Glasgow City Council Agenda - 01 November 2018, 13:00 Help

A meeting to be held at City Chambers, Glasgow at 13:00 on 01 November 2018.

Number Item
1Minutes of previous meeting of 13th September 2018 (Print 4, pages 249 to 259). View Papers
2Print 4 - Committees' minutes - Consideration of paragraphs marked "C", remaining paragraphs being submitted for information and approval as a correct record only (page 260 onwards). View Papers
3Changes to committees etc :-  View Papers
(a)Local Licensing Forum - Remove John Hynes and appoint Lise Fisher, Community Safety Glasgow; and
(b)Operational Performance and Delivery Scrutiny Committee - Appoint Dr Martin Bartos as Vice Convener.
4Representation on outside bodies :-  View Papers
(a)Business Loans Scotland - Remove Councillor Allan Gow and appoint Graham Smith, Development and Regeneration Services, as Director; and
(b)West of Scotland Loan Fund Ltd - Remove Councillor Allan Gow and appoint Graham Smith, Development and Regeneration Services as Director.
5Correspondence - Letter from Scottish Government in response to Council motion on Transient Visitors Tax. View Papers
6Questions. View Papers
7Notices of motions.
(a)By Councillor Susan Aitken:-

"Council welcomes the publication of the Fraser of Allander report 'Brexit and the Glasgow City Region' which was launched at the Brexit summit held in Glasgow City Chambers on 2nd October 2018 and notes with concern the very serious consequences, highlighted in the report, for the Glasgow economy of leaving the EU, Single Market and Customs Union.

Council notes that the people of Glasgow voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and believes that this remains the best option for the social and economic wellbeing of the city.

Council agrees that, short of this outcome, the 'least worst' option for Glasgow would be a plan in which the UK remains a member of the Single Market and Customs Union; and further agrees that a No Deal scenario would be catastrophic for ordinary people here and across the UK. Council endorses calls, including from the First Minister, for an extension of the transition period to avert a cliff-edge scenario when the UK leaves the EU.

Council also notes on-going discussion around a second 'People's Vote' and urges Glasgow's MPs to support this opportunity.

Council instructs the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union highlighting the evidence compiled in the Fraser of Allander report and setting out the Council's position as agreed above; and further instructs the Chief Executive to establish how the Council can use its role as a provider of information and advice to support EU citizens in Glasgow through the process of having to apply for settled status by June 2021, as well as Glaswegians with family living in the EU." View Papers
(b)By Councillor Frank McAveety:-

"Council notes the recent interim report by the Fraser of Allander Institute into the impacts of Brexit on the Glasgow City Region. These preliminary assessments suggest that over 20,000 jobs in Glasgow City are supported by exports to the European Union, and over 40,000 in the wider city region.

Further, Council notes that there were over 57,000 EU nationals living in the Glasgow City Region in 2017. These citizens play a full role in the life of our city, are likely to be younger and more likely to be in work.

Council believes that Brexit poses a significant risk to Glasgow's economy; that the EU's environmental regulation and social protections are beneficial to Glasgow citizens; and the ending of freedom of movement is contrary to the values of this Council.

Council considers that the potential impacts of Brexit have only become widely evident and understood post Referendum while the subsequent handling of Brexit negotiations has not been in working people's best interests.

Council further considers that any Brexit deal should be judged using six tests. These are, does a Brexit deal:

1. ensure a strong and collaborative future relationship with the EU;
2. deliver the "exact same benefits" as we currently have as members of Single Market and the Customs Union;
3. ensure the fair management of migration in the interests of the economy and communities;
4. defend rights and protections and prevent a race to the bottom;
5. protect national security and our capacity to tackle cross-border crime; and
6. does it deliver for all regions and nations of the UK?

Therefore, Council resolves to support the campaign for a referendum on the terms of a Brexit deal where, in the event that these six tests are not met, remaining inside the European Union is an option on the ballot paper; calls on the Government of the United Kingdom to bring forward such a vote in time for such a vote to be held before March 2019; calls on COSLA, as the representative body of Local Authorities in Scotland, to join these calls and take a collective position; and instructs the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and representatives of COSLA in these terms."  View Papers
(c)By Councillor Euan Blockley:-

"Council believes that good quality pupil assessments are an essential tool to assist teachers to improve education standards and to ensure pupils receive a good quality education.

