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Motions
MOTIONS RECEIVED FOR FULL COUNCIL – 10 NOVEMBER 2020
Important note:
Under the Council’s constitution, 30 minutes are available for the consideration of motions. In practice, this realistically means that there is usually only time for one, or possibly two motions to be considered. With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motion 1 below will be considered at this meeting, and motion 2 is likely to be considered, subject to time.
Details of other motions submitted, (which, due to time constraints, are very unlikely to be considered at this meeting) are also set out for information.
Golden Motion - PROTECTING JOBS AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Full Council notes:
1. With deep concern, the recession already being experienced by many businesses, workers, and families here in Bristol – and exacerbated by the lack of sector specific support from Government.
2. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Alliance for Full Employment, launched with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees; the First Minister of Wales; Metro Mayors from Greater Manchester, London, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, and the North of Tyne; several major trade unions including CWU, Unite, UNISON, and TSSA; and backed by Labour councillors in Bristol and around the UK.
3. UNISON’s campaign for Ministers to properly fund local councils to keep communities safe and help rebuild the country after the pandemic.
Full Council believes:
1. The Chancellor’s long-overdue, last-minute statement on 22 October has left gaping holes in Britain’s social security net, with support for workers, businesses, and the self-employed still falling short of what is needed to protect jobs; this situation would be worsened still if the Government decides, as is rumoured, to freeze the minimum wage.
2. The Alliance for Full Employment is right to call for a UK Regional Growth Fund to increase equity for small businesses; a fair furlough scheme to protect jobs; investment to rescue our high streets; a Youth Jobs Guarantee by extending Kickstart to provide direct support to hire 16-24 year olds; investment to ensure a fair transition and Green New Deal; increased payments to support people quarantining; and a permanent fiscal focus to take unemployment as seriously as inflation.
3. Keyworkers and all council staff have continued to go above and beyond throughout the pandemic but national Government has failed to keep its promise to do “whatever it takes” to support local councils, with a funding gap of some £10 billion across local government estimated in 2020/21.
Full Council resolves:
- To support the Mayor in standing up for Bristol by writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to endorse the plan put forward by the Alliance for Full Employment.
- To ask the Mayor to continue standing up for Bristol and calling for fair funding by working with UNISON’s latest campaign to protect frontline services.
Silver Motion
2. Use of Experimental Traffic Orders
“This Council is concerned that radical changes to the city’s road network have been introduced with no prior warning to those most affected by these moves namely, centrally based businesses, traders and the travelling public.
It is appreciated that restrictions on general traffic for Bristol Bridge, Baldwin Street and Union Street, were made speedily as an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic (and to meet broader environmental and climate goals).
However, Council is anxious that such an accelerated process and the practice of retrospectively seeking views on these plans are not allowed to set a precedent. Such an approach is neither good in principle nor fair in practice. The ability to make representations in respect of the new bus lanes and associated active travel measures introduced now runs until 1st February 2021.
Nevertheless, Council seeks assurances from the Mayor that these – or any future – road schemes will not be made into a permanent feature without advance notice and only after an extensive and meaningful public consultation exercise, including the ability to revise proposals in light of objections received.”
To be moved by Councillor Steve Smith (Conservative Group)
3. Expanding & Enhancing Regional Authority
“This Council notes the new impetus for North Somerset Council to formally join the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) at the earliest possible juncture.
An enlarged Combined Authority would bring additional investment to the whole region, including to the people of Bristol, and help solve some of the major challenges facing the City.
Such a move would regularise the existing practical working relationships which operate between the four Councils and better ‘align’ the Combined Authority with the region’s ‘functional economic area.’
It is clear that Central Government continues to see mayoral combined authorities as the primary means of devolving powers and securing really significant infrastructure funding. Due to this clear statement of intent from the Government it is important that the West of England has the critical mass to secure these investments that will benefit the whole region and the residents of North Somerset have full access to and benefit from all of the benefits we currently enjoy as full members of the Combined Authority.
Accordingly, Council calls on the Mayor to re-establish or resurrect cordial collaborative working within WECA (which he recently appeared to question) and to demonstrate this renewed commitment by publicly supporting the case for admitting North Somerset in time for next year’s regional Mayoral election.”
