Agenda item

To consider the following Motions on Notice under Standing Order B13:

Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 22.1

(i)     From Cllr Whitcroft

[To follow]

(ii)    From Cllr Ayre

York’s Local Plan

“Council notes:

·       The continued progress with agreeing a Local Plan for York to deliver much-needed new homes and land for employment

·       The ongoing Government consultation on revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and wider policy proposals

·       That the current draft Local Plan is meeting a need of 822 dwellings per annum (net average) for the City of York and the new standard method proposed by the Government would set a revised figure of 1,251, compared to the current standard method figure of 1,020

·       That the July 2020 letter from planning inspectors challenged the council for overdelivering on housing in the Local Plan

·       That the council’s independent evidence base said about the 822 dwellings per annum housing target in the Local Plan that “there would not be the level of household growth required to fill this number of homes.”

·       That the 2024 Liberal Democrat General Election manifesto set a target of building 380,000 homes each year across the UK, with the Labour and Conservative manifestos including similar figures

·       That the 2024 Liberal Democrat General Election manifesto promised to introduce ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ planning permission for developers who refuse to build.

·       That whilst York’s housing targets have increased by 22%, London’s targets have seen a 20% reduction

·       That the council’s response to the Government consultation is due to be agreed at an Executive Member Decision Session on 23 September 2024.

Council believes:

·       That adoption of the Local Plan is a crucial step towards delivering much-needed new homes for York

·       That the draft Local Plan contains ambitious and deliverable targets which will meet the pressing need for more new homes, whilst preserving York’s unique setting and environment

·       That other measures can play an important part in improving the supply of homes for local residents, such as giving local authorities new powers to control second homes and short-term lets in their area and introducing ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ planning permission for developers who refuse to build.

Council resolves:

·       To ask the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities to approve a council response to the Government consultation referred to above which expresses support for the retention of the housing target contained in the current draft Local Plan

·       To ask the Executive Member to reaffirm his commitment, as reported in The Press on 13 June 2023 (https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/23583238.will-no-extra-new-housing-green-belt-says-york-labour/), that the only housing development allowed on green belt land will be on those sites already allocated for development in the draft Local Plan.”

(iii)   From Cllr Douglas

Community response to Israel-Gaza conflict

“We, the Council and people of York, in keeping with our city's status as the first Human Rights City in the UK, resolve to urgently call for:

·       An immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and Israel based on recent peace proposals.

·       Immediate access within Gaza to water, medical and food supplies, restoration of electricity, and provision of proper shelters for all impacted by the war.

·       The immediate release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.”

(iv)     From Cllr Runciman

Dignity in retirement

“Council notes

-        The Labour Government is cutting winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners in the UK

-        According to the Labour Government’s own figures 800,000 of the lowest income pensioners who are eligible for Pension Credit but do not receive it will lose their Winter Fuel Payments

-        Age UK’s campaign to “Save the Winter Fuel Payment for struggling pensioners” which seeks to stop Labour’s means testing of the Winter Fuel Payments

-        The Parliamentary Liberal Democrat Motion that sought to block the cut to Winter Fuel Payments

-        That locally in York, the Labour administration have cut the contract they held with Age UK to deliver York’s Older People Community Support Service

-        That if the York Liberal Democrats’ alternative budget for 2024/25 had been approved by Council, the cut to Age UK’s contract would not have happened

-        That 1639 pensioners who are entitled to Pension Credit in York do not claim it, meaning that there is £3.7million worth of unclaimed benefits for pensioners.

Council believes

-        That the Age UK Day Clubs were a lifeline for many older residents, encouraging social interaction, providing lunch and enabling older people to keep warm in winter

-        The Council should not have made the decision to cut Age UK’s contract

-        That many older residents who do not currently qualify for the means tested Winter Fuel Payments will have to choose between heating their home or eating

-        That York’s two Labour MPs should use their influence to persuade the Government to reverse the decision to cut York pensioners’ Winter Fuel Allowances

-        That pensioners in York should have dignity in their retirement and currently will be £700 worse off a year due to the cumulative effects of Labour’s cut to the Winter Fuel Payment, the loss of the Cost of Living Payment, the rise in the energy price cap and the Green Bin Tax

-        That the Council should do all it can to mitigate the impact on older people of decisions that it has taken and decisions taken by the Labour Government

-        That the impact of the decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments will hit colder cities like York more

-        That the City of York Council has a responsibility to alert every household in York about the benefits they are entitled, how to claim them and the support that is available to assist with making claims.

Council resolves

-        To ask the Leader of the Council, Leader of the Council’s opposition groups and York’s two MPs to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask them to reverse the Winter Fuel Allowance cut

-        To ask the Leader of the Council, on behalf of the entire Executive, to sign the Age UK petition on the Winter Fuel Allowance cut

-        To request that the Executive Members for Finance, Major Projects and Equalities work with officers to create a plan for consideration by the relevant Scrutiny Committee(s) which sets out a range of measures that could be taken to mitigate the impact of the above decisions on York’s pensioners. This should include consideration of waiving the Green Bin Tax for pensioners, refunding all pensioners who have already paid it, reversing the cut to funding to Age UK York for Day Clubs and reinstating funding for a replacement Dial and Ride service

-        To request that the Council Leader confirms, in writing to Councillors, that there will be no reduction in the number of warm spaces available to vulnerable residents this winter and next winter

-        To request that officers write to all 1639 pensioners who are currently entitled to Pension Credit and do not claim it, informing them of the Winter Fuel Payment changes and encouraging them to claim for the benefits they are entitled to.”