1.     The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Asif Khan and seconded by Councillor Karen Collett

 

“Charter Against Modern Slavery

?This council believes that modern slavery is on of the great evils of our time and that it needs to be stamped out. In order to do this, and reflect the views of the people of the town, we will sign the charter against modern slavery as mentioned below. 

 

Watford Borough Council will:

1. Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2. Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for noncompliance.

3. Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4. Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5. Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6. Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern

slavery.

7. Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8. Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9. Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding

modern slavery.

10. Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.”

 

2.     The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Turmaine

 

“The Windrush generation of migrants came to the United Kingdom on the Empire Windrush between 1948 and 1971. Hundreds of thousands of people have made their homes here to build a better life and contribute to our country.

 

In 1971 they were granted indefinite leave to remain. However, as a result of government legislation in 2012, children who had come to the UK but had no documentation were subject to administrative chaos and considered to be appropriate for deportation.

The injustice that some of the Windrush generation have been subject to, through no fault of their own, has come to the fore again with the recent deporting of people and the Commons Public Accounts Committee accusing the government of complacency in dealing with this issue and that it had “failed to take ownership.”

Immigration into the UK and specifically from the Windrush generation, has brought massive benefits to our National Health Service, public services and the economy in general.

This council agrees to write to the Home Secretary via the Elected Mayor to:

Oppose the criminalisation of Windrush families.

Introduce support for the Celebrate Windrush Day.

Call on government to hold a public enquiry into the treatment of Windrush victims.

Offer support and signposting to any Watford residents impacted by the crisis.”

 

3.     The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Sharpe and seconded by the Mayor

“Watford Borough Council:

Welcomes the recent announcement by West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust reiterating its position in favour of retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital and potentially providing new and improved clinical facilities at the hospital, benefitting NHS patients in Watford and across West Hertfordshire.

Reiterates its view that Watford General Hospital is the best, most accessible and sustainable location available in West Hertfordshire for providing these services, with good public and private transport links and located within an urban area.

Opposes continued attempts to promote an alternative site for these services, believing that this fruitless quest will merely delay much-needed improvements, inevitably involve relocation to a less-accessible site and mean the decline of Watford General Hospital.

Recognises that its past co-operation with the hospital has played a significant part in retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital, including:
•          Construction of Thomas Sawyer Way, which has improved emergency response times and ensured the hospital is more accessible to patients and staff living outside Watford.
•          Use of council land to enable hospital improvements – leading to the recent grant of planning permission for a new car park serving the hospital, which in turn enables the existing car park land to be used for improved hospital facilities.

 

Without such decisions the retention of an acute and emergency hospital in Watford would have been in jeopardy.

Reiterates its commitment to working with West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust and other relevant NHS bodies to enable to provision of better healthcare facilities at Watford General Hospital.

Notes the £350 million cap on new investment across West Hertfordshire but believes this should be increased to provide the level of improvements needed by local NHS patients.

Calls upon Watford’s MP and the government to find ways of providing additional investment to ensure there are lasting, high-quality services at Watford General Hospital.”
 

 

Motions submitted under council procedure rule 13.0

 

Council was informed that three motions had been received. 

 

Motion 1

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Asif Khan and seconded by Councillor Karen Collett

 

“Charter Against Modern Slavery

 

This council believes that modern slavery is one of the great evils of our time and that it needs to be stamped out. In order to do this, and reflect the views of the people of the town, we will sign the charter against modern slavery as mentioned below.

 

Watford Borough Council will:

 

1. Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2. Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for noncompliance.

3. Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4. Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5. Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6. Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

7. Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8. Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9. Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

10. Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.”

 

Members debated the motion.

On being put to Council the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Charter Against Modern Slavery

 

This council believes that modern slavery is one of the great evils of our time and that it needs to be stamped out. In order to do this, and reflect the views of the people of the town, we will sign the charter against modern slavery as mentioned below.

 

Watford Borough Council will:

1. Train its corporate procurement team to understand modern slavery through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) online course on Ethical Procurement and Supply.

2. Require its contractors to comply fully with the Modern Slavery Act 2015, wherever it applies, with contract termination as a potential sanction for noncompliance.

3. Challenge any abnormally low-cost tenders to ensure they do not rely upon the potential contractor practising modern slavery.

4. Highlight to its suppliers that contracted workers are free to join a trade union and are not to be treated unfairly for belonging to one.

5. Publicise its whistle-blowing system for staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

6. Require its tendered contractors to adopt a whistle-blowing policy which enables their staff to blow the whistle on any suspected examples of modern slavery.

7. Review its contractual spending regularly to identify any potential issues with modern slavery.

8. Highlight for its suppliers any risks identified concerning modern slavery and refer them to the relevant agencies to be addressed.

9. Refer for investigation via the National Crime Agency’s national referral mechanism any of its contractors identified as a cause for concern regarding modern slavery.

10. Report publicly on the implementation of this policy annually.

 

Motion 2

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Matt Turmaine and seconded by Councillor Jagtar Singh Dhindsa

 

“The Windrush generation of migrants came to the United Kingdom on the Empire Windrush between 1948 and 1971. Hundreds of thousands of people have made their homes here to build a better life and contribute to our country.

 

In 1971 they were granted indefinite leave to remain. However, as a result of government legislation in 2012, children who had come to the UK but had no documentation were subject to administrative chaos and considered to be appropriate for deportation.

