Agenda item

Motions

Meeting of Council, Thursday 2nd December 2021 6.00 pm (Item 62.)

To debate any motions which have been submitted with advance notice, in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules.

Motion 1

Proposed by: Cllr Julie Davenport

Seconded by: Cllr Dennis Meredith

This council understands the huge negative impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on local businesses and in particular the Town Centre retail and hospitality sectors.

West Northamptonshire Council aims to continue to support its local businesses. Our residents and council ask the executive to investigate continuing the free car parking periods that are due to start on 20th November 2021 past the proposed 1st January 2022 end date. This will be for car parking in all council owned car parks. This Council will continue looking at other initiatives to improve and stimulate our town centres.

Motion 2

Proposed by: Cllr Michael Brown

Seconded by: Cllr Sam Rumens

This Council agrees, in principle, with the creation of a new Dual Carriageway / Grade Separated Northern Orbital Road around the north of Northampton to reduce pollution and traffic through the town, especially residential areas, whilst supporting and safeguarding jobs, and providing infrastructure for future growth.

Motion 3

Proposed by: Cllr Rosie Humphreys

Seconded by: Cllr Jonathan Harris

West Northamptonshire Council notes:

· West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Councils have around £59 million invested in fossil fuels via the Local Government Pension Scheme.[1]

· The United Nations Paris 2015 Agreement commits our governments to keep the global temperature increase to under 2ºC and aim for 1.5ºC. Carbon budgets produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), United Nations and the International Energy Agency show that preventing two degrees of warming relies on not burning 60-80% of all proven fossil fuels.

· With COP26 taking place in Glasgow in November 2021, there is increased emphasis by the UK government on showing global climate leadership, especially in relation to finance. Divesting our pension fund is a clear and meaningful action that can be taken at a local government level.

· Fossil fuel investments are financially risky as a result of both the Covid19 pandemic and the global transition to a more sustainable economic and environmental model. They are now being consistently outperformed by renewables.[2]

· Former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned in December 2019 that fossil fuel investments risk becoming “stranded assets” (i.e., worthless) as investors exit the sector. He asked,"A question for every company, every financial institution, every asset manager, pension fund or insurer – what’s your plan?”

· As continued investments in fossil fuels pose material financial risks to portfolios, funds have fiduciary duties to consider the benefits of decarbonising as part of their investment strategies. Fiduciary duty is defined by the Law Commission as “ensuring that pensions can be paid, ensuring that this is undertaken at the best possible value”.

· Pension funds have a legal duty to treat members “fairly as between them”. That means taking seriously the longer-term interests of younger members who may well be affected more by the climate transition.

This Council therefore commits to:

1. Reviewing its Investment Strategy and developing and implementing a Responsible Investment Policy which rules out new investments in fossil fuel companies.

2. Calling on the combined Pension Fund for West and North Northamptonshire to divest from fossil fuels by requesting its representative(s) on the Pension Fund Committee to call for the development and adoption of responsible investment policies which:

a) Immediately freeze any new investment in the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies.[3]

b) Divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within as short a period of time as possible given market forecasts.

c) Set out an approach to quantify and address climate change risks affecting all other investments.

d) Actively seek to invest in companies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimise climate risk.

3. Recognising that fossil fuel investments should be considered as part of the council’s ‘carbon footprint’ and divesting our pension fund is one of the most impactful steps we can take to reduce our impact on our community and the world.

Footnotes

[1] 2021 figures taken from the report ‘Divesting to protect our pensions and the planet – An analysis of local government investments in coal, oil and gas’. Available at: https://www.divest.org.uk/councils

[2] Energy Investing: Exploring Risk and Return in the Capital Markets, Joint Report by the International Energy Agency and the Centre for Climate Finance & Investment, Paris. Available at: https://www.iea.org/reports/energyinvesting-exploring-risk-and-return-in-the-capital-markets

[3] As determined by the most recent Carbon Underground 200 list.

Motion 4

Proposed by: Cllr Sally Beardsworth

Seconded by: Cllr Jonathan Harris

This council notes that:

It is evident that climate change is here and already impacting on our environment.

With Cop26 fresh in our minds and the effects of climate change very much demonstrated by fires and flooding across the world and with gales and torrential rain across the county, we call upon the council to work proactively with the environment agencies to prevent the flooding that took place in the town in 1998 and across the county. We must make sure that everything possible is done to protect homes and businesses from flooding.

