Agenda item

Motions on notice

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

 

Motion 1: Councillor Simon Howell to propose, Councillor Nathan Boyd to second.

 

Establishment of a Local Economy Resilience Advisory Committee.

 

Council recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown both the national and local economy into a state of turmoil and crisis.  The impact on our local businesses and our local communities will only grow in the coming months and requires an immediate response.

This Council will urgently set up a new committee called the Local Economy Resilience Advisory Committee, to guide this council’s response to this crisis.  Following the model of the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, this new committee will be advisory to the Cabinet and should be made up of seven members in total based on political balance (the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to the committee seats and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader).  The term of reference for the new committee should be drawn up by the Acting Deputy Chief Executive – Place, in consultation with the Cabinet member for development and regeneration and group leaders.   It will operate alongside and have equal weight to the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, to ensure this council works cross party and does everything it can to help local business, the high streets of our market towns and villages, and our communities survive this economic shock.

 

 

Motion 2:  Councillor Nathan Boyd to propose, Councillor Elaine Ware to second

 

Future publication of all communication within five days.

Council notes that when a councillor is asked a question or a follow up, the constitution states that the response should be published within five days. It is only right that all communications from ministers or government departments that either thank officers and councillors for their hard work on behalf of residents or bring up any shortcomings or failures of the council are published in a similar way. This seems only fair to our residents and would help us further abide to the principles of Objectivity, Accountability and Openness that The Nolan Principles demand.

Therefore Council requests that all future official central government correspondence to and from the Vale of White Horse District Council is published within five working days so that there is openness and transparency in how central government correspondence influences decisions we make for our residents and that any embargoed or confidential correspondence is circulated to councillors in the same timeframe.

 

Motion 3: Councillor Nathan Boyd to propose, Councillor Matthew Barber to second.

 

Local Government Re-organisation

This Council recognises the excellent work of all local government staff across Oxfordshire during the COVID-19 crisis. Councils have worked together in difficult times, showing that organisational barriers to joint working can be overcome.

All Councils have gone the extra mile in delivering services to our residents that prioritise the most vulnerable. This has inevitably incurred additional costs.

All Councils acknowledge the additional Government funding to date, but we have a duty to respond to the national financial challenge ahead and to be open with residents.

All Councils across Oxfordshire are now considering how they can balance budgets and protect frontline services. No Councillor nor party wants to see drastic cuts to vital Council services.

We, as a group of democratically elected representatives, should take the opportunity provided by the devolution white paper to ensure that we provide the best possible public services for our residents.

Further to the motion passed at the December 2019 Council meeting, and reflecting that much has changed since,  Council calls on the Leader to write to the Secretary of State requesting that we re-open and actively pursue consideration of a Unitary Authority for Oxfordshire and re-start a wide-ranging conversation with our local authority partners, residents and stakeholders to explore all options for a new future for Oxfordshire. Our aims are clear: safeguard public services in the future, support a vibrant local democracy and ensure a strong economy.

 

Motion 4: Councillor Andrew Crawford to propose, seconder to be notified

 

This Council notes that the latest data show the number of COVID 19 deaths per 1,000 Care Home beds in the Vale of White Horse to be almost twice that of the average of local authorities across the UK.* This picture is reflected across the majority of Oxfordshire’s District Councils.

 

We also note that the County’s rate of COVID 19 infection to be close to the average of local authorities, so the anomaly highlighted above is not explained by a higher general infection rate. We further note Oxfordshire is listed as the 6th worst Local Authority in England for the percentage of care homes which have experienced an outbreak of COVID 19 with 73% of all care homes affected.**

 

As the first serious phase of the pandemic recedes, we owe it to all those who have died, their relatives and all those that have worked hard throughout the pandemic to determine the reasons for these significant anomalies.

 

Council therefore asks the Leader of the council to request the Chair of the Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire County Council to convene a meeting with the aim of setting up a rapid and transparent Task Force to analyse and ascertain the reasons for the observed excess deaths and infection rates in Oxfordshire’s care homes during the previous three months. Such a review would allow lessons to be learnt and recommendations to be made to reduce both future COVID 19 infections and subsequent deaths, as well as the additional pressure this puts on local public services and the economy.

 

Statistical Notes

 

*Cumulative deaths to 12.6.20 show the Vale of White Horse has 53.8 COVID related deaths per 1,000 care home beds against a mean for all English counties of 28.1. Source LG Inform using ONS data.  https://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/view/lga-research/covid-19-and-care-homes?mod-area=E07000180&mod-group=AllDistrictInRegion_SouthEast&mod-type=namedComparisonGroup

 

** Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford. COVID-19 Care Homes in England. https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-care-homes/

 

Motion 5: Councillor Eric de la Harpe to propose, Councillor Hayleigh Gascoigne to second

 

This Council notes that:

·         The Council has declared a Climate Emergency and set a goal to achieve a carbon-neutral District by 2045.

