Notices of Motion
To consider any Notices of Motion that have been received in accordance with paragraph 1.34 of the Council Procedure Rules
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the following Notices of Motion, which had been submitted in accordance with paragraph 1.34 of the Council Procedural Rules:-
1 Free TV Licences for Over 75s
Proposed by Cllr Andrew Gregory and seconded by Cllr Rachel Bailey
The decision by the BBC to withdraw free TV licences for the over 75s should be condemned by this Council; The BBC (who are responsible for the decision to withdraw funding for this service) should think again and change this decision given the impact this will have on many of the most poor and vulnerable people in the borough, who rely on terrestrial television as their main means of being kept informed and entertained.
In addition this decision acts as a reminder that for many older people, access to the internet is not available to them meaning they can only rely on the national TV and radio stations. If such people cannot afford to pay the annual licence fee, then many may have no means of entertainment to enjoy in their homes in their later years.
With the D Day Landing celebrations only a few weeks behind us, it is unfortunate that the generation which gave so much to give us the freedoms we enjoy, could be penalised by such a short sighted measure.
AMENDMENT
Following the proposing and seconding of the motion, an amendment was proposed and seconded, so that the motion should now read:-
“The decision by Government and the BBC to withdraw free TV licences for the over 75s should be condemned by this Council; they should think again and change this decision, given the impact this will have on many of the most poor and vulnerable people in the borough, who rely on terrestrial television as their main means of being kept informed and entertained.
In addition this decision acts as a reminder that for many older people, access to the internet is not available to them meaning they can only rely on the national TV and radio stations. If such people cannot afford to pay the annual licence fee, then many may have no means of entertainment to enjoy in their homes in their later years.
With the D Day Landing celebrations only a few weeks behind us, it is unfortunate that the generation which gave so much to give us the freedoms we enjoy, could be penalised by such a short sighted measure”.
The amendment was declared carried.
RESOLVED
That the motion, as amended, be approved.
2 Schools Funding
Proposed by Cllr Jos Saunders and seconded by Cllr George Hayes
That this Council recognises the work undertaken by the previous administration to counteract the continued challenges faced by our schools and colleges as a result of the inequitable National School Funding System.
Significant work has already been undertaken which has included
leading a campaign lobbying local Members of Parliament and the
Right Honourable Secretary of State for Education.
As a consequence we request that this Council resolves to continue lobbying and advocating for a fairer funding deal for our schools.
AMENDMENT
Following the proposing and seconding of the motion, an amendment was proposed and seconded to remove the first two paragraphs of the motion and the words and replace the third paragraph with the words “This Council resolves to lobby and advocate for a fairer funding deal for our schools. The motion to now read:-
“This Council resolves to lobby and advocate for a fairer funding deal for our schools”.
The amendment was declared carried.
RESOLVED
That the motion, as amended, be approved.
3 Cheshire East Independent Person/Independent member of the
Cheshire Police & Crime Panel
Proposed by Cllr Suzanne Brookfield and seconded by Cllr Stewart Gardiner
This Council
1)regrets the comments made by Mr Fousert when, as
then Chair of the Cheshire Police & Crime Panel, he noted that
the Deputy Chief Constable had worn a rainbow lanyard, said that
this was a political statement and that this was a breach of police
regulations
2) asks the Monitoring Officer to prepare a report on whether Mr
Fousert should be removed as an Independent Person
3) asks the Monitoring Officer to prepare a report on whether Mr
Fousert should be removed as a member of the Police & Crime
Panel
4) asks the Monitoring Officer not to involve Mr Fousert in any
complaints about councillor conduct while the above reports are
being prepared.
The motion was proposed and seconded. Following debate, a requisition for a named vote was proposed and seconded and duly supported, with the following result:-
FOR
Councillors Q Abel, S Akers Smith, M Asquith ,J Barber, M Beanland, L Brathwaite, J Bratherton, S Brookfield, C Browne, J Buckley, C Bulman, P Butterill, S Carter, J Clowes, S Corcoran, L Crane, A Critchley, D Edwardes, H Faddes, A Farrall, K Flavell, R Fletcher, D Flude, S Gardiner, P Groves, A Harewood, S Hogben, M Hunter, L Jeuda, C Leach, I Macfarlane, N Mannion, D Marren, J Parry, B Puddicombe, J Rhodes, B Roberts, J Saunders, D Stockton, A Stott, R Vernon.