With this in mind, this council resolves to:

· Liaise with the relevant agencies to ensure that rivers have received the appropriate maintenance as needed, such as dredging, to minimise any risk of future flooding

· Reviews preventive measures that currently exist and recommends any further action that needs to be taken and reports back to this council.

· Provides parish and town councils with a well publicised schedule of routine maintenance for all gulley and drainage works (cleaning and clearing), ensuring sufficient notice to ensure that vehicles are not parked over drains to prevent access for maintenance works.

· Urgently review any proposed housing developments in the vicinity of flood plains which, if allowed to progress, will simply compound the problem.

Motion 5

Proposed by: Cllr Danielle Stone

Seconded by: Cllr Wendy Randall

The West Northamptonshire Council has embraced the challenge of providing a welcome and refuge for incoming Afghan families and households seeking sanctuary from the crisis in Afghanistan.

In providing a welcome and working to meet the needs of the incoming refugees we have learned a great deal and have been pleased to be part of a national network delivering the Government’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, including safe passage, relocation and resettlement.

The Council is committed to supporting refugee and migrant communities who have fled violence and persecution and been offered safety and sanctuary in our area. As part of this work it supports the initiative to make West Northamptonshire a recognised ‘Council of Sanctuary’.

City of Sanctuary UK is a charitable organisation that provides a focus for coordination and development of a network of groups that are focused on bringing about both local and national social change. It started in Sheffield in 2007 and now involves over 50 Cities and towns, including Northampton, which became a Town of Sanctuary in 2015.

In December 2020, the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network was launched. Its aims are to support the development of a network of local authorities that are working towards the City of Sanctuary vision; and to promote the embedding of a culture and practice of welcome in local authorities to support the City of Sanctuary theory of change.

The Council understands the important role it can play in welcoming people who are fleeing violence and persecution by offering them safety and sanctuary and therefore resolves to:

· apply to become a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network, with the aim of becoming a recognized Council of Sanctuary.

Motion 6

Proposed by: Cllr Jonathan Harris

Seconded by: Cllr Rosie Humphreys

This Council notes that:

· Every river in England is now polluted beyond legal limits.

· The Environment Agency rated only 14% of rivers as ‘Good’ in 2019.

· This chemical pollution is mostly caused by sewage discharges from water companies and the run-offs of nutrients from farms.

· 36% of English rivers have been damaged by water companies.

· In England, water companies released untreated human waste directly into our waterways over 400,000 times for a total of 3 million hours in 2020 alone.

· Government funding to the Environment Agency to monitor river quality and regulate farms and water companies has dropped 75% since 2010/11.

· In 2020 just 3.6% of pollution complaints made to the Agency resulted in penalties.

· Farms are now almost never inspected, water quality is rarely tested, and water companies can pump raw sewage into rivers with virtual impunity.

· In addition, tyre particles, metals from brake pads, and hydrocarbons from vehicle emissions wash off road surfaces and into rivers introducing potentially carcinogenic material into the water supply.

· The River Nene is particularly threatened by further sewage discharges.

Council believes that, as host nation of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021, the UK Government should commit to:

· Restoring Environment Agency budgets to deliver the necessary oversight.

· Increasing inspection regularity of water companies and farms, and rigorously prosecuting offenders through the Environmental Audit Committee and Ofwat.

· Funding local and highways authorities to introduce systems to prevent road pollutants from entering our water courses.

Council resolves to request the Chief Executive write to:

· The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for the Government to make these commitments as host nation of COP-26.

· The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee to advocate for greater enforcement of existing regulatory powers.

· The Chief Executive of Anglian Water calling for urgent action to address the impact of waste-water discharges on our local rivers.

· The Regional Director of the National Farmers’ Union requesting clarification on the action being taken locally by farmers to prevent nutrient run-off.

· The charities River Action and The Rivers Trust expressing this Council’s support for their campaign to restore the health of Britain’s rivers.

· Our local MP’s expressing the council’s concerns about the ongoing impact that this practice has on the environment and public health.

Motion 7

Proposed: Cllr Bob Purser

Seconded: Cllr Emma Roberts

'This Council resolves

That the Cabinet will carry out a feasibility review into the advantages and disadvantages of introducing a 20mph speed limit across the urban areas of Northampton reporting on its probable impact on fatal and serious accidents, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, air pollution and journey times.'

