8.00 This is unexpected. The third, and last, petition is being presented by two residents who are deploring what they describe as a party politically motivated attack on Mayor Rahman which is dragging the borough’s name through the mud. They said that politicians who do not like what the mayor is doing should stand for election at the next election. Cllr Rachel Blake says that the report found lots of flaws: wasn’t that good enough? The petitioners pointed out that the PwC had not found fraud. Cllr Rachel Saunders came next and said that the report had found flaws and… she thought this should be “good enough” for the petitioners. This is pretty much the point the petitioners were making: Cllr Saunders was quoting political differences. Cllr Peter Golds has spoken up for Eric Pickles, quoting official figures to show that the Secretary of State has ensured his department are spending less on cars, not more (as various papers have reported). Cllr Rabina Khan asked the petitioners if they were concerned that Eric Pickles had not been transparent about reporting the procurement processes he had used in engaging PwC. Cllr Amy Whitelock pointed out that many of her constituents had approached her and they were concerned about what the PwC report had found; the petitioners said that if there were concerns, the PwC Report was an excessive and unnecessary response. Cllr Alibor Chowdhury is giving the official response – quoting facts and figures which are in the report but were not mentioned in the House of Commons.
7.48 Christine Trumper is now bringing a petition asking the Council not to cut any children’s centres or services for children. On paper, she has pointed out that Tower Hamlets has the highest rate of child poverty in London. Here in the room, she is talking well and positively about her own experiences of children’s centres. The agenda says that she is putting the petition on behalf of “Community Solutions”: this organisation has popped up in some Council activities before (a conference on the environment a couple of years ago, for example). Why are they lobbying the Council, though? Cllr Danny Hassell was the first to ask a question and we have been promised that Cllr Joshua Peck will be next. Josh is telling Council that the director of service who looks after children’s centres told him that previous cuts had been OK because there were too many middle class people using nurseries. Cllr Josh deplored this and invited the petitioner to comment on whether children’s centres should only cater for poor children: she confirmed it was important children’s centres apply to all. Cllr John Pierce has pointed out that Mayor Rahman has given pledges not to cut front line services: the petitioner agrees that children’s centres are front line services. Cllr Gulam Robbani is giving a formal answer to the petition. He is referring to the Council’s good record of investing in children’s services – but also that the Tory Government has passed £100 million in cuts on to the borough. While front line services have been protected to date, it will be difficult to do so in the future. However, no decisions have been taken and all feedback is being considered.
7.40: We are now hearing petitions from the public. The first is one from Longnor Tenants and Residents Association, just behind Queen Mary College/Mile End Hospital, asking for a 20mph speed limit on the estate. Cllr Amy Whitelock was the first to ask the petitioners a question and she was quickly followed by Cllr Abjol Miah (if I recognise the back of his head right – yes, he has just turned round, it is he). The petitioners admitted that they had not approached the Council before putting this formal petition. Cllr Shahed Ali, Cabinet Member for Things To Do With Streets, has given a formal reply. He has pointed out that the Administration is currently consulting on imposing a 20mph limit across the borough, apart from certain trunk roads – and he will take this petition as part of the consultation. He has promised to keep residents on this estate updated and to visit them and has invited residents who have concerns about traffic to approach him direct as this may get things done more quickly.
7.36: Yes, the Tories are out of the stalls quickly. One of them tried to use the invitation to correct the minutes as an opportunity to get a report on the collapse of the Council’s attempt to get a Judicial Review of Eric Pickles’s decision to send the auditors in. The Speaker won’t take it. This is followed by Cllr Miah repeating his request that his motion be taken. The motion refers to the NUT’s “Manifesto for Education”, which aims to encourage debate on education in the run up to the General Election. Labour and the Tories combine to vote the request down. Encouraging debate on education is clearly not a priority for the parties tonight.
7.35: Cllr Md Miah has moved that the order of business is changed to allow a motion on education to be taken first, but the Speaker has insisted on taking attendance and the minutes first.
7.30: It’s kick off time, but people are still drifting in. The Tories (five of them – they just nicely fit on a bench at the back, with one empty seat [to remind them what they are mjssing?]). Labour are, for the most part , looking quite miserable, or earnest at best. Tower Hamlets First are looking lean and hungry. Mayor Rahman is looking very fit. The Mace has arrived (closely followed by the East London Advertiser): here we go…
At last your trusty reporters have been able to find some electricity in the Council Chamber, so we are going to try to bring you the highlights of the Council meeting as they happen. Cross your fingers!