Agenda item

Motions on notice

Meeting of Council, Wednesday, 9 October 2019 7.00 pm (Item 37.)

To consider motions from councillors in accordance with Council procedure rule 38.

1. Motion to be proposed by Councillor Judy Roberts and seconded by Councillor Neil Fawcett

Council notes that a hierarchy of organisations has grown up which influence regional development, some more accountable than others. These are collectively making increasing incursions into the decision-making abilities of elected local councils and placing significant growth demands on our districts.

These organisations or bodies include:

· England’s Economic Heartland

· The Oxford-Cambridge Arc Region

· The Oxfordshire Growth Board (and associated Oxfordshire 2050 Joint Statutory Spatial Plan)

· OxLEP (and the Local Industrial Strategy)

Council notes that officers and members attend meetings related to these bodies, and welcomes the opportunity for regional collaboration, as many of us share the same concerns, but wishes to update its formal position to assist those representing our district.

This Council believes that development within our district must balance the needs of people and their communities, the environment and the local economy. Specifically, it should contribute to this Council’s (and the Government’s) commitment to carbon neutrality.

It should be based on genuine consultation and demonstrable public support.

It should ensure that infrastructure, both strategic and local, is in place to support development, with the aim of building communities, not just houses.

This Council supports the following approaches in relation to regional economic growth:

1. Planned development should demonstrate how it will help our economy move towards its zero-carbon target

2. Housing targets should be based on an up-to-date objective assessment of need

3. Planned housing should reflect the needs of the local community, offering a range of sizes and tenures including genuinely affordable housing to buy, and rent at affordable and social rates

4. Housing developments should be sited near to existing or proposed public, mass and active transport facilities, not based on ever increasing road traffic

5. Seek greater developer contributions to expand rail capacity and bus services and cycle paths

6. All housebuilding and other development should meet zero-carbon standards or better.

7. Strategic planning should reduce the need to travel by building homes near to employment sites

8. The priority for transport investment should be in the rail network (e.g. an electrified East-West rail, electrification of the Didcot-Oxford line, re-opening of Grove Station), improved bus (and similar) services, and substantial investment in ‘active travel’ – including cycle and pedestrian infrastructure - within and between settlements

9. Opposition to the proposed Oxford-Cambridge Expressway

10. Increasing biodiversity, protecting landscapes, capturing carbon naturally and increasing access for residents to green spaces

11. Genuine consultation with the public on the rate of growth and housing development to produce plans that carry genuine public support

12. Genuine democratic accountability and scrutiny for any plans or strategies that come forward (i.e. we do not support basing spatial planning solely on the Local Industrial Strategy which faced no democratic scrutiny.)

13. Spatial planning decisions to be informed by strong evidence

14. Flexibility in plans and strategies in order to take account of changing circumstances and public opinion

This Council is positive about working with other Oxfordshire authorities, regional colleagues and the Government to deliver growth where it is sustainable, and to provide housing that meets residents’ needs. Strategies and plans to achieve this should be based on the above positions.

2. Motion to be proposed by Councillor Bob Johnston and seconded by Councillor Cheryl Briggs

The Vale of White Horse District Council welcomes the progress made on climate change in as much as Environmental, Social and Governance issues are now recognised as a risk to the Oxfordshire Local Government Pension Scheme. However, it would now like matters to be taken further.

Council requests that the Leader writes to the Chair of the Oxfordshire Pensions Committee asking them to consider as part of its new investment strategy for the Brunel Partnership investing in a passive low carbon fund, now that one is available, and that generates similar financial returns to the wider investment market.

3. Motion proposed by Councillor Sarah Medley and seconded by Councillor Amos Duveen

Council notes that Non-UK EU nationals are part of our shared communities. They are our husbands, wives, parents, friends and colleagues. They are an integral part of our vibrant and thriving district and local economy.

Since 2016 EU nationals were promised again and again that "there will be no change for EU citizens already lawfully resident in the UK and […] will be treated no less favourably as they are at present”. After three years of living in limbo, their homes and livelihoods are yet again being threatened by the further uncertainty brought about by the prospect of a chaotic no-deal Brexit.

Council recognises that some businesses in the Vale report that the uncertainty around Brexit is making it harder for them to recruit and retain staff who are non-UK EU nationals.

Council notes that much work has been undertaken, and significant cost to the public purse, by this council and other public bodies to ensure it can maintain access to key services, should Brexit happen.

But, according to the Home Office’s June statistics, only a third of non-UK EU nationals had applied for Settled Status and many of them had been granted the inferior Pre-Settled. There is no way of knowing exactly how many EU nationals need to apply, leaving vulnerable non-UK EU nationals at risk of becoming unlawful residents. Lack of clarity regarding differentiating between EU citizens arriving before and after the UK’s exit from the EU could lead to discrimination in the labour market and may prevent many from accessing the services that they are entitled to.

Therefore, Council asks that:

1. Officers prepare a report to the Leader (to be shared with all members) on what more the Council may be able to do to mitigate adverse impacts on the rights of non-UK EU nationals (including but not limited to, informing landlords and employers about immigration status and therefore avoid potential discrimination against non-UK EU nationals)

2. The Leader of the Council writes to the Home Secretary to ask that the current European Settlement Scheme is clarified by:

a. Providing a clear deadline for application to the EUSS in case of no-deal exit from the EU

b. Providing physical proof of settled status that can be used to access services

c. Confirming that there will be no changes to the rights of settled non-UK EU citizens that they currently have by ratifying the Immigration Bill as primary legislation before the exit day

4. Motion to be proposed by Councillor Andrew Crawford and seconded by Councillor Patrick O’Leary

Council notes that the re-routing arrangements for scheduled closures of the A34 in southern Oxfordshire are creating a totally intolerable blight on the lives of many of the residents of Wantage, Charlton Ward and further afield. These closures, which typically operate between 10pm and 6am, re-route traffic on to the A338 and the A417. In the 3 months to the end of October 2019 closures will have occurred on 25 occasions. Council further notes that the consequence of these arrangements are to divert very high volumes of traffic, much of it heavy commercial, from a Designated Primary Route to minor roads, occasionally single lane, not considered suitable for heavy traffic in built up residential areas. Residents of impacted houses report that this creates intolerable noise, sleep deprivation and vibration and structural damage to properties, as many of their homes are only a matter of feet away from the highway. Council is also aware that the diversions create significant road safety issues and that damage has occurred to Infrastructure and other vehicles.

Council is aware that previously, when OCC was responsible for maintaining the A34, the official diversion was via the A420, itself a designated Primary Route, but that following the transfer of responsibility to Highways England, and its contractor Kier Group plc, this policy was altered. Furthermore, Council is concerned that any future re-routing scheme via the A420 may be ineffective if it is advisory and voluntary rather than mandatory.

Therefore, Council requests that the Scrutiny Committee consider including this matter in their work programme, noting that Scrutiny has the power to invite parties such as Highways England, OCC, Thames Valley Police, Kier Group plc and Wantage Traffic Diversion Group to attend any such meeting.

Minutes:

1. Motion proposed by Councillor Judy Roberts and seconded by Councillor Neil Fawcett