Alastair Binnie-Lubbock | Councillor for Hackney Downs, Hackney

Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock

Green Party Hackney Downs alastair.binnie-lubbock@hackney.gov.uk

Positions, Voting Record & Activity Summary

Last updated: about 2 months ago

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock's council service, particularly in 2025, has been characterized by a robust and vocal commitment to procedural fairness, rigorous scrutiny of council decisions, and a strong advocacy for vulnerable residents, especially youth. While his earlier work in 2024 also focused on oversight and scrutiny across areas like children's services, council property, and financial health, his 2025 activities show a heightened emphasis on challenging austerity measures and budget cuts, advocating for increased investment in essential services such as childcare, libraries, and youth programs. He has consistently questioned council procedures, particularly concerning deputations and the exclusion of opposition voices, demonstrating a dedication to ensuring democratic processes are upheld. In 2025, Binnie-Lubbock was a staunch critic of budget reductions, proposing amendments aimed at >addressing structural inequalities, improving services, and investing in Hackney's youth and cultural life. He also actively championed global justice issues, notably calling for an end to the twinning relationship with Haifa and action regarding Gaza. His contributions in 2025 extended to health and financial scrutiny, where he delved into youth service inclusivity, autism diagnosis, budget assumptions, and funding reductions. He also sought to safeguard the council's democratic functions by opposing changes that he felt >disempowered Full Council and Members and could >effectively halve the available time for opposition-sponsored business. Across both years, a consistent thread is his dedication to detailed examination of council operations, from resource allocation for youth engagement and school building utilization in 2024, to the finer points of budget proposals and procedural fairness in 2025. His most significant recent contributions lie in his persistent challenge to austerity and his proactive efforts to secure resources for vital community services and to ensure robust democratic oversight.

Yearly Activity Timeline

Throughout 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was a consistently active and vocal participant in council meetings, demonstrating a strong focus on procedural fairness, scrutiny of council decisions, and advocating for vulnerable residents and youth services. He frequently raised points of order and questioned council procedures, particularly concerning deputations and the exclusion of opposition voices. Binnie-Lubbock was a staunch critic of austerity measures and budget cuts, arguing for increased investment in essential services like childcare, libraries, and youth programs. He also championed global justice issues, notably advocating for an end to the twinning relationship with Haifa and calling for action regarding the situation in Gaza. His contributions extended to health scrutiny, where he discussed youth service inclusivity and the diagnosis of autism, and financial scrutiny, where he questioned budget assumptions and funding reductions. He proposed amendments to the council's budget, aiming to address structural inequalities, improve services, and invest in Hackney's youth and cultural life. Binnie-Lubbock also sought to ensure robust scrutiny by opposing changes that he felt disempowered Full Council and Members and could effectively halve the available time for opposition-sponsored business.

Monthly Activity in 2025

During the December 10th Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting, Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock focused on the impact of changes on the workforce. He inquired about the initial responses and concerns of frontline staff regarding the changes, how those concerns were managed, and if any major points remained unresolved. He also questioned the potential impact of the changes on recruitment and retention, particularly for social workers, stating: > I'm keen to throw up on the point that Deputy Mayor Bramble was making just there about building confidence in our workforce with these changes. They're obviously as significant for the frontline staff involved in them, as they are for the children and families, as they are for the local authority itself. So what were the initial responses? What were the initial concerns? How have we managed those concerns? Are there any ongoing kind of major points that haven't been resolved? And also, going back to the previous item, has this had any impact? Do you foresee it having any impact on recruitment and retention of any particular staffing groups, particularly social workers?

