Agenda item

Motions for Debate

Minutes:

Motion by Councillor Mrs V Ayling

 

It was moved, and seconded that

 

"It is proposed that.

 

This Council has no confidence in the leader, Councillor Martin Hill and the executive

This is due to their poor judgement and for wasting tax payers' money. They have shown that they are incapable of running Lincolnshire County Council if they cannot carry out a simple public consultation over the issue of our library service in Lincolnshire. This motion is put to council by request from the people of Lincolnshire who feel completely let down and deserve better.

Cllr Hill before the judicial review began said;

"We took great care over this process and I believe we have done it as well as we could have done and hopefully the judge will agree with us”.

The judge evidently disagreed with him on all counts.
As did the Community and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee, which decided that, 'The public consultation is not fit for purpose and should be cancelled'.

 

Mr Justice Collins said,

 “I have decided that the means by which the County Council decided and reached their decision was flawed, in two respects. In respect of the consultation, and of their failure to properly deal with an application by a charitable organisation [Greenwich Leisure Limited] which already ran library services for two London boroughs, Greenwich and Woolwich. I have decided that the decision made in December last year should be quashed.”

The judicial review has so far cost the Council an estimated £60,000 to £65,000 which does not include the £100,000 attributable to the consultation itself. In addition there is also the added cost of officer’s time and the legal aid given to the challenger, Mr Draper who took this case on. The figure therefore is by no means a small amount and all this expense could have been avoided.

We sincerely hope that Cllr. Hill and his executive will make a public apology, and offer their resignations for the disservice the executive have imposed on the residents of Lincolnshire.

It is proposed that:

This Council has no confidence in the leader, Councillor Martin Hill and the executive"

A recorded vote was successfully requested, and upon being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

 

Details of recorded vote taken:

 

Those voting for the motion:

 

Councillors V C Ayling, R G Fairman, D M Hunter-Clarke, R J Hunter-Clarke, C E D Mair, Mrs A Reynolds and Mrs N J Smith.

 

Those voting FOR – 7

 

Those voting against the motion:

 

Councillors B Adams, W J Aron, A M Austin, J W Beaver, Mrs P A Bradwell, D Brailsford, C J T H Brewis, A Bridges, M Brookes, J P Churchill, K J Clarke, C J Davie, R G Davies, P M Dilks, S R Dodds, G J Ellis, I G Fleetwood, A G Hagues, M J Hill OBE, J D Hough, D C Hoyes, N I Jackson, A J Jesson, M S Jones, B W Keimach, Ms T Keywood-Wainright, R C Kirk, C E H Marfleet, J R Marriott, R A McAuley, C Morgan, Mrs A M Newton, P J O'Connor, C R Oxby, C Pain, N H Pepper, R B Parker, R J Phillips, Mrs S Rawlins, Mrs J Renshaw, R Renshaw, P A Robinson, R A Shore, Mrs E J Sneath, C L Strange, Mrs C A Talbot, T M Trollope-Bellew, A H Turner MBE JP, S M Tweedale, W S Webb, P Wood, Mrs S Woolley, L Wootten, R Wootten, N Worth, Mrs S Wray and B Young.

 

Those voting AGAINST – 57

 

Those abstaining:

 

Councillors Mrs M J Overton MBE and Mrs H N J Powell.

 

Those ABSTAINING – 2

 

 

Motion by Councillor C Pain

 

It was moved, and seconded that

 

"That this council regrets the actions of Cllrs Ayling and Hunter Clarke regarding their motion to Council and

 

This council requests that Cllr Ayling and Hunter-Clarke consider any action they may wish to take to redress the position."

 

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

 

Motion by Councillor M J Hill OBE

 

It was moved, and seconded that

 

"This council welcomes the decision of Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom last week.

 

We note commitment of national party leaders toward further devolution for Scotland.

 

We support the resolution of the "west Lothian" question so that Members of Parliament in Westminster have fair and equal voting powers.

 

We believe that if Scotland is granted extra devolved powers, it is only right that the existing constituent other parts of the UK should also be treated in a similar fashion.

 

In England, we believe that devolution should be to the existing cities and counties as they already exist and have been proved to have the capacity and ability to deliver more services.

 

We do not support the recreation of statutory regional structures or city regions as that would add an extra and unpopular layer of government.

 

Any devolved powers should be accompanied by a corresponding reduction in central taxation so that there is no additional financial burden on the public.

