Agenda item

Note:

Under the Council’s constitution, 30 minutes are available for the consideration of motions. In practice, this means not all of the motions listed below will be debated.  With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motions 1 and 2 will be considered at this meeting, and motion 3 is likely to be debated, subject to time. Details of other motions submitted are also set out for information.

 

Please note that due to the pre-election period for the General Election on 12^th December 19, only the title and party relating to each motion is initially being published.  Full details, including the wording of each motion and the name of the proposer, will be published on 13^th December 19.

 

MOTIONS RECEIVED FOR FULL COUNCIL – 17^TH DECEMBER 19

 

1.      Abolition of the Position of Directly Elected Mayor – Conservative Group

2.      Gig Economy and Housing – Labour Group

3.      Bristol Airport Expansion – Green Group

4.      Wood Burners – Labour Group

5.      Fireworks – Labour Group

6.      Abolition of the Position of Directly Elected Mayor – Liberal Democrat Group

7.      Good Tax Conduct - Green Group

8.      Bus Services (Ownership and Congestion) - Green Group

9.      Clean Air Plan - Liberal Democrat Group

Following a short adjournment, it was then moved by the Lord Mayor that standing order CPR2.1(xi) be suspended to allow the meeting to go past the 30 minutes time limit for motions.  Following a vote it was agreed to proceed up until a 1 hour limit.

 

Motion 1 – The Need to Scrap Bristol’s Directly Elected Mayor

 

Councillor Weston moved the following motion:

 

“This Council believes that the city’s current governance arrangements of a directly- elected Mayor needs to be brought to an end at the earliest possible opportunity and an alternative form of Administration either Leader & Cabinet or more traditional Committee system reinstated.

 

Sadly, experience of rule by such Mayors over the last 7 years has failed to deliver many of the potential benefits of a switch to this system – namely significant financial savings, reinvigorating local democracy, more collaborative working and greater scrutiny/accountability of a single figurehead who was above political infighting.

 

In addition, developments since that time (for example moving from elections-by-thirds to citywide ward elections in 2016) have largely addressed perceived weaknesses in the former political structure which had led to a series of weak and unstable Administrations, and was a major factor in the narrow public vote to adopt an Elected Mayor in May 2012.

 

Furthermore, the creation of a Regional ‘Metro’ Mayor and West of England Combined Authority as part of the Government’s devolution agenda has rendered the increasingly expensive post of a City Mayor (and costly attendant office) largely redundant.

 

Under Legislation, the earliest Bristolians can vote again on this issue – through a local referendum - will be 2022 and, failing a formal resolution to hold such a poll, it will require a petition for this to take place raised by 5% of registered electors in the city.

 

Council supports the scrapping of this post and any move to initiate a referendum for its removal and calls on the present Mayor to reconsider his own commitment to what has proven in practice to be a profoundly divisive and autocratic Office.”

 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Steve Smith

 

Councillor Hopkins then moved the following amendment:

 

‘That the motion be amended to read as follows:

 

The Council believes that the city’s current governance arrangements of a directly- elected Mayor needs to be brought to an end at the earliest possible opportunity and an alternative form of Administration either Leader & Cabinet or more traditional Committee system reinstated.

 

Sadly, experience of rule by such Mayors over the last 7 years has failed to deliver many of the falsely promised benefits of a switch to this system – namely significant financial savings, reinvigorating local democracy, more money for BRISTOL, an invitation to Bristol and other Mayors to Downing Street to influence policy. more collaborative working and greater scrutiny/accountability of a single figurehead who was above political infighting.

 

In addition, developments since that time (for example moving from elections-by-thirds to citywide ward elections in 2016) have largely addressed perceived weaknesses in the former political structure and was a major factor in the narrow public vote to adopt an Elected Mayor in May 2012.

 

Furthermore, the creation of a Regional ‘Metro’ Mayor and West of England Combined Authority as part of the Government’s devolution agenda has rendered the increasingly expensive post of a City Mayor (and costly attendant office) largely redundant.

 

When first brought forward by Conservative ministers there was no right for Bristolians to reverse the move to the Mayor System but thanks to an amendment introduced to parliament by Liberal Democrat’s Bristolians can vote again on this issue – through a local referendum. This will be in 2022 and, failing a formal resolution to hold such a poll, it will require a petition for this to take place raised by 5% of registered electors in the city. In the meantime Bristolians will in 2020 have the opportunity to vote for a candidate, who will in advance of the formal abolition, devolve power back to a democratic system.

 

Council supports the scrapping of this post and any move to initiate a referendum for its removal and calls on the present Mayor to reconsider his own commitment to what has proven in practice to be a profoundly divisive and autocratic Office.”

 

The amendment was seconded by Councillor Wright.

 

Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST (4 For, 38 Against, 15 Abstentions).

 

There was a then debate on the substantive motion on the table before the Lord Mayor invited Councillor Weston, as mover of the original motion to speak.

 

Following final remarks, upon being put to the vote, the original motion was LOST (21 For, 30 Against, 8 Abstentions).

