Agenda item

Motions for Debate (if any)

Minutes:

Motion by Councillor R J Hunter-Clarke

 

It was moved and seconded that:-

 

"To change the council's form of governance in accordance with Section 9 K and 9 KC of the Local Government Act 2000 to a committee form of governance as provided in Section 9B (1) (B) of that act.

This would be achieved by creating a cross party working group to determine how the system would work for Lincolnshire County Council.

We believe that this would address the democratic deficit that exists at county hall.  The power of the council is currently held with the nine Executive Councillors and this must be addressed.  In adopting a committee form of governance it would allow all councillors to more effectively be part of the decision making process.

The findings of the working group to be brought back for Full Council to vote on with the intention of adopting the new system of governance at the Annual Meeting in May 2014.      

 

 

  1. Background

 

1.1.  The Localism Act was introduced on 15 November 2011.  The aim of the Act is to improve freedoms and flexibility for local government and to allow power to be exercised at the lowest practical level, close to the people who are affected by decisions.  The Act contains provisions that allow local authorities to change from operating executive arrangements to a committee system.

 

1.2. The Localism Act (the Act) now specifies that, in order to change from a cabinet system to a committee system, local authorities must:-

 

 

·         Pass a resolution to change their governance arrangements;

·         As soon as practicable after passing the resolution, make the provisions of the  new arrangements available for inspection;

·         Publish in one or more newspapers circulating in the area a notice which describes the features of the new system and timescales for implementation.

 

If a resolution is passed and publicity requirements above complied with Lincolnshire County Council will be required to cease operating their old form of governance arrangements and start operating their new arrangements.  This must take place "at the relevant change time" which, in the case of a move from a cabinet system to a committee system, is defined as:-

 

a)    The first annual meeting of the local authority to be held after the resolution to make the change in governance arrangements is passed, or

 

b)    A later annual meeting of the local authority specified in that resolution."

 

An amendment was put forward to replace the original motion with the following:

 

"The Council recognises that the current form of governance of a Leader and Executive may be seen as leaving a democratic deficit, whilst recognising the requirements of the Local Government Act 2000 this Council accepts that more decisions can be made by Full Council so as to give all Councillors an opportunity to make a contribution on behalf of their constituents and accordingly ask the current all-party Working Group on the constitution to bring back proposals to achieve that aim"

 

The amendment was put to the mover of the motion, and was accepted.

 

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

 

Motion by Councillor J D Hough

 

It was moved and seconded that:

 

"In the years leading up to 2010 this Council, led by the Conservatives, carried out a vigorous public campaign called 'The Missing Millions' to put pressure on the Labour Government to give Lincolnshire even more money that it was being given at that time.

           

Since the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats took control nationally in 2010, this Council has turned on its head and said that Lincolnshire must take its share of cuts in order to demonstrate how it can suffer along with the rest of the country.

Unfortunately, what has become clear is that Lincolnshire, already one of the poorest counties in the country with low wage levels, is slipping even further behind with the growing concentration of wealth in the South East. The 2012 figures for the annual survey of hours and earnings show average wages for each full time worker in Lincolnshire as being £23,101 compared to the East Midlands figure of £24,337 and the England & Wales figure of £26,307

The coalition government recently announced the award of funding under the Growing Places Fund. This money is meant to 'generate economic activity in the short term by addressing immediate infrastructure and site constraints and promote the delivery of jobs and housing'. Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEPs) was awarded £9,801,076 out of a pot of £730 million. 25 out of 39 LEPs received higher funding than the Lincolnshire LEP and it needs to be borne in mind that the Lincolnshire LEP included North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. By contrast the award to the Pan London LEP was over £110 million whilst the South East LEP was given just under £50 million.  These were the two highest awards of money from a fund which is designed to 'generate economic activity in the short term' and to 'promote the delivery of jobs and housing'. 

Lincolnshire is highly rural and has a lengthy coastline. It needs more support to provide additional investment for the growth opportunities locally, such as in engineering, food production and the university as recently highlighted by East Midlands Councils in its report “East Midlands – An Excellent Investment Opportunity”.

This Council therefore resolves to launch a campaign to get the Government to fully recognise the needs of Lincolnshire and ensure that the county grows faster in the future rather than falling further behind the rest of the country."

An amendment to the last paragraph as follows was proposed and seconded:-

 

"The Council therefore resolves to launch a campaign, based on agreement between all group leaders on Lincolnshire County Council to get all national political parties to fully recognise the contribution that Lincolnshire makes to UK Plc and the needs that Lincolnshire has so the county can enjoy accelerated growth in the future."

 

This amendment was accepted by the mover of the motion.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

 
 
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