 

The national funding system for local government should be reformed so that all areas are treated fairly across the UK especially rural areas like Lincolnshire."

 

An amendment was proposed by the Labour Group and seconded, so the motion would read as follows:

 

"This Council respects the decision of Scotland last week to remain part of the United Kingdom.

 

We note the commitment of national party leaders toward further devolution for Scotland.

 

We call on national party leaders to give serious consideration to devolving more powers to all tiers of local government in England and Wales as part of a UK wide constitutional settlement."

 

Upon being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.  However, it was agreed that the word 'welcomes' in the first paragraph of the original motion, be changed to 'respects'.

 

Following this change, a vote on the substantive motion took place, when the motion was carried.

 

Motion by Councillor Mrs M J Overton MBE

 

It was moved and seconded that

 

"Following the recent referendum in Scotland, this Council seizes the opportunity to approach the government to ensure that Lincolnshire gets its fair share of funding and devolution of powers at the earliest opportunity.

           

As we know, this government has drastically cut the amount of funds devolved to local government, hitting local government more than any other part of the public sector. Scotland has been financially favoured, receiving enough to have free home care, free prescriptions and free university fees. If that is to continue, it leaves the rest of us with less. For years, even on the discredited Barnet formula, Lincolnshire has consistently received less than the agreed share. 

 

This country remains one of the most centralised in Europe. Our government signed up to the European Charter in 2009, calling for a separate constitution, a set of rules that sets out our devolved powers and enough money to pay for it. Yet, we have taken a 40% cut in funding and sometimes struggle to fulfil our duties. We call on central government to revisit the funding for each council, drawing on carefully considered, cross-party advice from local government via the LGA Finance Commission.

 

Now is the right time for our Council to seek for more devolution of power and money, to Lincolnshire and not just to Scotland and the core cities of England.

 

This Council therefore proposes the Leader writes to Government to urge for,

 

a)    a greater share of the business rates to be returned, so we can do more to encourage our local businesses.

b)    VAT on sugary drinks to be returned to us, enabling better health for Lincolnshire.

c)    the Skills agenda to be returned to local government, so we can do more to get young people suitably employed. Everyone deserves a useful job to do, a home, health and care when they need it."

 

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

 

Motion by Councillor R B Parker

 

It was moved and seconded that,

 

"At the full council meeting on 16 May 2014 the Council resolved:

 

a) To note that the provision of an East-West Link and an Eastern By-pass are integral to the successful implementation of a Lincoln Park and Ride. Funding and plans are in place to deliver the road schemes by 2017-18;

 

b) To recommend to the Executive that it works with partners to ensure that there will be appropriate parking arrangements for next year's Magna Carta

celebrations and the required funding will be made available to provide such

facilities; and

 

c) To request that the Executive considers further development towards the

longer term investment for Park & Ride envisaged in the approved Greater

Lincoln Transport Strategy."

 

This council now takes the view that In the intervening 19 weeks since that motion was passed the Executive has failed in every regard to bring forward proposals for public scrutiny or to make decisions that would ensure that appropriate parking arrangements are in place for next year’s Magna Carta celebrations or to ensure that the required funding is made available to provide such facilities. In particular:

 

1.    opportunities were available for proposals to be brought to meetings of the Executive  in June, July, August and September after publication of such proposals in the Forward Plan. They were not taken.

2.    opportunities were available for action to be taken by the Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and IT after publication of such proposals in the Forward Plan. They were not taken

3.    opportunities were available in the paper before this council today on the use of the underspend in the 2013/14 financial year to make funding available as recommended in the council motion of 16 May 2014. They were not taken.

4.    opportunities were available in the Statements to this council meeting by the Leader of the Council, Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT, Executive Councillor for Libraries, Culture, Registration and Coroners Service and the Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment, Planning, Tourism to bring members up to date on what has been done by the Executive, if anything indeed has been done, to meet the recommendations of the full council of 16 May 2014. They were not taken.

 

This council expresses its serious concern about the coalition administration's    failure now and over recent years to grasp that a substantial Park and Ride facility for out-of Lincoln visitors to the Lincoln Castle and the Magna Carta is essential to deliver a quality visitor experience, promote business opportunities and protect local people and recommends that urgent proposals for a sensible park and ride facility are brought before the Executive at its next meeting in October."

 

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

 

 
 
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