22 January 2019, Greg Hands MP misled the House of Commons when he said that Hammersmith & Fulham Council had not properly communicated with Hartopp and Lannoy Points tenants and leaseholders.

 

The Council agrees that Greg Hands has a history of misrepresenting the facts and agrees to take this matter up with the Parliamentary authorities.

 

The Council also recognises the atrocious way the borough's former Conservative administration and Capital and Counties Properties Plc (Capco) side-lined the tenants, leaseholders and freeholders of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates and agreed a deal that was dreadful value, damaging to their interests and against those residents' wishes. It notes that this deal is now being investigated but that the harsh treatment residents have experienced on this infamous and now failing scheme has caused anxiety to council housing residents across Hammersmith & Fulham.

 

The Council therefore pledges to never behave like that ever again no matter which administration is in charge but recognises the gross hypocrisy of Conservative councillors and Greg Hands MP who respectively voted for and/or vocally support the Capco scheme.”

 

A speech on the amendment to the special motion was made by Councillor Lisa Homan (for the Administration) before it was put to the vote:

 

FOR                            30

AGAINST                   9

NOT VOTING            0

 

The amendment to the special motion was declared CARRIED.

 

Speeches on the special motion as amended were made by Councillors Ben Coleman, PJ Murphy, Sue Fennimore, Larry Culhane, and Max Schmid (for the Administration). Councillor Adronie Alford then made a speech winding up the debate before the special motion as amended was put to a named vote:

 

FOR	AGAINST	NOT VOTING
Aherne	Alford	(None)
Caleb-Landy	Brocklebank-Fowler
Cassidy	Brown (A)
Coleman	Donovan
Connell	Karmel
Cooper	Lloyd-Harris
Cowan	Stainton
Culhane	Stanton
De'Ath	Thorley
Fennimore
Harcourt
Harvey
Holder
Homan
Jones
Kwon
Leighton
Macmillan
Murphy
Perez
Qayyum
Ree
Richardson
Sanderson
Schmid
Siddique
Smith
Uberoi
Umeh
Vaughan

 

FOR                            30

AGAINST                   9

NOT VOTING            0

 

The special motion as amended was declared CARRIED.

 

10.37pm – RESOLVED

 

This Council acknowledges and supports the extensive work undertaken by Hammersmith & Fulham's Labour Administration to ensure the safety of all residents at Hartopp and Lannoy Points. That action includes:

 

·         Commissioned leading structural engineers Arup to advise on the condition of the blocks;

·         Commissioned world-leading fire safety experts CS Todd Associates to advise on all fire safety measures;

·         Invested over £600,000 in fire safety measures to the communal areas;

·         Organised for Fire Wardens to be present 24/7·to waking-watch standard;

·         Put in place all necessary fire safety measures including fire and smoke alarms, evacuation chairs and provided residents with fire safety information and advice.

 

It notes all these actions were introduced in conjunction with advice from the London Fire Brigade.

 

The Council agrees that it must always take all necessary actions to protect its residents’ safety which must always be the priority.

 

The Council notes that the administration has worked extremely closely with the residents of Hartopp and Lannoy Points throughout this process. That includes:

 

·         Thirteen letters updating residents on what is happening;

·         Having undertaken a thorough door-knocking canvass of all residents so that we can advise residents of the work the Council is doing and of their housing options;

·         So far, held four public meetings by the Cabinet Member for Housing;

·         Holding special surgeries each week, three times a week and one Saturday a month over the last year especially for Hartopp and Lannoy Points residents;

·         Undertaking all follow-up casework meetings with residents to deal with their issues;

·         Prioritising moves for tenants to alternative accommodation and offered to buy back resident leaseholders.

 

The Council notes that none of the Conservative ward councillors nor Greg Hands, the Conservative MP, have attended any of the public meetings. The Council therefore notes with concern that on 22 January 2019, Greg Hands MP misled the House of Commons when he said that Hammersmith & Fulham Council had not properly communicated with Hartopp and Lannoy Points tenants and leaseholders.

 

The Council agrees that Greg Hands has a history of misrepresenting the facts and agrees to take this matter up with the Parliamentary authorities.

 

The Council also recognises the atrocious way the borough's former Conservative administration and Capital and Counties Properties Plc (Capco) side-lined the tenants, leaseholders and freeholders of the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates and agreed a deal that was dreadful value, damaging to their interests and against those residents' wishes. It notes that this deal is now being investigated but that the harsh treatment residents have experienced on this infamous and now failing scheme has caused anxiety to council housing residents across Hammersmith & Fulham.

 

The Council therefore pledges to never behave like that ever again no matter which administration is in charge but recognises the gross hypocrisy of Conservative councillors and Greg Hands MP who respectively voted for and/or vocally support the Capco scheme.