Agenda item

To consider any Notices of Motion that have been received in accordance with paragraph 1.30 to 1.34 of the Council Procedure Rules.

Consideration was given to the following Notices of Motion, which had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules.

 

1.      Protect the Right of Communities to Object to Individual Planning Applications

 

Proposed by Councillor R Vernon and Seconded by Councillor C Bulman

 

This Council believes planning works best when developers and the local community work together to shape local areas and deliver necessary new homes; and therefore, calls on the Government to protect the right of communities to object to individual planning applications.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Motion be referred to the appropriate Committee.

 

2  ‘Fire and Re-Hire’

 

Proposed by Councillor L Smith and Seconded by Councillor C Naismith

 

This Council notes;

1      1 in 10 workers have experienced ‘fire and rehire’ - told to reapply for their jobs on worse pay, terms and conditions or face the sack, with BME workers facing this at twice the rate of white workers, since March 2020 (TUC research, January 2021). A quarter of all workers have experienced a worsening of their terms and conditions – including a cut in their pay - since the pandemic began.

2        That while the prime minister has called the practice “unacceptable” he has continually refused to take action to outlaw the practice, raising concerns that he will not intervene in this race to the bottom as an escalating number of employers across all sectors using our weak employment protections employers as they force their staff to accept worse terms and conditions, leaving many having to work longer hours and for lower pay, with what can be devastating consequences for workers and their families.

3      Even before the pandemic, 1 in 9 workers – 3.8 million people – were already ‘insecure’, meaning they did not have access to basic rights at work and could be dismissed at will; including those on zero-hour contracts and agency workers.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

·      Seek to ensure local residents are protected against such employers and agrees to ask the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister demanding he outlaw fire and rehire and act now to keep his promise to local residents to protect their employment terms and conditions.

·      Not use fire and rehire itself as an employer and to prevent its use by council contractors, and to ensure the Council has a procurement practice that ensures we are working with contractors that have good employment, trade union, equality and environmental records.

·      Promote the increasing number of progressive local employers prioritising their employees’ standard of living and their wellbeing, work with our anchor institutions and key partners to bring forward plans to ensure all have best practice employment and to work with recognised trade unions on this.

·      Support the TUC campaign for a ‘New Deal for Working People’.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Motion be referred to the appropriate Committee.

 

3 Headquarters for Great British Railways

 

Proposed by Councillor J Clowes and Seconded by Councillor D Browne

 

This Council engages directly with the Transport Secretary Grant Schapps and prioritises the submission of a competitive bid for Crewe to host the new headquarters for Great British Railways.

 

Cheshire East Council engages proactively with Crewe & Nantwich MP Dr Kieran Mullan, together with our regional and subregional transport partners, to enhance and strengthen this unique and iconic bid.

 

Following debate on the Motion, a requisition for a named vote was submitted, with the following results:

 

FOR

Councillors Q Abel, S Akers Smith, L Anderson, M Asquith, R Bailey, J Barber, M Beanland, M Benson, L Brathwaite, S Brookfield, D Brown, C Browne, J Buckley, C Bulman, B Burkhill, J Clowes, S Corcoran, L Crane, S Davies, T Dean, S Edgar, D Edwardes, H Faddes, A Farrall, JP Findlow, K Flavell, R Fletcher, A Gage, S Gardiner, L Gilbert, M Goldsmith, P Groves, S Handley, A Harewood, G Hayes, S Holland, M Houston, M Hunter, D Jefferay, L Jeuda, A Kolker, C Leach, N Mannion, D Marren, A Moran, R Moreton, B Murphy, D Murphy, C Naismith, J Nicolas, K Parkinson, J Parry, S Pochin, P Redstone, L Roberts, J Saunders, M Sewart, M Simon, L Smetham, J Smith, L Smith, D Stockton, A Stott, R Vernon, L Wardlaw, M Warren, J Weatherill, P Williams, J Wray and N Wylie.

 

AGAINST

None

 

NOT VOTING

None

 

The motion was declared carried with 70 votes for, 0 against and 0 not voting.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Motion be adopted.

 

4              Starter Units

 

Proposed by Councillor A Kolker and Seconded by Councillor P Groves

This Council, in order to support the Borough’s post-pandemic recovery, commits to providing a wide range of affordable rental units for small and micro business start-ups.

RESOLVED:

 

That the Motion be referred to the appropriate Committee.

 

5              UK100 Pledge

 

Proposed by Councillor Q Abel and Seconded by Councillor R Fletcher

 

This Council makes the UK100 pledge and asks the relevant committee to determine whether Cheshire East Council should join the UK100 Network.

Following debate on the Motion, a requisition for a named vote was submitted, with the following results:

 

FOR

Councillors Q Abel, S Akers Smith, L Anderson, M Asquith, J Barber, M Benson, L Braithwaite, C Browne, J Buckley, C Bulman, B Burkhill, J Clowes, S Corcoran, L Crane. T Dean, S Edgar, H Faddes, A Farrall, JP Findlow, R Fletcher, L Gilbert, P Groves, A Harewood, S Holland, M Houston, D Jefferay, L Jeuda, A Kolker, C Leach, N Mannion, D Murphy, J Parry, S Pochin, M Sewart, L Smetham, J Smith, M Warren, J Weatherill, P Williams and J Wray.

 

AGAINST

Councillors S Brookfield, D Brown, D Edwardes, M Goldsmith, S Handley, G Hayes, J Nicholas, L Roberts, D Stockton and L Wardlaw.

 

NOT VOTING

Councillors R Bailey, M Beanland, S Davies, K Flavell, A Gage, S Gardiner, M Hunter, D Marren, A Moran, R Moreton, C Naismith, K Parkinson, P Redstone, J Saunders, M Simon, L Smith, A Stott, R Vernon and N Wylie.

 

The motion was declared carried with 40 votes for, 10 against and 19 not voting.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Motion be adopted and referred to the relevant Committee.