·         Towns in this District suffer from traffic congestion and, consequently, poor air quality.

·         Low levels of physical inactivity contribute to poor health outcomes for many residents in this District.

·         All three of the above challenges can be addressed, in part, by encouraging more residents to use active travel more often.

·         During the recent COVID-19 lock-down, levels of active travel increased significantly with some bicycle retailers seeing nearly 200% increase in sales (1) and air pollution fell by 60% in some places. Many residents remarked how pleasant it was.

·         As we come out of lock-down, however, the situation may revert to status quo unless bold an ambitious action is taken towards a new normal.

·         There is a groundswell of public enthusiasm for creating a new and different normal and an available resource in volunteer groups willing become involved.

·         New developments, such as Didcot Garden Town, present ideal opportunities to incorporate and showcase a new normal for active travel networks.   

·         While people usually adopt active travel for recreational purposes, the primary goal is to reduce car usage in day-to-day activities. Active travel networks need, therefore, to be coherent, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive connectors between:

o   Oxford and surrounding towns and villages as proposed in the Oxfordshire Greenways Project,

o   Towns and villages themselves,

o   Towns and villages and the Science Parks as in the Science Vale Cycling Network, and

o   Residential areas and places of employment and retail within towns as proposed in Local Cycling an Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs)

While not strictly a form of active travel, this Council recognises the benefits of e-scooters and includes them under a broader definition of active travel that also includes e-bikes.

 

This Council therefore:

1.    calls upon the Cabinet to:

                      i.        Include policies to enhance active travel outcomes across the district as part of the new Vale Local Plan and more urgently as part of the Design Guide.

                     ii.        Include active travel as part of the proposed new Active Communities Strategy.

                   iii.        Actively engage with the County’s consultations on their emerging Local Transport and Connectivity Plan to ensure the County are better aware of this Council priorities.

2.    calls upon the Leader of the Vale to write a letter to Leader of County Council, Cabinet Member for the Environment and the Walking and Cycling Champion asking them to:

a.    Prioritise quality control of all active travel infrastructure in accordance with the Oxfordshire Cycling Design Standards, ensuring all proposals are audited for safety and encouragement of active travel.

b.    Review their Parking Standards considering the risks poor car parking poses to people on cycles and pedestrians.

c.    Establish systems for the County to work with Town and Parish Councils to identify CIL funding that could be used to enhance cycle ways and footpaths that link with new routes within new housing development

d.    Continue to resource the work on the Science Vale cycle network and expand this work planning cycle networks within the designated Science Vale area across the Vale of White Horse District.

e.    Continue to resource the Oxfordshire Greenways project.

f.     Expedite the development of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) for all towns and parishes in the Vale District, engaging with local cycling and walking group volunteers to undertake the preliminary groundwork.

g.    Work with our towns and parishes to identify local needs in addition to sources of funding to implement their LCWIPs.

h.    Fast-track bold and ambitious measures in our towns and parishes to make social distancing possible at pinch-points and consider these measures permanent rather than temporary.

 

Motion 6: Councillor Emily Smith to propose, Councillor Simon Howell to second

 

Council notes that since early March the Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on our district and the country. At least 120 have lost their lives. Many have been seriously ill and are still fighting the virus.

 

Local businesses have and will continue to suffer the economic impact of this pandemic and young people have had disruption to their education and employment prospects damaged by the resulting lockdown.

 

Council recognises the huge effort of our officers during the period. Adjusting to working remotely, volunteering to go beyond the day to job to help support shielded people and those isolating and working long hours to keep vital council services running.  Council also recognises the quick establishment of new ways of working with community groups and responding incredibly quickly to the demands made of us as part of the Thame Valley Local Resilience Forum operation to protect the NHS.

 

Council thanks and recognises the huge response from every town, village and hamlet to put in place an infrastructure to help.  It is the feet on the street and the community effort that has truly helped look after all elements of the community across the Vale.

 

Council thanks every officer for the heroic part they have played, and will continue to play, helping residents in need of support through this dangerous and uncertain time. 

 

 

 

Minutes:

Motion 1: Councillor Simon Howell moved, and Councillor Nathan Boyd seconded the motion as set out in the agenda at agenda item 13.

 

“Council recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown both the national and local economy into a state of turmoil and crisis.  The impact on our local businesses and our local communities will only grow in the coming months and requires an immediate response.

This Council will urgently set up a new committee called the Local Economy Resilience Advisory Committee, to guide this council’s response to this crisis.  Following the model of the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, this new committee will be advisory to the Cabinet and should be made up of seven members in total based on political balance (the head of legal and democratic to make appointments to the committee seats and substitute positions in accordance with the wishes of the relevant group leader).  The term of reference for the new committee should be drawn up by the Acting Deputy Chief Executive – Place, in consultation with the Cabinet member for development and regeneration and group leaders.   It will operate alongside and have equal weight to the Climate Emergency Advisory Committee, to ensure this council works cross party and does everything it can to help local business, the high streets of our market towns and villages, and our communities survive this economic shock”.