 

The injustice that some of the Windrush generation have been subject to, through no fault of their own, has come to the fore again with the recent deporting of people and the Commons Public Accounts Committee accusing the government of complacency in dealing with this issue and that it had “failed to take ownership.”

 

Immigration into the UK and specifically from the Windrush generation, has brought massive benefits to our National Health Service, public services and the economy in general.

This council agrees to write to the Home Secretary via the Elected Mayor to:

 

Oppose the criminalisation of Windrush families.

Introduce support for the Celebrate Windrush Day.

Call on government to hold a public enquiry into the treatment of Windrush victims.

Offer support and signposting to any Watford residents impacted by the crisis.”

 

Members debated the motion.

 

On being put to Council the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

The Windrush generation of migrants came to the United Kingdom on the Empire Windrush between 1948 and 1971. Hundreds of thousands of people have made their homes here to build a better life and contribute to our country.

 

In 1971 they were granted indefinite leave to remain. However, as a result of government legislation in 2012, children who had come to the UK but had no documentation were subject to administrative chaos and considered to be appropriate for deportation.

 

The injustice that some of the Windrush generation have been subject to, through no fault of their own, has come to the fore again with the recent deporting of people and the Commons Public Accounts Committee accusing the government of complacency in dealing with this issue and that it had “failed to take ownership.”

 

Immigration into the UK and specifically from the Windrush generation, has brought massive benefits to our National Health Service, public services and the economy in general.

 

This council agrees to write to the Home Secretary via the Elected Mayor to:

 

Oppose the criminalisation of Windrush families.

Introduce support for the Celebrate Windrush Day.

Call on government to hold a public enquiry into the treatment of Windrush victims.

Offer support and signposting to any Watford residents impacted by the crisis.

 

Motion 3

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Sharpe and seconded by the Mayor

 

“Watford Borough Council:

 

Welcomes the recent announcement by West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust reiterating its position in favour of retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital and potentially providing new and improved clinical facilities at the hospital, benefitting NHS patients in Watford and across West Hertfordshire.

 

Reiterates its view that Watford General Hospital is the best, most accessible and sustainable location available in West Hertfordshire for providing these services, with good public and private transport links and located within an urban area.

 

Opposes continued attempts to promote an alternative site for these services, believing that this fruitless quest will merely delay much-needed improvements, inevitably involve relocation to a less-accessible site and mean the decline of Watford General Hospital.

 

Recognises that its past co-operation with the hospital has played a significant part in retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital, including:

•     Construction of Thomas Sawyer Way, which has improved emergency response times and ensured the hospital is more accessible to patients and staff living outside Watford.

•     Use of council land to enable hospital improvements – leading to the recent grant of planning permission for a new car park serving the hospital, which in turn enables the existing car park land to be used for improved hospital facilities.

 

Without such decisions the retention of an acute and emergency hospital in Watford would have been in jeopardy.

 

Reiterates its commitment to working with West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust and other relevant NHS bodies to enable to provision of better healthcare facilities at Watford General Hospital.

 

Notes the £350 million cap on new investment across West Hertfordshire but believes this should be increased to provide the level of improvements needed by local NHS patients.

 

Calls upon Watford’s MP and the government to find ways of providing additional investment to ensure there are lasting, high-quality services at Watford General Hospital.”

 

Councillor Bell moved the following amendment to the original motion; it was seconded by Councillor Bashir

 

“To remove the last paragraph of the motion and insert –

 

This Council unanimously calls on our Conservative M.P. to demand that his Conservative Govt. show that austerity is over (as Theresa May said it was) by providing the full funding needed for a world class hospital here in Watford.”

 

Councillor Sharpe accepted the amendment into the motion.

 

Members debated the substantive motion.

 

On being put to Council the substantive motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Watford Borough Council:

 

Welcomes the recent announcement by West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust reiterating its position in favour of retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital and potentially providing new and improved clinical facilities at the hospital, benefitting NHS patients in Watford and across West Hertfordshire.

 

Reiterates its view that Watford General Hospital is the best, most accessible and sustainable location available in West Hertfordshire for providing these services, with good public and private transport links and located within an urban area.

 

Opposes continued attempts to promote an alternative site for these services, believing that this fruitless quest will merely delay much-needed improvements, inevitably involve relocation to a less-accessible site and mean the decline of Watford General Hospital.

 

Recognises that its past co-operation with the hospital has played a significant part in retaining acute and emergency services at Watford General Hospital, including:

•     Construction of Thomas Sawyer Way, which has improved emergency response times and ensured the hospital is more accessible to patients and staff living outside Watford.

•     Use of council land to enable hospital improvements – leading to the recent grant of planning permission for a new car park serving the hospital, which in turn enables the existing car park land to be used for improved hospital facilities.

 

Without such decisions the retention of an acute and emergency hospital in Watford would have been in jeopardy.

 

Reiterates its commitment to working with West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust and other relevant NHS bodies to enable to provision of better healthcare facilities at Watford General Hospital.

 

Notes the £350 million cap on new investment across West Hertfordshire but believes this should be increased to provide the level of improvements needed by local NHS patients.

 

This Council unanimously calls on our Conservative M.P. to demand that his Conservative Govt. show that austerity is over (as Theresa May said it was) by providing the full funding needed for a world class hospital here in Watford.