Meetings in December 2025

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 10 December 2025 7.00 pm - 10 December 2025

Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission, raised concerns about building confidence in the workforce during the implementation of changes. He emphasized the significance of these changes for frontline staff, children, families, and the local authority. He inquired about the initial responses and concerns from staff, how those concerns were managed, and whether any major points remained unresolved. He also questioned whether the changes would impact recruitment and retention, specifically for social workers:

I'm keen to throw up on the point that Deputy Mayor Bramble was making just there about building confidence in our workforce with these changes. They're obviously as significant for the frontline staff involved in them, as they are for the children and families, as they are for the local authority itself. So what were the initial responses? What were the initial concerns? How have we managed those concerns? Are there any ongoing kind of major points that haven't been resolved? And also, going back to the previous item, has this had any impact? Do you foresee it having any impact on recruitment and retention of any particular staffing groups, particularly social workers?

During November 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock's recorded activity was limited to a mention of apologies for lateness at a previous meeting on September 22, 2025. No other statements or actions were documented for him during the Corporate Committee meeting on November 12, 2025.

Meetings in November 2025

Corporate Committee - Wednesday 12 November 2025 6.30 pm - 12 November 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock had apologies for lateness at a previous meeting on Monday 22 September 2025. No other activity or statements from him were recorded in the provided documents for the Corporate Committee meeting on 12 November 2025.

In October 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was active in two council meetings. He requested an extraordinary council meeting on October 23rd to discuss a motion regarding Cut all Council Ties with Israel's Genocide in Gaza . On October 28th, as a member of the Constitution Committee, Binnie-Lubbock raised significant concerns about proposed amendments to Council Procedure Rules. He argued that these amendments unfairly excluded Opposition Group Leaders, potentially bar[ring] Opposition Groups from making a political statement and hindering their ability to present challenges and provide robust scrutiny . He also expressed worries about barriers to public engagement due to restrictions on deputations, public input, and a non-user-friendly electronic petitions system. Binnie-Lubbock suggested that the proposals could effectively halve the available time for opposition-sponsored business and advocated for a more balanced approach, noting that more time was needed to consider the proposals .

Meetings in October 2025

Constitution Committee - Tuesday 28 October 2025 5.30 pm - 28 October 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, a member of the Constitution Committee, raised several significant concerns regarding proposed amendments to Council Procedure Rules during the meeting on 28 October 2025. He highlighted that the proposals appeared to consult the Mayor and Chief Whip of the Labour Group while excluding Opposition Group Leaders, and expressed concern that the amendments would bar Opposition Groups from making a political statement. Binnie-Lubbock emphasized the importance of questions from Opposition Group Councillors as an opportunity for questions to be on the record and to provide robust scrutiny, and noted a material difference in the type of questions raised at Full Council compared to other fora. He argued that a key function of Councillors is to present challenges, and that the proposed restrictions on deputations and public input, coupled with a non-user-friendly electronic petitions system, created barriers to public engagement. He questioned the process for hearing only one petition per meeting and the challenge process for petitions, stating it was important to be able to challenge processes that had not been fully tested or did not work effectively. Binnie-Lubbock also pointed out that the proposed amendments could effectively halve the available time for opposition-sponsored business and suggested reducing the time allocation for opposition business to 30 minutes per meeting while retaining the opportunity, as the current proposal unnecessarily restricted opposition business. He also noted that cancelled Constitution Committee meetings could have facilitated earlier discussion with opposition members and that more time was needed to consider the proposals.

Extraordinary Council Meeting, Council - Thursday 23 October 2025 6.00 pm - 23 October 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was a councillor who requested the extraordinary council meeting on 2025-10-23 to discuss the motion Cut all Council Ties with Israel's Genocide in Gaza .