 

The following written statement was submitted by Councillor Goodman of Wantage Town Council and Chairman of the Wantage & District Chamber of Commerce in support of the motion.

“Council,

Thank you for taking the time to read/read out this statement.  I had hoped to present to you in person, but sadly we are constrained in the current environment. 

I wish to address you in respect of Motion 1 on the Agenda papers.

In Wantage I have watched as shops have come and gone, empty units have stood deserted and then were refilled over the last few years, with some new, successful, local businesses. The pandemic turned every town into a ghost town, and while people are now coming back to our shops and cafés, we don’t know how long those businesses will last in this harsh environment, or what will happen if there is a second wave. We need to do “whatever it takes” to secure the future for our wonderful local businesses.

The committee proposed in this evening's motion would be a great starting point to help us with our recovery, locally. I know we already have a great business team in the Vale, but with what could come around the corner, and how hard recovery is set to be, local businesses will need all the support they can get.

I am very reassured to see that the suggestion is that it will follow the model of the already well-established Climate Emergency Advisory Committee. This existing committee has already shown how much of its consultation can make a difference to policy of the council, and businesses will need such a committee to be able to do this for them in the coming months. It will also act as a focal point for engagement, sharing of ideas and generation of proposals to take positive action to support businesses in every corner of the Vale.

Establishing this committee now sends a positive message to our market towns and villages that as a council you care about local businesses, irrespective of political party, and that you will stand by local businesses in the years to come as they go through some of the toughest economic conditions for a lifetime. 

Thank you for the opportunity to make this statement and I hope with your full and unanimous backing of this Motion, that the Vale of White Horse Council can send a strong message out to residents and local businesses”.

Councillors supported the need to address the economic prosperity of the district especially at this time in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the majority of councillors did not support the establishment of a committee which it was considered would detract officers in the economic development team from the excellent work they are already undertaking to support local businesses at this time and could actually slow down this work. Any additional resources should be deployed to engage in groups across the county to support the economic recovery.

 

On being put to the vote the motion was declared lost.

 

Motion 2:  Councillor Nathan Boyd moved, and Councillor Elaine Ware seconded the motion as set out in the agenda at agenda item 13

 

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

That Council notes that when a councillor is asked a question or a follow up, the constitution states that the response should be published within five days. It is only right that all communications from ministers or government departments that either thank officers and councillors for their hard work on behalf of residents or bring up any shortcomings or failures of the council are published in a similar way. This seems only fair to our residents and would help us further abide to the principles of Objectivity, Accountability and Openness that The Nolan Principles demand.

Therefore Council requests that all future official central government correspondence to and from the Vale of White Horse District Council is published within five working days so that there is openness and transparency in how central government correspondence influences decisions we make for our residents and that any embargoed or confidential correspondence is circulated to councillors in the same timeframe.

 

Motion 3: Councillor Nathan Boyd moved, and Councillor Matthew Barber seconded the motion as set out in the agenda.

 

“This Council recognises the excellent work of all local government staff across Oxfordshire during the COVID-19 crisis. Councils have worked together in difficult times, showing that organisational barriers to joint working can be overcome.

All Councils have gone the extra mile in delivering services to our residents that prioritise the most vulnerable. This has inevitably incurred additional costs.

All Councils acknowledge the additional Government funding to date, but we have a duty to respond to the national financial challenge ahead and to be open with residents.

All Councils across Oxfordshire are now considering how they can balance budgets and protect frontline services. No Councillor nor party wants to see drastic cuts to vital Council services.

We, as a group of democratically elected representatives, should take the opportunity provided by the devolution white paper to ensure that we provide the best possible public services for our residents.

Further to the motion passed at the December 2019 Council meeting, and reflecting that much has changed since,  Council calls on the Leader to write to the Secretary of State requesting that we re-open and actively pursue consideration of a Unitary Authority for Oxfordshire and re-start a wide-ranging conversation with our local authority partners, residents and stakeholders to explore all options for a new future for Oxfordshire. Our aims are clear: safeguard public services in the future, support a vibrant local democracy and ensure a strong economy”.

 

Amendment

Councillor Emily Smith moved, and Councillor Richard Webber seconded the following amendment with deleted words shown by a strikethrough and additional words shown in bold.

“This Council recognises the excellent work of all local government staff across Oxfordshire during the COVID-19 crisis. Councils have worked together in difficult times, showing that organisational barriers to joint working can be overcome.

 

All Councils have gone the extra mile in delivering services to our residents that prioritise the most vulnerable. This has inevitably incurred additional costs.