The review should consider the opportunities provided by Active Travel funds and Living Streets initiatives.

Motion 8

Proposed: Cllr Ian McCord

Seconded: Cllr Sue Sharps

This council notes that the consultation on the Strategic Options is due to close on 6 December. This council regrets that this draft has been worked up without member involvement (as confirmed at Cabinet Sept 2021 and member briefing October 2021)

This council resolves to:

· Extend the deadline for responses until 31 January 2022

· Pause the process once the responses are received

· Prepare a vision for the place of West Northants, to establish its role, its ambitions, strategic setting in the UK, economic settings, transport links, future growth and population size and the necessary policy and infrastructure challenges associated with achieving such.

· Establish a member led committee to review the strategic options available and review all site promoted in the SHLAA and any new sites promoted in this consultation

· To prepare a new set of real strategic options with real choice incorporating the emergent Oxford Cambridge Arc Spatial Strategy policy proposals and consult in a real and meaningful way in 2022 for a minimum of 12 weeks.

Motion 9

Proposed: Cllr Terrie Eales

Seconded: Cllr Cathrine Russell

This council reaffirms our commitment to tackling climate change and ensuring a carbon neutral West Northamptonshire by 2030.

To that end, council acknowledges the work of UK 100 (https://www.uk100.org/) a network of highly ambitious local government leaders, which seeks to devise and implement plans for the transition to clean energy that are ambitious, cost effective and take the public and business with them. It supports decision-makers in UK towns, cities and counties in their transition to Net Zero. It is the only network for UK local leaders focused solely on climate, clean energy and clean air policy.

This council therefore agrees for this authority to become a member of UK 100 and take the membership pledge, which is:

· We will continue to lead the UK’s response to climate change, acting sooner than the government’s goal by making substantial progress within the next decade to deliver Net Zero. We will use our experience and achievements to advocate to the UK government in order to accelerate the delivery of ambitious local climate action. With greater powers and funding, we would go further.

· We commit to do everything within our power and influence to rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and work with our residents and businesses to bring our wider communities’ emissions in line with Net Zero as soon as possible.

· We pledge to understand our impact on climate change, prioritise where action needs to be taken and monitor progress towards our goals. We will reduce our emissions at source and limit the use of carbon offsets as part of the global effort to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

· We are closer to the people who live and work in our communities, so we have a better understanding of their needs. This means we can collaborate with them to build consensus for the solutions we need to transition to a Net Zero society that delivers multiple benefits and is fair, just and works for everyone.”

Motion 10

Proposed: Cllr Emma Roberts

Seconded: Cllr Koulla Jolley

As an employer who cares about the impact of domestic abuse, we will seek to lead by example and be a model employer on the issue to protect our employees. To that end we will sign the GMB Charter to Stop Domestic Abuse and pledge to:

1. Support employees who are experiencing Domestic Abuse to access support services and information confidentially.

2. Ensure that those experiencing Domestic Abuse will not be disadvantaged within the terms and conditions of their employment and will take all reasonable measures to facilitate any needs in the workplace.

3. Commit to working/participating with other organisations to facilitate best support for those experiencing Domestic Abuse.

4. Provide all employees with access to toolkits, information and our policies on domestic abuse, in a format that is easily and discretely accessible within the workplace.

5. Ensure that we have employees trained across our organisation to provide adequate access to support within the workplace for all employees. Staff trained should be representative of our workplace and will include line managers and Trade Union representatives.

In addition:

a) This council through Scrutiny will report on the work it has done.

b) Full council will request to receive an annual report through the newly formed Domestic Violence Board

Both of these additional steps will enable us to monitor our performance at employer level and for our residents in order to seek necessary improvements or interventions required from us as a council.”

Minutes:

Motion 1

Motion 1 was withdrawn from the agenda prior to the start of the meeting.

Motion 2

Councillor M Brown proposed and Councillor Rumens seconded:

“This Council agrees, in principle, with the creation of a new Dual Carriageway / Grade Separated Northern Orbital Road around the north of Northampton to reduce pollution and traffic through the town, especially residential areas, whilst supporting and safeguarding jobs, and providing infrastructure for future growth.”