 

Motion 2 – Gig Economy and Housing

 

Councillor Beech moved the following motion:

 

Full Council notes:

1. The casualization of terms and conditions, growth of zero-hours contracts within a stagnating national economy, and growing gig economy – including ride-sharing, delivery, and accommodation rental services.
2. That our economy is growing in the high-tech and high-wage sectors, alongside the growth in the gig economy, with a real squeeze on stable, decent, traditional and manual jobs.
3. January and February 2019’s meetings of Full Council, where only Labour’s Mayor and Councillors backed paying a real Living Wage to Bristolians both in principle and in practice.
4. The housing crisis facing the country and Bristol, where 12,000 people are waiting for council housing, 500 families are in emergency/temporary accommodation, and around 100 people sleep rough.
5. Stronger regulatory regimes in both Ireland and Greater London, where councils have the power to refuse permission for buy-to-let properties to be used for full-time or short-term lettings for more than 90 days per year – reducing loss of housing stock without penalising people who are renting out spare rooms in homes where they live.
6. Short-term lettings, like purpose-built student accommodation, do not pay business rates.

 

Full Council believes:

1. The Labour administration’s expansion of landlord and HMO licensing after the success of pilots will improve housing conditions across the city.
2. The south Bristol construction skills academy, backed by Mayor Marvin Rees, will deliver morewell-paid manual jobs and the workforce supply to help further exceed our ambitious housing targets.
3. Cities should have the power to regulate short-term lets and property bought for investment.
4. Take a One City approach, working with innovative gig economy platforms, to better regulate the gig economy and level the playing field.

 

Full Council resolves

1. To endorse and support efforts by the administration to lobby for greater powers and resources to regulate the gig economy, particularly accommodation rentals by non-owner occupiers.
2. To endorse and support efforts by the administration to secure the legislation and powers needed to levy business rates on short-term letters and student accommodation (not on students).

 

Councillor Tincknell seconded the motion.

 

Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the altered motion was CARRIED (44 Members voting For, 0 Against, 11 Abstention) it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

Full Council notes:

1. The casualization of terms and conditions, growth of zero-hours contracts within a stagnating national economy, and growing gig economy – including ride-sharing, delivery, and accommodation rental services.
2. That our economy is growing in the high-tech and high-wage sectors, alongside the growth in the gig economy, with a real squeeze on stable, decent, traditional and manual jobs.
3. January and February 2019’s meetings of Full Council, where only Labour’s Mayor and Councillors backed paying a real Living Wage to Bristolians both in principle and in practice.
4. The housing crisis facing the country and Bristol, where 12,000 people are waiting for council housing, 500 families are in emergency/temporary accommodation, and around 100 people sleep rough.
5. Stronger regulatory regimes in both Ireland and Greater London, where councils have the power to refuse permission for buy-to-let properties to be used for full-time or short-term lettings for more than 90 days per year – reducing loss of housing stock without penalising people who are renting out spare rooms in homes where they live.
6. Short-term lettings, like purpose-built student accommodation, do not pay business rates.

 

Full Council believes:

1. The Labour administration’s expansion of landlord and HMO licensing after the success of pilots will improve housing conditions across the city.
2. The south Bristol construction skills academy, backed by Mayor Marvin Rees, will deliver morewell-paid manual jobs and the workforce supply to help further exceed our ambitious housing targets.
3. Cities should have the power to regulate short-term lets and property bought for investment.
4. Take a One City approach, working with innovative gig economy platforms, to better regulate the gig economy and level the playing field.

 

Full Council resolves

1. To endorse and support efforts by the administration to lobby for greater powers and resources to regulate the gig economy, particularly accommodation rentals by non-owner occupiers.
2. To endorse and support efforts by the administration to secure the legislation and powers needed to levy business rates on short-term letters and student accommodation (not on students).

 

Motion 3 – Bristol Airport Expansion

 

Councillor Stephen Clarke moved the following motion;

 

This Council notes that:

1.      Bristol Airport has applied for planning permission for an extra two million passengers a year (from 10-12 million) and has a published strategy to more than double in size to 20 million passengers a year. A decision is due in the near future.

2.      There have been over 3,500 objections on the North Somerset Council Planning website including objections by the vast majority of the local Town and Parish Councils and by Bath and North East Somerset Council.

3.      The papers submitted with the planning application by Bristol Airport Ltd (1) show that the expansion would mean:

a.      up to 10,000 extra cars entering the already congested area every day and a new multi-storey car park on the Green Belt;

b.      extra toxic pollution in the already polluted air over South Bristol (over which many of the aircraft will approach the airport);

c.       an enormous increase in night flights during the summer bringing noise and distress to residents;

d.      more than 623,000 tonnes (2) of carbon entering the atmosphere at high levels where its potential to warm our atmosphere is at least doubled compared with ground level emissions. (3)

4.      The New Economics Foundation (a think-tank previously used at governmental level) have produced a report analysing the economic benefits claimed by the airport and concludes that the report submitted on behalf of the airport ‘grossly overstates the economic benefits’ and ‘the extended capacity of Bristol Airport would be redundant…’ (4)

5.      There would be only 97 extra jobs in South Bristol if the expansion happens (5) many of which are likely to be zero-hours short term contracts in catering.

6.      Frequent flyers, rather than families taking an annual holiday, are the problem. 15% of the population take 70% of the flights. (6)

7.      The airport is large enough, and already has headroom under existing permissions to expand by another million passengers a year.

 

This Council believes that:

1.      Bristol City Council, although not the decision-taker in this application, is an important stakeholder and has great influence with its views.

2.      Bristol City Council, having declared a Climate Emergency (7) cannot maintain its current support of these destructive expansion plans.

 

This Council resolves:

1.      To withdraw its support for this application and to submit a letter of objection to North Somerset Council immediately.

 

 

 

The Lord Mayor then informed Full Council that the extended one hour time limit for motions had been reached.  The motion was not seconded or debated and the motion fell.