Agenda item

To consider the following Motions on Notice under Standing Order 22:

 

Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Order 22.1

 

(i)           From Councillor Crawshaw

 

Carbon Neutral City

 

“Council notes:

 

-         the difficulty the city faces in defining meaningful, deliverable and measurable outcomes when working towards its stated aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030;

 

-         that motor-traffic remains a significant contributor to air pollution and carbon emissions;

 

-         the significant number of big developments in the pipeline or underway across York, with York Central set to be the largest single development York has seen in our lifetimes.

 

Council believes:

 

-         that to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, any new developments, particularly those delivering at scale and in sustainable locations, must be net contributors to our city’s carbon neutral strategy;

 

-         that construction methods, materials used and design standards, including the energy efficiency of buildings, are all ways of achieving low carbon development; 

 

-         that a simple way to reduce carbon emissions is by ensuring future developments are low-car wherever possible.

 

Council resolves to request that the Executive:

-         expedites the amendment of our Supplementary Planning Documents and any other such legislative tools as are available to us in order that they reflect our stated ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, in line with the Coalition’s Partnership Agreement;

 

-         uses every power at the council’s disposal to deliver a low-car, carbon neutral development on York Central.”

 

(ii)    From Councillor Aspden

 

A Fair Deal for York

 

“This Council notes that York has been disproportionally affected by the Conservative Government’s cuts to public services. This means that local services have been continuously under-funded, particularly when compared to other areas in the UK.

 

This Council further notes:

 

·        Schools in York remain the worst funded in the country for per-pupil funding;

·        York’s CCG continues to operate with a large deficit;

·        Investment in the Yorkshire & Humber region’s transport infrastructure significantly lags behind London, the South East and even the North West;

·        More than 20 newspapers and websites have come together, including local media in York, to lobby the Government to commit to a package of policy measures to ‘Power up the North’;

·        The North of England is home to 15 million people and the region employs a quarter of England’s workforce (7.2 million people), all of whom deserve a fairer deal on the public services they receive;

·        According to figures published by Leicestershire County Council, who have developed an alternative fairer funding model, York could receive an additional £13 million per year, or an extra £61 per resident, if funding were to be redistributed based on need.

 

Now, at a time of unprecedented national uncertainty, it is more important than ever to address the chronic under investment in the North.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves that formal lobbying efforts are made to the Government, and the newly appointed Prime Minister, to request:

 

·        Additional funding for York schools;

·        Additional funding to create GP-led, multi-disciplinary health and care hubs, including mobile services, to keep more people out of hospital;

·        That Northern Powerhouse Rail is made a national priority;

·        A commitment that the Government’s ‘Shared Prosperity Fund’, intended to replace EU structural funding, be devolved to enable strategic decisions to be taken locally.”

 

(iii)        From Councillor Fenton:

Long-term Empty Properties in York

 

“This Council notes that despite the pressures on York’s housing market, some properties in the city have remained empty for a considerable length of time.

 

This Council further notes:

·          That there are currently 200,000 properties standing empty in England, with 527 empty in the City of York, according to data from 2017;

·          Empty properties can attract squatters, vandalism, anti-social behaviour and therefore can be a blight on the local community;

·          When 1.6 million households in the UK are on social housing waiting lists, long-term empty properties are a wasted resource, particularly in York where there is considerable demand for housing;

·          An empty property, for council tax purposes, is defined as a property that is ‘unoccupied and substantially unfurnished’;

·          Since 1^st April 2013, local authorities in England have been able to charge a premium of 50% on the full council tax charge, and from 1^st November 2018, local authorities have been permitted to raise this premium up to 100%;

·          From April 2021, Councils will be allowed to charge owners of empty properties up to 300% council tax premium.

Therefore, this Council resolves:

 

·          That the Council should increase council tax charges to the maximum (300%), at the earliest date legislated for.

