Agenda item
Response to Referred Place Motions (EX4327)
Purpose: over the last 18 months a number of motions proposed at Full Council meetings have been referred to and discussed at other groups and Boards dealing with functions of the Place Directorate. The purpose of this report is to provide details of actions taken and proposed responses to each of these seven motions.
Decision:
Resolved that Executive are agree the below recommended responses and endorse the future recommended actions.
|
Member raising Motion |
Motion Title |
Recommended Response |
Recommended further actions |
|
Cllr Jeff Brooks |
Booking systems at HWRCs See Appendix A for full details |
A response was provided nearer the time and actions taken in conjunction with Portfolio Holder |
No further actions recommended |
|
Cllr Tony Vickers |
Public funds for public access See Appendix B for full details |
One element of the motion is no longer relevant. The remaining call to action in the Motion is supported. |
The Natural Solutions Delivery Partnership and Rural Business Forum both have a part to play in taking this forward. |
|
Cllr Carolyne Culver |
Declare an ecological emergency
See Appendix C for full details |
The motion is rejected However, the aim of reversing the decline in biodiversity is supported |
Opportunities for positive action will be taken particularly in relation to engaging with the Nature Recovery Network Strategy (Berkshire level) and the Natural Solutions Delivery Partnership in West Berkshire |
|
Cllr Carolyne Culver |
Response to COP26 in Glasgow
See Appendices D and E for full details
|
The motion is rejected. However, a number of the proposals have been taken forward by the Council. |
i) Alok Sharma MP be invited to speak to the Environment Advisory Group now that he is not so busy with COP business. ii) To continue to progress policies through the Local Plan Review that require high energy efficiency standards and to develop an SPD or equivalent to support these policies. |
|
Cllr Adrian Abbs |
High Street Canopies See Appendix F for full details |
The motion is rejected A number of the proposals are already covered by BAU activities |
Officers will continue to consider opportunities for increasing trees in urban areas where it is appropriate and possible to do so and make use of additional funds agreed at Full Council on 2 March 2023 |
|
Cllr Adrian Abbs |
Domestic Energy Efficiency See Appendix G for full details |
Due to the lack of staff resource available to consider this detail to date, it is difficult to either confirm support for the motion or reject it at this stage.
|
When the Energy and Carbon Team are up to full strength the scoping of this project can start. A further recommendation will then be made to the Portfolio Holder in consultation with the Environment Advisory Group considering the details of a possible project with a particular focus on funding, resources and deliverability. |
|
Cllr Jeff Brooks |
Pedestrianisation of Northbrook Street and Market Place, Newbury (extended hours) See Appendix H for full details |
The proposals in the motion will be considered as part of the wider Newbury Masterplan delivery programme |
Further investigation of the pedestrianisation proposal will be included as a workstream in the Newbury Masterplan delivery programme, which is being developed currently and will include further engagement with stakeholders in the town centre. |
This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’. However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 31 March 2023, then it will be implemented.
.
Minutes:
Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter introduced and proposed the report (Agenda Item 9), and apologised to all members of the Council due to the age of some of the motions detailed within the report. Councillor Ardagh-Walter reported that Officers were developing a better process for responding to motions to ensure swifter conclusion in the future.
Councillor Lynne Doherty commented that the Monitoring Officer had set up a central monitoring system to ensure that motions would be dealt with fairly and swiftly in the future.
Councillor Graham Bridgman commented that the booking system at local refuse centres was working very well and efficiently.
Councillor Lee Dillon requested a list of those actions that had been adopted by the Council. Councillor Ardagh-Walter clarified that a detailed analysis was within the Appendices to the report.
Councillor Tony Vickers disagreed with the response to his public funds for public access motion which stated that there was no immediate need as things had moved on. Councillor Vickers commented that the campaign needed to continue.
Councillor Adrian Abbs referred to use of the recycling centres and suggested a two tier system for those that wished to continue booking and those that wanted to visit without booking in advance.
