Agenda item

To consider the following Notices of Motion under Standing Order 11:

 

A – Motions previously referred to the Executive for consideration in accordance with Standing Order 11(a)(ii)(copies of the relevant report to the Executive and an extract from the Executive minutes are attached)

 

(i)         From Councillor Blanchard

“Council notes that:

·  To produce foie gras, at just 12 weeks old ducks and geese are restrained and grain is forced down the throat through a tube or pipe, a process that often results in physical injury;

·  They are forcibly fed the equivalent to an adult human eating 1-28 lbs (7-13 kg) of spaghetti a day; and, after two or three weeks, when they are ready for slaughter, their livers will have swollen to about ten times normal size.  The swollen liver expands the abdomen and can make movement and breathing difficult, as well as causing other health problems;

·  Most ducks are kept in wire cages so small they have no room to turn around or stretch their wings, and their feet are often injured by the wire floor;

·  Many die before the force feeding cycle ends, and the mortality rate for ducks raised on foie gras farms is overwhelmingly the highest in the industry;

·  The force-feeding of geese is already outlawed in Poland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Israel.

Council believes that:

·  This intolerably cruel and painful practice is unnecessary and should end;

·  The city of Chicago, USA, has shown tremendous compassionate leadership in its brave decision to ban foie gras in its shops and restaurants;

·  The torture of small innocent animals should not be a matter of personal dietary choice.

Council resolves to:

·  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Ben Bradshaw MP, Minister of State responsible for Animal Welfare, informing him of this motion and asking for the production and sale of foie gras to be banned in the UK;

·  Do as much as reasonably possible to discourage or prohibit the sale of foie gras within the authority area, whether in shops or restaurants.”

 

B – Motions submitted for consideration directly by Council, in accordance with Standing Orders 11(a)(ii)

 

(ii)        From Councillor Steve Galloway

            "Council places on record its support for the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire in his efforts to ensure that adequate government grant is provided to his force to ensure that, at least, as many Police Officers and PCSOs are available, to enforce the law on the streets of York, as are currently allocated".

 

(iii)       From Councillor Kirk

“Council notes with concern the flooding caused around York this summer as a result of drainage systems being unable to cope with the level of rainfall.

 

Council calls for the government to introduce a statutory duty on the private water companies to review and upgrade drainage in line with the increased needs due to climate change, as well as to maintain drainage systems properly and make pumping stations proof against flooding.”

 

(iv)       From Councillor Potter

            “City of York Council calls upon North Yorkshire Police Authority to set a budget that adequately reflects the policing needs of York. Central area including York has  47% of the total crime in the area covered by  NYP yet only received 33% of the total budget. This does not reflect the need for a higher level of policing in the York area due to the higher crime rate and is therefore not adequate. A redistribution of funding would ensure more Police on the streets of York to reduce crime and increase detection rates in the City.”

 

(v)        From Councillor Fraser

            “Council is concerned that, whilst businesses in the inner core of the City are thriving, some of the peripheral streets, such as Goodramgate, Micklegate and, to a lesser extent Fossgate, are not benefiting from this prosperity, and are, in some cases, taking on a somewhat “run down” look.

 

Further, Council notes that a review of the City’s footstreet scheme is currently underway, and determines that regard should be had to this issue, in the conduct of that review.

 

Finally, Council resolves to allocate adequate resources, including Officer time, to research this problem, and to develop an Action Plan, to include an economic regeneration strategy, to address this issue and to encourage a culture of vibrancy and prosperity, in these streets.”

 

(vi)       From Councillor Gillies

            "We call upon The City of York Council to petition the Secretary of State for Transport, with immediate effect, to provide funding for the dualling of the York Northern Ring Road at the earliest opportunity."

Six notices of motion had been received.  Councillor Steve Galloway therefore moved, Councillor Scott seconded and Council agreed a motion to suspend Standing Order 11(b), which limited the number of notices of motion to be discussed to five, so that all of the notices of motion could be considered.