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 6 October 2025 7.00 pm - 6 October 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock raised questions regarding the housing improvement plan and the new housing management system. He specifically asked whether all expressions of dissatisfaction reported to councillors and officers, as suggested by the Housing Ombudsman, were currently included in the data on complaints.

but my my real question i think you probably are able to answer is um you said that we think the level of complaints is is maybe um peaking um possibly um but the housing ombudsman raised that you know all sort of expressions of dissatisfaction reported to councillors and probably to officers as well should be considered as complaints is that in this data currently um uh do we anticipate that increasing

He also inquired about a potential increase in casework and complaints in the lead-up to the next election, noting a similar increase in member inquiries during the previous election period.

i anticipate we will get more uh expressions of dissatisfaction and maybe more um uh casework um in the run-up to uh the election next year there's uh last year we saw an increase of uh of member inquiries around the election period

During September 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was actively involved in several council meetings, focusing on financial scrutiny, children's well-being, and council operations. In the Scrutiny Panel on September 1st, he questioned the council's budget assumptions, including the real-terms impact of funding reductions and cost pressures in social care and temporary accommodation. He also sought details on the Fair Funding Review's modeling for Hackney and raised concerns about the pension fund's actuarial valuation. At the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission on September 15th, Binnie-Lubbock inquired about standardized behavior policies, the use of exclusions as a last resort, and how improvements in relationship work would be measured. He also asked if the Violence Reduction Unit could monitor the adoption of an inclusion charter. On September 17th, during the Council meeting, he declared an interest in an agenda item related to Citizen's Assemblies due to his employment and asked for clarification on the number of residents who received assistance with pension credit applications. He sent apologies for absence from the Corporate Committee meeting on September 22nd.

Meetings in September 2025

Corporate Committee - Monday 22 September 2025 6.30 pm - 22 September 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock sent apologies for absence from the Corporate Committee meeting held on 19 May 2025. No other activity or statements from him were recorded in the provided document.

Council - Wednesday 17 September 2025 7.00 pm - 17 September 2025

During the Council meeting on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock declared an interest in agenda item 12 due to his employment with an organization that supports and lobbies for Citizen's Assemblies, noting this might be relevant to the item's discussion. He also posed a supplementary question to the Cabinet Member for Finance, Insourcing and Customer Service, asking for clarification on the number of residents who received assistance in applying for pension credit out of the 2,823 individuals mentioned.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 15 September 2025 7.00 pm - 15 September 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock inquired about the standardization and inclusivity of behaviour policies, specifically what school leaders are hearing regarding improvements that support young people's mental health and teacher well-being. He also raised questions about exclusions for persistent, low-level rule-breaking, emphasizing the concept of last resort. While agreeing that relationship work is the way forward, he sought clarification on how gaps would be identified, how improvements would be measured, and who would be responsible for addressing these gaps. Additionally, he asked if the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) could monitor the adoption of the inclusion charter across London boroughs and schools.

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 1 September 2025 7.00 pm - 1 September 2025

During the Scrutiny Panel meeting on September 1, 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated by asking several key questions. He sought clarification on the council's budget assumptions, specifically inquiring about the real-terms impact of a 13.1% reduction in the fair funding estimate and the methodology behind the assumed 100% increase in social care cost pressure and 50% increase in temporary accommodation cost pressure. He also questioned the accuracy of the Fair Funding Review's modeling for Hackney, asking about the proportion of income likely to be impacted, potential transitional arrangements, and ongoing lobbying efforts. Furthermore, Binnie-Lubbock raised concerns about the pension fund's actuarial valuation, noting significant savings over three years and seeking reassurance regarding fiduciary duty in light of these figures.

During the July 23, 2025 Council meeting, Councillor Binnie-Lubbock seconded the nomination of Councillor Davis for Deputy Speaker. He also addressed the Council regarding minutes from the previous meeting, stating he had raised queries with the Governance Team, which were not substantial and would be handled post-meeting. Furthermore, Councillor Binnie-Lubbock raised a point of order, referencing Part 4A, Paragraph 18.5 of the Council procedure.

