Agenda item

Motions

Meeting of Council, Thursday, 18 April 2024 7.00pm (Item 759.)

This report sets out motions received for this meeting.

Minutes:

Motion A – proposed by Councillor Filmer and supported by Councillor Lawrence:

“This Council notes that since May 2023 the carriageways across Medway have deteriorated far beyond what is acceptable. In many cases repairs completed in early 2023 have again become a hazard to road users.

In presenting its budget for 2024/2025, the Medway Labour and Co-Operative Group have reduced the budget for repairs by £300,000, which will mean that it is likely a further significant deterioration will occur in the next twelve months.

The Council notes that the Conservative Government and Secretary of State for Transport as part of Network North has provided an additional £401,000 for this financial year, followed by further funding in coming years totalling to £12.5 million to Medway Council for repairs.

The Council recommends the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Climate Change to reinstate funding for carriageway patching to address the backlog of repairs.”

Councillor Curry, supported by Councillor Peake, proposed the following amendment:

Council notes that since May ~~2023~~ 2010 the carriageways across Medway have deteriorated far beyond what is acceptable. ~~In many cases repairs completed in early 2023 have again become a hazard to road users.~~

~~The Council recommends the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Climate Change to reinstate funding for carriageway patching to address the backlog of repairs~~.

Council welcomes the letter Cllrs. Maple and Curry sent to the Government calling for more financial support to address the £50m backlog in road repairs and recognises that after years of decline a significant intervention is required in order to restore our traffic network to a satisfactory standard.

Council also recognises and thanks the work of officers who continue to deliver on all parts of our highway network within this limiting and challenging financial envelope.

Amended motion reads:

Council notes that since May 2010 the carriageways across Medway have deteriorated far beyond what is acceptable.

Council also recognises and thanks the work of officers who continue to deliver on all parts of our highway network within this limiting and challenging financial envelope.

In accordance with Rule 12.4 of the Council Rules, a recorded vote on the amended motion was taken:

For: Councillors Animashaun, Bowen, Browne, Campbell, Cook, Coombs, Curry, Edwards, Field, Hamandishe, Hamilton, Howcroft-Scott, Jackson, Jones, Khan, Mahil, Mandaracas, Maple, McDonald, Murray, Myton, Nestorov, Osborne, Paterson, Peake, Louwella Prenter, Mark Prenter, Price, Spalding, Stamp, Mrs Turpin and Van Dyke (32)

Against: Councillors Anang, Barrett, Brake, Clarke, Etheridge, Fearn, Filmer, Gilbourne, Hackwell, Hyne, Kemp, Lammas, Lawrence, Perfect, Spring, Tejan, Wildey and Williams (18)

Abstain: Councillors Crozer and Pearce. (2)

Decision:

Upon being put to the vote the substantive motion was carried:

Council notes that since May 2010 the carriageways across Medway have deteriorated far beyond what is acceptable.

Council also recognises and thanks the work of officers who continue to deliver on all parts of our highway network within this limiting and challenging financial envelope.

Motion B – proposed by Councillor Mrs Turpin and supported by Councillor Etheridge:

“The Local Plan is one of the most important responsibilities for the Council to deliver.

An up to date Local Plan is now long overdue and has faced multiple challenges over past years, including the rejection of a draft plan in 2013 by an independent examiner.

The most recent withdrawal of a draft Local Plan in October 2021 was primarily due to its missing evidence base and therefore lack of Member support and engagement.

After the change of administration in May 2023 a new Local Plan Working Party was created, made up of seven elected members.

However, it has recently come to light that this group, despite being created over 10 months ago, has never met, and at least one of its members did not even know that it existed.

This Council resolves to:

Publish regular meeting dates of the Local Plan Working Party.
Publish the minutes of these meetings within the Council’s existing reporting framework.
Include a Member of the Independent Group on the Local Plan Working Party.
Formally acknowledge that the Local Plan will address fair and sustainable development across the whole of the Medway authority and not just continue to focus, in a predetermined manner, in one area i.e. The Hoo Peninsula.”

Decision:

Upon being put to the vote the motion was lost.

Motion C – proposed by Councillor Price and supported by Councillor Howcroft-Scott:

“Recognising Care Experience as a Protected Characteristic

People who are care experienced can face additional challenges in their life. To support people facing these challenges Medway Council should treat care experience as a protected characteristic, in any situation where the Equality Act 2010 is relevant.

Medway Council notes that:

Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.
Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into consideration.
Care experienced people often face discrimination across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and the criminal justice system.
As corporate parents, Councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.
As corporate parents, Medway Council will commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of children and young people who have been in the care system, and to consider their needs in any aspect of Council work.

This Council therefore resolves:

That it recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.
That it recognises that Medway Council have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.
That future decisions, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should continue to be assessed through Diversity Impact Assessments and also determine the impact of changes on care experienced people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.
For the Council to continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.

· To formally call upon all other bodies within Medway to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.

· To note that reports will be submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Full Council in June/July this year seeking formal approval of these matters.”

Councillor Brake, supported by Councillor Etheridge, proposed the following amendment:

Recognising Care Experience as a Protected Characteristic

Medway Council notes that:

Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.
Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into consideration.
Care experienced people often face discrimination across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and the criminal justice system.
As corporate parents, Councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.
As corporate parents, Medway Council will commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of ~~children and young people~~ all people who have been in the care system, and to consider their needs in any aspect of Council work.

This Council therefore resolves:

That it recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.
That it recognises that Medway Council have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.
That future decisions, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should continue to be assessed through Diversity Impact Assessments and also determine the impact of changes on care experienced people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.
For the Council to continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.
To formally call upon all other bodies within Medway to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.
To note that reports will be submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Full Council in June/July this year seeking formal approval of these matters.

Amended motion reads:

Recognising Care Experience as a Protected Characteristic

Medway Council notes that:

Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.
Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into consideration.
Care experienced people often face discrimination across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and the criminal justice system.
As corporate parents, Councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.
As corporate parents, Medway Council will commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of all people who have been in the care system, and to consider their needs in any aspect of Council work.

This Council therefore resolves:

That it recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.
That it recognises that Medway Council have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.
That future decisions, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should continue to be assessed through Diversity Impact Assessments and also determine the impact of changes on care experienced people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.
For the Council to continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.
To formally call upon all other bodies within Medway to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.
To note that reports will be submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Full Council in June/July this year seeking formal approval of these matters.

The amendment was carried.

Decision:

Upon being put to the vote, the substantive motion was agreed:

Recognising Care Experience as a Protected Characteristic

Medway Council notes that:

Care experienced people face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives.
Despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into consideration.
Care experienced people often face discrimination across housing, health, education, relationships, employment and the criminal justice system.
As corporate parents, Councillors have a collective responsibility for providing the best possible care and safeguarding for the children who are looked after by us as an authority.
As corporate parents, Medway Council will commit to acting as mentors, hearing the voices of all people who have been in the care system, and to consider their needs in any aspect of Council work.

This Council therefore resolves:

That it recognises that care experienced people are a group who are likely to face discrimination.
That it recognises that Medway Council have a duty to put the needs of disadvantaged people at the heart of decision-making through co-production and collaboration.
That future decisions, services and policies made and adopted by the Council should continue to be assessed through Diversity Impact Assessments and also determine the impact of changes on care experienced people, alongside those who formally share a protected characteristic.
For the Council to continue proactively seeking out and listening to the voices of care experienced people when developing new policies based on their views.
To formally call upon all other bodies within Medway to treat care experience as a protected characteristic until such time as it may be introduced by legislation.
To note that reports will be submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Full Council in June/July this year seeking formal approval of these matters.

Supporting documents: