A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Council and councillors

Agenda item

NOTICES OF MOTION

To consider the Notices of Motion submitted by a) Councillor Jones and seconded by Councillor Oxley and b) Councillor Burrows and seconded by Councillor MacCartney in accordance with Procedure Rule 34, the texts of which can be found in the agenda pack.

Minutes:

Motion received from Councillor Jones (and seconded by Councillor Oxley)

 

i)      Rutland County Council declares a climate emergency and commits to appointing Rutland’s Climate Change Champion (to mirror the Armed Forces Champion) at Annual Council.

 

ii)    Rutland County Council commits to achieving zero carbon activity by 2030.

 

iii)   Rutland County Council will include a standard paragraph “impact on the climate and the Council’s aim to reduce carbon emissions” in every Council and Cabinet report.

 

iv)   Rutland County Council will report annually, through the Annual Governance Statement, progress made to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

The Chairman opened up debate on the motion to Council. A number of Councillors were in support of the motion but there was concern about the ambitious target of being carbon zero by 2030 and whether it was achievable. It was agreed that the Council should be aspiring to this and although COVID had set progress back, it was important to start having conversations and make progress. Councillor Stephenson outlined that there needed to an overarching strategy to identify the projects that were going to make a large impact on reducing carbon emissions and an action plan to drive work forward. It was recognised that action would require capital expenditure. It was highlighted that taking action going forward, it really needed to be done in partnership as reducing emissions was the responsibility of everyone. She put forward an amendment to the motion, seconded by Councillor Razzell as follows:

 

“This Council acknowledges that we are in a climate crisis. This Council understands it needs to take urgent action to address this by

 

·       undertaking a thorough baseline assessment of carbon emissions

·       reviewing and developing the existing climate change action plan to include a clear financial plan, scope of responsibilities and specific carbon reducing projects.

·       Establishing an evidence base and deliverable target for the reduction of carbon emissions by 2030 with net carbon zero as soon as it is possible before 2050.

This Council also notes that it must work in partnership with the wider community and businesses including the farming community to reduce the overall carbon emissions for Rutland creating a sustainable rural life for future generations

 

Councillors were in support of the amended motion but felt that it should include points 3 and 4 from the original motion as it was important that an annual report was prepared with checks and balances. Furthermore, that placing a note on reports was a good reminder for report writers to consider climate change issues. Councillor Brown reminded members that the action plan agreed in 2018 had these points included already, but due to factors such as COVID these had not been taken forward. A further point was raised questioning why the farming community was noted specifically in the motion. 

 

Councillor Stephenson summed up her amended motion, she assured members that there was no black hole and she was driving this forward. She was proud of the farming community in Rutland and this was about partnership working. Farmers knew about sustainability, and they provided an essential amount of energy for Rutland by keeping people and stock alive. The mention of farming in the motion was not to single them out, it was there to emphasise the importance of them. She did not feel it was necessary to amend the amend the motion as it stood because it was covered in the already agreed action plan. She encouraged Members to attend the Climate Action Plan Summit in the spring.

 

A recorded vote was held on the amended motion:

 

There voted in favour:

Councillors Ainsley, Baines, Begy, Blanksby, Bool, A Brown, G Brown, Coleman, Cross, Dale, Fox, Harvey, Hemsley, Jones, Lowe, MacCartney, Oxley, Payne, Powell, Razzell, Stephenson, Walters, Webb, Wilby and Woodley.

 

There voted against:

Councillors Burrows and Waller

 

The vote being 25 in favour and 2 against (please see final note below), the motion was carried.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the amended motion be carried

 

Prior to considering the next motion, Councillor Waller received clarification from the Monitoring Officer about the motion taken as she had not realised it would become the substantive motion. Mr Horsfield advised that because it was so substantially different to the original that it would be replaced. Following this advice, she wanted it to be noted that she was in favour of the amended motion 

 

 

Motion received from Councillor Burrows (and seconded by Councillor MacCartney)

 

Before reading her motion, Councillor Burrows obtained advice from Mr Horsfield that she could speak to her revised amended motion. It was confirmed that in relation to Procedure Rule 35.4, she could.

 

Consequently, with the agreement of the Chairman, Councillor Waller asked to amend the Motion (seconded by Councillor McCartney). Her proposed amended wording to the original motion 3b was as follows:

 

“We will publicise the existence of carer’s allowance more prominently on our website and as opportunities arise.”

 

Councillor Burrows said in support of the amended motion that it was intended to highlight the fact that the rate of attendance allowance had kept pace neither with inflation nor with other state benefits.  The purpose of the attendance allowance was to help keep people in their own homes and it was better for people to stay in their own homes as long as possible rather than go into domiciliary care. This motion was to ask the Leader to write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State requesting an increase in this valuable benefit for the benefit of Rutland residents.  In addition, though, she also wanted to advertise the existence of the benefit to those who are not aware of it.

 

Councillor Burrows went on to say that it was not suggesting Rutland’s social care services were anything other than excellent. Universal Credit was increased by £20 last year and all the indications were that this sum would be continued.  We would be simply mirroring in this motion what Government has already done with Universal Credit. 

 

 

A further amendment was put forward by Councillor Walters (seconded by Councillor McCartney) as he felt that it could be more direct and he felt that we did already stand up for carers. The amendment was as follows and replaced what had been proposed:

 

1.    This Council will issue communications to residents and organisations in Rutland aimed at identifying carers previously unknown to us and encouraging carers awareness of their right to seek council support and claim Government financial assistance. We will ensure our partners, particularly in the voluntary sector are included in this process. This communication may form part of the Rutland Conversation that we have already dealt with.

 

2.    This Council asks the Leader to communicate with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, also the MP for Rutland and Melton, seeking their assurance that they will review the allowances by Government to carers and that they will ensure that the payments are increased sufficiently to be commensurate with the responsibilities and the time they taken on their caring roles

 

The Chairman asked whether the proposer and seconder of the original motion if they were satisfied of which it was agreed.

 

Councillors discussed the motion and were in full support of it.  It was suggested that they should be more proactive and make information on the carers allowance more accessible on the website. They highlighted the excellent job carers did in the community and nationwide. Furthermore, it should be noted the hard and great work of the RISE team in contacting every carer known to us during the pandemic to ask if they needed any assistance. They were going above and beyond with the work they carried out.  

 

The amended motion was put to the vote:

 

There voted in favour:

 

Councillors Ainsley, Baines, Begy, Blanksby, Bool, A Brown, G Brown, Burrows, Coleman, Cross, Fox, Harvey, Hemsley, Jones, Lowe, MacCartney, Oxley, Payne, Powell, Razzell, Stephenson, Waller, Walters, Webb, Wilby and Woodley.

 

There abstained:

 

Councillor Dale

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the altered motion be carried

 

Supporting documents: