Agenda item

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 Merrett

“Council agrees with the need to upgrade York's Outer Ring Road to alleviate congestion which is increasingly a barrier to jobs and growth. 

 

Council also endorses efforts to produce a funding package through the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund to achieve this goal within a decade.

 

Council notes the MP for York Outer’s earlier commitment to such an upgrade, as reported in The Press on 12^th June 2007:

 

"Tory Julian Sturdy, who has made calls for dualling a key plank of his campaign to win the new York Outer seat at the next General Election" and "The high cost of dualling - estimated at about £140 million - means it would be impossible without Government funding".

 

Mr Sturdy has now been in office for over three years and has been a Parliamentary Private Secretary to a Department of Transport Minister for a year. Council therefore invites Mr Sturdy to a meeting of City of York Council to provide an update on any progress made towards his and the Council’s shared aspiration of a completed dualled outer ring road for the city”.

 

(ii)       From Cllr Watt

 

“Council agrees to respect the citizens of York and promises to produce a ‘Local Plan’ which acknowledges and respects any clearly expressed wishes of the people, from their responses to the ‘Preferred Options’ consultation.”

 

(iii)     From Cllr Aspden

 

“Council notes the failure of the Labour Cabinet to build-on the achievements of the previous Liberal Democrat administration and bring forward a distinct vision for a greener council and greener York.

 

This approach has seen a fall in recycling rates, the closure of Beckfield Lane, the reduction in opening hours at Towthorpe, the introduction of unpopular green bin charges, the failure to bring forward a replacement to the successful ‘Carbon Reduction Programme’, the ending of the Green Jobs Task Group, and the failure to innovate and lead the development of new approaches to tackling climate change and improving the environmental credentials of York.

 

Council Resolves to:

 

Confirm its vision to make York the greenest city in the North of England with the highest unitary council recycling rates in the area, a long-term commitment to a food waste recycling scheme, and as a regional centre for Green Jobs.

 

Ask Cabinet to immediately bring forward the details of the next stage of the ‘Carbon Reduction Programme’ with renewed commitments to reduce emissions.

 

Agree to set-up a cross-party ‘Green Policy Working Group’ (which will incorporate a re-established the Green Jobs Task Group) and will seek to turn this vision into a detailed strategy. This Group should consider issues such as developing a renewable energy company, a sustainable food strategy, a waste minimisation programme and work on fuel poverty and energy efficiency. The Group should be supported in this work by the recently expanded 18-officer strong ‘Policy, Performance and Innovation’ Team.”

 

(iv)    From Cllr Simpson-Laing

 

“Council notes the distress that the Bedroom Tax is causing many York residents and their families.

 

Government claims that the Bedroom Tax is part of its policy to get residents into work. However, a majority of people receiving Housing Benefit in York are in work.

 

Government has also claimed that the Bedroom Tax is to ensure more appropriate use of Housing Stock. However, across the country there are not enough smaller homes for people to move to

 

Whilst Government have attempted, nationally, to ensure that those who need a spare room are not penalised it is clear that many still are. Those still being penalised include:

 

Foster Carers who require more than one room due to the complexities of children they care for

Parents of service people based in Barracks

Partners of people with health complications

Those with ‘Safe Rooms’ installed in their homes

 

Government informs that the Discretionary Housing fund is to help such people. However it is becoming clear, both locally and nationally, that this fund is not enough

 

Council calls upon the Government to end the Bedroom Tax (Spare Room Subsidy) due to the hardship and distress that the policy is causing many residents.”

 

That the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express Council’s concern and request that this Tax is abolished as soon as possible”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(i)        York’s Outer Ring Road (proposed by Cllr Merrett)

 

“Council agrees with the need to upgrade York's Outer Ring Road to alleviate congestion which is increasingly a barrier to jobs and growth. 

 

Council also endorses efforts to produce a funding package through the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund to achieve this goal within a decade.

 

Council notes the MP for York Outer’s earlier commitment to such an upgrade, as reported in The Press on 12^th June 2007:

 

"Tory Julian Sturdy, who has made calls for dualling a key plank of his campaign to win the new York Outer seat at the next General Election" and "The high cost of dualling - estimated at about £140 million - means it would be impossible without Government funding".