To be moved by Councillor Mark Weston (Conservative Group)
4. Transparency Over Bristol Energy Fiasco
“This Council notes that following the sale of its domestic customer base, the curtain has finally come down on Bristol Energy, a hugely costly commercial failure.
The move follows a similar sale of a council-owned enterprise Robin Hood Energy Limited in Nottingham. A company which also managed to rack up substantial financial losses. However, the Labour leadership in that city has promised to “very shortly” make public all the facts and circumstances surrounding its disposal. In addition, their external auditors have already released a damning report on that Council’s governance arrangements for that enterprise.
Accordingly, in the interests of openness and transparency, Council calls on the Mayor to make a commitment to publish a full account and timeline of decisions taken in relation to Bristol Energy, together with a statement on the impact this will have on the Authority’s reserves. This explanation to be published by the end of December 2020, in order that Bristol taxpayers can judge for themselves who to hold responsible for this colossal waste of public money.”
To be moved by Councillor John Goulandris (Conservative Group)
5. Growing Provision Of Allotments Across The City
“This Council recognises the long established benefits derived from the provision of small agricultural holdings and allotments to individuals and families. These sites give people the chance to take productive exercise and grow cheap food but, also, are valued for other reasons such as providing educational opportunities, help to build communities and offer some protection to the local environment.
Council notes the commitment previously given by the Mayor to ‘have community gardens and allotments in every ward’ but is anxious to ensure that such rhetoric translates into action.
At present, the Authority has 497 vacancies with a waiting list of 5665 people. Council is concerned that much suitable land held by the Authority for this purpose is either underutilised or could be de-registered for development, ironically, when there is likely to be a growing desire and demand to maintain an allotment.
Accordingly, Council calls on the Mayor to pledge to preserve, protect and promote existing sites; to increase the size of this network; extend the number which are accorded (limited) ‘statutory’ protection under current legislation; and ensure that all those who want access to a plot, are able to do so.”
To be moved by Councillor Graham Morris (Conservative Group)
6. Expanding Adult Training Programmes
“This Council welcomes the recent adult training initiatives introduced by Government such as the National Retraining Scheme and, regionally, the WECA Employment & Skills Plan, designed to help adults access better jobs or pursue new careers due to changes in the economy.
“Whilst the social and economic impact of the Corona virus has yet to unfold over the months and possibly years ahead, it is vital that all those who are unfortunately made unemployed as a result of this crisis have access to full-time, vocational, technical or traditional craft apprenticeships.
“Council believes that this challenge could best be met by a revival in city-based learning hubs like the often wrongly maligned former polytechnics and Government industrial training centres. Sadly, provision such as the Skillscentre network closed in 1993 but they served as a highly effective means or bridge into employment. Restoration of these institutions can equip people with the skills needed to adapt to the new world of work and help fill any identified skills gaps in the regional workforce.
“Accordingly, Council calls in the Mayor to work through WECA to make the urgent case to Government for a greatly expanded and accelerated investment programme, to create additional sites in the city to cater for the anticipated surge in demand for these services, at least in the short to medium term.”
To be moved by Councillor Matt Melias (Conservative Group)
7. New Secondary School in Knowle
Secondary School places in South Bristol are in short supply and the situation will get worse over the next couple of years. The problem becomes even more challenging as the public transport is woeful and travelling from Knowle to Brislington or Bedminster Down is very challenging for pupils.
After gap of 20 years with no secondary provision in the area, we now have a solution with the new school being built on part of the old Merrywood School site. The other part of the site will be given over to a great new community facility costing around £6M
This Council thanks the trustees of “The Park” Local Opportunity Centre for doing such a great job of providing community facilities over the last 20 years on the old school site and working so hard on the imaginative new plan.
Government, Oasis, funders and the community are to be thanked also and we must recognise that Officers and Cabinet Members gave full backing to this scheme (despite a couple of frankly silly objections).
This Council asks for one further contribution, with the present timetable a couple of the most critical years will not benefit from the new school. We ask that the school is set up earlier in temporary accommodation from September 2021.