 

(i)         Sale and Production of Foie Gras

 

This motion had previously been referred to the Executive for consideration in accordance with Standing Order 11(a)(ii):

 

“Council notes that:

·  To produce foie gras, at just 12 weeks old ducks and geese are restrained and grain is forced down the throat through a tube or pipe, a process that often results in physical injury;

·  They are forcibly fed the equivalent to an adult human eating 1-28 lbs (7-13 kg) of spaghetti a day; and, after two or three weeks, when they are ready for slaughter, their livers will have swollen to about ten times normal size.  The swollen liver expands the abdomen and can make movement and breathing difficult, as well as causing other health problems;

·                          Most ducks are kept in wire cages so small they have no room to turn around or stretch their wings, and their feet are often injured by the wire floor;

·  Many die before the force feeding cycle ends, and the mortality rate for ducks raised on foie gras farms is overwhelmingly the highest in the industry;

·  The force-feeding of geese is already outlawed in Poland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Israel.

Council believes that:

·  This intolerably cruel and painful practice is unnecessary and should end;

·  The city of Chicago, USA, has shown tremendous compassionate leadership in its brave decision to ban foie gras in its shops and restaurants;

·  The torture of small innocent animals should not be a matter of personal dietary choice.

Council resolves to:

·  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Ben Bradshaw MP, Minister of State responsible for Animal Welfare, informing him of this motion and asking for the production and sale of foie gras to be banned in the UK;

·  Do as much as reasonably possible to discourage or prohibit the sale of foie gras within the authority area, whether in shops or restaurants.”

 

As the proposer of the motion, Cllr Blanchard put forward an alteration with Council’s consent:

 

“Delete the final two bullet points after ‘Council resolves to’ and replace with:

·        ‘Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Lord Rooker, the Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming and Animal Health, stating the council’s concern regarding the sale of foie gras in the UK and requesting a review of central government policies on animal welfare issues;

·        Ban the procurement of foie gras by the council;

·        Ban sale of foie gras by the council on its premises;

·        Place a link to the website of Compassion in World Farming on the council website;

·        Inform representative hospitality organisations in the city of its view.’”

 

The altered motion was then moved by Cllr Blanchard, and seconded by Cllr Scott:

 

“Council notes that:

·  To produce foie gras, at just 12 weeks old ducks and geese are restrained and grain is forced down the throat through a tube or pipe, a process that often results in physical injury;

·  They are forcibly fed the equivalent to an adult human eating 1-28 lbs (7-13 kg) of spaghetti a day; and, after two or three weeks, when they are ready for slaughter, their livers will have swollen to about ten times normal size.  The swollen liver expands the abdomen and can make movement and breathing difficult, as well as causing other health problems;

·  Most ducks are kept in wire cages so small they have no room to turn around or stretch their wings, and their feet are often injured by the wire floor;

·  Many die before the force feeding cycle ends, and the mortality rate for ducks raised on foie gras farms is overwhelmingly the highest in the industry;

·  The force-feeding of geese is already outlawed in Poland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Israel.

Council believes that:

·  This intolerably cruel and painful practice is unnecessary and should end;

·  The city of Chicago, USA, has shown tremendous compassionate leadership in its brave decision to ban foie gras in its shops and restaurants;

·  The torture of small innocent animals should not be a matter of personal dietary choice.

   Council resolves to:

·  Instruct the Chief Executive to write to Lord Rooker, the Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming and Animal Health, stating the council’s concern regarding the sale of foie gras in the UK and requesting a review of central government policies on animal welfare issues;¹

·  Ban the procurement of foie gras by the council;²

·  Ban sale of foie gras by the council on its premises;³

·  Place a link to the website of Compassion in World Farming on the council website;⁴

·  Inform representative hospitality organisations in the city of its view.”⁵

 

Cllr Taylor then moved, and Cllr D’Agorne seconded, an amendment to the altered motion, as follows:

 

“To add an additional bullet point at the end, to read, ‘Inform Market stallholders applying to supply deli/ continental food that the council has passed this motion and urge them to respect the views of the elected members of this city.’”

 

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

 

[2 votes for the amendment, 19 votes against the amendment, 24 abstentions.]

 

[Note: Cllrs D’Agorne and Taylor requested that their votes in support of the amendment be recorded.]

 

The altered motion was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion, as altered, be approved.

 

[44 votes for the motion, 0 votes against the motion, 2 abstentions.]

