Agenda item
Notices of Motion
To consider the following Notices of Motion under Standing Order 12:
A – Motions referred from the Cabinet 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 Williams
“This Council congratulates Julia Mulligan on being elected as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire.
In noting that around 40% of all crimes in North Yorkshire take place in York, it is very important that the new Commissioner wins the confidence of the people of York by making the tackling of crime and anti-social behaviour in our City her top priority.
With this in mind, we resolve to ask for her support in the following policy commitments for her first year in office:
1. Maintaining a separate Community Safety Partnership for York, with resources to remain at least as they are at present.
2. Maintaining Police Community Support Officers in York to at least their current levels.
3. No cuts to Neighbourhood Police Teams in York.
4. Support for City of York Council’s coming Crime Summit to be themed around addressing alcohol misuse.”
(ii) From Cllr Steward
“Council notes with increasing concern the anti-democratic behaviour of the Cabinet and Council and its failure to respect residents or opposition councillors. In particular council notes:
· That the ruling group should not have scrutiny chairs and also the insistence of this cabinet on whipping scrutiny committees, as was recently highlighted by Cllr Jeffries.
· The late publication of papers, with inadequate time for consideration by councillors or information for residents and also the abolition of public decision sessions and an increased amount of decisions in total secret. In addition the lack of access to papers including the late publication of budget papers to opposition councillors.
· The lack of discussion on key issues such as ‘20’s plenty’ and when consultation is held it does not truly engage or may even be flawed – for example in the case of the changes to Adult Social Care.
· The frequent rearrangement of meetings, with a lack of notice or the cancellation of meetings for example this month of EcDos and the several times cancelled Local Plan Group; the committees for which have much needed work to do.
· The poor format of Full Council meetings, with discussion stifled, too little opportunity to question Cabinet members and motions not given adequate priority.
· The over-use of ‘pink papers’ as one of the ways to keep information secret, which leads to a situation where members of the public are forced to use Freedom of Information requests.
Therefore council calls for an all party group, including independent members to be established in order to make recommendations to ensure council works in a more effective, transparent and democratically engaging way and to restore the respect for the council which cabinet has done so much to erode.”
(iii) From Cllr Runciman
Using the Sustainable Communities Act
“City of York Council
(a)supports the bottom up process in the Sustainable Communities Act that enables councils and their communities to drive the action and assistance that central government gives in promoting thriving local economies and sustainable communities;
(b) notes that the Act gives councils the power to make proposals to government for action and assistance from government to promote sustainable communities, and that those proposals can be for, but are not restricted to, new powers or a transfer of powers or public money and function from central control to local control;
(c) notes that the Act defines sustainable communities broadly, that definition having the 4 aspects of
· the improvement of the local economy,
· protection of the environment,
· promotion of social inclusion, and
· participation in civic, political and democratic activity;
(d) notes that new regulations for the Act made in June 2012 improve the process and make it more favourable for councils in the following ways
· councils’ proposals are submitted directly to the government, there will no longer be short listing
· councils can submit proposals whenever they are ready as the process is now ongoing
· there will be a time limit of six months on the government to consult and try to reach agreement with the Selector (currently the Local Government Association) regarding councils’ proposals and to then respond to those proposals
· councils that choose to submit proposals may now decide how to consult and try to reach agreement with representatives of communities in their areas on what proposals to submit;
(e) notes that the Government has formally invited all Local Authorities to use the Act by submitting proposals;
(f) resolves to use the Act by responding to this invite and submitting proposals for action and assistance from central government each year for the next three years and to then review the outcome of this activity and consider whether to continue to use the Act; and
(g) further resolves to
· to inform the local media of this decision;
· to write to local MPs, informing them of this decision; and
· to write to Local Works (at Local Works, c/o Unlock Democracy, 37 Gray’s Inn Rd, London WC1X 8PQ or info@localworks.org) informing them of this resolution to use the Act.”
(iv) From Cllr Burton
“Council notes the success of the ‘City Team York’ Partnership and recognises the work being undertaken to revitalise York’s city centre.
Council believes that a similar partnership board should be set up for Acomb due to the shopping areas significant importance to the economic viability of the City and employment of residents. This board should have representation from across the various sectors in the same way City Team York does.
Council requests that the Chief Executive set up an ‘Acomb Team’ so that the future economic wellbeing of this important retail area is supported to flourish.”
Minutes:
(i) Police and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire.
It was moved by Cllr Williams and seconded by Cllr Fitzpatrick that:
“This Council congratulates Julia Mulligan on being elected as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire.
In noting that around 40% of all crimes in North Yorkshire take place in York, it is very important that the new Commissioner wins the confidence of the people of York by making the tackling of crime and anti-social behaviour in our City her top priority.
With this in mind, we resolve to ask for her support in the following policy commitments for her first year in office:
1. Maintaining a separate Community Safety Partnership for York, with resources to remain at least as they are at present.
2. Maintaining Police Community Support Officers in York to at least their current levels.
3. No cuts to Neighbourhood Police Teams in York.
4. Support for City of York Council’s coming Crime Summit to be themed around addressing alcohol misuse.”
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above motion be approved. 1.
At this point in the meeting, the guillotine fell and the following motions and amendments were put to the vote without debate having been deemed, moved and seconded.
(ii) Workings of Council (proposed by Cllr Steward)
“Council notes with increasing concern the anti-democratic behaviour of the Cabinet and Council and its failure to respect residents or opposition councillors. In particular council notes:
· That the ruling group should not have scrutiny chairs and also the insistence of this cabinet on whipping scrutiny committees, as was recently highlighted by Cllr Jeffries.