Council notes that the site is, unlike the Temple Meads new site, large and open and that the failure of the plans for early opening at Temple Meads will put even more pressure on numbers over the next 2 years in East and South Bristol.
To be moved by Councillor Gary Hopkins (Liberal Democrat Group)
8. Energy Efficiency Support for every Householder in Bristol: making ideas work.
Council notes:
• the Climate and Ecological Emergency Programme and its component documents set out where the city needs to go and what it seeks to achieve but not at this stage how this is to be accomplished
• addressing the poor energy performance of our current buildings, particularly homes, that will save energy, reduce carbon emissions and alleviate fuel poverty is crucial to achieving Bristol’s adopted 2030 Climate Emergency resolutions
• the up-grading of the huge majority of our domestic buildings has been sporadic and piecemeal to date.. Technical and financial advice can be accessed but multi-faceted intervention measures are challenging and so a disincentive.
• the easier, more currently cost-effective measures such as cavity-fill and loft insulation, draught-proofing and smarter boilers have been much, though patchily, carried out - but are not enough where they are in place, and there are too many places where they are not
• retro-fitting by Bristol City Council is directed to our large social housing stock and advice is rightly focused on people experiencing fuel poverty
• the revenue-saving benefits from capital investment may be simply calculated over time where the owner is the occupier but this is a more complicated model for publicly-managed social housing and even more so in the Private Rented Sector.
• energy providers and banks can manage initial investment for home-owners, and some do, as with the Green Deal model for larger investors. Landlords can recover investment through rent but there are poorly-adopted schemes for energy-saving packages, passports and sales premiums for home-owners.
Council intends:
• to assemble the details of a service by which every household in the city will be able to access appropriate support with home energy efficiency and renewable technology. The service will encourage a greater uptake of energy efficiency measures in Bristol; lowering emissions and energy bills, as well as promoting the creation of low-carbon skills and employment in the area.
• to extend the scope of the council’s work to deliver our 2030 resolutions, to consider its role in encouraging all households, including individual private house-owners, to appreciate the value to themselves, let alone society, of an investment to secure long –term savings, particularly when the calculated return falls outside their personal occupation period.
• to look beyond the good work in fuel poverty mitigation and capital schemes within our own housing stock and the wider Heat Network to be a hub for general advice and a facilitator for delivering beneficial schemes
This Council agrees
• that reducing domestic energy consumption, and the resultant carbon emissions, should be encouraged within Bristol by widening the advice and support on offer to incorporate every household in the city
This Council resolves:
• to request the mayor to instruct officers to explore the feasibility of expanding the scope of work carried out by officers across the council including the setting up of a team to focus support on a wider range of households in Bristol to have access to green energy and to reduce their energy use to help Bristol to becoming Carbon Neutral by 2030. The scope of the study should be as wide as needed but should at least include comprehensive technical and financial advice, practical on-site consultation and implementation support, all or any of which might be provided in-house or through commercial agencies
• to request the mayor to instruct officers to develop a business case to create a comprehensive service offer and methodology for directing appropriate and tailored support to every household in the city. The business case should consider the level of resourcing currently available to BCC, and consider options to increase capacity; including the exploration of strategic partnerships to provide the comprehensive service and offer
• to request the mayor to instruct officers to explore a programme for developing a local, highly-skilled workforce to deliver low-carbon, energy efficiency installations within the city
• to request the mayor to instruct officers to explore the potential of financing the capital cost of low-carbon technologies for private housing tenures, through the provision of grants and loans.
• to request that a further report on progress to be brought back to the council by 1st March 2021
Motion to be moved by Cllr. Anthony Negus (Cotham LibDem councillor)
9. Proportional Representation
In the 2019 General Election, Full Council notes that the 'First Past the Post' voting system:
1. Has again failed to elect a government representing the majority of voters, with the Conservative party winning 43% of the popular vote, yet gaining over half of the seats in parliament.
2. Has again yielded a wildly disproportionate allocation of seats with, for example, the Democratic Unionist Party gaining 8 seats from 244,127 votes compared with 11 seats from 3.6 million votes for the Liberal Democrats.
