Agenda item

To receive notices of motion under standing order 11.

(1)          Motion to be proposed by Councillor Jim Halliday, seconded by Councillor Pat Lonergan:

Council requests that the Chief Executive write to the County Council highlighting Vale Council's continued concern about the Wootton Road/Dunmore Road/Copenhagen Drive roundabout: Subsequent to 16 July 2014 (when Council last debated the matter), the County Council has carried out changes to the road markings and undertaken to carry out further monitoring. However, the latest changes appear not to have reduced driver confusion, but have resulted in longer queues at peak times. Council requests the County Council to carry out a thorough review of the roundabout and its approach roads.

(2)  Motion to be proposed by Councillor Jeanette Halliday, seconded by Councillor Jim Halliday:

Council notes that despite Vale Council's formal objection, the Cabinet of Oxfordshire County Council has recently agreed that the pedestrian crossing on Marcham Road, Abingdon, should be re-sited and an additional pedestrian crossing installed on Ock Street, and that the impact of the changes on traffic flow and pedestrian safety should be monitored. Recognising that one of this Council's main concerns was the possible impact on air quality in the vicinity, Council requests that appropriate air quality monitoring should be installed on Ock Street, Spring Road, Marcham Road, and Drayton Road as soon as reasonably practical so that a full set of “before” and “after” measurements can be obtained.

(3)  Motion to be proposed by Councillor Bob Johnston, seconded by Councillor Jerry Patterson:

This Council calls for any full review of the Oxford Green Belt to be carried out in an open and transparent manner.  It should be held in public with an independent Chairman and able to take evidence from all interested bodies, including members of the public.  Once formulated any draft should be subject to an EiP (Examination in Public) followed by a final report with recommendations to be ratified by all the Councils involved.

Council considered the following motions submitted under standing order 11.

(1)          Motion proposed by Councillor Jim Halliday and seconded by Councillor Pat Lonergan:

Council requests that the Chief Executive write to the County Council highlighting Vale Council's continued concern about the Wootton Road/Dunmore Road/Copenhagen Drive roundabout: Subsequent to 16 July 2014 (when Council last debated the matter), the County Council has carried out changes to the road markings and undertaken to carry out further monitoring. However, the latest changes appear not to have reduced driver confusion, but have resulted in longer queues at peak times. Council requests the County Council to carry out a thorough review of the roundabout and its approach roads.

RESOLVED:

To request that the Chief Executive write to the County Council highlighting Vale Council's continued concern about the Wootton Road/Dunmore Road/Copenhagen Drive roundabout: Subsequent to 16 July 2014 (when Council last debated the matter), the County Council has carried out changes to the road markings and undertaken to carry out further monitoring. However, the latest changes appear not to have reduced driver confusion, but have resulted in longer queues at peak times. Council requests the County Council to carry out a thorough review of the roundabout and its approach roads.

(2)          Motion proposed by Councillor Jeanette Halliday and seconded by Councillor Jim Halliday:

Council notes that despite Vale Council's formal objection, the Cabinet of Oxfordshire County Council has recently agreed that the pedestrian crossing on Marcham Road, Abingdon, should be re-sited and an additional pedestrian crossing installed on Ock Street, and that the impact of the changes on traffic flow and pedestrian safety should be monitored. Recognising that one of this Council's main concerns was the possible impact on air quality in the vicinity, Council requests that appropriate air quality monitoring should be installed on Ock Street, Spring Road, Marcham Road, and Drayton Road as soon as reasonably practical so that a full set of “before” and “after” measurements can be obtained.

    RESOLVED:

                     To note that despite Vale Council's formal objection, the Cabinet of Oxfordshire County Council has recently agreed that the pedestrian crossing on Marcham Road, Abingdon, should be re-sited and an additional pedestrian crossing installed on Ock Street, and that the impact of the changes on traffic flow and pedestrian safety should be monitored. Recognising that one of this Council's main concerns was the possible impact on air quality in the vicinity, Council requests that appropriate air quality monitoring should be installed on Ock Street, Spring Road, Marcham Road, and Drayton Road as soon as reasonably practical so that a full set of “before” and “after” measurements can be obtained.

(3)          Motion proposed by Councillor Bob Johnston and seconded by Councillor Jerry Patterson:

This Council calls for any full review of the Oxford Green Belt to be carried out in an open and transparent manner. It should be held in public with an independent Chairman and able to take evidence from all interested bodies, including members of the public. Once formulated any draft should be subject to an EiP (Examination in Public) followed by a final report with recommendations to be ratified by all the Councils involved.

           Councillor Mike Murray moved and Councillor Sandy Lovatt seconded an amendment as set out below with words deleted shown with a strikethrough and additional words shown in bold.

           This Council calls for any full review of the Oxford Green Belt to be   carried out in an open and transparent manner.  It should be held in public with an independent Chairman and able to take evidence from all interested bodies, including members of the public. Once formulated any draft should be subject to an EiP (Examination in Public) followed by a final report with recommendations to be ratified by all the Councils involved.  It should be supported by properly commissioned professional evidence, and any changes to the Green Belt should be made through a local plan review process by the relevant responsible Local Planning Authority and subject to Examination in Public all in accordance with the NPPF and NPPG, such as is the case in the Vale. 

Those councillors in support of the original motion expressed the view        that a review of the green belt was necessary to determine which areas warranted continued protection from development. However, other councillors expressed the view that, in accordance with government planning rules, such a review should be undertaken within the Local Plan process and that the demand for housing necessitated building in areas of the green belt.

The chairman called for a recorded vote on the amendment which was carried with the voting recorded as follows:

The chairman called for a recorded vote on the substantive motion as amended which was carried with the voting recorded as follows:

RESOLVED:

That this Council calls for any review of the Oxford Green Belt to be carried out in an open and transparent manner.  It should be supported by properly commissioned professional evidence, and any changes to the Green Belt should be made through a local plan review process by the relevant responsible Local Planning Authority and subject to Examination in Public all in accordance with the NPPF and NPPG, such as is the case in the Vale.