Meetings in July 2025

Council - Wednesday 23 July 2025 7.00 pm - 23 July 2025

Councillor Binnie-Lubbock seconded the nomination of Councillor Davis for Deputy Speaker. He also informed the Council that he had raised queries with the Governance Team regarding the minutes of the previous meeting, noting that these were not substantial alterations and would be addressed after the meeting. Additionally, Councillor Binnie-Lubbock raised a point of order, citing Part 4A, Paragraph 18.5 of the Council procedure.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 22 July 2025 7.00 pm - 22 July 2025

Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock is a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission. He attempted to ask a question about A-level provisions but was not permitted to due to time constraints. Later, he questioned the panel on behaviour management and school inclusion, specifically focusing on the role of behaviour policies in exclusion rates and other consequences like detentions. He inquired about standardisation and inclusion, asking what school leaders are saying about improving behaviour policies to be more inclusive and supportive of mental health and teacher wellbeing. He also raised concerns about high exclusion levels in Hackney, particularly for persistent rule-breaking, and questioned whether exclusions are truly a 'last resort' in such cases, given the potentially devastating impact on a child's life. He highlighted the frustration of teachers who spend time addressing minor infractions and linked this to potential zero-tolerance behaviour policies. He concluded by asking for the panel's thoughts on exclusions for persistent rule-breaking and the concept of 'last resort'.

Yeah, similar area. You mentioned behaviour policies could be part of the differences in exclusion rates. And I assume the same is true for other consequences such as detentions, etc. So I'm wondering if there are any issues around standardisation or inclusion. And what are you hearing from your school leaders about how we can improve behaviour policies to be more inclusive and support mental health of young people and the wellbeing of teachers? And I suppose that just a final question for me, which is about the fact that, well, certainly I can speak in relation to Hackney around, you know, we have some of the highest exclusion levels in London. And most of the exclusions of a persistent rule breaking. So I personally struggle with when we say last resort, and I hear last resort combined with persistent rule breaking, in particular, if that's considered low level when considering the points that Councillor Gordon mentioned about it being such as having such a exclusion, having such a devastating impact on a child's life, being permanently excluded for persistent rule breaking, which we also heard from contributors from the teachers unions talking about they didn't come into education to be giving children's attention to dropping pens on the floor and walking into a class with a coat on. But that's what they are having to do repeatedly. So I wondered what and perhaps that speaks somewhat to your point around zero tolerance behaviour policies, which I think we have heard people feel that that is the case in many of the schools in our borough. So I wondered what your thoughts were on exclusions for persistent rule breaking and last resort.

During June 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock attended the Extra-ordinary Scrutiny Panel meeting on June 12th as a member. No specific statements or actions were recorded for him during this meeting.

Meetings in June 2025

Extra-ordinary, Scrutiny Panel - Thursday 12 June 2025 7.00 pm - 12 June 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was present at the Extra-ordinary, Scrutiny Panel meeting on Thursday, 12 June 2025, as a member of the panel. No specific statements or actions were recorded for him in the provided transcript.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 2 June 2025 7.00 pm - 2 June 2025

According to the transcript, Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was absent from the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on June 2, 2025, and apologies were received on his behalf. However, the minutes from a previous meeting (April 30th) indicate he was in attendance at that meeting, though there is no record of him speaking or taking any specific actions during that meeting.

During the May 14, 2025 Annual Meeting, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, representing the Green group, proposed amendments to the council's budget. He criticized the Labour Government's policies for causing austerity and cuts to essential services, stating, > The Labour Government's policies were leading to further austerity and cuts to essential services. He argued that the budget presented a pessimistic outlook for vulnerable residents and that > The Council's financial challenges were largely due to external factors and delayed action. Binnie-Lubbock advocated for investment and fair contributions from those who could afford it, expressing disappointment that the administration had not supported the Green group's wealth tax motion. He highlighted that the Green group's amendments were designed to > address structural inequalities, improve services, and invest in Hackney's youth and cultural life. Specifically, he called for the reversal of planned cuts to affordable childcare, library hours, and youth services, emphasizing the importance of investing in youth services and minimizing reductions to the voluntary and community sector. He also suggested that > Earlier, strategic use of Council reserves for 'invest to save' initiatives could have reduced the budget deficit. Binnie-Lubbock concluded that the budget's cuts and continued austerity lacked a vision of hope and were not what residents had voted for, stating, > The budget's cuts to vital services and continued austerity, without a vision of hope, were not what the residents had voted for.

