Agenda item

To consider motions as follows:

 

Motion 1 – Devolution engagement

- Motion to be moved by Councillor Threlfall (Labour group)

 

“This Council welcomes the Mayor and Cabinet’s decision to move forward with a £1 billion devolution deal from Government, along with Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and South Gloucestershire councils. We note the deal is the largest in the country and is worth more than £1,000 per head of population.   We further note a new Combined Authority would oversee the new funding and powers devolved from Government and would be chaired by a publicly-elected West of England Mayor, working alongside the Leaders and Mayor of the three councils.

 

We recognise that a public consultation on the creation of a new West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is now open, running from Monday 4 July 2016 until 15 August 2016. This is being carried out in line with national legislation, which means that the scope of this initial consultation is narrower than what we as a council would wish.  

 

As a Council we are determined to ensure that devolution works for the people of Bristol. We recognise that a greater public consultation and engagement is needed to identify the public’s priorities for devolution.  

 

As soon as the Secretary of State has granted approval for the creation of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, we as a council resolve to:

 

1.      Establish a city wide engagement programme and consultation to identify the public’s devolution priorities. This will include working with the neighbourhood partnerships, our public and voluntary sector partners, the business community, education, environmental and community partners, faith organisations and Trade Unions.

2.      Work with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board and the West of England Joint Scrutiny Committee on developing robust and transparent scrutiny arrangements to strengthen the governance of the new authority.  

3.      Identify further powers which local people and businesses would wish to see devolved in any future deals.”

 

 

Motion 2  – Living in a diverse and tolerant society

 

-  Motion to be moved by Councillor Hopkins (Liberal Democrat group)

 

“We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. Our council condemns racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

 

We will work to ensure that local bodies and programmes have the support and resources they need to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

 

We reassure all people living in this area that they are valued members of our community.”

 

 

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 two motions to be considered.  With the agreement of the Lord Mayor, motions 1 and 2 above will be considered at this meeting.  Details of other motions submitted (which, due to time constraints, are very unlikely to be considered at this meeting) are set out below for information:

 

Motion 3 - Impact of Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood

- Motion submitted by: Cllr Gollop (Conservative group)

 

“This Council remains concerned about the impact on the lives of residents in those wards adjoining the planned Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood (CPNN).

 

The local road network is already struggling to cope with the demands being placed upon it and the construction of 5,700 extra dwellings on the old Filton airfield can only make this situation much worse.

 

Council understands the transport plan for this major housing development has still to be finalised and a scheme of mitigation measures agreed.

 

In order to alleviate pressures on the A4018, and relieve traffic volumes on residential roads, Council believes much more needs to be done to attract people on to public transport.

 

Accordingly, Council calls on the Mayor to work with councillors and transport planners in South Glos with a view to identifying the location and creation of a new Park & Ride site on the border of North West Bristol.”

 

 

Motion 4 - Citywide clean air plan needed to tackle dangerous air pollution

- Motion submitted by: Cllr English (Green group)

 

“Council welcomes plans to introduce a Clean Air zone in the Old City area of Bristol, subject to enabling legislation from Central Government. While this could be a helpful test run for a Clean Air Zone covering a larger area, this small proposed Clean Air Zone is not expected to bring levels of key air pollutants in the worst affected parts of the city to safe and legal levels. 

 

Council requests that officers present a plan to demonstrate how we can ensure clean air across the city. This should include practical action for how key pollutants, which are estimated to kill over 200 Bristol residents per year, can be reduced to safe and legal levels. 

 

Council requests that any plan for a Clean Air Zone or Ultra Low Emission Zone also includes a phased introduction of restrictions and charges for private diesel vehicles, which are a major and growing source of these most damaging pollutants. This would be consistent with London’s current approach on air quality and the most recent measures announced by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.”

 

 

Motion 5 - Shark fin free Bristol

Motion submitted by: Cllr Hance (Green group)

 

“Full Council notes that:

 

Many Bristol residents are deeply concerned about the decline in shark populations. The conservation organisation Fin Fighters has been campaigning to make the UK shark fin free by 2023.

 

Full Council believes that:

 

1.      Owing to the catastrophic declines of shark populations driven by the global market for shark fin and the health implications of consuming shark; shark finning and the sale and distribution of Shark fins in the city of Bristol should be opposed.

Full Council resolves:

 

1.      To urge businesses and individuals in the city of Bristol to end the sale and consumption of shark fin products.

2.      That it will not knowingly purchase shark fin products for Council provided catering or events.

3.      To support the Fin Fighters community in its positive engagement with the businesses selling shark fin, and in their efforts to encourage participation in the Fin Fighters Shark Support certification scheme.

4.      To work with the MPs representing Bristol in Westminster, to call on them to strengthen the laws surrounding the practice of commercial shark fishing and support the Fin Free UK by 2023 campaign to ban the sale and distribution of shark fin in the UK by the year 2023.”