Council notes that the Scottish Parliament recently voted to stop testing at the Primary 1 stage. Council notes that this was after concerns raised by parents, teachers and education professionals.

Council agrees that although formal, standardised testing is essential in Primary 4 and Primary 7, it should not happen in Primary 1 where it cannot deliver the same meaningful results. Council notes that Glasgow does not currently carry out Primary 1 tests.

Recognising the Scottish Parliament vote against this testing in Primary 1 and the subsequent will of MSPs who voted based on clear and concise information as to whether the new Primary 1 tests are in line with the play-based learning philosophy of the early years provision in the curriculum for excellence, Council therefore resolves that these tests should not be introduced at the Primary 1 stage in Glasgow.

Further, Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Scottish Government to inform them of this Council's opposition to Primary 1 testing and to express this Council's belief that these tests should be scrapped across Scotland in light of the parliamentary vote against them." View Papers
(d)By Councillor Martha Wardrop:-

"Council notes the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which provides a stark account of the catastrophic environmental breakdown we can expect if global mean surface temperature increases by more than 1.5C compared with pre-industrial levels.

Council notes the report concludes that we have only 12 years to prevent climate breakdown and therefore believes that there is an overwhelming need for radical, urgent and systemic action at local, national and international levels.

Council recognises that in Glasgow and across Scotland, there has been progress made to reduce emissions, but there are also areas such as transport, agriculture and renewable heat where urgent action is necessary.

Council therefore agrees to support the strongest possible commitments in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill, including a target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Council further agrees to inject fresh urgency and impetus into its own emissions reduction efforts, including supporting the review of its energy and carbon masterplan and ensuring full implementation of its energy policy across all services." View Papers
(e)By Councillor Mandy Morgan:-

"Council notes that the roll out of Universal Credit began in Glasgow at the beginning of October. Council notes that evidence from other local authority areas where roll-out has already taken place shows that Universal Credit has pushed many into debt, food and fuel poverty, and homelessness, as a result of being left without money for many weeks because of the delayed waiting time for payment, as well as reduced benefits.

Council notes the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has herself admitted that some claimants will be £200 per month worse off as a result of Universal Credit and believes that - combined with the cumulative impact of other UK government policies such as benefit sanctions, the benefits cap and freeze, and the family cap - the roll-out of Universal Credit in Glasgow will have a potentially devastating effect for many families and individuals.

Council welcomes and appreciates the supportive comments of the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Social Secretary & Older People who visited Ibrox Community Hub to see our financial and digital inclusion approach with our partners and how this can assist all of our citizens affected by the roll out of universal credit.

Council believes however that only a halt to the roll out of Universal Credit will prevent many more people being pushed into poverty in Glasgow; calls on the UK government to do so immediately and to ensure that no-one in the city who has moved on to Universal Credit is left in hardship because of their migration onto this structurally flawed benefit." View Papers
(f)By Councillor Elaine McDougall:-

"Council notes the recent announcement by Richard Leonard MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, and Pauline McNeill MSP, an elected representative of this city, for a 'Mary Barbour Law' to help solve Scotland's Housing Crisis. Such a law would empower residents in the ever expanding Private Rented Sector and help to control unaffordable rent increases by linking increases in rents to improvements in standards.

Council further notes that Mary Barbour, a former Bailie of this city, was a leader of the famous Rent Strikes in 1915 which led to the Rents and Mortgage Interest Restriction Act of that same year.

Council believes that a Mary Barbour Law is necessary given the increase in the Private Rented Sector in Glasgow, which has more than doubled since 2001, and that increases in rents have outstripped increases in wages, pushing higher the cost of living for young adults and families with children, who constitute the majority of tenants in the Private Rented Sector.

Council welcomes recent increases in funding available for house building in Glasgow in future years, after successive budgets which constrained the ability to meet demand for new socially rented and mid-market rent housing. However, it also recognises that this increase in funding is a response to the emerging housing crisis that is taking place in the country.
Council therefore resolves to support calls for a Mary Barbour Law and Pauline McNeill MSP's proposed Members' Bill, and instructs the Chief Executive to write to Ms McNeill outlining the Council's support for her Members' Bill."  View Papers
8Emergency motion by Councillor Susan Aitken. View Papers
9Emergency motion by Councillor Martin McElroy. View Papers