Meetings in May 2025

Corporate Committee - Monday 19 May 2025 6.30 pm - 19 May 2025

Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock is listed as a member of the Corporate Committee. There is no indication in the provided document that he spoke or took any specific action during the meeting.

Annual Meeting, Council - Wednesday 14 May 2025 7.00 pm - 14 May 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, on behalf of the Green group, proposed amendments to the council's budget. He argued that the Labour Government's policies were causing austerity and cuts to essential services, leading to a pessimistic outlook for vulnerable residents. Binnie-Lubbock advocated for sensible investment and ensuring those who could afford it paid their fair share, expressing disappointment that the administration had not supported the Green group's wealth tax motion. He stated that the Green group's amendments were designed to tackle structural inequalities, enhance services, and invest in Hackney's youth and cultural life. He specifically called for the reversal of planned cuts to affordable childcare, library hours, and youth services, highlighting the crucial need for investment in youth services and minimizing reductions to the voluntary and community sector. Binnie-Lubbock also noted that some of the Green group's prior budget amendments had been integrated into the administration's budget and urged for the current amendments to be seriously considered. He asserted that > The Labour Government's policies were leading to further austerity and cuts to essential services. and that > The budget presented a pessimistic outlook for vulnerable residents. He also commented that > The Council's financial challenges were largely due to external factors and delayed action. and that > The Green group's proposed amendments aimed to address structural inequalities, improve services, and invest in Hackney's youth and cultural life. Furthermore, he suggested that > Earlier, strategic use of Council reserves for 'invest to save' initiatives could have reduced the budget deficit. and concluded that > The budget's cuts to vital services and continued austerity, without a vision of hope, were not what the residents had voted for.

During April 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was active in several council meetings, focusing on procedural matters, policy inquiries, and specific health-related issues. In the Constitution Committee meeting on April 8th, he questioned the scope of requests for the committee's work programme and expressed concerns about changes to deputations to Full Council, arguing they disempowered Full Council and Members. On April 10th, at the Scrutiny Panel, he declared an interest related to the Climate Citizens Jury selection process and probed the Net Zero Review Update, seeking details on savings, staffing and budget reviews, waste energy utilization, and district heating networks. His participation in the Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission on April 23rd was extensive, where he raised questions about youth service inclusivity, institutional buy-in, funding allocation, and the use of the QB test for ADHD diagnosis. He also inquired about the impact of primary school initiatives on school detentions and exclusions. Binnie-Lubbock shared personal reflections on autism, emphasizing its positive aspects and the potential for misunderstanding within diagnostic frameworks. He expressed gratitude for teacher training but voiced concern about autistic children being singled out as needing special help, and highlighted a quote from a report to illustrate the authentic experiences of autistic individuals.

Meetings in April 2025

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 30 April 2025 7.00 pm - 30 April 2025

Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock is listed as a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission. However, the provided reports pack contains no record of him speaking or taking any specific action during the meeting.

Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 23 April 2025 7.00 pm - 23 April 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated in the Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting on April 23, 2025, by asking several key questions and sharing personal reflections. He inquired about the inclusivity of services for young people, the process of gaining buy-in from institutions like academies, and how funding for services is allocated post-assessment. He also sought clarification on the use of the NICE-approved computer-based QB test for ADHD diagnosis within the borough, asking for the percentage of its use. Furthermore, he questioned whether initiatives implemented in primary schools were leading to a reduction in school detentions and exclusions, drawing a parallel to the challenges faced by children who are often excluded. Binnie-Lubbock also shared his personal perspective on autism, emphasizing its beauty and the potential for autistic individuals to be misunderstood within medical or diagnostic frameworks. He expressed gratitude for training initiatives for teachers but voiced concern about autistic children being singled out as needing special help, potentially making them feel like something is wrong with them. He highlighted a quote from page 29 of a report, I'm smarter than teachers expect me to be. And I don't like teachers calling my name again and again when I'm already listening, as an authentic experience of autism that should not be lost in the process.