Councillor Harris proposed and Councillor Beardsworth seconded an amendment:

“This Council agrees, in principle, with the creation of a new Dual Carriageway / Grade Separated Northern Orbital Road around the north of Northampton, subject to having explored all other options to reduce pollution and traffic through the town, which could include extending park and ride schemes, the introduction of a form of emission charging for heavily polluting vehicles and the impact that an orbital road will have on the environment and embodied carbon. Any such scheme should be beneficial to all residential areas, rural and urban alike, whilst supporting and safeguarding jobs, providing infrastructure for future growth, and minimising further damage to the environment and pollution levels.”

Council debated the amendment.

Upon a vote, the amendment Fell.

Council debated the original motion.

Upon a vote, the original motion was Carried.

Motion 3

Councillor Humphreys proposed and Councillor Harris seconded:

“West Northamptonshire Council notes:

· West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire Councils have around £59 million invested in fossil fuels via the Local Government Pension Scheme.[1]

This Council therefore commits to:

1. Reviewing its Investment Strategy and developing and implementing a Responsible Investment Policy which rules out new investments in fossil fuel companies.

(a) Immediately freeze any new investment in the top 200 publicly traded fossil fuel companies.[3]

(b) Divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within as short a period of time as possible given market forecasts.

(d) Actively seek to invest in companies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimise climate risk.

Footnotes

[3] As determined by the most recent Carbon Underground 200 list.

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion Fell.

At 22:30 the Chairman drew Council’s attention to Rule 10 of the Council Procedure Rules:

10. Extension of the meeting

10.1 If the business of a Council meeting has not been concluded by 10.30 pm, the Chair will draw the attention of the meeting to the time and to this Rule.

10.2 In the case of any motions or recommendations on the agenda that have not been dealt with by 10.30 pm the Chair will decide whether to end the meeting or to deal with the outstanding matters provided that those matters can reasonably be dealt with by 10.45pm.

10.3 Where the outstanding matters cannot be dealt with by that time each item will be put to the vote without further debate and a vote will be taken on whether the item should be accepted, rejected, referred, deferred or withdrawn.

The following motions were put to the vote without debate.

Motion 4

An amendment to the motion was accepted by Councillor Beardsworth.

Amended motion to read:

“This Council notes that:

It is evident that climate change is here and already impacting on our environment. With Cop26 fresh in our minds and the effects of climate change very much demonstrated by fires and flooding across the world and with gales and torrential rain across the country we need to act.

We call upon the council to work proactively with the environment agencies and as the Lead Local Flood Authority to prevent the flooding that took place in the town in 1998 and 2018 and across the county.? We must make sure that everything possible is done to protect homes and businesses from flooding.

With this in mind, this council resolves to:

· Liaise with the relevant agencies to ensure that rivers have received the appropriate maintenance as needed, such as dredging, to minimise any risk of future flooding

· Reviews preventive measures that currently exist and

· Reviews all Flood investigation reports from May 2018 published in January 2019 to monitor actions and recommendations for completion, recommends any further action that needs to be taken and reports back to this council.

· Provides parish and town councils with a well-publicised schedule of routine maintenance for all gulley and drainage works (cleaning and clearing), ensuring sufficient notice to ensure that vehicles are not parked over drains to prevent access for maintenance works.

· Urgently review any proposed housing developments in the vicinity of flood plains which, if allowed to progress, will simply compound the problem.”

Upon a vote, the motion Fell.

Motion 5

An amendment to the motion was accepted by Councillor Stone.

Amended motion to read:

“The West?Northamptonshire?Council has embraced the challenge of providing a welcome and refuge for incoming Afghan families and households seeking sanctuary from the crisis in Afghanistan.

The Council is committed to supporting refugee and migrant communities who have fled violence and persecution and been offered safety and sanctuary in our area. As part of this?work?it supports the initiative to make West?Northamptonshire?a?recognised?‘Council of Sanctuary’.

City of Sanctuary UK is a charitable?organisation?that provides a focus for coordination and development of a network of groups that are focused on bringing about both local and national social change. It started in Sheffield in 2007 and now involves over 50 Cities and towns, including Northampton, which became a Town of Sanctuary in 2015.

The Council understands the important role it can play in welcoming people who are fleeing violence and persecution by offering them safety and sanctuary and therefore resolves to:

· Apply to become a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network

Upton a vote, the motion was Carried.

Motion 6

Proposed by Councillor Harris and seconded by Councillor Humphreys: