To debate any motions which have been submitted with advance notice, in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules.
Motion 1
Proposed by Cllr. Kevin Parker
Seconded by Cllr. Cécile Irving-Swift
“This Council recognises the importance of green spaces, and more importantly, green spaces which are accessible to all, physically and financially.
Within West Northamptonshire Council, we have Brixworth Country Park, and Daventry Country Park both offering the chance to engage in both physical and mental health activities, with Daventry including open water swimming during the summer months, and also the Brampton Valley Way which is part of the Sustrans national cycle network. These are all great places for families and individuals alike where all can enjoy the benefits of physical activity and mental wellbeing.
However, this council notes that there are disparities in the fees charged at the various country parks and recommends that a review is undertaken in order to thoroughly analyse the costs, the harmonising of charges and to consider as and when to implement as necessary.”
Motion 2
Proposed: Cllr Jonathan Harris
Seconded: Cllr Rosie Humphreys
On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54%. In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022).
On 6 April 2022, the Government increased National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points, which is projected to cost the average West Northants family an additional £108 per year.
The Government has suspended the pensions ‘triple lock’ for 2022/3, meaning that pensioners will see a rise of 3.1% this year (instead of 8.3% under the triple lock formula). This year, this will cost a West Northants resident on the full new state pension an average of £487.
Whilst the government finally, and belatedly, has imposed a ‘Windfall Tax’ on the super profits of oil and gas companies (proposed initially by the Liberal Democrats last year and subsequently Labour), it still will not be sufficient for many residents of West Northamptonshire with the cap rising again this coming Autumn.
The recent ‘State of Hunger’ report from the Trussell Trust provides for shocking reading:
· 49% increase in the number of children supported by a food bank in the Trussell Trust network between 2018/19 and 2019/20
· 700,000 households used a food bank in 2019/20. The proportion of couples with children referred to a food bank increased from 19% in early 2020 to 24% during the Covid-19 pandemic in mid-2020.
· 6 in 10 of working age people referred to a food bank in early 2020 had a disability, over three times more than in the general population
· 95% of people referred to food banks are destitute
· Food bank use is driven by economic need – that is, not having enough money to buy food once essential bills have been paid.
The report goes on to indicate a key contributing factor and two background factors contributing to the significant growth of food bank use:
· The main factor is linked to Universal credit; people having to wait 5 weeks for the first UC payment, very low rate of standard UC allowance, deductions from UC to repay UC advances and other dates, low Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates and LHA caps, ‘bedroom tax’ and the structure and process of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment.
· The contributing factors – ill health or adverse life experiences (such as household separation or eviction) and the lack of informal and/or formal support.
This Council therefore declares a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and calls on the Government to:
1. Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20% to 17.5% for one year, saving the average West Northants household a further £600 this year
2. Immediately re-introduce the pensions triple lock to support West Northamptonshire’s pensioners.
3. Urgently review the effectiveness of the Social Security system and restore the £20 per week Universal Credit cut.
And furthermore to:
4. Create a cross-party oversight/working group to work with council officers to generate ideas and formulate practical actions to help alleviate the looming disaster for many households.
5. Explore (through point four) the role that the forthcoming Integrated Care System can immediately bring to bear on this situation once they are out in place from 1st July 2022.
Motion 3
Proposed: Cllr. Keith Holland-Delamere
Seconded: Cllr. Danielle Stone
The visit of the Knife Angel to Northampton in May demonstrated how many different organisations can come together to help campaign against and tackle the blight of Knife Crime in our communities. During the many conversations that people had around the sculpture the issue of alternatives for young people was discussed.
The visit also illustrated how we need to build a cohesive eco system that helps to facilitate a broad diverse network of partnerships to provide an environment where our young people regardless of their background or location can thrive and help make our area grow in every way and be a fantastic place to live. We call upon this Council to support and enable youth provision and opportunities that cater for our diverse communities.
1. Work with partners in the public, health, mental health, education sectors, the VCSE, uniformed organisations, sports providers, faith communities, campaigners, and parents to promote the provision that already exists for young people across West Northamptonshire.
2. To drive training and learning partnerships through our commitment to a Youth Centre in Northampton with outreach across West Northants. This Centre will provide opportunities for young people to develop skills, produce a youth manifesto. It will feed into and sustain the youth network.
3. To work with partners to ensure affordability of access to activities so that no young person is left out.
Motion 4
Proposed by Cllr. Bob Purser
Seconded by Cllr. Rufia Ashraf
The level of street rubbish, fly tipping, overflowing waste bins, and bags of refuse waiting to be collected on the streets of Northampton is shocking and out of control bringing our Town into disrepute. We recognise the efforts of staff to collect rubbish and keep our streets clean, the work of neighbourhood wardens and the efforts of many voluntary groups including the Litter Wombles and local Councillors.
The causes of this are multiple. Nonetheless the current situation is unacceptable, and solutions are urgently needed.
We call on the Council as part of its aim to be clean and green to convene a summit of all interested and concerned parties including the Town and Parish Councils to:
· Identify litter hotspots e.g. the Wellingborough Road
· Identify the location of and causes of fly-tipping and legal and other action to tackle it.
· Review the enforcement of fly tipping regulations
· Review the collection of commercial and domestic rubbish e.g. shops and flats putting out bags on the streets, progress in the introduction of recycling bins.
· Develop an education plan for the public e.g. Houses in Multiple Occupation.
· Review street cleaning services and a schedule of priority areas.
