Agenda item

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 Order 12.1(b)

 

(i)         From Cllr Aspden

 

“Council notes that our universities must be fully funded if they are to continue to provide high quality education to students.

 

Council believes it was a mistake for the Labour government to introduce tuition fees in 1998, despite a manifesto commitment not to, and furthermore believes it was a mistake for the Labour government to introduce £3,000 per year top up fees in 2004.

 

Council believes that the government’s proposals improve on the system introduced by the Labour government in a number of ways, including:

·      Increasing the repayment threshold from £15,000 to £21,000

·      Ending up-front fees for part-time students

·      More generous grants for lowest income students

·      Ensuring all students will repay less per month than they currently pay

 

However, Council believes that instead of increasing top-up fees, all tuition fees should be phased out, so that students are not penalised with thousands of pounds worth of debt for entering into higher education.

 

Council directs that a copy of this motion is sent to both local MPs, asking them to vote against the coming increases, with a copy to both the University of York and York St John University management boards and the Student Union presidents.”

 

(ii)        From Cllr Alexander

 

“Despite their respective manifesto pledges to scrap university tuition fees and increase university places, the Liberal Democrat / Tory coalition government has increased fees to up to £9k per annum and cut university places.

 

Despite Michael Gove’s commitment to keep the Education Maintenance Allowance, the government has announced that it is to be abolished.

 

Council believes that:

·        Education is the main vehicle for social mobility and that talented and hardworking people should have the right to go into further and higher education based on ability and not on their financial position;

·        Scrapping the EMA will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into further education;

·        Increasing tuition fees will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into further education;

·        Students contribute large amounts to York through spending in the local economy, working in often low-paid jobs and carrying out voluntary work;

·        The Conservatives have betrayed voters in further education by promising to scrap tuition fees in opposition and increasing them in office.

 

Council resolves:

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to invite staff and student representatives of York College, Askham Bryan, York St John University and the University of York to an open meeting with Group Leaders to discuss future access to post-16 education; and

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to write to Hugh Bayley MP and Julian Sturdy MP requesting that they vote against any lifting of the tuition fees cap at this difficult financial time.”

 

(iii)       From Cllr Gillies

 

“Council notes that the Executive is due to consider a report on affordable housing at its meeting scheduled for the 14^th December. Council urges the Executive to take action to address the very low number of new building starts on homes in the City over the last 18 months.

 

In particular, the Council would wish the Executive to consider to what extent the present policy relating to Affordable Housing has failed to produce a solution to York’s need for Social, Starter and Family housing, as Council believes that existing policies may be too restrictive and unworkable in the present financial climate.

 

Acknowledging that work is taking place to address the situation through the Local Development Framework Document, Council believes that we must be proactive in order to stimulate house building of any kind, regardless of ideology, and therefore the City should work with developers and others to ease this logjam whilst demand for affordable properties continues to rise.

 

Therefore the Council calls on the Executive to consider:

1.      A temporary two-year substantial reduction in the percentage affordable homes requirement to stimulate the “Affordable” element of the house building market.

2.      An end to ‘Pepper-potting’.

 

Council recognises that any new policy would allow developers to seek variations to existing permissions. Council believes that a temporary change to planning policies will provide a platform which will challenge developers, and others, to provide the homes that are needed in the City, while providing additional employment in the building industry.”

 

(iv)       From Cllr Simpson-Laing

 

            “Council notes:

·        That since last year both the Prime Minister and the Executive Leader have sought to convince the public that cuts are deliverable without compulsory redundancies;

·        Council finance officers’ recent confirmation that compulsory redundancies in the Council are unavoidable;

·        The Liberal Democrats’ u-turn on the economic impact of wholesale public spending cuts, from before May to after the General Election;

·        The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Government’s Emergency Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review;

·        The projected loss of 200 posts before the CSR and, following the announcement of a 28% cut in the Council’s funding until 2014/15, a further 400+ projected after the CSR;

·        The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Government reversing the duty to consider the socio-economic impact of cuts under the Equality Act 2010;

·        That bankers created the global economic crisis, not council staff or ordinary working people.

 

Council believes:

·        That both the Conservatives’ and the Liberal Democrats’ national party leaders have betrayed voters by making wildly inaccurate predictions about job losses and by changing economic policy in order to take the reigns of power respectively;

·        That swingeing cuts to public services are being made for idealogical reasons and threaten Britain’s fragile economic recovery; and

·        That the Liberal Democrats’ wasteful spending with resident’s money locally has resulted in the need for more job cuts than would otherwise have been necessary.

 

Council resolves:

·        That the Council Leader be called on to publicly apologise to staff for his inaccurate comments and for his party’s role both nationally and locally in the need to cut 600+ posts in the Council;

·        That the Chief Executive write to the Prime Minister expressing Council’s disappointment at his misleading the public on the issue of compulsory redundancies, both front-line and elsewhere; and

·        That all budget reports placed before Members should as soon as reasonably practicable include an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the various options within the report.”

 

(v)        From Cllr Steve Galloway

 

“Council notes the decision by the Government to place the Access York (Phase 1) scheme on the list of ‘development’ schemes to bid for a share of £600m of funding to be allocated by the end of 2011.

