Agenda item
Notices of Motion
To consider the following Notices of Motion under Standing Order 11:
A – Motions referred from the Executive in accordance with Standing Order 11(a)(i)
None
B – Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Orders 11(a)(ii)
(i) From Cllr Morley
“Council notes that in the period 2005/06 to 2008/09 over £20m in council house rent income has been lost locally through negative subsidy under the Housing Revenue Subsidy System.
Council notes with regret that, had this money been retained in York as called for by this council in 2007, it could have been used to invest in new affordable housing to help residents in need of affordable housing and to help to protect jobs in the house building sector.
Therefore, Council resolves to support the LGA campaign calling for:
- The replacement of the current housing finance system with a new system that allows councils to retain 100% of locally-raised revenue and provides flexibility for investment in locally-determined priorities
- Support for council-led housing development to ensure that home-building continues during the recession
Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to local MPs expressing the views of Council and urging them to sign EDM 1683 supporting the LGA’s campaign.”
(ii) From Cllr Crisp
“This Council asks the Executive member for Leisure, Culture & Heritage to bring forward a report that:
- Sets out a clear program of the meeting dates for the University Swimming Pool Steering Group for the remainder of the municipal year.
- Outlines a clear and final completion date for the University Pool
- Identifies a mechanism for the closing of the reported funding gap for the University Pool
and
- Outlines the Council’s strategy to provide a pool in a City Centre location if completion at the University site by 2011 is not feasible and that that strategy has a clear and timely completion date.
And that this report will be brought to the next Council meeting in October 2009.”
(iii) From Cllr Gillies
"Council notes the announcement by Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, on 1st July, concerning the future of the East Coast Main Line rail franchise.
Council expresses grave concerns about the stability of jobs and must ensure it does all within its powers to protect the jobs of those currently working for National Express East Coast in the City long term, and also to represent the interests of fare paying passengers traveling to and from York.
Council therefore requests:
- That the Chief Executive requests a meeting urgently with the main party leaders, National Express, the City’s MPs, trades union leaders and the Minister of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, to secure the long term future of East Coast Main jobs in York and vital rail connections to and from the City.”
(iv) From Cllr Fraser
“Council condemns the lack of commitment shown by the current administration to improving community safety and tackling crime, such as domestic burglary.
Despite their Lib Dem 2003 Election manifesto pledge to ‘promote crime prevention measures, especially in the estates’, and their public support for alleygating at the time, Council notes that this Lib Dem Executive has:
- Failed to allocate resources to implement a strategic approach to implementing alleygating in vulnerable areas of the city.
- Adopted a dismissive approach to ensuring adequate staffing to support a planned programme of alleygating in areas of the city particularly susceptible to acquisitive crime.
- Failed to take steps to ensure the maintenance of alleygates where, through the efforts of local ward members and funding from ward committees and Safer York Partnership budgets (supported by funds allocated from the Home Office), gates have been installed.
Council calls on the Executive to draw up a strategy to ensure a detailed programme of properly funded alleygating schemes across the city and which ensures that once gates are installed, they are properly maintained.”
(v) From Cllr Holvey
“Council regrets the decision by Royal Mail to move some of their distribution service from the Leeman Road Sorting Office to Leeds and notes with concern the impact this will have on jobs in the City as well as the environmental damage caused by extra transportation required.
Council emphasises the importance of maintaining a sorting office in York and the retention of a YO postmark, for the protection of jobs in the City, York City’s identity in the international tourism community and to save on unnecessary transportation of mail.
Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to Royal Mail to express their concerns and to stress the importance of maintaining a sorting office in the City.”
Minutes:
(i) Housing Revenue Subsidy System
It was moved by Cllr Morley and seconded by Cllr Hyman that:
“Council notes that in the period 2005/06 to 2008/09 over £20m in council house rent income has been lost locally through negative subsidy under the Housing Revenue Subsidy System.
Council notes with regret that, had this money been retained in York as called for by this Council in 2007, it could have been used to invest in new affordable housing to help residents in need of affordable housing and to help protect jobs in the house building sector.
Therefore, Council resolves to support the LGA campaign calling for:
· The replacement of the current housing finance system with a new system that allows councils to retain 100% of locally-raised revenue and provides flexibility for investment in locally-determined priorities.
· Support for council-led housing development to ensure that home-building continues during the recession.
Council instructs the Chief Executive to write to local MPs expressing the views of Council and urging them to sign EDM 1683 supporting the LGA’s campaign.” 1
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.
(ii) University Swimming Pool
It was moved by Cllr Crisp and seconded by Cllr x that:
“This Council asks the Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Heritage to bring forward a report that:
· Sets out a clear programme of the meeting dates for the University Swimming Pool Steering Group for the remainder of the municipal year;
· Outlines a clear and final completion date for the University Pool;
· Identifies a mechanism for the closing of the reported funding gap for the University Pool and
· Outlines the Council’s strategy to provide a pool in a City Centre location if completion at the University by 2011 is not feasible and that that strategy has a clear and timely completion date,
and that this report will be brought to the next Council meeting in October 2009.” 2
Cllr Ayre then moved, and Cllr Sue Galloway seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:
“Delete all after ‘This Council’ and replace with:
‘notes the commitment of the Liberal Democrat administration to investing in quality leisure facilities for the city. Evidenced by the ambitious £15m leisure and culture capital programme introduced since 2003 which includes:
· The £1.2m refurbishment of Yearsley Pool – a pool Labour earmarked for closure.
· The development of a new £6.7m pool at York High, which will open later this year.
Council reaffirms its commitment to a county standard pool in the city and instructs the Executive Member to work with senior council officers, representatives from the university and other partners to progress plans for such a pool.’”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared LOST.
The original motion was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.
At this point in the meeting the guillotine fell and the remaining business was put to the vote without debate.
(iii) Community Safety and Alley-gating
It was moved by Cllr Fraser and seconded by Cllr Scott that:
“Council condemns the lack of commitment shown by the current administration to improving community safety and tackling crime, such as domestic burglary.
Despite their Lib Dem 2003 Election manifesto pledge to ‘promote crime prevention measures, especially in the estates’, and their public support for alley-gating at the time, Council notes that this Lib Dem Executive has:
· Failed to allocate resources to implement a strategic approach to implementing alley-gating in vulnerable areas of the City;
· Adopted a dismissive approach to ensuring adequate staffing to support a planned programme of alley-gating in areas of the City particularly susceptible to acquisitive crime;
· Failed to take steps to ensure the maintenance of alley-gates where, through the efforts of local ward members and funding from ward committees and Safer York Partnership budgets (supported by funds allocated from the Home Office), gates have been installed.
Council calls on the Executive to draw up a strategy to ensure a detailed programme of properly funded alley-gating schemes across the City and which ensures that, once gates are installed, they are properly maintained.” 3
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.
(iv) Leeman Road Sorting Office
It was moved by Cllr Holvey and seconded by Cllr Aspden that:
“Council regrets the decision by Royal Mail to move some of their distribution service from the Leeman Road Sorting Office to Leeds and notes with concern the impact this will have on jobs in the City as well as the environmental damage caused the extra transportation required.
Council emphasises the importance of maintaining a sorting office in York and the retention of a YO postmark, for the protection of jobs in the City, York’s identity in the international tourism community and to save on unnecessary transportation of mail.
Council therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to Royal Mail to express their concerns and to stress the importance of maintaining a sorting office in the City.” 4
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.