Council notes:
i) that David Cameron pledged to protect Sure Start during the 2010 election campaign saying “we understand and the Labour government understands how important it is for families to have the early support that Sure Start provides”;
ii) that funding for Sure Start is no longer ring-fenced, as it was under Labour, and is now under local authority control.
Council resolves:
i) to exclude the 19 Sure Start centres in Medway from budget cuts in accordance with the promise made by the Prime Minister before the election and pledges to continue to support the important work that Sure Start centres perform in all of Medway communities, helping families to enable children to have the best possible start and realise their potential in the future.
Minutes:
Council notes:
(i) that David Cameron pledged to protect Sure Start during the 2010 election campaign saying “we understand and the Labour government understands how important it is for families to have the early support that Sure Start provides”;
(ii) that funding for Sure Start is no longer ring-fenced, as it was under Labour, and is now under local authority control.
Council resolves:
(i) to exclude the 19 Sure Start centres in Medway from budget cuts in accordance with the promise made by the Prime Minister before the election and pledges to continue to support the important work that Sure Start centres perform in all of Medway communities, helping families to enable children to have the best possible start and realise their potential in the future.
Councillor Sutton, supported by Councillor Smith, proposed an amendment as follows:
“In resolves (i) line 1, replace “exclude” with “protect”.
Add resolves (ii) to make sure that access to Sure Start is focussed on the most needy families socially and economically”.
On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost.
Councillor Wicks, supported by Councillor Jarrett, proposed an amendment that the motion be replaced with:
“Council notes that:
(i) David Cameron pledged to protect Sure Start during the 2010 election campaign saying “we understand and the Labour government understands how important it is for families to have the early support that Sure Start provides”;
(ii) Full funding for Sure Start has been allocated to Medway Council as part of the Council’s financial settlement, published in December;
(iii) Medway’s Conservative Group has already made a public commitment that they will continue to support Sure Start centres in Medway, which play an important role supporting young children and their families;
(iv) Medway Council has a clear budget setting process which will culminate in the 2011/12 budget being considered by Members at the Council meeting on 24 February 2011.
Council resolves:
That all Members fully support the budget that will be recommended to Council on 24 February 2011, which will include a provision to continue fully funding the 19 Sure Start centres in Medway”.
Members asked for it to be recorded that during debate on the amendment, the Council’s Monitoring Officer advised Members that the amendment was lawful and that Conservative Members may be predisposed to Conservative principles in the same way that all the political groups would be predisposed to their own principles but that did not mean that they would have predetermined a decision on the budget. She advised those Members who considered they could not support the amendment to vote against it.
In accordance with rule 11.4 of the Council's constitution at the request of six Members, a vote on the proposed amendment was recorded as follows:
For: Councillors Andrews, Avey, Baker, Brake, Brice, Bright, Bhutia, Carr, Mrs Diane Chambers, Rodney Chambers, Chishti, Chitty, Clarke, Doe, Etheridge, Filmer, Griffin, Gulvin, Haydock, Hewett, Hicks, Jarrett, Kemp, Mason, O’Brien, Reckless, Royle, Wicks and Wildey – 29
Against: Councillors Bowler, Burt, Crack, Gilry, Godwin, Tony Goulden, Val Goulden, Griffiths, Harriott, Hubbard, Jones, Juby, Sheila Kearney, Stephen Kearney, Maple, Murray, Ruparel, Shaw, Smith, Stamp and Sutton – 21.
Therefore, the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion.
During debate on the substantive motion, Councillor Godwin requested, on behalf of the Labour Group, that it be recorded in the minutes that the Labour Group did not accept the advice of the Monitoring Officer.
In accordance with rule 11.4 of the Council's constitution at the request of six Members, a vote on the substantive motion was recorded as follows:
For: Councillors Andrews, Avey, Baker, Brake, Brice, Bright, Bhutia, Carr, Mrs Diane Chambers, Rodney Chambers, Chishti, Chitty, Doe, Etheridge, Griffin, Gulvin, Haydock, Hewett, Hicks, Jarrett, Kemp, Mason, O’Brien, Reckless, Royle, Wicks and Wildey – 27
Against: Councillors Bowler, Burt, Gilry, Godwin, Tony Goulden, Val Goulden, Griffiths, Harriott, Hubbard, Jones, Juby, Sheila Kearney, Stephen Kearney, Maple, Murray, Ruparel, Shaw, Smith, Stamp and Sutton – 20
Abstain: Councillor Crack – 1.
The substantive motion was therefore carried.
Decision:
Council notes that:
(i) David Cameron pledged to protect Sure Start during the 2010 election campaign saying “we understand and the Labour government understands how important it is for families to have the early support that Sure Start provides”;
(ii) Full funding for Sure Start has been allocated to Medway Council as part of the Council’s financial settlement, published in December;
(iii) Medway’s Conservative Group has already made a public commitment that they will continue to support Sure Start centres in Medway, which play an important role supporting young children and their families;
(iv) Medway Council has a clear budget setting process which will culminate in the 2011/12 budget being considered by Members at the Council meeting on 24 February 2011.
Council resolves:
That all Members fully support the budget that will be recommended to Council on 24 February 2011, which will include a provision to continue fully funding the 19 Sure Start centres in Medway.