Scrutiny Panel - Thursday 10 April 2025 7.00 pm - 10 April 2025

During the Scrutiny Panel meeting on April 10, 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock declared an interest due to his work with an organization involved in the Climate Citizens Jury selection process. He also posed questions during the Net Zero Review Update, inquiring about the status of outlined savings and the relationship between the staffing review and the budget review process. Additionally, he sought information regarding the utilization of waste energy from the Edmonton incinerator and London's advancements in district heating networks.

Constitution Committee - Tuesday 8 April 2025 5.30 pm - 8 April 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock inquired about the possibility of including other titles in requests for items on the committee's work programme, to which Louise Humphreys clarified that any Member of Council could make such a request. He also commented on changes to deputations to Full Council, noting their real impact. Humphreys explained these changes were due to deputations being permissible at more council meetings and that it was inappropriate for a motion to be re-heard within six months if a deputation had already been heard. Binnie-Lubbock expressed concern that this approach disempowered Full Council and Members, as deputations did not necessitate action, unlike motions. He further observed that motions had been identified for improvement and suggested implementing any changes for the new municipal year as a baseline for testing.

During February 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock participated in the Council meeting on February 26th. In this meeting, he abstained from voting on the Council Taxbase and Local Business Rates Income for 2025/26.

Meetings in February 2025

2025-26 Budget Setting, Council - Wednesday 26 February 2025 7.00 pm - 26 February 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock abstained from voting on the Council Taxbase and Local Business Rates Income for 2025/26.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 25 February 2025 7.00 pm - 25 February 2025

Based on the provided documents, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock's specific contributions or statements during the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on February 25, 2025, are not mentioned. The transcript excerpt focuses on Charlotte Rayner's presentation regarding the Children and Young People's Mental Health Coalition's inquiry into behavior and mental health in schools.

In January 2025, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock attended the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on January 13th. He was also a vocal participant in the Council meeting on January 29th, where he spoke in support of a petition to end the twinning relationship with Haifa and raised a point of order regarding the motion. Representing the Green Group, Binnie-Lubbock addressed both global and local issues. Globally, he referenced significant events like the election of Donald Trump, fatal floods, extreme weather, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, urging the Council to take action and call for justice and peace. He also stated the Green Party's opposition to arming countries involved in atrocities. Locally, he expressed concern over the police's use of live facial recognition and criticized the Council's prioritization of punitive responses rather than preventative services, citing the purchase of e-bikes for the police over youth services. He also conveyed disappointment with recent Cabinet decisions.

Meetings in January 2025

Council - Setting of Council Tax and Local Business Rates 2025/26, Council - Wednesday 29 January 2025 7.00 pm - 29 January 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock spoke in support of the petition to end the twinning relationship with Haifa. He raised a point of order requesting an amendment to the motion regarding the petition, which was ruled out of order. Speaking on behalf of the Green Group, he relayed condolences and addressed both global and local matters. He referenced significant global events such as the election of Donald Trump, fatal floods, extreme weather, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, stating these required the Council's attention and action. He also expressed the Green Party's opposition to arming countries complicit in atrocities and urged the Council to call for justice, peace, and an end to violence. Locally, he mentioned observing the police use live facial recognition and expressed concern that the Council prioritized punitive responses rather than preventative services, citing the purchase of e-bikes for the police over investment in youth services. He also conveyed disappointment with recent Cabinet decisions.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 13 January 2025 7.00 pm - 20 January 2025

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission and was in attendance at the meeting on January 13, 2025. His attendance at the previous meeting on December 11, 2024, was also noted in the minutes. No specific statements or actions were recorded for him during this meeting.

