Agenda item - 20 Minute Neighbourhoods

Proposed by Councillor Evans on behalf of the Labour Group.

53.1      The Notice of Motion as listed on the agenda was proposed by Councillor Evans on behalf of the Labour Group and formally seconded by Councillor Childs who reserved his right to speak later in the debate.

53.2      Councillor Hills proposed an amendment on behalf of the Green Group which was formally seconded by Councillor Heley.

53.3      Councillors Hamilton, Simson and Williams spoke on the motion and the amendment and expressed their support for both the motion and the amendment. Councillor Janio also spoke on the motion and the amendment and expressed his opposition to them.

53.4      Councillor Evans thanked those Members for their supportive comments and confirmed that she was happy to accept the amendment.

53.5      The Mayor noted that the amendment had been accepted and that the Council was happy to move to a vote on the motion as amended. He therefore put the motion as amended to the vote:

This Council notes our shared targets set out in both the corporate plan and City Plan Part 2 to build community wealth and affordable housing and reach carbon neutrality by 2030, and the importance to these goals of fostering a circular local economy.

Council recognises that both during and after the ongoing COVID crisis there is a pressing need to grow local place-based cohesion and wellbeing, and believes launching a “20-minute neighbourhood” initiativeas part of a community wealth building approach to Covid recovery could build on the work already agreed by ETS committee around the introduction of low traffic neighbourhoods and help meet these shared aims.

 Council therefore calls for;

1)     The convening of the Community Wealth Building Working Group at the earliest opportunity and; 

2)     For that group to work with officers to produce a report for committee(s) that seeks - alongside ward councillors and residents groups - to identify feasible locations to implement both micro “20-minute neighbourhood” projects (such as community gardens and edible bus stops) and a full-scale pilot scheme for the model;

3)      That report to include the exploration of possible sources of funding to support investment in this full-scale pilot; and

4)     That officers and CWB working group liaise with councillors and local community groupsboth on possible locations and on identifying potential partners from other local institutions – particularly those involved in the areasof education, health and wellbeing for these “20-minute neighbourhood” projects.

53.6      The Mayor called on each of the Group Leaders to confirm their position as well as the Groups in turn and each of the Independent Members:

Councillor Mac Cafferty stated that the Green Group were in favour of the motion as amended and this was confirmed by the Members of the Green Group;

Councillor Platts stated that the Labour Group were in favour of the motion as amended and this was confirmed by the Members of the Labour Group;

Councillor Bell stated that the Conservative Group were in favour of the motion as amended and this was confirmed by the Members of the Conservative Group;

Councillor Brennan confirmed that she was voting for of the motion as amended;

Councillor Fishleigh confirmed that she was voting for the motion as amended;

Councillor Janio confirmed that he was voting against the motion as amended;

Councillor Knight confirmed that she was voting for the motion as amended.

53.7      The Mayor confirmed that the motion as amended had been carried.