AGAINST
None
NOT VOTING
Councillors B Burkhill, S Edgar, JP Findlow, T Fox, A Gage, L Gilbert, A Gregory, S Holland, R Moreton, D Murphy, J Nicholas, P Redstone, L Smetham, L Wardlaw.
The motion was declared carried, with 41 votes for, 0 against and 14 not
voting.
RESOLVED
That the motion be approved.
4 Maximising the potential of Cheshire East Land Holdings for both efficient food production and effective carbon capture.
Proposed by Cllr Janet Clowes and Seconded by Cllr Paul Findlow.
This Council acknowledges that in May 2019 The Government’s Committee on Climate Change recommended that Britain should cease its contributions to global warming by 2050 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero”. Earlier this year, in March 2019, this Council made a commitment to ensure its own activities should be carbon neutral by 2025 - a commitment that was re-iterated at Full Council in May.
In this context, land use is an essential resource that can sequester and store carbon.
However since the 1940s the United Kingdom has seen a systematic loss of its peatlands and forested areas both of which have a pivotal role in storing carbon.
The Climate Change Report highlights the need for fundamental land reform and has identified that to help meet the 2050 net zero target, there must be:
- Better soil and livestock management practices.
- Changes in agricultural practices (including healthier eating behaviours)
- The restoration of Peatlands and
- the planting of up to 1.5 million hectares of new woodland and hedgerows. This would raise the land coverage used for this purpose from 13% to 19% by 2050 and require the re-utilisation of between 26% and 35% of land that is currently used as grassland or rough grazing.
Cheshire East is a highly rural area and the Council owns or manages a range of agricultural and rural land holdings. This Council therefore has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting both the Borough’s and thus the wider UK’s climate change targets.
This Council therefore resolves to:
(1) Review its agricultural land-holdings and on-going work with farm tenants to:-
(1.1) Optimise Opportunities to improve soil and livestock management practices.
(1.2) Identify appropriate grassland and rough pasture released by (1.1) for tree and hedge planting.
(1.3) Review the terms and conditions of all new tenancies on Cheshire East Farms, as they become available, to facilitate (1.1) and (1.2) above.
(2) Review (either through its own land ownership practice or with appropriate land-owners and Natural England) the effective maintenance and restoration of peatland areas in Cheshire East, including the nationally designated “Nature Improvement Area (Meres and Mosses)” south of Crewe.
(3) Utilising the knowledge and experience of (1) and (2) above, this Council will work with the Boroughs’ schools, academies, colleges and associated partners to develop appropriate resources, practical educational and volunteering opportunities to ensure that Climate Change is incorporated into the wider curricula for young people and volunteers.
(4) That the actions identified in (1), (2)and (3) are incorporated into the Cheshire East Council ‘Environment Strategy’ and the Cheshire East ‘Rural Action Plan’.
(5) Lobby David Rutley: Member of Parliament; Macclesfield and Forestry Minister) and all other Cheshire East Constituency MPs, to support the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee and the expeditious implementation of “help with skills, training and information to implement new uses of land, and support with high up-front costs and long-term pay-backs of investing in alternative uses”. (Recommendation 2, page 11, CCC, 2019)
References:
RESOLVED
That the motion be referred to Cabinet.
5 Air Quality
Proposed by Cllr Rob Vernon and seconded by Cllr L Braithwaite
This Council notes that:
- At 2019 Annual Council we voted for strong action on the Climate Emergency through a new Environmental Strategy, recognising the urgent need to tackle the varied environment issues across our borough
- There are currently 17 declared Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) within Cheshire East
- Public Health England have concluded that air pollution is expected to cause over 2 million new cases of disease by 2035, at a health and social care cost of £5.3bn
This Council resolves to:
- Review previous and put in place new Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) to tackle air quality in each individual AQMA, as well as across the wider Cheshire East borough
- Support the inclusion in AQAPs of:
? Weight restrictions to reduce the number of HGVs passing through AQMAs
? Establishing and promoting safe cycle routes, as well as encouraging more schools to develop walking buses
? Any necessary review to nearby junctions with a view to reducing traffic queues
? Contributions by developers to air quality mitigation measures in nearby AQMAs that equate to the maximum necessary for preventing any further increase in air pollution
? Much greater expansion of green planting and the protection of green spaces
? Changes to bus services that cater to new and in-progress developments
- Ensure air quality is an important aspect when considering environmental, transport and housing policy going forward
RESOLVED
That the motion be referred to the appropriate decision making body, with input from Overview and Scrutiny.
Supporting documents:
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