Agenda item

Report of: Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Lorena Alcorta, [email protected], tel: 020 7983 4425

The Assembly is recommended to consider the motions submitted by Assembly Members.

7.1  Andrew Dismore AM moved and Unmesh Desai AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly notes that the Royal National Lifeboat (RNLI) charity provides the primary search, rescue and medical capability on the river from its three stations on the tidal Thames in London, two of which (Chiswick and Tower) provide 24/7 crew cover with a 90 second launch time, a faster launch than anywhere else in the UK. These lifeboat stations are busier than any other in the country and their work should be applauded and assisted.

Together with the Metropolitan Police Marine branch, London Fire Brigade, London Ambulance, Port of London Authority and Coastguard support they rescued some 240 people last year. Nevertheless, a significant and unacceptable number of Londoners drowned in the river in 2017 and in the preceding 7years.

More lives could potentially have been saved if all riparian boroughs and Transport for London actively supported proposals by the Thames River Safety Forum (RNLI, PLA, Marine Police, Fire Brigade, LAS & Coastguard) to enhance prevention and safety measures to cut London's unacceptable drowning figure.”

7.2  Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Andrew Dismore AM was unanimously agreed.

7.3  Dr Onkar Sahota AM moved and Leonie Copper AM seconded the following motion:

“The London Assembly recognises the extraordinary bravery and sacrifices of Sikh and other soldiers in service of Great Britain, including during both World Wars, and supports the erection of a permanent national monument in a prime central London location to commemorate and highlight these contributions.

It further notes that for more than a decade there has been a demand from various interest groups for the installation of such a national monument. There is widespread cross-party support for the Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for such a memorial.

We welcome and note the recent statement by the Mayor of London whilst on a visit to India that it is only right that these brave Sikh soldiers should have a permanent memorial in London. The Mayor and all the Leaders of the UK Political Parties in the House of Commons pledged their support for this initiative at the launch of the National Sikh War Memorial Trust on 30 January 2018 in Parliament presided by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

The Sikhs made up only 2% of the population of British India but formed 20% of the British Indian Army during the First World War, and hundreds of thousands of Sikh soldiers engaged in active service during the two major wars and many other conflicts. More than 83,000 turbaned Sikh soldiers laid down their lives and more than 100,000 were injured during the World Wars.

This Assembly calls upon the Mayor, before the end of this Mayoralty, to work with the National Sikh War Memorial Trust to find a Central London site befitting a permanent national monument dedicated to the Sikhs who made, or were willing to make, the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of our country.”

7.4  Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Dr Onkar Sahota AM was unanimously agreed.

7.5  Caroline Pidgeon MBE, AM moved and Tom Copley AM seconded the following motion:

“This Assembly notes the serious levels of air pollution across London and while there are many causes of air pollution that significant levels are created by road traffic.

This Assembly believes that a small but important role in reducing air pollution could be taken by far more effective action to tackle the idling of engines of all road vehicles, whether by private cars, taxis, private hire vehicles, public sector vehicles, buses, coaches, vans and lorries.

This Assembly notes with regret that TfL’s past actions on this issue have not always been highly effective in changing attitudes or leading to any demonstrative change in actions, as highlighted by the lack of any emails in 2015 to a dedicated no idling email address created by TfL.

This Assembly also regrets that information campaigns have only been run across 11 London Boroughs in the last year, with two thirds of London Boroughs therefore excluded.

While welcoming many of the Mayor’s policies in tackling air pollution this Assembly believes that the Mayor should ensure that the policies adopted by TfL in tackling idling are now far more ambitious and effective.

This Assembly calls on the Mayor to ensure that in relation to TfL’s powers of licensing taxis and private hire vehicles it uses every opportunity to discourage the idling of vehicles, including the use of enforcement powers.  This Assembly also calls on the Mayor to actively reduce idling of vehicles by personnel throughout the GLA family, including where appropriate Metropolitan Police Service and Fire Brigade vehicles.

This Assembly finally calls on the Mayor to ensure that TfL adopts an effective public awareness campaign to discourage members of the public to allow their vehicle to idle and create unnecessary pollution for Londoners.”

7.6  Upon being put to the vote, the motion in the name of Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM was unanimously agreed.