3. Has spectacularly failed to match votes to seats with, for example, only 25,882 Scottish National Party votes cast for each SNP MP elected, compared with over 800,000 Green votes resulting in the election of one Green Party MP.
4. Has resulted in 70.8% of votes being ‘wasted’ i.e. having no effect on the outcome of the election. The largest number of ignored votes in any UK constituency was in Bristol West with 56,718 votes being ignored (either votes cast for a losing candidate or surplus votes).
Full Council further notes:
1. That worldwide, FPTP systems inherited from colonial rule cause the under-representation of minority groups, contributing to ethnic tensions and instability [1].
2. That no country using FPTP achieves greater than 40% female representation in parliament. [2]
3. That there is a statistically significant link between countries using proportional election systems and having lower levels of income inequality [3], and scoring more highly on the United Nations Index of Human Development [4].
4. That the Single Transferable Vote system is already used for local elections in Scotland, where it has led to an increase in turnout and voter confidence in the electoral process [5], and in both Northern Irish local elections and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Other proportional electoral systems are used to elect the devolved parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and London.
5. That support for proportional representation is official policy of the Green Party, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats; polling shows three quarters of Labour members want their party to campaign for it [6].
Full Council believes:
1. That a Parliament that more accurately reflects the views of the nation is more likely to develop an economic, social and environmental agenda that benefits Bristol’s residents;
2. That enabling people to feel that their votes count would increase voter engagement and participation;
3. That a robust democracy must include a fair voting system and that nobody should be disenfranchised because of where they live.
Therefore, Full Council:
1. Applauds the many groups and organisations campaigning for fair votes including the Electoral Reform Society, Make Votes Matter and the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform;
2. Calls for the introduction of a proportional voting system
a. for local elections in England and Wales;
b. for Westminster elections;
3. Requests for Bristol to be allowed to pilot the holding of local elections under a proportional system.
Full Council resolves to call on the Mayor to:
1. Publicly support proportional representation for local elections in Bristol and as the national electoral system;
2. Inform local MPs and the media of this decision and work with them in support of this campaign;
3. Forward a copy of this motion to the Leaders of all political parties represented in the UK Parliament, and to all Bristol MPs.
Motion to be moved by: Cllr Eleanor Combley (Green Group)
Notes:
[2] https://www.makevotesmatter.org.uk/equality
[3] Birchfield, Vicki and Crepaz, Markus (1998). “The Impact of Constitutional Structures and Collective and Competitive Veto Points on Income Inequality in Industrialized Democracies.” European Journal of Political Research 34: 175-200.
[4] Carey, John M. and Hix, Simon (2009). “The Electoral Sweet Spot: Low-magnitude Proportional Electoral Systems.” PSPE Working Paper 01-2009. Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
10. Introduce a ‘Low Carbon Advertising Policy’
Full Council notes:
· That Bristol City Council currently holds an Advertising Concession Agreement (ACA) with Clear Channel UK involving the upkeep and maintenance of over 300 bus stops across the city, many of which include digital advertising screens. This contract is due to come to an end soon and a new one will need to be re-tendered. [1]
· That advertising prohibitions and restrictions already exist regarding all tobacco products and e-cigarettes, guns and offensive weapons, breath testing and products designed to mask the effects of alcohol, ‘pyramid schemes’, prostitution services, ‘obscene material’ as well as other rules regarding marketing to children, high fat sugar and salt products, medical and health claims, religion, financial products, and pornography. [2]
· That a double-sided digital bus stop advertising screen uses four times the electricity of the average British home. [3]
· That Bristol City Council declared a Climate Emergency in November 2018, which included a commitment for Bristol to go carbon neutral by 2030.
· That Bristol’s One City Climate Strategy includes a plan to create ‘advertising standards and restrictions to support responsible consumption.’ [4]
Full Council believes:
· That the very purpose of advertising is to stimulate demand for goods and services.
· That some advertising content undermines the council's objectives regarding public health, air pollution and sustainable consumption. For example: High Fat Sugar and Salt (HFSS) products undermine health objectives, petrol and diesel car adverts (especially for Sports Utility Vehicles) undermine air quality objectives, and airline advertising undermines carbon emission targets.
