This meeting was the third ordinary meeting of the 2024/2025 Municipal Year. It included discussion of a petition, scheduled questions from members of the public and Councillors, a report on the work of the Standards Committee, and consideration of motions on the hostile environment, rough sleeping, drug harm reduction and the two-child benefit cap. It also included the appointment of Councillors to outside bodies and the review of political balance on the Council's committees.

Supporting Action to Reduce Drug Death and Drug Harm in Hackney

The Green Group was scheduled to ask the Council to consider the high rate of drug related deaths in Hackney, which were reported to be the highest of any London borough. They intended to ask whether Hackney Council has plans to:

• protect and increase funding for drug treatment services
• have conversations with the Met regarding officers carrying naloxone in Hackney
• consider providing drug safety testing facilities
• consider an enhanced harm reduction housing approach to people who use drugs in hostels
• support a drug consumption room in Hackney

The Green Group was also scheduled to ask the Council to agree to:

• write to the government to ask for an increase in funding for drug treatment
• write to the Mayor of London to express support for a drug consumption room in Hackney
• meet with the team opening a drug consumption room in Glasgow
• meet with commissioners of drug safety testing in Bristol

Standards Committee Annual Report 2023/24

The report pack includes the Standards Committee's annual report for the 2023/2024 municipal year.

The report summarises the complaints that were received about the conduct of the Elected Mayor, Councillors, or co-optees. It says that 14 complaints were received, 11 from members of the public, and 3 from Councillors. Of these, 4 did not pass the jurisdiction test, 3 were discontinued because the subject member left their role, and 6 did not meet the threshold for investigation. No trends in the nature of the complaints were identified.

The report also summarises the declarations of interest that were made by Councillors. All of the Councillors completed their register of interests form within 28 days of taking office, and 8 updated their form during the year. It also says that 7 new declarations about gifts or hospitality worth over £25 were made. The report concludes by saying that elected members had good awareness around the disclosure of interests.

Petition - Hackney Stands with Palestine Break the Link with Haifa

The report pack includes a petition, signed by an unknown number of people, calling for Hackney Council to end its twinning relationship with Haifa. The petition argues that In the light of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine and the ongoing brutal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, this relationship supports an apartheid and genocidal regime. The petition is led by Sussan Rassaoulie of the Hackney Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Review of Political Balance and Appointments to Committees and Commissions

The report pack includes the Monitoring Officer's report on the political balance of the council's committees following two by-elections in September. In these elections, Labour's George Gooch won the London Fields ward, and the Green Party's Liam Davis won the Stoke Newington ward.

The report says that because of these changes, the Labour Group is entitled to 102 seats on the council's committees, the Conservative Group is entitled to 14 seats, the Hackney Independent Socialist Group is entitled to 7 seats, and the Green Group is entitled to 7 seats.

The report includes nominations from the political groups for the seats on each committee.

Labour Group Motion: Ending Stigma and Discrimination of the Care Experienced Community

The report pack includes a motion from the Labour Group about care experienced people. It argues that they often experience stigma and disadvantage, and that Hackney Council has a duty to put the needs of people facing inequalities of outcome as a result of socio-economic disadvantage, at the heart of decision-making.

The motion calls for the council to recognise care experience as if it were a protected characteristic, to include care experience in the council's equality objectives, and for the Mayor and the Cabinet leads for Children's Services and Equalities to lobby the government to recognise care experienced people as a protected group.

Green Group Motion: Support of a Wealth Tax to Fund Public Services

The report pack includes a motion from the Green Group about a wealth tax. The motion argues that Wealth is unevenly distributed between individuals in Great Britain, and that Hackney Council is forecasted to face a deficit of more than £50 million over the next three years. It says that a wealth tax would be one of the most equitable ways to reduce inequality.

The motion calls for the council to write to the Prime Minister and Chancellor calling for the immediate introduction of a wealth tax, and to write to the Prime Minister asking for the HMRC and the Office for National Statistics to collect better data on high wealth individuals.

Hackney Independent Socialist Group Motion: End the Hostile Environment Against Migrants

The report pack includes a motion from the Hackney Independent Socialist Group about the hostile environment. It argues that the hostile environment was designed to make life unbearable for those fleeing violence, persecution, seeking sanctuary in the UK. It says that the hostile environment has deterred migrants from accessing public services and reporting abuse, made immigration checks part of schools and healthcare settings, and led to residents of Hackney being wrongly deported.

The motion calls for the Mayor and Chief Executive to write to the Home Secretary asking for:

• an end to the hostile environment, including an end to Right to Rent and Right to Work checks, the No Recourse to Public Funds condition, and NHS charging for migrants
• a review of Home Office visa fees
• a halt to data sharing between the council and the Home Office
• a new route to permanent residency that is accessible, faster and affordable
• more funding for the council and for migrant support organisations
• an overhaul of legal aid

The motion also calls for the Mayor of Hackney to create a 'Migrant Champion' role, and to maintain or improve the support the council offers to migrants.

Green Group Motion: Opposing the Two Child Benefit Cap

The report pack includes a motion from the Green Group opposing the two-child benefit cap. It argues that the cap has not led to more parents gaining employment or reduced the birth rate, and has served to push families with three or more children further into poverty.

The motion calls for the council to write to the Prime Minister calling for an end to the two-child limit, to write to all the major party leaders asking them to commit to reversing the cap, and to write to Hackney South MP Meg Hillier asking her to call for an end to the cap.