 

 

Motion 6 - Working with our Friends

- Motion submitted by: Cllr Wright (Liberal Democrat group)

 

“In the light of the outcome of the EU referendum, Council notes that the result in Bristol was a significant majority for remain.

 

Council reaffirms Bristol's long-term commitment to the promotion and development of social, cultural and economic co-operation with other European cities through:

 

·         Historic twinning links with Hannover and Bordeaux post Second World War.

·         Joint working as a member of the Eurocities network.

·         Commitment as a co-signatory to the European Green Digital Charter.

·         Its status as European Green Capital and an active member of the Green Capital network.

 

Council resolves to:

·         Continue to pursue our existing European links.

·         Promote co-operation between the people of Bristol and other European cities.

·         Encourage, promote and develop further links with the people of other European cities.

·         Encourage and promote a cross-party movement within the city to support and promote and understanding and co-operation with our European neighbours.”

 

 

 

 

a. Altered motion 1 – Devolution engagement

 

Councillor Threlfall moved the following altered motion:

 

“This Council welcomes the Mayor and Cabinet’s decision to move forward with a £1 billion devolution deal from Government, along with Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and South Gloucestershire councils. We note the deal is the largest in the country and is worth more than £1,000 per head of population. We further note a new Combined Authority would oversee the new funding and powers devolved from Government and would be chaired by a publicly-elected West of England Mayor, working alongside the Leaders and Mayor of the three councils.

 

We recognise that a public consultation on the creation of a new West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is now open, running from Monday 4 July 2016 until 15 August 2016. This is being carried out in line with national legislation, which means that the scope of this initial consultation is narrower than what we as a council would wish.

As a Council we are determined to ensure that devolution works for the people of Bristol. We recognise that a greater public consultation and engagement is needed to identify the public’s priorities for devolution.

 

As soon as the Secretary of State has granted approval for the creation of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, we as a council resolve to:

1. Establish a city wide engagement programme and consultation to identify the public’s devolution priorities. This will include working with the neighbourhood partnerships, our public and voluntary sector partners, the business community, education, environmental and community partners, faith organisations and Trade Unions.

2. Work with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board and the West of England Joint Scrutiny Committee on developing robust and transparent scrutiny arrangements to strengthen the governance of the new authority.

3. Identify further powers which local people and businesses would wish to see devolved in any future deals.

 

4. Ensure that decision making, and the evaluation of the impact of those decisions, considers the social and environmental impact of them as well as the solely economic benefits.”

 

Councillor Pearce seconded the altered motion.

 

Following debate, upon being put to the vote, the altered motion was CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

This Council welcomes the Mayor and Cabinet’s decision to move forward with a £1 billion devolution deal from Government, along with Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and South Gloucestershire councils. We note the deal is the largest in the country and is worth more than £1,000 per head of population. We further note a new Combined Authority would oversee the new funding and powers devolved from Government and would be chaired by a publicly-elected West of England Mayor, working alongside the Leaders and Mayor of the three councils.

 

We recognise that a public consultation on the creation of a new West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is now open, running from Monday 4 July 2016 until 15 August 2016. This is being carried out in line with national legislation, which means that the scope of this initial consultation is narrower than what we as a council would wish.

As a Council we are determined to ensure that devolution works for the people of Bristol. We recognise that a greater public consultation and engagement is needed to identify the public’s priorities for devolution.

 

As soon as the Secretary of State has granted approval for the creation of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, we as a council resolve to:

1. Establish a city wide engagement programme and consultation to identify the public’s devolution priorities. This will include working with the neighbourhood partnerships, our public and voluntary sector partners, the business community, education, environmental and community partners, faith organisations and Trade Unions.

2. Work with the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board and the West of England Joint Scrutiny Committee on developing robust and transparent scrutiny arrangements to strengthen the governance of the new authority.

3. Identify further powers which local people and businesses would wish to see devolved in any future deals.

 

4. Ensure that decision making, and the evaluation of the impact of those decisions, considers the social and environmental impact of them as well as the solely economic benefits.”

 

 

 

At this point in the meeting, the Full Council stood an observed a minute’s silence in remembrance of the victims of recent terrorist attacks.

 

b. Motion 2 – Living in a diverse and tolerant society

 

Councillor Hopkins moved the following motion:

 

“We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. Our council condemns racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

 

We will work to ensure that local bodies and programmes have the support and resources they need to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

 

We reassure all people living in this area that they are valued members of our community.”

 

Councillor Carey seconded the motion.

 

Following debate, upon being put to the vote, motion was CARRIED and it was

 

RESOLVED:

 

We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. Our council condemns racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

 

We will work to ensure that local bodies and programmes have the support and resources they need to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

 

We reassure all people living in this area that they are valued members of our community.