Spark newsletter, 11 March 1985
Object
Newsletter
Production date
11/03/1985
Object number
2024.64
Physical Description
A4 newsletter titled 'Spark', 3 single pages printed on both sides. Produced by Hackney Community Action, edition No. 5, published on Monday 11 March 1985.
Associated Organisation
Associated Place
Material
Paper-based
Dimension
Height (Front): 29.2cm
Width (Front): 21cm
Width (Front): 21cm
On display?
No
Inscription
[front page]
spark
Hackney Community Action
380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LS Telephone 01-729 5535
Funded by [Hackney Council logo]
No. 5 Monday 11 March, 1985
Carnival scenes as Hackney defies Jenkin
HERE WE GO!
At a packed Budget Meeting on 7th March, Hackney Council voted by 40-17 to defy Patrick Jenkin and refuse to set a rate for 1985/86 until the Government returns the £70 million of Rate Support Grant stolen from Hackney in penalties since 1979.
The meeting took place five days after the Save Hackney Procession, and followed a large lobby of the Town Hall in Mare Street by community groups, trades unions, Labour Parties and the public. The Council Chamber and Public Gallery were full to capacity and there was an overflow in the Assembly Hall watching on closed-circuit television.
The already charged and emotional deb- ate was enlivened by multiple heckling, banners on display and some fine speeches. The whole event took on some -thing of a carnival atmosphere.
The first item was to vote through a continuation of the Council rent freeze, despite a Tory amendment to up rents by £1.50 a week, and Liberal opposition (with the honourable exception of George Wintle) to both the Tory increase and the Labour freeze. The Liberals had no proposal of their own.
When it came to the main debate on the budget and the issue of the rate, Labour Leader Hilda Kean moved a substantial motion setting out the whole basis of the Council's case against the Government, adopting a budget of £118 million and stating that it was impossible to set a rate under the circumstances.
A Liberal attempt to defer consideration of the budget and rate to meeting at the end of March was defeated with just Liberal support (George Wintle abstaining). The Liberals again
had no other proposals for the budget.
The Tories however, proposed an amendment with a package which included £27 million of cuts from the Labour budget and a 15% rate increase.
When this was finally defeated with only Tory backing, a short further amendment was moved by Labour Councillor Charles Clarke. Seen by some as technical, this would have had the effect of watering down the main motion some-what, by "requiring" rather than “adopting” a £118 million budget, and by stating that it was impossible to set a rate "at this meeting", thus ar-
c/cont ... on page 2
THE COUNCIL'S OFFICIAL MINUTE THAT SAYS IT ALL
Accordingly, having given careful consideration to the full and detailed advice in the report of the Director of Finance, the Joint Report of the Chief Executive, the Directors of Finance and Personnel and Secretariat and the Borough Solicitor, and the report 'Rents Implications for Budget' considered by Policy and Resources Committee on 26th February, we adopt a budget of £118 million and will not raise rents, but with a target of £81.399 million and insufficient income from the rate support grant, the Council considers it will be impossible to make a rate. Therefore, we commit ourselves to working with all organisations representing the interests of Hackney people to continue our campaign to restore the rate support grant to the 1979 levels, to abolish the target and penalties system and to withdraw the Rates Act from the statute book. In addition we will continue to take our campaign outside Hackney in conjunction with the ALA, LGCU, AMA, in order to exert maximum pressure on the Secretary of State to accede to our demands.
[page 2 contents]
Hackney defies Jenkin
Important campaign meetings on Thursday 14th March
[page 3 contents]
‘...some of the councilors were seen enjoying themselves!’
where to next
[page 4 contents]
Letter to Spark
What’s on
[page 5 contents]
SDP - Jenkin’s toadies! …and here’s the proof
[page 6 contents]
Grant payments ‘uncertain’
SDP - Jenkin’s toadies …continued/
spark
Hackney Community Action
380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LS Telephone 01-729 5535
Funded by [Hackney Council logo]
No. 5 Monday 11 March, 1985
Carnival scenes as Hackney defies Jenkin
HERE WE GO!
At a packed Budget Meeting on 7th March, Hackney Council voted by 40-17 to defy Patrick Jenkin and refuse to set a rate for 1985/86 until the Government returns the £70 million of Rate Support Grant stolen from Hackney in penalties since 1979.
The meeting took place five days after the Save Hackney Procession, and followed a large lobby of the Town Hall in Mare Street by community groups, trades unions, Labour Parties and the public. The Council Chamber and Public Gallery were full to capacity and there was an overflow in the Assembly Hall watching on closed-circuit television.
The already charged and emotional deb- ate was enlivened by multiple heckling, banners on display and some fine speeches. The whole event took on some -thing of a carnival atmosphere.
The first item was to vote through a continuation of the Council rent freeze, despite a Tory amendment to up rents by £1.50 a week, and Liberal opposition (with the honourable exception of George Wintle) to both the Tory increase and the Labour freeze. The Liberals had no proposal of their own.
When it came to the main debate on the budget and the issue of the rate, Labour Leader Hilda Kean moved a substantial motion setting out the whole basis of the Council's case against the Government, adopting a budget of £118 million and stating that it was impossible to set a rate under the circumstances.
A Liberal attempt to defer consideration of the budget and rate to meeting at the end of March was defeated with just Liberal support (George Wintle abstaining). The Liberals again
had no other proposals for the budget.
The Tories however, proposed an amendment with a package which included £27 million of cuts from the Labour budget and a 15% rate increase.
When this was finally defeated with only Tory backing, a short further amendment was moved by Labour Councillor Charles Clarke. Seen by some as technical, this would have had the effect of watering down the main motion some-what, by "requiring" rather than “adopting” a £118 million budget, and by stating that it was impossible to set a rate "at this meeting", thus ar-
c/cont ... on page 2
THE COUNCIL'S OFFICIAL MINUTE THAT SAYS IT ALL
Accordingly, having given careful consideration to the full and detailed advice in the report of the Director of Finance, the Joint Report of the Chief Executive, the Directors of Finance and Personnel and Secretariat and the Borough Solicitor, and the report 'Rents Implications for Budget' considered by Policy and Resources Committee on 26th February, we adopt a budget of £118 million and will not raise rents, but with a target of £81.399 million and insufficient income from the rate support grant, the Council considers it will be impossible to make a rate. Therefore, we commit ourselves to working with all organisations representing the interests of Hackney people to continue our campaign to restore the rate support grant to the 1979 levels, to abolish the target and penalties system and to withdraw the Rates Act from the statute book. In addition we will continue to take our campaign outside Hackney in conjunction with the ALA, LGCU, AMA, in order to exert maximum pressure on the Secretary of State to accede to our demands.
[page 2 contents]
Hackney defies Jenkin
Important campaign meetings on Thursday 14th March
[page 3 contents]
‘...some of the councilors were seen enjoying themselves!’
where to next
[page 4 contents]
Letter to Spark
What’s on
[page 5 contents]
SDP - Jenkin’s toadies! …and here’s the proof
[page 6 contents]
Grant payments ‘uncertain’
SDP - Jenkin’s toadies …continued/