 

Mr Sturdy has now been in office for over three years and has been a Parliamentary Private Secretary to a Department of Transport Minister for a year. Council therefore invites Mr Sturdy to a meeting of City of York Council to provide an update on any progress made towards his and the Council’s shared aspiration of a completed dualled outer ring road for the city”.

 

Amendment proposed by Councillor D’Agorne:

 

Delete first sentence and replace with: “Council agrees that the proposed 4,000 home development north of Clifton Moor, the 1500 homes at Monks Cross, together with the community stadium and retail expansion at Monk's Cross would outpace congestion benefits from any of the potential upgrades to the ring road as modelled in 2008 by consultants Halcrow. Additional major investment in sustainable transport is urgently required for York to address the growing barrier to jobs and economic prosperity arising from congestion.”

In second sentence delete ‘to achieve this goal within a decade’

In the final sentence delete ‘and the Council’s shared’

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

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

 

RESOLVED:       That the original motion be approved.^1.

 

 

ii)       Local Plan (proposed by Cllr Watt)

 

“Council agrees to respect the citizens of York and promises to produce a ‘Local Plan’ which acknowledges and respects any clearly expressed wishes of the people, from their responses to the ‘Preferred Options’ consultation.”

 

RESOLVED:       That the motion be approved.^2.

 

 

(ii)         Vision for a Greener Council (proposed by Cllr Aspden)

 

“Council notes the failure of the Labour Cabinet to build-on the achievements of the previous Liberal Democrat administration and bring forward a distinct vision for a greener council and greener York.

 

This approach has seen a fall in recycling rates, the closure of Beckfield Lane, the reduction in opening hours at Towthorpe, the introduction of unpopular green bin charges, the failure to bring forward a replacement to the successful ‘Carbon Reduction Programme’, the ending of the Green Jobs Task Group, and the failure to innovate and lead the development of new approaches to tackling climate change and improving the environmental credentials of York.

 

Council Resolves to:

 

Confirm its vision to make York the greenest city in the North of England with the highest unitary council recycling rates in the area, a long-term commitment to a food waste recycling scheme, and as a regional centre for Green Jobs.

 

Ask Cabinet to immediately bring forward the details of the next stage of the ‘Carbon Reduction Programme’ with renewed commitments to reduce emissions.

 

Agree to set-up a cross-party ‘Green Policy Working Group’ (which will incorporate a re-established the Green Jobs Task Group) and will seek to turn this vision into a detailed strategy. This Group should consider issues such as developing a renewable energy company, a sustainable food strategy, a waste minimisation programme and work on fuel poverty and energy efficiency. The Group should be supported in this work by the recently expanded 18-officer strong ‘Policy, Performance and Innovation’ Team.”

 

Amendment proposed by Councillor D’Agorne:

 

Delete first and second paragraph.

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

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

 

RESOLVED:       That the original motion be not approved.

 

 

(iii)        Spare Room Subsidy (proposed by Cllr Simpson-Laing)

 

“Council notes the distress that the Bedroom Tax is causing many York residents and their families.

 

Government claims that the Bedroom Tax is part of its policy to get residents into work. However, a majority of people receiving Housing Benefit in York are in work.

 

Government has also claimed that the Bedroom Tax is to ensure more appropriate use of Housing Stock. However, across the country there are not enough smaller homes for people to move to.

 

Whilst Government have attempted, nationally, to ensure that those who need a spare room are not penalised it is clear that many still are. Those still being penalised include:

 

Foster Carers who require more than one room due to the complexities of children they care for

Parents of service people based in Barracks Partners of people with health complications

Those with ‘Safe Rooms’ installed in their homes Government informs that the Discretionary Housing fund is to help such people. However it is becoming clear, both locally and nationally, that this fund is not enough Council calls upon the Government to end the Bedroom Tax (Spare Room Subsidy) due to the hardship and distress that the policy is causing many residents.”

 

That the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to express Council’s concern and request that this Tax is abolished as soon as possible”. 

 

Amendment proposed by Cllr D’Agorne:

 

Add the following to the end of the motion: “Council further resolves that where the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods is satisfied that tenants affected by the introduction of the so called ‘bedroom tax’  "have done all they can to avoid falling into arrears and are actively engaging with housing staff, they should not be evicted for failing to pay the part of their rent which is due to the new restrictions".

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

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

 

RESOLVED:       That the original motion be approved.^3.