· And to draw up an integrated action plan to clean up the streets of the Town.
Minutes:
Motion 1
Councillor Parker proposed and Councillor Irving-Swift seconded:
“This Council recognises the importance of green spaces, and more importantly, green spaces which are accessible to all, physically and financially.
Within West Northamptonshire Council, we have Brixworth Country Park, and
Daventry Country Park both offering the chance to engage in both physical and mental health activities, with Daventry including open water swimming during the summer months, and also the Brampton Valley Way which is part of the Sustrans national cycle network. These are all great places for families and individuals alike where all can enjoy the benefits of physical activity and mental wellbeing.
However, this council notes that there are disparities in the fees charged at the various country parks and recommends that a review is undertaken in order to thoroughly analyse the costs, the harmonising of charges and to consider as and when to implement as necessary.”
Councillor Harris proposed and Councillor Beardsworth seconded an amendment to the motion.
Amended motion to read:
“This Council recognises the importance of green spaces, and more importantly, green spaces which are accessible to all, physically and financially.
“Within West Northamptonshire Council, we have Brixworth Country Park, and Daventry Country Park both offering the chance to engage in both physical and mental health activities, with Daventry including open water swimming during the summer months, and also the Brampton Valley Way which is part of the Sustrans national cycle network. These are all great places for families and individuals alike where all can enjoy the benefits of physical activity and mental wellbeing.
However, this council notes that there are disparities in the fees charged at the various country parks.
This council therefore proposes to:
Undertake a review to thoroughly analyse and review pricing structures to create parity, implement outcomes as necessary, to include free parking access for Blue Badge holders.
Explore wider options for a short-term minimum parking window to enable those taking part in park run activities to be able to pay a pro-rata rate for an hour rather than a full 4-hour fee.
Through an invest to save analysis, explore wider use of technology, which could potentially utilise ANPR, for example.”
Councillor Parker accepted the amendment to the motion.
Members debated the motion and made the following comments:
· Motions could be put forward by any member of any political group
· The issue was too complicated with too many factors to be dealt with by a motion
· Residents should be encouraged to visit parks, however, inherited disparities between parking rates would drive some away and needed resolving
· A budgeted strategy was needed; there were also disparities amongst car parks in Northampton town centre due to similar reasons that were losing the town money
Upon requisition of a vote, the motion as amended was carried.
Motion 2
Councillor Harris proposed and Councillor Humphreys seconded:
“On 1 April 2022, Ofgem increased the energy price cap by 54%. In light of the increased energy price cap, the average standard tariff energy bill will increase by £693 per year. The average pre-pay meter energy bill will increase by £708 per year (Ofgem, 2022).
On 6 April 2022, the Government increased National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points, which is projected to cost the average West Northants family an additional £108 per year.
The Government has suspended the pensions ‘triple lock’ for 2022/3, meaning that pensioners will see a rise of 3.1% this year (instead of 8.3% under the triple lock formula). This year, this will cost a West Northants resident on the full new state pension an average of £487.
Whilst the government finally, and belatedly, has imposed a ‘Windfall Tax’ on the super profits of oil and gas companies (proposed initially by the Liberal Democrats last year and subsequently Labour), it still will not be sufficient for many residents of West Northamptonshire with the cap rising again this coming Autumn.
The recent ‘State of Hunger’ report from the Trussell Trust provides for shocking reading:
· 49% increase in the number of children supported by a food bank in the Trussell Trust network between 2018/19 and 2019/20
· 700,000 households used a food bank in 2019/20. The proportion of couples with children referred to a food bank increased from 19% in early 2020 to 24% during the Covid-19 pandemic in mid-2020.
· 6 in 10 of working age people referred to a food bank in early 2020 had a disability, over three times more than in the general population
· 95% of people referred to food banks are destitute
· Food bank use is driven by economic need – that is, not having enough money to buy food once essential bills have been paid.
The report goes on to indicate a key contributing factor and two background factors contributing to the significant growth of food bank use:
· The main factor is linked to Universal credit; people having to wait 5 weeks for the first UC payment, very low rate of standard UC allowance, deductions from UC to repay UC advances and other dates, low Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates and LHA caps, ‘bedroom tax’ and the structure and process of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment.
· The contributing factors – ill health or adverse life experiences (such as household separation or eviction) and the lack of informal and/or formal support.
This Council therefore declares a ‘Cost of Living Emergency’ and calls on the Government to:
1. Immediately reduce the standard rate of VAT from 20% to 17.5% for one year, saving the average West Northants household a further £600 this year
2. Immediately re-introduce the pensions triple lock to support West Northamptonshire’s pensioners.
3. Urgently review the effectiveness of the Social Security system and restore the £20 per week Universal Credit cut.
And furthermore to:
4. Create a cross-party oversight/working group to work with council officers to generate ideas and formulate practical actions to help alleviate the looming disaster for many households.
5. Explore (through point four) the role that the forthcoming Integrated Care System can immediately bring to bear on this situation once they are out in place from 1st July 2022.”
Members debated the motion.
At 21:45 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 9.45 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 9.45 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 10.00pm.
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.
Councillor Harris requested that the motion be withdrawn from the agenda.
The Chairman accepted the request, and the motion was withdrawn.
Motion 3
Councillor Holland-Delamere requested that the motion be withdrawn from the agenda.
The Chairman accepted the request, and the motion was withdrawn.
Motion 4
Councillor Purser requested that the motion be withdrawn from the agenda.
The Chairman accepted the request, and the motion was withdrawn.