 

Council believes the Access York scheme is vital for reducing congestion in the City.

 

Council believes it is important to show public support for the scheme in order to secure a positive decision from the Government and therefore welcomes the ‘Get York Moving’ campaign by the Press.

 

Council encourages residents and businesses to support the ‘Get York Moving’ campaign to send a clear message of support to the Government for the Access York scheme and asks the Chief Executive to write to the Transport Secretary to invite him to York to see the benefits that the scheme could provide for the City.”

(i)         Tuition Fees (1)

 

It was moved by Cllr Aspden and seconded by Cllr Holvey that:

 

“Council notes that our universities must be fully funded if they are to continue to provide high quality education to students.

 

Council believes it was a mistake for the Labour government to introduce tuition fees in 1998, despite a manifesto commitment not to, and furthermore believes it was a mistake for the Labour government to introduce £3,000 per year top up fees in 2004.

 

Council believes that the government’s proposals improve on the system introduced by the Labour government in a number of ways, including:

·      Increasing the repayment threshold from £15,000 to £21,000

·      Ending up-front fees for part-time students

·      More generous grants for lowest income students

·      Ensuring all students will repay less per month than they currently pay

 

However, Council believes that instead of increasing top-up fees, all tuition fees should be phased out, so that students are not penalised with thousands of pounds worth of debt for entering into higher education.

 

Council directs that a copy of this motion is sent to both local MPs, asking them to vote against the coming increases, with a copy to both the University of York and York St John University management boards and the Student Union presidents.”

 

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

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion not be approved.

 

(ii)        Tuition Fees (2)

 

It was moved by Cllr Alexander and seconded by Cllr Potter that:

 

“Despite their respective manifesto pledges to scrap university tuition fees and increase university places, the Liberal Democrat / Tory coalition government has increased fees to up to £9k per annum and cut university places.

 

Despite Michael Gove’s commitment to keep the Education Maintenance Allowance, the government has announced that it is to be abolished.

 

Council believes that:

·        Education is the main vehicle for social mobility and that talented and hardworking people should have the right to go into further and higher education based on ability and not on their financial position;

·        Scrapping the EMA will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into further education;

·        Increasing tuition fees will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into further education;

·        Students contribute large amounts to York through spending in the local economy, working in often low-paid jobs and carrying out voluntary work;

·        The Conservatives have betrayed voters in further education by promising to scrap tuition fees in opposition and increasing them in office.

 

Council resolves:

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to invite staff and student representatives of York College, Askham Bryan, York St John University and the University of York to an open meeting with Group Leaders to discuss future access to post-16 education; and

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to write to Hugh Bayley MP and Julian Sturdy MP requesting that they vote against any lifting of the tuition fees cap at this difficult financial time.”

 

 

Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr Holvey seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:

 

“Delete paragraphs 1 and 2, and delete bullet point number 5 under ‘Council believes that’ in paragraph 3.”

 

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

 

A second amendment to the motion had been submitted by Cllr D’Agorne, as follows:

 

“Delete the first paragraph and replace with:

‘The Lib Dem/Tory coalition government decision to raise the cap on tuition fees to £9,000 pa, combined with the cuts to university funding, severely threaten the principle of universal access to higher education and will threaten pure research and academic independence.’

            In the third paragraph:

- replace ‘further education’ with ‘higher education’ in the 3^rd bullet point;

delete the 5th bullet point.

In the fourth paragraph:

in the 1^st bullet point, after ‘staff’, insert ‘trade union’ and after ‘discuss’, insert ‘local FE and HE funding and’;

in the 2^nd bullet point, delete ‘at this difficult financial time’ and insert ‘and press for the phasing out of tuition fees’.”

 

With Council’s consent, Cllr Alexander agreed to accept the above amendment.

 

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

 

“The Lib Dem / Tory coalition government decision to raise the cap on tuition fees to £9,000 pa, combined with the cuts to university funding, severely threaten the principle of universal access to higher education and will threaten pure research and academic independence.

 

Despite Michael Gove’s commitment to keep the Education Maintenance Allowance, the government has announced that it is to be abolished.

 

Council believes that:

·        Education is the main vehicle for social mobility and that talented and hardworking people should have the right to go into further and higher education based on ability and not on their financial position;

·        Scrapping the EMA will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into higher education;

·        Increasing tuition fees will not help maintain the existing level, or increase the numbers, of young people going into higher education;

·        Students contribute large amounts to York through spending in the local economy, working in often low-paid jobs and carrying out voluntary work.

 

Council resolves:

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to invite staff, trade union and student representatives of York College, Askham Bryan, York St John University and the University of York to an open meeting with Group Leaders to discuss local FE and HE funding and future access to post-16 education;¹ and

·        That the Chief Executive be requested to write to Hugh Bayley MP and Julian Sturdy MP requesting that they vote against any lifting of the tuition fees cap and press for the phasing out of tuition fees.” ²

 

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

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion, as amended, be approved. ^1-2

 

(iii)            Affordable Housing

 

It was moved by Cllr Gillies, and seconded by Cllr Watt, that

 

“Council notes that the Executive is due to consider a report on affordable housing at its meeting scheduled for the 14^th December. Council urges the Executive to take action to address the very low number of new building starts on homes in the City over the last 18 months.

