Agenda item

To consider the attached Notices of Motion that have been received in accordance with paragraph 1.34 of the Council Procedure Rules.

Consideration was given to the following Notices of Motion, which had been submitted to Council in accordance with Council Procedural Rules:-

1          CHANGE IN THE COUNCIL’S GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS

Proposed by Councillor James Nicholas and seconded by Councillor Joy Bratherton

The Notice of Motion, as set out in the agenda papers, was proposed and seconded, as follow:-.

“This Council is committed to implementing a change in decision-making governance arrangements, comprising the cessation of the current Leader and Cabinet model of governance, and the implementation of a full Committee model of governance; this to be developed during 2019/20 with a view to the new arrangements taking effect from the beginning of the 2020/21 Municipal Year, subject to a legally and constitutionally robust process, led by the Council's Constitution Committee, and agreed by Council.”

AMENDMENT

An amendment to substitute the above wording with the following was proposed and seconded:-

"This Council instructs the Constitution Committee to undertake a Comparative Analysis of the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the Council’s current “cabinet system” as against :

1.      The so-called “full committee system” and as against …

2.      An amended cabinet system designed to give opposition councillors wider opportunities to influence the Council’s decision-making process as against....

3.      Any other appropriate system

In giving this instruction, this Council expresses its wish to have agreed changes implemented within the Municipal year 2020/21."

Following debate, a vote was taken on the amendment and the amendment was declared lost.

RESOLVED

That the Notice of Motion be approved.

2          CLIMATE CHANGE

Proposed by Councillor Sam Corcoran and seconded by Councillor  Quentin Abel

“This Council notes that on 1 May Parliament declared an environment and climate emergency and

a)    requests that a Cheshire East Environmental Strategy is brought forward as a matter of urgency

b)    commits to the target of Cheshire East Council being carbon neutral by 2025 and asks that details of how to meet this commitment are included in the Environmental Strategy

c)    will work to encourage all businesses, residents and organisations in Cheshire East to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing energy consumption and promoting healthy lifestyles.”

The following information was submitted along with the Notice of Motion:

motion passed by Parliament 1/5/19

That this House declares an environment and climate emergency following the finding of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change that to avoid a more than 1.5°C rise in global warming, global emissions would need to fall by around 45 per cent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero by around 2050; recognises the devastating impact that volatile and extreme weather will have on UK food production, water availability, public health and through flooding and wildfire damage; notes that the UK is currently missing almost all of its biodiversity targets, with an alarming trend in species decline, and that cuts of 50 per cent to the funding of Natural England are counterproductive to tackling those problems; calls on the Government to increase the ambition of the UK’s climate change targets under the Climate Change Act 2008 to achieve net zero emissions before 2050, to increase support for and set ambitious, short-term targets for the roll-out of renewable and low carbon energy and transport, and to move swiftly to capture economic opportunities and green jobs in the low carbon economy while managing risks for workers and communities currently reliant on carbon intensive sectors; and further calls on the Government to lay before the House within the next six months urgent proposals to restore the UK’s natural environment and to deliver a circular, zero waste economy.

RESOLVED

That the Notice of Motion be approved.