Throughout 2024, Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock demonstrated a consistent commitment to scrutiny and oversight across various council functions. His activities centered on key areas including children and young people's services, council property, financial health, and sustainability. He actively questioned the effectiveness of policing support for primary school children and the resource allocation for engagement activities. Binnie-Lubbock also raised concerns about vacated school buildings, the exclusion of older buildings from solar panel studies, and the prioritization of climate action, noting underspends. He rigorously examined the council's financial reserves and demand prediction assumptions. In relation to children's services, he sought detailed information on social care action plan governance, data sharing, and support for childcare providers. He expressed disappointment regarding discussions on school mergers and closures, advocating for genuine consideration of staff and pupil integration and lobbying for inflation-indexed per-pupil funding. Binnie-Lubbock also requested data on residential lift downtime and participated in the interview process for key council appointments. He was a signatory of a call-in request for a significant transformation project.

Monthly Activity in 2024

In December 2024, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was invited to participate as a stakeholder member in the interview process for the permanent appointment of the Monitoring Officer and Director of Legal, Democratic & Electoral Services.

Meetings in December 2024

Extraordinary, Council - Tuesday 17 December 2024 6.00 pm, NEW - 17 December 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was invited to participate as a stakeholder member in the interview process for the permanent appointment of the Monitoring Officer and Director of Legal, Democratic & Electoral Services.

In November 2024, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was active in council meetings, focusing on scrutiny and procedural matters. He was a signatory of a call-in request for the Executive Decision CES382 Amhurst Road/Pembury Circus Transformation. During the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission, he expressed disappointment that discussions on school mergers and closures did not adequately address genuine school mergers of staff and pupils and questioned the council's consultation plans with school leaders and efforts to lobby for inflation-indexed per-pupil funding. At the Council meeting, he asked about the council's learnings from past school closures concerning stakeholder engagement and decision-making, and requested data on residential lift downtime over the past 24 months. He also proposed a procedural motion to extend the meeting's end time, which was not carried.

Meetings in November 2024

Council - Wednesday 27 November 2024 7.00 pm - 27 November 2024

During the Council meeting on November 27, 2024, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated by asking two key questions. He inquired about the Council's learnings from past school closures regarding stakeholder engagement and decision-making processes for keeping schools open. He also asked for data on the number of days residential lifts, managed by the council, have been out of action over the past 24 months. Additionally, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock proposed a procedural motion to extend the meeting's end time from 10 pm to 10:30 pm, which, despite being seconded, was not carried.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 26 November 2024 7.00 pm - 26 November 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock voiced his disappointment that the discussion on school mergers and closures did not sufficiently cover genuine school mergers of staff and pupils. He inquired about the council's plans to consult school leaders on this aspect and incorporate it into future consultation documents, citing new statutory guidance for maintained schools. Additionally, he raised concerns regarding the potential for deficits from closed schools to be written off and asked about efforts to lobby for per-pupil funding to be indexed with inflation.

Special Meeting, Scrutiny Panel - Monday 11 November 2024 7.00 pm - 11 November 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was a signatory of the call-in request for the Executive Decision CES382 Amhurst Road/Pembury Circus Transformation.

During October 2024, Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated in two council meetings, demonstrating a keen focus on financial oversight and the well-being of children and young people. In the Scrutiny Panel meeting on October 7th, he rigorously questioned the council's financial health, probing into the depletion rate of financial reserves, the impact of specified reserves and grants, and the accuracy of demand prediction assumptions. He also raised concerns about climate spending, highlighting underspends and questioning the prioritization of climate action. In the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on October 14th, Binnie-Lubbock sought detailed information on the governance and oversight of the social care action plan, the interrelation of key boards, and the processes for improving data sharing. He further inquired about practical support for childcare providers, including grants for premises and preparedness for the anticipated increase in childcare demand.

