Agenda item

Notices of Motion

To consider the following Notices of Motion under Standing Order 12:

A – Motions referred from the Executive in accordance with Standing Order 12.1(a)

None

B – Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Orders 12.1(b)

(i) From Cllr Sue Galloway

“This Council urges the Government to act quickly to remove the barriers which currently deter local authorities and Registered Social Landlords from purchasing homes, from the private sector, to add to the pool of social rented accommodation available in the City of York area.”

(ii) From Cllr Simpson-Laing

“This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Housing Minister with a requestto introduce the following measures aimed at providing much needed affordable housing, tokeep people in their homes, to stimulate the market to reuse empty homes andto maintain jobs in the construction industry by:

a) Allowing councils and housing associations to become the tenants of over market surplus developments, built for the ‘buy to let’ market, to provide much needed affordable homes;

b) Ensuring that repossession is the action of last resort and investigate how such properties could be part purchased by housing associations;

c) Bringing back purchase and repair grants to allow housing associations to create new affordable homes out of run down empty property;

d) Slashing the cost of renovating derelict empty homes by cutting VAT on repair and maintenance.”

(iii) From Cllr Gillies

“This Council agrees to join the campaign for suspension of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 on commercial buildings by:

· Instructing the Chief Executive to write to the office of the Prime Minister in support of the suspension of the Act; and

· Joining other councils and major businesses in support of the campaign by the British Property Federation to suspend the Act.”

(iv) From Cllr Crisp

“Council recognises the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Council agrees that this event should be recognised fully within the City of York and requests that the Chief Executive takes such steps as are necessary to ensure this event becomes an integral and permanent feature in the annual civic calendar. Council further agrees to allocate sufficient resources, from reserves if necessary,to enable the appropriate recognition of Holocaust Memorial Day by the city on an annual, ongoing basis.”

(v) From Cllr Aspden

This Council:

i) Notes that local authorities and their communities know the best ways to develop solutions to local problems, and how to promote thriving communities;

ii) Supports the bottom up principle within the Sustainable Communities Act designed to allow local authorities and their communities to direct help from central government into reversing community decline and promoting thriving, sustainable communities;

(iii) Notes that the Act gives local authorities the power to

· make proposals to government on the actions and assistance government must provide to promote sustainable communities, and

· argue for a transfer of public money and function from central to local control;

(iv) Notes that the Act defines "Sustainable Communities" broadly, that definition having the four aspects of

· improvement of the local economy

· protection of the environment

· promotion of social inclusion

· participation in civic and political activity.

Council welcomes the Sustainable Communities Act as a means of gaining new assistance from government, determining that assistance, arguing for transfers of public monies from central to local control and involving York residents in democracy

Council therefore resolves to use the Act by preparing and submitting proposals for local sustainability to central government, by 31^st July 2009, and in doing so, welcomes proposals from York residents and community groups in York.”

Minutes:

(i) Social Rented Accommodation

It was moved by Cllr Sue Galloway and seconded by Cllr Kirk that:

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.

(ii) Affordable Housing

It was moved by Cllr Simpson-Laing and seconded by Cllr Bowgett that:

“This Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Housing Minister with a request to introduce the following measures aimed at providing much needed affordable housing, to keep people in their own homes, to stimulate the market to re-use empty homes and to maintain jobs in the construction industry by:

a) Allowing councils and housing associations to become the tenants of over market surplus developments, built for the ‘buy to let’ market, to provide much needed affordable homes;

b) Ensuring that repossession is the action of last resort and investigate how such properties could be part purchased by housing associations;

c) Bringing back purchase and repair grants to allow housing associations to create new affordable homes out of run down empty property;

d) Slashing the cost of renovating derelict empty homes by cutting VAT on repair and maintenance.” ²

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.

(iii) Rating (Empty Properties) Act

It was moved by Cllr Gillies and seconded by Cllr Healey that

“This Council agrees to join the campaign for suspension of the Rating (Empty Properties) Act 2007 on commercial buildings by:

Instructing the Chief Executive to write to the Office of the Prime Minister in support of the suspension of the Act; ³ and
Joining other councils and major businesses in support of the campaign by the British Property Federation to suspend the Act.”⁴

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED by 25 votes to 20 and it was

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.

(iv) Holocaust Memorial Day

The fourth notice of motion had been submitted by Cllr Crisp, as follows:

“Council recognises the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Council agrees that this event should be recognised fully within the City of York and requests that the Chief Executive takes such steps as are necessary to ensure this event becomes an integral and permanent feature in the annual civic calendar. Council further agrees to allocate sufficient resources, from reserves if necessary, to enable the appropriate recognition of Holocaust Memorial Day by the city on an annual, ongoing basis.” ⁴

Cllr Crisp now sought leave to alter the above motion, to read as follows:

“Council recognises the importance of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Council agrees, in principle, that this event should be recognised fully within the City of York. Council requests that the Head of Civic, Democratic and Legal Services prepares a report setting out detailed proposals, including costings, for holding an annual event to mark Holocaust Day to be included in the Civic Calendar. Such report to be submitted to the next meeting of Full Council.” ⁵

Council having agreed to that alteration, Cllr Crisp moved, and Cllr Vassie seconded, the motion as altered.

On being put to the vote, the motion, as altered, was declared CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY and it was

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.

(v) Sustainable Communities Act

It was moved by Cllr Aspden and seconded by Cllr Hyman that

“This Council:

a) Notes that local authorities and their communities know the best ways to develop solutions to local problems, and how to promote thriving communities;

b) Supports the bottom up principle within the Sustainable Communities Act designed to allow local authorities and their communities to direct help from central government into reversing community decline and promoting thriving, sustainable communities;

c) Notes that the Act gives local authorities the power to

· make proposals to government on the actions and assistance government must provide to promote sustainable communities, and

· argue for a transfer of public money and function from central to local control;

d) Notes that the Act defines ‘Sustainable Communities’ broadly, that definition having the four aspects of

· improvement of the local economy

· protection of the environment

· promotion of social inclusion

· participation in civic and political activity.

Council therefore resolves to use the Act by preparing and submitting proposals for local sustainability to central government, by 31^st July 2009, and, in doing so, welcomes proposals from York residents and community groups in York.”

Cllr D’Agorne then moved, and Cllr Taylor seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:

“To the end of the motion, add:

‘Council will encourage parish councils, ward committees and other community organisations in York to hold meetings within the next seven months at which ‘citizen panels’ can put forward appropriate proposals, as envisaged under the Act.’”

On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared carried.

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

“This Council:

a) Notes that local authorities and their communities know the best ways to develop solutions to local problems, and how to promote thriving communities;

c) Notes that the Act gives local authorities the power to

· make proposals to government on the actions and assistance government must provide to promote sustainable communities, and

· argue for a transfer of public money and function from central to local control;

d) Notes that the Act defines ‘Sustainable Communities’ broadly, that definition having the four aspects of

· improvement of the local economy

· protection of the environment

· promotion of social inclusion

· participation in civic and political activity.

Council will encourage parish councils, ward committees and other community organisations in York to hold meetings within the next seven months at which ‘citizen panels’ can put forward appropriate proposals, as envisaged under the Act.” ⁷

The amended motion was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED, and it was

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion, as amended, be approved.