· The late publication of papers, with inadequate time for consideration by councillors or information for residents and also the abolition of public decision sessions and an increased amount of decisions in total secret. In addition the lack of access to papers including the late publication of budget papers to opposition councillors.
· The lack of discussion on key issues such as ‘20’s plenty’ and when consultation is held it does not truly engage or may even be flawed – for example in the case of the changes to Adult Social Care.
· The frequent rearrangement of meetings, with a lack of notice or the cancellation of meetings for example this month of EcDos and the several times cancelled Local Plan Group; the committees for which have much needed work to do.
· The poor format of Full Council meetings, with discussion stifled, too little opportunity to question Cabinet members and motions not given adequate priority.
· The over-use of ‘pink papers’ as one of the ways to keep information secret, which leads to a situation where members of the public are forced to use Freedom of Information requests.
Therefore council calls for an all party group, including independent members to be established in order to make recommendations to ensure council works in a more effective, transparent and democratically engaging way and to restore the respect for the council which cabinet has done so much to erode.”
Councillor Cllr Runciman moved, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:
“Insert new bullet point after the word ‘requests’:
· That all Councillors do not routinely receive confidential papers with agendas, which means decisions can not be called-in or if they are we see the chaotic scenes witnessed at the November 19th meeting of the Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee.
After “established” insert the words ‘and given suitable officer support’
After “erode” insert the words ‘These recommendations will be presented to a Cabinet Meeting in this Municipal Year. If the Cabinet does not implement these recommendations in full then it must respond outlining its reasons for any rejection.
Add the following after rejection:
“To ensure no information is withheld from councillors, Council instructs the Chief Executive to ensure that all Cabinet and Committee reports are issued or available on request to all councillors with the same documentation, including all papers that are withheld from the public and press under the Local Government Act Section 12A. In any instance where a decision is taken not to do this, then a written explanation must be circulated to councillors outlining how the decision does not contravene either statute law or the ‘Need to Know’ case law.
Council further instructs the Chief Executive to fully implement the ‘Local Authorities Executive Arrangements (Meetings and Access to Information) Regulations 2012’ as soon as appropriate guidance is received from DCLG.”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared LOST.
The original motion was then put to the vote, and declared LOST and it was
RESOLVED: That the original motion be not approved.
(iii) Using the Sustainable Communities Act (proposed by Cllr Runciman)
“City of York Council
(a) supports the bottom up process in the Sustainable Communities Act that enables councils and their communities to drive the action and assistance that central government gives in promoting thriving local economies and sustainable communities;
(b) notes that the Act gives councils the power to make proposals to government for action and assistance from government to promote sustainable communities, and that those proposals can be for, but are not restricted to, new powers or a transfer of powers or public money and function from central control to local control;
(c) notes that the Act defines sustainable communities broadly, that definition having the 4 aspects of
· the improvement of the local economy,
· protection of the environment,
· promotion of social inclusion, and
· participation in civic, political and democratic activity;
(d) notes that new regulations for the Act made in June 2012 improve the process and make it more favourable for councils in the following ways
· councils’ proposals are submitted directly to the government, there will no longer be short listing
· councils can submit proposals whenever they are ready as the process is now ongoing
· there will be a time limit of six months on the government to consult and try to reach agreement with the Selector (currently the Local Government Association) regarding councils’ proposals and to then respond to those proposals
· councils that choose to submit proposals may now decide how to consult and try to reach agreement with representatives of communities in their areas on what proposals to submit;
(e) notes that the Government has formally invited all Local Authorities to use the Act by submitting proposals;
(f) resolves to use the Act by responding to this invite and submitting proposals for action and assistance from central government each year for the next three years and to then review the outcome of this activity and consider whether to continue to use the Act; and
(g) further resolves to
· to inform the local media of this decision;
· to write to local MPs, informing them of this decision; and
· to write to Local Works (at Local Works, c/o Unlock Democracy, 37 Gray’s Inn Rd, London WC1X 8PQ or info@localworks.org) informing them of this resolution to use the Act.”
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above motion be approved. 2.
(iv) Acomb Team (proposed by Cllr Burton)
“Council notes the success of the ‘City Team York’ Partnership and recognises the work being undertaken to revitalise York’s city centre.
Council believes that a similar partnership board should be set up for Acomb due to the shopping areas significant importance to the economic viability of the City and employment of residents. This board should have representation from across the various sectors in the same way City Team York does.
Council requests that the Chief Executive set up an ‘Acomb Team’ so that the future economic wellbeing of this important retail area is supported to flourish.”
Cllr Reid moved, an amendment to the original motion as follows:
“Delete: Council believes that a similar partnership board should be set up for Acomb due to the shopping areas significant importance to the economic viability of the City and employment of residents. This board should have representation from across the various sectors in the same way City Team York does.
Insert: Council welcomes the decision by Acomb traders, professionals and residents earlier in the autumn to set up a Traders Association in Acomb (Acomb Alive!) to help revitalise the area for business and employment.
Delete: Council requests that the Chief Executive set up an ‘Acomb Team’ so that the future economic wellbeing of this important retail area is supported to flourish.”
Insert: Council requests the Chief Executive to support the Acomb traders in their efforts and to provide such resources as may be required to ensure the success of their project.”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared LOST.
A second amendment to the original motion had been submitted by Cllr D’Agorne, as follows:
“Add at end of the motion: "This initiative should be used as a pilot to identify appropriate partnership models for supporting small businesses in District Centres and local neighbourhood parades in the face of economic pressure from out of town retail centres and the rise of internet sales.”
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 original motion be approved.3.