Agenda item - Notices of Motion.

(a)    Food Banks

118.1.        The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Gilbey on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group and seconded by Councillor Daniel.

118.2.        The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

“This council acknowledges the key role that foodbanks, operated by FareShare Brighton, play in helping those in food poverty across the City.

With recent statistics showing a 38% increase in the usage of these foodbanks in 2013, This Council resolves that a report be brought to the next Policy & Resources Committee to outline what options the authority has to further support foodbanks in the City, building on the recent collections of non-perishable food items at Council Customer Service Centres.”

118.3.        The motion was carried.

(b)    Academies

118.4.        The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Shanks on behalf of the Green Group and seconded by Councillor Phillips.

118.5.        Councillor Pissaridou moved an amendment on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group which was seconded by Councillor Lepper.

118.6.        The Mayor noted that the Labour & Co-operative Group’s amendment had not been accepted by Councillor Shanks and asked for the electronic voting system to be activated and put the amendment to the vote which was lost by 12 votes to 31.

118.7.        The Mayor then asked for the electronic voting system to be activated and put the following motion to the vote:

“This council is opposed in principle to academy status as advocated by current and previous national governments and is therefore concerned that one of our secondary schools, Hove Park, is considering opting to become an academy.

This council believes that government policy to privatise education removes the ability of the local authority to fulfil its statutory duty of planning school places and supporting school improvement.

We recognise the improvements that have been made in all our schools, and support parents and unions in calling for our community’s schools to remain under the democratic aegis of the local authority.”

118.8.        The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried by 17 votes to 14 votes with 12 abstentions.

(c)    Planning

118.9.        The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Mac Cafferty on behalf of the Green Group and seconded by Councillor Davey.

118.10.   The Mayor then put the following motion to the vote:

“This Council resolves:

To request the Chief Executive to write to the CLG Minister, Eric Pickles and Planning Minister, Nick Boles;

(1)   Insisting they respect our communities and local democratic decision-making on planning matters;

(2)   Expressing our deep-seated concerns with the legal changes and the proven impact on Brighton and Hove including how communities are being locked out of planning decisions;

(3)   To insist government amend the NPPF by removing the presumption in favour of so-called ‘sustainable development’ at all costs;

(4)   Give our communities and elected Councillors the power to prioritise our City Plan and our own planning policies;

(5)   Call upon the city’s MPs to join with us in lobbying ministers to hand back planning to the city’s communities served by it and the city’s environment protected by it.”

118.11.   The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried by 32 votes to 14 votes.