Councillor Abbs referred to the recent decision at Council to approve the motion presented by the Green group for urban trees, as opposed to the decision in the paper to reject his high street canopy motion, and suggested that the administration were playing at politics. Councillor Ardagh-Walter commented that there was a definite distinction between high street canopies and urban trees and that they were two different proposals.
The Leader ejected Councillor Abbs from the meeting due to rude, disrespectful behaviour, for repeatedly interrupting Councillor Ardagh-Walter. The meeting adjourned for five minutes.
Upon resumption the Leader apologised to all Members and those members of the public watching who had witnessed Councillor Abbs’ behaviour. The deputy monitoring officer read section 5.14.1 and 5.14.2 of the Council’s constitution which explained the powers which had allowed for Councillor Abbs’ ejection. Councillor Dillon commented that the powers had not been invoked in the correct procedural manner and that in the future Officers should correctly inform the Leader in order to follow the formal process.
Councillor Erik Pattenden queried how long it should generally take to respond to a motion and whether there were any set targets. Councillor Ardagh-Walter suggested that there was no defined period and that all motions would vary depending upon their complexity. He accepted however that a target for initial response with an indication of likely timescale would be useful.
Councillor Richard Somner shared Councillor Ardagh-Walter’s concerns in relation to delays in responding to motions and referred to the sprinklers motion submitted by Councillor Tony Linden. Councillor Somner seconded the recommendations within the report.
RESOLVED that: Executive agree the below recommended responses and endorse the future recommended actions.
|
Member raising Motion |
Motion Title |
Recommended Response |
Recommended further actions |
|
Cllr Jeff Brooks |
Booking systems at HWRCs See Appendix A for full details |
A response was provided nearer the time and actions taken in conjunction with Portfolio Holder |
No further actions recommended |
|
Cllr Tony Vickers |
Public funds for public access See Appendix B for full details |
One element of the motion is no longer relevant. The remaining call to action in the Motion is supported. |
The Natural Solutions Delivery Partnership and Rural Business Forum both have a part to play in taking this forward. |
|
Cllr Carolyne Culver |
Declare an ecological emergency
See Appendix C for full details |
The motion is rejected However, the aim of reversing the decline in biodiversity is supported |
Opportunities for positive action will be taken particularly in relation to engaging with the Nature Recovery Network Strategy (Berkshire level) and the Natural Solutions Delivery Partnership in West Berkshire |
|
Cllr Carolyne Culver |
Response to COP26 in Glasgow
See Appendices D and E for full details
|
The motion is rejected. However, a number of the proposals have been taken forward by the Council. |
i) Alok Sharma MP be invited to speak to the Environment Advisory Group now that he is not so busy with COP business. ii) To continue to progress policies through the Local Plan Review that require high energy efficiency standards and to develop an SPD or equivalent to support these policies. |
|
Cllr Adrian Abbs |
High Street Canopies See Appendix F for full details |
The motion is rejected A number of the proposals are already covered by BAU activities |
Officers will continue to consider opportunities for increasing trees in urban areas where it is appropriate and possible to do so and make use of additional funds agreed at Full Council on 2 March 2023 |
|
Cllr Adrian Abbs |
Domestic Energy Efficiency See Appendix G for full details |
Due to the lack of staff resource available to consider this detail to date, it is difficult to either confirm support for the motion or reject it at this stage.
|
When the Energy and Carbon Team are up to full strength the scoping of this project can start. A further recommendation will then be made to the Portfolio Holder in consultation with the Environment Advisory Group considering the details of a possible project with a particular focus on funding, resources and deliverability. |
|
Cllr Jeff Brooks |
Pedestrianisation of Northbrook Street and Market Place, Newbury (extended hours) See Appendix H for full details |
The proposals in the motion will be considered as part of the wider Newbury Masterplan delivery programme |
Further investigation of the pedestrianisation proposal will be included as a workstream in the Newbury Masterplan delivery programme, which is being developed currently and will include further engagement with stakeholders in the town centre. |
Supporting documents:
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