Agenda item
Notices of Motion
To consider the following Notices of Motion under Standing Order 11:
(i) From Councillor Watt:
“The Council raises its concern at the Government’s selection of Clifton Gate as a potential ‘Eco-Town’ development site. In particular, there are severe infrastructure problems in the vicinity of the proposed site, which will be made worse should the development proceed. Moreover, there are major traffic congestion problems on the major roads feeding the site and the Council does not consider that the measures for transportation links proposed for Clifton Gate will ease the congestion.
Furthermore, the Council is disappointed that the Government selected the Clifton Gate site in concurrence with potential developers without consulting the City of York Council.
Therefore, we call upon the Chief Executive to write to the Minister for Communities and Local government and the Minister for Yorkshire to express the objection of the City of York Council to the selection of Clifton Gate as a potential ‘Eco-Town’, on the grounds that it cannot be sustained by the local infrastructure.”
(ii) From Councillor Simpson-Laing:
“Council instructs Officers to take up powers given to local authorities under ‘The Housing (Empty Dwelling Management Orders) (Prescribed Exceptions and Requirements) (England) Order 2006’ to help bring forward much needed housing lying empty in York.
Council instructs officers within three months to draft guidance on how the powers might be exercised. Reports should be submitted to both the Local Development Framework (LDF) Working Group and the Executive Member for Housing Advisory Panel (EMAP), so that proper consideration can be given to the benefits of embedding the Government initiative into Council policy in order to help provide much needed housing in the area.”
(iii) From Councillor Merrett:
“Council welcomes the recent officer report on an 'Action Plan' for tackling climate change within the Council. Council recognises that there will be major challenges for the Council, York residents and businesses which will require greaterunderstanding of the need and measures to tackle 'Climate Change'. Council therefore agrees that an Cross Party Task Force be established to lead on this issue from the Council. Its remit will be to:
1. Monitor the implementation of the current 'Action Plan' within the Council;
2. Examine how the longer term targets can be met to tackle CO2 emissions;
3. Seek consensus between the parties on the Council on the issue of CO2 emissions;
4. Lead the public debate and development of the wider York approach, in conjuction with 'Without Walls' Partnership;
5. That the Task Force report to the Executive on a Bi-monthly basis.
(iv) From Councillor Orrell:
“Council notes that crime levels across the City have fallen significantly in recent years. Whilst this reflects the partnership of the Police, Safer York and local communities, this reduction has relied heavily on the considerable efforts of local Police Officers.
The public expect a high quality of policing, and for the government to be fair in their treatment of police pay.
Government has chosen to reduce the police pay increase with a sleight of hand which has created unnecessary conflict with the officers who patrol our streets.
Council calls upon the Home Secretary to agree to the Independent Police Arbitration Tribunal’s recommendation for the pay increase to maintain police morale.”
(v) From Councillor Morley:
“The Council calls upon the Government to award a funding settlement at least in line with inflation to the North Yorkshire Fire Authority, in the light of representations already made to the Government by the North Yorkshire Fire Authority.”
Minutes:
In accordance with Standing Order 11, five notices of motion had been received:
(i) Police Pay
It was moved by Cllr Orrell and seconded by Cllr Vassie that:
“Council notes that crime levels across the City have fallen significantly in recent years. Whilst this reflects the partnership of the Police, Safer York and local communities, this reduction has relied heavily on the considerable efforts of local Police Officers.
The public expect a high quality of policing, and for the government to be fair in their treatment of police pay.
Government has chosen to reduce the police pay increase with a sleight of hand which has created unnecessary conflict with the officers who patrol our streets.
Council calls upon the Home Secretary to agree to the Independent Police Arbitration Tribunal’s recommendation for the pay increase, to maintain police morale.”
Cllr Potter then moved, and Cllr Scott, seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:
“Before the first paragraph, add:
‘Council would like to note its thanks to the Government for the extra policing, and the provision of PCSOs, that the City of York has received over the last decade.’
In the first (now the second) paragraph:
Remove the words ‘Whilst this reflects’ from the third sentence and remove the words ‘this reduction has relied heavily on the considerable efforts of’ from the last sentence.
In the second (now the third) paragraph:
Remove the words ‘to be fair in their treatment of policy pay’.
Remove the whole of the next paragraph.
In the final paragraph:
Insert the word ‘therefore’ after ‘Council’.”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared LOST.
The original motion was then put to the vote and was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.1
(ii) Management of Empty Dwellings
It was moved by Cllr Simpson-Laing and seconded by Cllr Funnell that:
“Council instructs Officers to take up powers given to local authorities under The Housing (Empty Dwelling Management Orders) (Prescribed Exceptions and Requirements) (England) Order 2006 to help bring forward much needed housing lying empty in York.
Council instructs Officers within three months to draft guidance on how the powers might be exercised. Reports should be submitted to both the Local Development Framework (LDF) Working Group and the Executive Member for Housing Advisory Panel (EMAP), so that proper consideration can be given to the benefits of embedding the Government initiative into Council policy in order to help provide much needed housing in the area.”
Cllr Steve Galloway then moved, and Cllr Sunderland seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:
“In the first paragraph:
Delete the words ‘take up’ in the first line and insert: ‘produce a report detailing the costs and other implications of using the’;
Delete the word ‘forward’ in the last line and insert: ‘into use’.
In the second paragraph:
Before the word ‘Council’ at the start, insert: ‘Should the new powers subsequently be adopted,’.
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared LOST.