Full Council resolves:
· To call on the Mayor to review the Advertising Concession Agreement immediately, to investigate the possibility of amending the set of prohibitions and restrictions to include products that contribute to climate change and air pollution, to take effect when the ACA is re-tendered.
· To call on the Mayor to implement a Low Carbon Advertising Policy as part of the council's planning policies, to apply to bus stops, billboards and advertising spaces in the city within the jurisdiction of the local planning area.
· To call on the Mayor to look into the possibility of an overarching Bristol City Council advertising policy that links the One City Climate Strategy, Local Plan and public health objectives by setting targets, expectations or restrictions on all advertising in the city that interacts with the Council’s objectives on public health, air pollution, climate change and sustainable consumption.
Motion submitted by Councillor Carla Denyer (Green Group)
References:
1. https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?AIId=12821
2. https://www.badverts.org/case-studies
3. http://adblockbristol.org.uk/2019/11/the-electricity-cost-of-digital-advert
4. https://www.bristolonecity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/one-city-climate-strategy.pdf, page 46
11. Mobilise community investments to tackle climate change
Full Council notes:
1. That this council unanimously declared a climate emergency in November 2018 following a Green Motion to Council
2. The motion committed the city to achieve net zero carbon impact by 2030 and there are now 10 years left to this target date
3. The council has been progressing a package of low carbon opportunities called City Leap since May 2018. City Leap is still subject to a procurement process since a new process was started in 2020.
4. A new low risk model called Community Municipal Investments [CMI] has been developed by Leeds University and Abundance Investments platform with UK Government and EU support. This had the support of 4 local authorities including Bristol City Council. [1]
5. This new concept is a way to channel local savings into local projects with low risk and a modest return to investors [2].
Full Council believes:
1. That offering local savers a way to support the city’s journey to carbon neutrality should be developed.
2. That offering security and a modest rate of interest through municipal bonds is an established way to develop local infrastructure [3]. This could complement other projects such as the successful Bristol Energy Cooperative.
3. That CMIs can help us develop a low carbon city now in partnership with others.
4. The Mayor should prioritise CMIs as part of the package of investments that will create positive economic opportunities and carbon neutrality
5. Bristol should join the other 3 pioneers of CMI in developing local opportunities for local investors [e.g. 4]
Full Council resolves:
1. To call on the Mayor to begin development of Community Municipal Investments for the city.
2. That the Mayor promote CMI as a way residents and institutions can contribute to a new zero carbon city.
3. To request officers to identify carbon saving projects suited to CMI investment in conjunction with city partners.
Motion to be moved by: Cllr Martin Fodor (Green Group)
References:
1. The report supported by Bristol: https://baumaninstitute.leeds.ac.uk/research/financing-for-society/
2.
Initial proposed interest rate is 1.2%. See: Your
questions answered on Green Community Bonds | Abundance
Blog
https://medium.abundanceinvestment.com/community-municipal-investments-your-questions-answered-25218ed4d2cb
4. These are: Leeds Council, Warrington, and West Berkshire. Eg Invest now: https://info.westberks.gov.uk/wbcmi; https://www.abundanceinvestment.com/invest-now/warrington-2025
Minutes:
Following a short adjournment, it was 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. There were two votes during the item and it was
agreed to proceed up until a 50 minute limit.
Motion 1 – PROTECTING JOBS AND PUBLIC SERVICES
Councillor Godwin moved the following motion:
Full Council notes:
1. With deep concern, the recession already being experienced by many businesses, workers, and families here in Bristol – and exacerbated by the lack of sector specific support from Government.
2. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Alliance for Full Employment, launched with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees; the First Minister of Wales; Metro Mayors from Greater Manchester, London, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, and the North of Tyne; several major trade unions including CWU, Unite, UNISON, and TSSA; and backed by Labour councillors in Bristol and around the UK.
3. UNISON’s campaign for Ministers to properly fund local councils to keep communities safe and help rebuild the country after the pandemic.