Meetings in October 2024

Constitution Committee - Tuesday 29 October 2024 5.30 pm - 29 October 2024

Cllr Alastair Binnie-Lubbock is a member of the Constitution Committee and was present at the meeting on October 29, 2024. He was also present at the meeting held on Wednesday 12 July 2023. He was appointed to the committee on 24 July 2024.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 14 October 2024 7.00 pm - 14 October 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated in the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on October 14, 2024, by posing several key questions. He sought clarification on the internal governance and oversight systems for the action plan aimed at improving children's social care, specifically asking how these systems ensure improvements and if they are integrated within existing resources. He also inquired about the distinct roles of the Improving Outcomes for Children Board and the Corporate Parenting Board and how they interrelate.

Furthermore, Binnie-Lubbock questioned the review and measurement processes for improving data sharing across the system to eliminate silos. He also raised concerns about the practical support for local childcare providers, asking about available grants for premises development to meet increased demand and the planning in place to prepare providers for the significant rise in childcare needs expected in September 2025 due to the expansion of free childcare hours.

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 7 October 2024 7.00 pm - 7 October 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively engaged in the Scrutiny Panel meeting on October 7, 2024, by posing several critical questions regarding the council's financial health and climate action. He sought clarification on the council's financial reserves, particularly their depletion rate if service demand continues to rise, and asked for details on how specified reserves and grants affect the overall reserves. Binnie-Lubbock also questioned the definition and impact of other earmarked reserves and expressed skepticism about the accuracy of revised assumptions for demand prediction, citing the recent unexpected overspend. Furthermore, he raised concerns about climate spending, highlighting underspends on regeneration and the social housing decarbonisation fund, and inquired about the potential risks of not meeting climate action plan targets, questioning if climate action was being de-prioritized.

During September 2024, Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively engaged in council meetings, focusing on issues related to children and young people, as well as council property and sustainability. In the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting on September 11th, he sought evidence for increased contact between Safer Schools Officers and primary school children, asking,

The MPS suggest that it would be desirable for the SSO to have greater contact with primary school aged children, what evidence is there to support this move?

He also questioned the impact of a new 20-point selection menu for engagement activities on policing support and resource allocation, inquiring,

Does the new 20pt selection menu mean more or less policing support than before?

and

Will the same level of resource be provided in this new approach to the SSP?

In the Council meeting on September 18th, Binnie-Lubbock raised questions about vacated school buildings with the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care. He also questioned the Mayor regarding the exclusion of older buildings from a solar panel feasibility study and introduced a deputation from Plant Based Councils and Plant Based Treaty.

Meetings in September 2024

Council - Wednesday 18 September 2024 7.00 pm - 18 September 2024

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock actively participated in the Council meeting on September 18, 2024. He posed questions to the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care concerning vacated school buildings. Additionally, he questioned the Mayor about the exclusion of older buildings (pre-2005) from a feasibility study for solar panel installations on council properties. Binnie-Lubbock also introduced a deputation from Plant Based Councils and Plant Based Treaty.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 11 September 2024 7.00 pm - 11 September 2024

Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock raised two key questions during the meeting. Firstly, he sought evidence to support the MPS's suggestion for increased contact between Safer Schools Officers (SSOs) and primary school-aged children, asking: > The MPS suggest that it would be desirable for the SSO to have greater contact with primary school aged children, what evidence is there to support this move?

Secondly, he questioned the impact of the new 20-point selection menu for engagement activities, inquiring whether it would lead to more or less policing support compared to the previous system: > Does the new 20pt selection menu mean more or less policing support than before?

He further followed up on this point by asking about resource allocation: > Will the same level of resource be provided in this new approach to the SSP?

Alastair Binnie-Lubbock's service as a Councillor had ended prior to May 2024. At the Corporate Committee meeting on May 20, 2024, the Committee thanked him for his previous membership and work.

Meetings in May 2024

Corporate Committee - Monday 20 May 2024 6.30 pm - 20 May 2024

According to the minutes of the previous meeting (February 2024 Council meeting), Alastair Binnie-Lubbock was no longer a Councillor at the time of that meeting. The Committee thanked him for his previous membership and work.