Agenda item

(NOTE: Councillor R P H Reid left the meeting at 2.21pm)

Motion by C J Davie

It was moved and seconded as follows:

In 2012 this Council signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change and we have made significant progress in reducing the Councils Carbon footprint to date. The Executive recently approved the Green Masterplan, that we debated earlier today, and this is the Council's road map to becoming zero carbon by 2050.

We also note the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnerships significant involvement and support for the low carbon economy which has an economic value to the area of £1.2bn per annum and holds enormous potential for future investment of up to £60bn over the next 15 years. Already employing over 12,000 people the newly announced off shore wind licenses, issued by the Crown Estate, presents further opportunities for growth, not just in offshore wind but in other technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture that are setting up in our wider economic area and are part of long term Government initiatives.

In 2013 this council agreed a Wind Energy Position statement due to the enormous public concern over large scale industrial wind farms coming into the County area and the harm they would cause to our visual amenity and landscape settings which are a significant driver for our visitor economy. In 2015 the government's own position statement made it clear that communities must support any local application for wind turbines before it could be approved and this is explicit in Paragraph 154 (b) of the National planning policy Framework. This motion seeks to update this councils position statement, especially as the turbines which were of concern in 2013 have been replaced by much bigger units having a much greater visual impact.

This Council and the GLLEP both recognise the huge importance of our County for its role in the agri-food sector, especially for high quality food production and for supporting the requirements of the supply chain to meet contractual requirements to achieve zero-carbon targets. It is therefore vital the County’s highly prized Grade 1 Agricultural land is, wherever feasible, protected solely for the production of food and for the appropriate investment in new technologies to achieve zero-carbon targets to be supported across the agri-food sector.

Within the strategic Economic plan is the need to progress 100,000 new homes in the GLLEP area by 2035. In Lincolnshire the progress to modern zero carbon homes has been painfully slow and leadership is now required to push developers to build the homes of the future. The arguments often used by developers against such a move vary but if whole life costings are used as a benchmark then there are no arguments that will prevail against Lincolnshire leading the way in building the homes that a modern, environmentally and socially aware workforce require.  The public sector can set the standard for the properties that they seek to build as landowner and promoter of new development sites

It is therefore moved:

1.    That this Council should play a leadership role in encouraging the take up of zero carbon policies across the entire public sector. We should therefore encourage and instigate joint initiatives to help the County, as a place, to deliver a zero carbon future.

2.    To recognise the work of GLLEP on the wider low carbon agenda and creation of new green jobs which this council endorses. This Council will provide, through its economy team and working with GLLEP,  advice and support to all sectors, businesses and the supply chain who request it, who wish to embrace the green jobs agenda and the Governments Green Industrial strategy.

3.    We reaffirm our support for the 2013 Wind Energy Position statement and accordingly amend it thus:

a)    The Council responds to all revising local plans and suggests that Paragraph 154(b) of the NPPF is made explicit in all local plans - that majority community support must be demonstrated before any development is passed;

b)    As a council we object to all applications for on-shore wind turbines, other than for small scale (1-2 turbines), which are specifically linked to development and business sustainability issues and subject to them complying with all other planning policy considerations;

c)    This council recognises the importance of our landscape and big open skies as a significant economic driver for our Visitor economy and for the role of the RAF in the County and this must be protected for future generations to enjoy and use.

4.    Of increasing importance post-Brexit is the fact that the County makes one of the largest contributions to the fresh produce supply for the nation. We recognise the value of our land, particularly Grade 1. Therefore we will object to any development proposal on Grade 1 land, unless it is temporary, time-limited, provides demonstrable alternative environmental benefits or where there is no viable alternative.

5.    The wider Lincolnshire area should seek to lead by example on new housing growth and therefore this Council supports a position that all new development in the County should be designed and built to Zero Carbon standards. We request the Director of Place to communicate our view on this subject to the Local Planning Authorities, working with them and supporting them in the achievement of this position.

Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

(NOTE: Councillor D McNally left the meeting at 2.51pm and Councillor R H Trollope-Bellew left the meeting at 2.53pm)

Motion by Councillor R B Parker

It was moved and seconded as follows:

In April 2020 weekly payments of Universal Credit were increased by £20 a week to provide extra support during the Coronavirus pandemic. That increase is set to be withdrawn on 31 March.

In January the Resolution Foundation warned that millions face the sharpest drop in living standards in a generation and the decision whether to keep the benefit uplift would “help define whether this is to be a Parliament of ‘levelling up’ living standards or pushing up poverty”.

Earlier this month a report by MPs on the House of Commons Work and Pensions committee argued that removing the extra payment as planned by the government would represent a ‘failure’ by government to recognise the reality of people struggling as a result of the pandemic.

The cost to the Exchequer of extending the £20 a week uplift for six months would be £3 billion. But that sum should be seen in the context of a total cost to date of £260 billion on responding to the Coronavirus pandemic and the annual cost of £100 billion spent on working age welfare payments.

The table below shows the sheer size of the increase in the number of Lincolnshire people claiming Universal Credit over the last year or so across nine of our centres of population.

It is therefore moved that this Council:

(1)  notes the large numbers of Lincolnshire people likely to be left struggling financially by the ending on 31 March of the £20 a week uplift in Universal Credit.

(2)  calls on the Leader of the Council to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer:-

(a) making the point that the uplift of Universal Credit has had a positive impact on the lives of many families and that now is not the right time to end the uplift and

(b) calling on the Chancellor to extend the uplift for six months to allow time for the UK economy to expand following the easing of lock-down restrictions and the greater numbers of people having been vaccinated. The situation then to be reviewed in the light of known health factors.

(NOTE: Councillor A G Hagues left the meeting at 3.16pm)

Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.