 

(ii)        Police Funding

 

It was moved by Cllr Steve Galloway and seconded by Cllr Orrell that:

 

"Council places on record its support for the Chief Constable of North Yorkshire in his efforts to ensure that adequate government grant is provided to his force to ensure that, at least, as many Police Officers and PCSOs are available, to enforce the law on the streets of York, as are currently allocated".⁶

 

The motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion be approved.

 

[46 votes for the motion, 0 votes against the motion, 0 abstentions.]

 

(iii)            Flooding

 

It was moved by Cllr Kirk and seconded by Cllr Waller that:

 

“Council notes with concern the flooding caused around York this summer as a result of drainage systems being unable to cope with the level of rainfall.

 

Council calls for the government to introduce a statutory duty on the private water companies to review and upgrade drainage in line with the increased needs due to climate change, as well as to maintain drainage systems properly and make pumping stations proof against flooding.”

 

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

 

“To add the words ‘blocked gullies and the’ to the first sentence after the words ‘as a result of’.

To add two additional sentences at the end of the first paragraph to read:

‘Council recognises that it has a duty to ensure that all the gully's in the City work to their maximum capacity. This should include not being blocked with detritus or not maintained due to roads or sewers also needing maintenance.’

To add an additional paragraph between the existing first and second paragraphs to read:

‘Council firstly calls on CYC Officers to take an urgent review of the Gully Cleaning process in the City and report to Councillors all gullies which are damaged or blocked and need urgent work undertaken. Secondly, that Officers bring forward a scheme to undertake a maintenance program to ensure the situation is not repeated again.’

In the final paragraph, to add the words, ‘usage of modern life and to investigate future capacity level changes  and environmental security of infrastructure, including pumping stations, which may result from’ after ‘increased’, and delete the words, ‘needs due to’.

To delete the words, ‘as well as to maintain drainage systems properly and make pumping stations proof against flooding’ and replace them with an additional sentence, to read, ‘It is requested that funding for any work undertaken must not be funded through any increase in charges but from their profits.’”

           

As proposer of the amendment, Cllr Simpson-Laing put forward an alteration to the amendment with Council’s consent:

 

“To no longer include an additional sentence at the end, to read, ‘It is requested that funding for any work undertaken must not be funded through any increase in charges but from their profits.’”

 

[24 votes consenting to the alteration, 22 votes objecting to the alteration 0 abstentions.]

 

The altered amendment now read as follows:

“To add the words ‘blocked gullies and the’ to the first sentence after the words ‘as a result of’.

To add two additional sentences at the end of the first paragraph to read:

‘Council recognises that it has a duty to ensure that all the gully's in the City work to their maximum capacity. This should include not being blocked with detritus or not maintained due to roads or sewers also needing maintenance.’

To add an additional paragraph between the existing first and second paragraphs to read:

‘Council firstly calls on CYC Officers to take an urgent review of the Gully Cleaning process in the City and report to Councillors all gullies which are damaged or blocked and need urgent work undertaken. Secondly, that Officers bring forward a scheme to undertake a maintenance program to ensure the situation is not repeated again.’

In the final paragraph, to add the words, ‘usage of modern life and to investigate future capacity level changes  and environmental security of infrastructure, including pumping stations, which may result from’ after ‘increased’, and delete the words, ‘needs due to’.

To delete the words, ‘as well as to maintain drainage systems properly and make pumping stations proof against flooding’.”

 

On being put to the vote, the altered amendment was declared CARRIED.

 

[26 votes for the amendment, 20 votes against the amendment, 0 abstentions.]

 

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

 

“Council notes with concern the flooding caused around York this summer as a result of blocked gullies and the drainage systems being unable to cope with the level of rainfall. Council recognises that it has a duty to ensure that all the gully's in the City work to their maximum capacity. This should include not being blocked with detritus or not maintained due to roads or sewers also needing maintenance.

 

Council firstly calls on CYC Officers to take an urgent review of the Gully Cleaning process in the City and report to Councillors all gullies which are damaged or blocked and need urgent work undertaken.⁷ Secondly, that Officers bring forward a scheme to undertake a maintenance program to ensure the situation is not repeated again.⁸

 

Council calls for the government to introduce a statutory duty on the private water companies to review and upgrade drainage in line with the increased usage of modern life and to investigate future capacity level changes  and environmental security of infrastructure, including pumping stations, which may result from climate change.”⁹

 

The amended motion was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion, as amended, be approved.