 

In particular, the Council would wish the Executive to consider to what extent the present policy relating to Affordable Housing has failed to produce a solution to York’s need for Social, Starter and Family housing, as Council believes that existing policies may be too restrictive and unworkable in the present financial climate.

 

Acknowledging that work is taking place to address the situation through the Local Development Framework Document, Council believes that we must be proactive in order to stimulate house building of any kind, regardless of ideology, and therefore the City should work with developers and others to ease this logjam whilst demand for affordable properties continues to rise.

 

Therefore the Council calls on the Executive to consider: ³

1.      A temporary two-year substantial reduction in the percentage affordable homes requirement to stimulate the “Affordable” element of the house building market.

2.      An end to ‘Pepper-potting’.

 

Council recognises that any new policy would allow developers to seek variations to existing permissions. Council believes that a temporary change to planning policies will provide a platform which will challenge developers, and others, to provide the homes that are needed in the City, while providing additional employment in the building industry.”

 

Cllr Simpson-Laing then moved, and Cllr Merrett seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:

 

“At the end of the first paragraph, after ‘the last 18 months’, add ‘as a result of the economic downturn.’

In the second paragraph, delete all after ‘in particular’ and insert:

‘recognises the downturn in house building is primarily due to:

·        reduced consumer confidence given the wider economic uncertainties and falling house prices;

·        the difficulties in obtaining mortgages, particularly for first time buyers, with both higher interest rates and large deposit requirements and rationing of mortgages by lenders

In the third paragraph:

-         delete ‘of any kind, regardless of ideology’;

-         delete ‘others’ and insert ‘mortgage lenders’;

-         delete ‘this logjam whilst demand for affordable properties continues to rise’ and insert the current housing market difficulties’.

In the fourth paragraph, delete ‘consider’, delete points 1 and 2, and insert:

·        ‘consider a limited temporary reduction, along the lines of the alternative option outlined in the 14^th December Executive paper, in the percentage of affordable homes required for homes completed over the next two years;

·        investigate what measures the Council can take with lenders and builders to help first time buyers overcome the financial and confidence barriers to purchase in the current market.’”

 

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. ³

 

(iv)       Public Spending Cuts

 

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

 

            “Council notes:

·        That since last year both the Prime Minister and the Executive Leader have sought to convince the public that cuts are deliverable without compulsory redundancies;

·        Council finance officers’ recent confirmation that compulsory redundancies in the Council are unavoidable;

·        The Liberal Democrats’ u-turn on the economic impact of wholesale public spending cuts, from before May to after the General Election;

·        The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Government’s Emergency Budget and Comprehensive Spending Review;

·        The projected loss of 200 posts before the CSR and, following the announcement of a 28% cut in the Council’s funding until 2014/15, a further 400+ projected after the CSR;

·        The Conservative / Liberal Democrat Government reversing the duty to consider the socio-economic impact of cuts under the Equality Act 2010;

·        That bankers created the global economic crisis, not council staff or ordinary working people.

 

Council believes:

·        That both the Conservatives’ and the Liberal Democrats’ national party leaders have betrayed voters by making wildly inaccurate predictions about job losses and by changing economic policy in order to take the reigns of power respectively;

·        That swingeing cuts to public services are being made for idealogical reasons and threaten Britain’s fragile economic recovery; and

·        That the Liberal Democrats’ wasteful spending with resident’s money locally has resulted in the need for more job cuts than would otherwise have been necessary.

 

Council resolves:

·        That the Council Leader be called on to publicly apologise to staff for his inaccurate comments and for his party’s role both nationally and locally in the need to cut 600+ posts in the Council;

·        That the Chief Executive write to the Prime Minister expressing Council’s disappointment at his misleading the public on the issue of compulsory redundancies, both front-line and elsewhere; and

·        That all budget reports placed before Members should as soon as reasonably practicable include an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the various options within the report.”

 

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

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion not be approved.

 

Note:

Cllrs Gunnell, King, Kirk, Looker, Scott and Vassie all left the Chamber during consideration of the above motion, having declared prejudicial interests therein.

 

(v)            Access York Scheme

 

            It was moved by Cllr Steve Galloway, and seconded by Cllr Reid, that:

 

“Council notes the decision by the Government to place the Access York (Phase 1) scheme on the list of ‘development’ schemes to bid for a share of £600m of funding to be allocated by the end of 2011.

 

Council believes the Access York scheme is vital for reducing congestion in the City.

 

Council believes it is important to show public support for the scheme in order to secure a positive decision from the Government and therefore welcomes the ‘Get York Moving’ campaign by the Press.

 

Council encourages residents and businesses to support the ‘Get York Moving’ campaign to send a clear message of support to the Government for the Access York scheme and asks the Chief Executive to write to the Transport Secretary to invite him to York to see the benefits that the scheme could provide for the City.” ⁴

 

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

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion be approved. ⁴