The original motion was then put to the vote and was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.2
*(iii) ‘Eco Town’ Proposal
“The Council raises its concern at the Government’s selection of Clifton Gate as a potential ‘Eco-Town’ development site. In particular, there are severe infrastructure problems in the vicinity of the proposed site, which will be made worse should the development proceed. Moreover, there are major traffic congestion problems on the major roads feeding the site and the Council does not consider that the measures for transportation links proposed for Clifton Gate will ease the congestion.
Furthermore, the Council is disappointed that the Government selected the Clifton Gate site in concurrence with potential developers without consulting the City of York Council.
Therefore, we call upon the Chief Executive to write to the Minister for Communities and Local Government and the Minister for Yorkshire to express the objection of the City of York Council to the selection of Clifton Gate as a potential ‘Eco-Town’, on the grounds that it cannot be sustained by the local infrastructure.”
In accordance with Standing Order 14(f), a named vote of those Members present was requested and put on the above motion, as follows:
|
For |
Against |
Abstained |
|
Cllr Aspden |
Cllr Alexander |
Cllr Brooks |
|
Cllr Ayre |
Cllr Bowgett |
Cllr D’Agorne |
|
Cllr Steve Galloway |
Cllr Douglas |
Cllr Sue Galloway |
|
Cllr Healey |
Cllr Fraser |
Cllr Galvin |
|
Cllr Holvey |
Cllr Gunnell |
Cllr Gillies |
|
Cllr Hyman |
Cllr Looker |
Cllr Hudson |
|
Cllr Moore |
Cllr Merrett |
Cllr Jamieson-Ball |
|
Cllr Morley |
Cllr Potter |
Cllr Reid |
|
Cllr Orrell |
Cllr Scott |
Cllr R Watson |
|
Cllr Runciman |
|
Cllr Waudby (Lord Mayor) |
|
Cllr Sunderland |
|
|
|
Cllr Taylor |
|
|
|
Cllr Vassie |
|
|
|
Cllr Waller |
|
|
|
Cllr Watt |
|
|
|
15 |
9 |
11 |
In accordance with this vote, the motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion be approved.3
*Note: In accordance with an interpretation of the advice offered by the Monitoring Officer regarding members of the Planning Committee dealing with any future planning application in relation to the Eco Town proposal, Cllrs Blanchard, Cregan, Crisp, Firth, Funnell, Horton, King, Kirk, Pierce, Simpson-Laing, B Watson and Wiseman all left the Chamber during the debate on the above motion and took no part in the decision thereon.
(iv) Climate Change Action Plan
It was moved by Cllr Merrett and seconded by Cllr Alexander that:
“Council welcomes the recent Officer report on an ‘Action Plan’ for tackling climate change within the Council. Council recognises that there will be major challenges for the Council, York residents and businesses, which will require greater understanding of the need and measures to tackle ‘Climate Change’. Council therefore agrees that a Cross Party Task Force be established to lead on this issue from the Council. Its remit will be to:
1. Monitor the implementation of the current ‘Action Plan’ within the Council;
2. Examine how the longer term targets can be met to tackle CO2 emissions;
3. Seek consensus between the parties on the Council on the issue of CO2 emissions;
4. Lead the public debate and development of the wider York approach, in conjunction with the ‘Without Walls’ Partnership;
5. That the Task Force report to the Executive on a bi-monthly basis.”
Cllr Waller then moved, and Cllr Reid seconded, an amendment to the above motion, as follows:
“In the third sentence:
Delete all from ‘a Cross Party Task Force’ to ‘its remit will be to:’ and insert: ‘bi-monthly update reports – copied to all Council Members – be submitted via the Group Leader / Shadow Executive / Executive process detailing progress made in the following areas:’..
In the points numbered 1 to 5:
Delete the word ‘Monitor’ from point 1 and the word ‘Examine’ from point 2;
Delete the word ‘Seeking’ from point 3 and insert Establishing’;
Delete the word ‘Lead’ from point 4 and insert ‘Leading’;
Delete the whole of point 5.”
On being put to the vote, the amendment was declared CARRIED.
The motion, as amended, now read as follows:
“Council welcomes the recent Officer report on an ‘Action Plan’ for tackling climate change within the Council. Council recognises that there will be major challenges for the Council, York residents and businesses, which will require greater understanding of the need and measures to tackle ‘Climate Change’. Council therefore agrees that bi-monthly update reports – copied to all Council Members – be submitted via the Group Leader / Shadow Executive / Executive process detailing progress made in the following action areas:
1. The implementation of the current ‘Action Plan’ within the Council;
2. How the longer term targets can be met to tackle CO2 emissions;
3. Establishing consensus between the parties on the Council on the issue of CO2 emissions;
4. Leading the public debate and development of the wider York approach, in conjunction with the ‘Without Walls’ Partnership.”
On being put to the vote, the amended motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion, as amended, be approved.4
(v) North Yorkshire Fire Authority Funding
The fifth notice of motion had been proposed by Cllr Morley, as follows:
“The Council calls upon the Government to award a funding settlement at least in line with inflation to the North Yorkshire Fire Authority, in the light of representations already made to the Government by the North Yorkshire Fire Authority.”
Cllr Morley now sought Council’s consent to alter the above motion to read as follows:
“Council notes with regret the Government’s decision not to award a funding settlement at least in line with inflation to the North Yorkshire Fire Authority, despite representations made to the Government by the North Yorkshire Fire Authority. Council calls upon Government to reconsider the application of the funding formula in relation to the North Yorkshire Fire Authority.”
Council having consented to the alteration, the altered motion was then moved by Cllr Morley and seconded by Cllr Hyman.
On being put to the vote, the altered motion was declared CARRIED and it was
RESOLVED: That the above notice of motion, as altered, be approved.5