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 Levene
“City of York Council:
(i) notes the economic, social and environmental benefits that would be delivered by electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line, as set out in the Leeds-Harrogate-York Rail line Improvements Outline Transport Business Case, and calls upon the Department for Transport and Network Rail to make this a priority;
(ii) invites the Chief Executive to continue to work with Harrogate Borough Council and other interested stakeholders such as local Members of Parliament, North Yorkshire County Council and local Chambers of Commerce in order to make representations to the Department of Transport, Network Rail and others,, particularly the Electrification Task Force, to secure these benefits for the people of York and Harrogate;
(iii) notes that Harrogate Borough Council will be considering a similar motion lobbying relevant parties to support electrification of this line.”
(ii) From Cllr Steward
“Council notes with concern the results of the Organisational Development Action Plan, in particular the Leadership section and the current position re ‘Concern about the Behaviour of some Members’. This follows last year’s Peer Challenge review which also expressed concern regarding members’ understanding of council priorities and the lack of clarity within the council.
Council requests that an independent body be appointed to report back to the Audit and Governance Committee no later than its meeting of 10 December 2014 and that the report is delivered directly to this committee, investigating these concerns and whether Members have acted in a manner which falls below that which staff and residents expect.”
(iii) From Cllr Reid
“Council notes that in order to pass the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) ‘Test of Soundness” the Local Plan must be:
· Positively Prepared - based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements.
· Justified - the plan should be the most appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives.
· Effective - the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-border strategic priorities.
Council believes that the current draft plan approved by Cabinet on the 25th September:
· does not accurately reflect the evidence base and is therefore not based on objectively assessed requirements.
· is not the most appropriate strategy and has ignored reasonable alternatives rather than test the approach against them.
· is not deliverable over the plan period and is contrary to the combined methodological approach of the Leeds City Region.
Council believes that the current proposals also fail to adequately reflect the results of the citywide consultations undertaken in July 2013 and July 2014.
Council believes that the current proposals will result in the plan being found unsound by the planning inspector leaving the city vulnerable.
Council instructs that planned consultation on the current proposals is halted.
In order to accurately reflect objectively assessed requirements, Council instructs officers to produce a report on housing trajectory to be brought to the next meeting of the Local Plan Working Group (LPWG) along with the relevant background reports.
The LPWG will then agree an accurate analysis of housing trajectory that is objective, evidence based and deliverable. This analysis will then be used to inform housing allocations and a new proposed Local Plan will be brought to the next LPWG for discussion and recommendation to Cabinet in November.”
(iv) From Cllr Semlyen
“This council believes that:
Climate change is real and is resulting in deaths and cross border migration;
That fracking (hydraulic fracturing for shale gas) contributes to climate change.
This council recognises the over 2,100 name petition submitted by Frack Free York requesting a City of York Council decision on fracking. The petition asks that Councillors’ vote that York should, where possible, publicly state their resistance to planning applications for drilling for shale gas as it is believed that this could deter applications from drilling companies.
We believe that it would be better to reduce the need for extra energy supplies and will seek to promote an increase in energy efficiency, sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Council asks the Leader to send a copy of this motion to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Minister of State for the Department for Energy and Climate Change and to all York’s MPs.”
Minutes:
A Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 12.1(b)
(i) Electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York railway line (proposed by Cllr Levene)
“City of York Council:
(i) notes the economic, social and environmental benefits that would be delivered by electrification of the Leeds-Harrogate-York line, as set out in the Leeds-Harrogate-York Rail line Improvements Outline Transport Business Case, and calls upon the Department for Transport and Network Rail to make this a priority;
(ii) invites the Chief Executive to continue to work with Harrogate Borough Council and other interested stakeholders such as local Members of Parliament, North Yorkshire County Council and local Chambers of Commerce in order to make representations to the Department of Transport, Network Rail and others, particularly the Electrification Task Force, to secure these benefits for the people of York and Harrogate;
(ii) notes that Harrogate Borough Council will be considering a similar motion lobbying relevant parties to support electrification of this line.”
On being put to the vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
Resolved: That the above motion be approved. 2.
(iii) Local Plan (proposed by Cllr Reid)
“Council notes that in order to pass the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) ‘Test of Soundness” the Local Plan must be:
· Positively Prepared - based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements.
· Justified - the plan should be the most appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives.
· Effective - the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-border strategic priorities.
Council believes that the current draft plan approved by Cabinet on the 25th September:
· does not accurately reflect the evidence base and is therefore not based on objectively assessed requirements.
· is not the most appropriate strategy and has ignored reasonable alternatives rather than test the approach against them.
· is not deliverable over the plan period and is contrary to the combined methodological approach of the Leeds City Region.
Council believes that the current proposals also fail to adequately reflect the results of the citywide consultations undertaken in July 2013 and July 2014.
Council believes that the current proposals will result in the plan being found unsound by the planning inspector leaving the city vulnerable.
Council instructs that planned consultation on the current proposals is halted.
In order to accurately reflect objectively assessed requirements, Council instructs officers to produce a report on housing trajectory to be brought to the next meeting of the Local Plan Working Group (LPWG) along with the relevant background reports.
The LPWG will then agree an accurate analysis of housing trajectory that is objective, evidence based and deliverable. This analysis will then be used to inform housing allocations and a new proposed Local Plan will be brought to the next LPWG for discussion and recommendation to Cabinet in November.”
An amendment was proposed by Councillor D’Agorne as follows:
Delete final two paragraphs.
Replace with
‘In order to enable a decision to be made on full and clear evidence and to take into account the strongly held view of many York residents that green spaces in the city and York’s Green Belt should be protected, Council instructs officers to produce a report detailing options for the Local Plan based on land allocations to accommodate 640 dwelling per annum and 800 dwellings per annum, the lower scenario being based on population projections alone and reflecting natural levels of growth in York (as detailed by Arup in the Preferred Options documents). The report should be as brief as possible, making clear the changes required to the current proposal for each scenario. It should include comparison with a trajectory of housing completions based on past years. The report to be brought to the next meeting of the Local Plan Working Group (LPWG) with an objective of achieving a plan which will pass the test of soundness but meet the aspirations of York citizens and opposition parties for a more gradual growth, in line with the capacity of the industry and the city’s transport and drainage infrastructure. The LPWG will then agree an accurate analysis of housing trajectory that is objective, evidence based and deliverable. This analysis will then be used to inform housing allocations and an amended Local Plan for approval by Cabinet and public consultation early in 2015.”
On being put to the vote the amendment was declared LOST.
On being put to the vote, the original motion, was CARRIED and it was
Resolved: That the original motion be approved. 3.
(iv) Hydraulic Fracking in the York area(proposed by Cllr Semlyen)
“This council believes that:
Climate change is real and is resulting in deaths and cross border migration;
That fracking (hydraulic fracturing for shale gas) contributes to climate change.
This council recognises the over 2,100 name petition submitted by Frack Free York requesting a City of York Council decision on fracking. The petition asks that Councillors’ vote that York should, where possible, publicly state their resistance to planning applications for drilling for shale gas as it is believed that this could deter applications from drilling companies.
We believe that it would be better to reduce the need for extra energy supplies and will seek to promote an increase in energy efficiency, sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Council asks the Leader to send a copy of this motion to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Minister of State for the Department for Energy and Climate Change and to all York’s MPs.”
On being put to the vote, the motion, was CARRIED and it was
Resolved: That the motion be approved. 4.