Full Council believes:
1. The Chancellor’s long-overdue, last-minute statement on 22 October has left gaping holes in Britain’s social security net, with support for workers, businesses, and the self-employed still falling short of what is needed to protect jobs; this situation would be worsened still if the Government decides, as is rumoured, to freeze the minimum wage.
2. The Alliance for Full Employment is right to call for a UK Regional Growth Fund to increase equity for small businesses; a fair furlough scheme to protect jobs; investment to rescue our high streets; a Youth Jobs Guarantee by extending Kickstart to provide direct support to hire 16-24 year olds; investment to ensure a fair transition and Green New Deal; increased payments to support people quarantining; and a permanent fiscal focus to take unemployment as seriously as inflation.
3. Keyworkers and all council staff have continued to go above and beyond throughout the pandemic but national Government has failed to keep its promise to do “whatever it takes” to support local councils, with a funding gap of some £10 billion across local government estimated in 2020/21.
Full Council resolves:
- To support the Mayor in standing up for Bristol by writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to endorse the plan put forward by the Alliance for Full Employment.
- To ask the Mayor to continue standing up for Bristol and calling for fair funding by working with UNISON’s latest campaign to protect frontline services.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Johnson.
Following a debate, the Lord Mayor invited Councillor Godwin, as mover of the original motion to respond.
Following final remarks, upon being put to the vote, the original motion was CARRIED (53 voting for, 13 against) and it was
RESOLVED:
Full Council notes:
1. With deep concern, the recession already being experienced by many businesses, workers, and families here in Bristol – and exacerbated by the lack of sector specific support from Government.
2. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Alliance for Full Employment, launched with Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees; the First Minister of Wales; Metro Mayors from Greater Manchester, London, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, and the North of Tyne; several major trade unions including CWU, Unite, UNISON, and TSSA; and backed by Labour councillors in Bristol and around the UK.
3. UNISON’s campaign for Ministers to properly fund local councils to keep communities safe and help rebuild the country after the pandemic.
Full Council believes:
4. The Chancellor’s long-overdue, last-minute statement on 22 October has left gaping holes in Britain’s social security net, with support for workers, businesses, and the self-employed still falling short of what is needed to protect jobs; this situation would be worsened still if the Government decides, as is rumoured, to freeze the minimum wage.
5. The Alliance for Full Employment is right to call for a UK Regional Growth Fund to increase equity for small businesses; a fair furlough scheme to protect jobs; investment to rescue our high streets; a Youth Jobs Guarantee by extending Kickstart to provide direct support to hire 16-24 year olds; investment to ensure a fair transition and Green New Deal; increased payments to support people quarantining; and a permanent fiscal focus to take unemployment as seriously as inflation.
6. Keyworkers and all council staff have continued to go above and beyond throughout the pandemic but national Government has failed to keep its promise to do “whatever it takes” to support local councils, with a funding gap of some £10 billion across local government estimated in 2020/21.
Full Council resolves:
- To support the Mayor in standing up for Bristol by writing to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to endorse the plan put forward by the Alliance for Full Employment.
- To ask the Mayor to continue standing up for Bristol and calling for fair funding by working with UNISON’s latest campaign to protect frontline services.
Motion 2 – Use of Experimental Traffic Orders
Councillor Steve Smith moved the following motion:
“This Council is concerned that radical changes to the city’s road network have been introduced with no prior warning to those most affected by these moves namely, centrally based businesses, traders and the travelling public.
It is appreciated that restrictions on general traffic for Bristol Bridge, Baldwin Street and Union Street, were made speedily as an emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic (and to meet broader environmental and climate goals).
However, Council is anxious that such an accelerated process and the practice of retrospectively seeking views on these plans are not allowed to set a precedent. Such an approach is neither good in principle nor fair in practice. The ability to make representations in respect of the new bus lanes and associated active travel measures introduced now runs until 1st February 2021.
Nevertheless, Council seeks assurances from the Mayor that these – or any future – road schemes will not be made into a permanent feature without advance notice and only after an extensive and meaningful public consultation exercise, including the ability to revise proposals in light of objections received.”
Councillor Eddy seconded the motion.
Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the motion was LOST (21 Members voting for, 36 against, 8 abstention)