 

[26 votes for the motion, 2 votes against the motion, 18 abstentions.]

 

(iv)       Police Funding

 

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

 

“City of York Council calls upon North Yorkshire Police Authority to set a budget that adequately reflects the policing needs of York. Central area including York has  47% of the total crime in the area covered by  NYP yet only received 33% of the total budget. This does not reflect the need for a higher level of policing in the York area due to the higher crime rate and is therefore not adequate. A redistribution of funding would ensure more Police on the streets of York to reduce crime and increase detection rates in the City.”¹⁰

 

The motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion be approved.

 

[44 votes for the motion, 0 votes against the motion, 0 abstentions.]

 

(v)            Business in the Peripheral City Centre Streets

 

It was moved by Cllr Fraser and seconded by Cllr Looker that:

 

“Council is concerned that, whilst businesses in the inner core of the City are thriving, some of the peripheral streets, such as Goodramgate, Micklegate and, to a lesser extent Fossgate, are not benefiting from this prosperity, and are, in some cases, taking on a somewhat “run down” look.

 

Further, Council notes that a review of the City’s footstreet scheme is currently underway, and determines that regard should be had to this issue, in the conduct of that review.

 

Finally, Council resolves to allocate adequate resources, including Officer time, to research this problem, and to develop an Action Plan, to include an economic regeneration strategy, to address this issue and to encourage a culture of vibrancy and prosperity, in these streets.”

 

Cllr Reid then moved, and Cllr Steve Galloway seconded, referral of the motion to the Executive for consideration with an officer report, under Standing Order 11(a)(ii)(b).  On being put to the vote, the proposal to refer the motion to the Executive was CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:            That the above notice of motion be referred to the Executive.¹¹

 

[46 votes for referral, 0 votes against referral, 0 abstentions.]

 

(vi)            Dualling of the Northern Ring Road

 

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

 

"We call upon The City of York Council to petition the Secretary of State for Transport, with immediate effect, to provide funding for the dualling of the York Northern Ring Road at the earliest opportunity."

 

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

 

“Delete the words, ‘We call upon’ at the start of the motion.

Delete the words, ‘to petition’ and replace them with, ‘will seek immediate discussions, between the Leaders of the ruling and main opposition parties with’.

Delete the words, ‘with immediate effect, to provide’, and replace them with, ‘to request the provision of’.

Delete the words, ‘for the dualling’, and replace them with, ‘at the earliest opportunity, to upgrade junctions and other aspects’.

Add the words, ‘for the benefit of all road users’, at the end of the existing motion.

Add a further additional paragraph, to read:

‘The City of York Council requests this increased funding in the light of the Future York report, and recent Government proposals to increase housing and economic development planning targets for York, which have increased the need for urgent additional public investment, via the Regional Funding Allocation or other funding opportunities, to pay for major improvements to transport systems in the City. Such discussions should recognise that any upgrading of the ring road will be part of a comprehensive approach to traffic management in the whole city, as part of a programme of overall traffic reduction and sustainable transport priority within the A1237/A64 ring, while also protecting York's economic success and ensuring the protection of its environment'.” 

 

On being put to the vote, the amendment to the above notice of motion was declared CARRIED.

 

[39 votes for the amendment, 7 votes against the amendment, 0 abstentions.]

 

The motion, as amended, now read as follows:

 

“The City of York Council will seek immediate discussions, between the Leaders of the ruling & main opposition parties with the Secretary of State for Transport, to request the provision of funding, at the earliest opportunity, to upgrade junctions and other aspects of the York Northern Ring Road, for the benefit of all road users. ¹²

 

The City of York Council requests this increased funding in the light of the Future York report, and recent Government proposals to increase housing and economic development planning targets for York, which have increased the need for urgent additional public investment, via the Regional Funding Allocation or other funding opportunities, to pay for major improvements to transport systems in the City. Such discussions should recognise that any upgrading of the ring road will be part of a comprehensive approach to traffic management in the whole city, as part of a programme of overall traffic reduction and sustainable transport priority within the A1237/A64 ring,  while also protecting York's economic success and ensuring the protection of its environment.” 

 

The amended motion was put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion, as amended, be approved.

 

[39 votes for the motion, 0 votes against the motion, 7 abstentions.]