·          Given that York has experienced a recent spike in the number of homes left empty for six months or more, that Council Officers produce a report for consideration by the Executive to examine the potential options available to the Council to further reduce the number of empty homes in the city.”

 

 

(iv)        From Councillor D Taylor

A Pollinator Action Plan

“Council notes

-        that whilst the Government introduced a national Pollinator Strategy in 2014, a great deal more needs to be done.

-        bees and other pollinators are vital to our crops, wildlife, countryside and gardens; around 80% of our crops and garden produce relies on insect pollination.

-        Yet there is a serious decline in our native pollinators due to a combination of climate change, farming practices, pesticide use and patterns of urban development.

-        Half of our bumblebee species are in decline with 3 already extinct; 7 bumblebee species have declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years and 71% of our butterflies are in long term decline.

 

Council further notes

-        Many UK councils are now introducing Pollinator Action Plans. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Newcastle and Oxford already have plans in place.

-        Budget savings may be made on grass cutting costs by managing grass verges and other areas for wildflowers, biodiversity and pollinators. Dorset Council has saved £93,000/year.

-        Wildflower verges and other areas can enhance the appearance and prestige of the city and support residents’ health and quality of life.

 

Council resolves to request a paper to Executive setting out the options for a comprehensive Pollinator Action Plan to include consideration of the management of appropriate verges, parks and other open spaces for wildflowers and biodiversity; other possible measures to support pollinators and the options for working collaboratively to develop and implement the plan with other local organisations.”

 

 

 

 

 

Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in

accordance with Standing Order 23.1.

 

 

(i)           Carbon Neutral City

 

Moved by Cllr Crawshaw and seconded by Cllr Melly.

 

“Council notes:

 

-         the difficulty the city faces in defining meaningful, deliverable and measurable outcomes when working towards its stated aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030;

 

-         that motor-traffic remains a significant contributor to air pollution and carbon emissions;

 

-         the significant number of big developments in the pipeline or underway across York, with York Central set to be the largest single development York has seen in our lifetimes.

 

Council believes:

 

-         that to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, any new developments, particularly those delivering at scale and in sustainable locations, must be net contributors to our city’s carbon neutral strategy;

 

-         that construction methods, materials used and design standards, including the energy efficiency of buildings, are all ways of achieving low carbon development; 

 

-         that a simple way to reduce carbon emissions is by ensuring future developments are low-car wherever possible.

 

Council resolves to request that the Executive:

-         expedites the amendment of our Supplementary Planning Documents and any other such legislative tools as are available to us in order that they reflect our stated ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, in line with the Coalition’s Partnership Agreement;

 

-         uses every power at the council’s disposal to deliver a low-car, carbon neutral development on York Central.”

 

A vote was then taken on the motion which was CARRIED and it was:

 

Resolved: That the motion, as set out above, be approved.[1]

 

(ii)         A Fair Deal for York

 

Council having consented to a request to alter his motion to include additional wording, Cllr Aspden moved, and Cllr Waller seconded, the altered motion as set out below (the additional wording is highlighted in italics):

 

“This Council notes that York has been disproportionally affected by the Conservative Government’s cuts to public services. This means that local services have been continuously under-funded, particularly when compared to other areas in the UK.

 

This Council further notes:

 

·        Schools in York remain the worst funded in the country for per-pupil funding;

·        York’s CCG continues to operate with a large deficit;

·        Investment in the Yorkshire & Humber region’s transport infrastructure significantly lags behind London, the South East and even the North West;

·        More than 20 newspapers and websites have come together, including local media in York, to lobby the Government to commit to a package of policy measures to ‘Power up the North’;

·        The North of England is home to 15 million people and the region employs a quarter of England’s workforce (7.2 million people), all of whom deserve a fairer deal on the public services they receive;

·        According to figures published by Leicestershire County Council, who have developed an alternative fairer funding model, York could receive an additional £13 million per year, or an extra £61 per resident, if funding were to be redistributed based on need.

