Agenda item - Notices of Motion.

The following Notices of Motion have been submitted by Members for consideration (copies attached).

 

(a)               Equal Marriage.  Proposed by Councillor Morgan.

(b)              Supporting Brighton & Hove’s Bowling Clubs.  Proposed by Councillor Brown.

(c)               Asset Review and Community Investment Programme.  Proposed by Councillor Meadows.

(d)              Traveller Encampments on Sensitive Sites in Brighton & Hove.  Proposed by Councillor G. Theobald.

(e)               Air Quality.  Proposed by Councillor Sykes.

(f)                 Cumulative Impact of Welfare Reforms.  Proposed by Councillor Wakefield.

(a)       Equal Marriage

 

20.1         The Notice of Motion as detailed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Morgan on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group and seconded by Councillor Mitchell.

 

20.2         The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

 

            “This Council notes the current national consultation on allowing same sex marriage between couples in England and Wales.

 

            This Council also notes the considerable social and economic benefit to the city resulting from the Civil Partnership Act 2004, with Brighton and Hove being the most popular place in the UK for civil partnership ceremonies.

 

            This Council believes that same sex couples should now have equal marriage rights under law, and calls upon the Government to:

1.            Change the law to allow same-sex couples to get married.

2.            Allow religious bodies to conduct same-sex marriages.

3.            End the requirement that transgender people divorce before attaining Gender Recognition.

4.            Enable mixed-sex couples to register a civil partnership.”

20.3         The motion was carried.

 

 

(b)              Supporting Brighton & Hove’s Bowling Clubs

 

Note:

 

20.4         The Notice of Motion as detailed in the agenda had been considered as part of Item 7(c) and was carried and is listed under that item.

 

Note:

 

20.5         Councillor Fitch moved a motion under procedural rule 17.2 to terminate the meeting with immediate effect.

 

20.6         Councillor Robins formally seconded the motion.

 

20.7         The Mayor therefore put the motion to the vote which was carried and noted that each of the remaining items would need to be taken and voted on or withdrawn by the mover before the meeting was concluded.

 

 

 (c)      Asset Review and Community Investment Programme

 

20.8         Councillor Pissaridou confirmed that she wished to withdraw the motion.

 

 

(d)       Traveller Encampments on Sensitive Sites in Brighton & Hove

 

20.9         Councillor G. Theobald confirmed that he wished to withdraw the motion.

 

 

(e)       Air Quality

 

20.10    Councillor Sykes confirmed that he wished the Notice of Motion as detailed in the agenda to be taken.

 

20.11    The Mayor put the following motion to the vote:

 

            “This council notes with concern that street level air quality (AQ) in many parts of central Brighton and Hove has not improved significantly since records started in 1996 and that this has adverse implications for the health of residents of our city as well as being detrimental to the experience of visitors. Nitrogen Dioxide in particular is persistently at levels above those considered safe for health in a number of areas, and above those prescribed by EU Directives.

 

            This council notes the report of the Environmental Audit Committee published 26^th October 2011 stating that evidence for the damage caused by air pollution has grown stronger and that air pollution is the second biggest public health risk in the UK after smoking.  It is recognised that young children, the older people and those with existing respiratory illness suffer most from the effects of air pollution.

 

            Furthermore this council notes the recent European Commission (EC) announcement rejecting a request by the UK Government to extend to 2015 the deadline by which Zone 10 (Brighton, Worthing, Littlehampton) needs to improve its NOx levels to meet those specified by the EC, indicating instead that compliance in Zone 10 should be achieved by 1^st January 2013. Failure to meet this AQ target could result in heavy EC fines being levied on the UK Government and potentially, by dint of the Localism Act, being handed down to BHCC.

 

            Consequently this council:

 

·        Reaffirms its commitment to reducing traffic-related air pollution, particularly in the worst affected areas;

 

·        Requests the Chief Executive to ask the City’s three MPs to write to the Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs requesting that she work in partnership with us and other Local Authorities to address the root causes of air pollution, providing any necessary technical and financial support alongside whatever additional traffic management powers that may be necessary.”

 

20.12    The motion was carried.

 

 

(f)        Cumulative Impact of Welfare Reforms

 

20.13    Councillor Wakefield confirmed that she wished the Notice of Motion as detailed in the agenda to be taken.

 

20.14    The Mayor put the following motion to the vote:

 

            “This council notes with deep concern the cumulative impact of the Government’s welfare reforms upon the residents of Brighton & Hove. This council acknowledges there is a genuine need to rationalise and simplify the existing welfare state. However this council believes that the Government are using the rubric of 'Welfare Reform' to mask a series of cuts to those in undisputed need, as well as to already squeezed council budgets.

 

            For example the Government has chosen to cut funding for council tax support which is likely to affect some 17,000 of the lowest-income households in the city. In addition to this, the Government has confirmed that their proposed cap on welfare support will hurt at least 400 households in Brighton and Hove.

 

            Meanwhile rather than improving the supply and quality of affordable housing, the Government is pulling the rug out from beneath the many pensioners, people with disabilities and hardworking people on low incomes who rely on housing benefit. Further, this council deplores the Prime Minister’s suggestion that young people should see their housing benefit withdrawn altogether.

 

            This council feels that the slashing benefits to meet arbitrary targets rather than considering genuine need is having a devastating effect on the most vulnerable in this city.

 

            Therefore this council urges the Government to reconsider their plans for welfare reform and stop penalising those who are unfortunate enough to be unwell or unable to find work.”

 

20.15    The motion was carried.