 

Now, at a time of unprecedented national uncertainty, it is more important than ever to address the chronic under investment in the North.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves that formal lobbying efforts are made to the Government, and the newly appointed Prime Minister, to request:

·        That prior to conclusion of the Fair Funding Review, and in light of the delayed Social Care Green Paper, it considers making sufficient provision for councils’ abilities to deliver adequate chldren’s and adults’ social care services, to ensure dignity for all in both early and later life;

·        Additional funding for York schools;

·        Additional funding to create GP-led, multi-disciplinary health and care hubs, including mobile services, to keep more people out of hospital;

·        That Northern Powerhouse Rail is made a national priority;

·        A commitment that the Government’s ‘Shared Prosperity Fund’, intended to replace EU structural funding, be devolved to enable strategic decisions to be taken locally.”

 

A vote was then taken on the motion, as altered, which was CARRIED and it was:

 

Resolved: That the motion, as set out above, be approved.[2]

 

(iii)        Long-term Empty Properties in York

 

Moved by Cllr Fenton, seconded by Cllr Pearson:

 

“This Council notes that despite the pressures on York’s housing market, some properties in the city have remained empty for a considerable length of time.

 

This Council further notes:

·          That there are currently 200,000 properties standing empty in England, with 527 empty in the City of York, according to data from 2017;

·          Empty properties can attract squatters, vandalism, anti-social behaviour and therefore can be a blight on the local community;

·          When 1.6 million households in the UK are on social housing waiting lists, long-term empty properties are a wasted resource, particularly in York where there is considerable demand for housing;

·          An empty property, for council tax purposes, is defined as a property that is ‘unoccupied and substantially unfurnished’;

·          Since 1^st April 2013, local authorities in England have been able to charge a premium of 50% on the full council tax charge, and from 1^st November 2018, local authorities have been permitted to raise this premium up to 100%;

·          From April 2021, Councils will be allowed to charge owners of empty properties up to 300% council tax premium.

Therefore, this Council resolves:

 

·          That the Council should increase council tax charges to the maximum (300%), at the earliest date legislated for.

·          Given that York has experienced a recent spike in the number of homes left empty for six months or more, that Council Officers produce a report for consideration by the Executive to examine the potential options available to the Council to further reduce the number of empty homes in the city.”

 

A vote was then taken on the motion which was CARRIED and it was:

 

Resolved: That the motion, as set out above, be approved.[3]

 

Note:  Cllr Cullwick, having declared a prejudicial interest, left the room during consideration of the above motion and took no part in the discussion or decision thereon.

 

(iv)        A Pollinator Action Plan

Moved by Cllr D Taylor, seconded by Cllr Baker:

“Council notes

-        that whilst the Government introduced a national Pollinator Strategy in 2014, a great deal more needs to be done.

-        bees and other pollinators are vital to our crops, wildlife, countryside and gardens; around 80% of our crops and garden produce relies on insect pollination.

-        Yet there is a serious decline in our native pollinators due to a combination of climate change, farming practices, pesticide use and patterns of urban development.

-        Half of our bumblebee species are in decline with 3 already extinct; 7 bumblebee species have declined by more than 50% in the last 25 years and 71% of our butterflies are in long term decline.

 

Council further notes

-        Many UK councils are now introducing Pollinator Action Plans. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Newcastle and Oxford already have plans in place.

-        Budget savings may be made on grass cutting costs by managing grass verges and other areas for wildflowers, biodiversity and pollinators. Dorset Council has saved £93,000/year.

-        Wildflower verges and other areas can enhance the appearance and prestige of the city and support residents’ health and quality of life.

 

Council resolves to request a paper to Executive setting out the options for a comprehensive Pollinator Action Plan to include consideration of the management of appropriate verges, parks and other open spaces for wildflowers and biodiversity; other possible measures to support pollinators and the options for working collaboratively to develop and implement the plan with other local organisations.”

A vote was then taken on the motion which was CARRIED and it was:

 

Resolved: That the motion, as set out above, be approved.[4]