All This Councils acknowledges the failure of additional Government funding to date to fully compensate for financial losses.but weWe have a duty to respond to the national financial challenge ahead and to be open with residents.

 

All Councils across Oxfordshire are now considering how they can balance budgets and protect frontline services. No Councillor nor party wants to see drastic cuts to vital Council services, but in some cases this may be inevitable.

We, as a group of democratically elected representatives, should take the opportunity provided by the devolution white paper to ensure that we provide the best possible public services for our residents.

Further to the motion passed at the December 2019 Council meeting, and reflecting that much has changed since,  Council calls on the Leader to write to the Secretary of State requesting that we re-open and actively pursue continue working with other Oxfordshire Council Leaders and OxLEP and start a conversation with residents and other stakeholders to consider possible options consideration of for a Unitary Authority or unitary authorities  for Oxfordshire should the government bring forward the expected white paper on Recovery and Devolution later this year or the financial position of one or more council make this essential. and re-start a wide-ranging conversation with our local authority partners, residents and stakeholders to explore all options for a new future for Oxfordshire. Our priorities in any new structure would include; aims are clear: safeguard public services in the future, support a vibrant local democracy and ensure a strong economy.safeguarding and improving local services, moving decision making closer to residents, simplicity for residents, increased democratic accountability for elected members, greater transparency, and positive impact on the climate emergency”. 

 

With the consent of Council, the mover and seconder of the original motion accepted the amended wording.

 

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion, as amended, was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That this Council recognises the excellent work of all local government staff across Oxfordshire during the COVID-19 crisis. Councils have worked together in difficult times, showing that organisational barriers to joint working can be overcome.

 

All Councils have gone the extra mile in delivering services to our residents that prioritise the most vulnerable. This has inevitably incurred additional costs.

 

This Council acknowledges the failure of additional Government funding to date to fully compensate for financial losses. We have a duty to respond to the national financial challenge ahead and to be open with residents.

 

All councils across Oxfordshire are now considering how they can balance budgets and protect frontline services. No Councillor nor party wants to see drastic cuts to vital Council services, but in some cases this may be inevitable.

 

Further to the motion passed at the December 2019 Council meeting, Council calls on the Leader to continue working with other Oxfordshire Council Leaders and OxLEP and start a conversation with residents and other stakeholders to consider possible options for a Unitary Authority or unitary authorities for Oxfordshire should the government bring forward the expected white paper on Recovery and Devolution later this year or the financial position of one or more council make this essential.   Our priorities in any new structure would include; safeguarding and improving local services, moving decision making closer to residents, simplicity for residents, increased democratic accountability for elected members, greater transparency, and positive impact on the climate emergency. 

 

Motion 4: Councillor Andrew Crawford moved, and Councillor Paul Barrow seconded the motion as set out in the agenda

 

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

That Council notes that the latest data show the number of COVID 19 deaths per 1,000 Care Home beds in the Vale of White Horse to be almost twice that of the average of local authorities across the UK.* This picture is reflected across the majority of Oxfordshire’s District Councils.

 

We also note that the County’s rate of COVID 19 infection to be close to the average of local authorities, so the anomaly highlighted above is not explained by a higher general infection rate. We further note Oxfordshire is listed as the 6th worst Local Authority in England for the percentage of care homes which have experienced an outbreak of COVID 19 with 73% of all care homes affected.**

 

As the first serious phase of the pandemic recedes, we owe it to all those who have died, their relatives and all those that have worked hard throughout the pandemic to determine the reasons for these significant anomalies.

 

Council therefore asks the Leader of the council to request the Chair of the Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire County Council to convene a meeting with the aim of setting up a rapid and transparent Task Force to analyse and ascertain the reasons for the observed excess deaths and infection rates in Oxfordshire’s care homes during the previous three months. Such a review would allow lessons to be learnt and recommendations to be made to reduce both future COVID 19 infections and subsequent deaths, as well as the additional pressure this puts on local public services and the economy.

 

Statistical Notes

 

*Cumulative deaths to 12.6.20 show the Vale of White Horse has 53.8 COVID related deaths per 1,000 care home beds against a mean for all English counties of 28.1. Source LG Inform using ONS data.  https://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/view/lga-research/covid-19-and-care-homes?mod-area=E07000180&mod-group=AllDistrictInRegion_SouthEast&mod-type=namedComparisonGroup

 

** Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford. COVID-19 Care Homes in England. https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-care-homes/

 

Motion 5: Councillor Eric de la Harpe moved, and Councillor Hayleigh Gascoigne seconded the motion as set out in the agenda

 

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

That Council notes that:

  • The Council has declared a Climate Emergency and set a goal to achieve a carbon-neutral District by 2045.
  • Towns in this District suffer from traffic congestion and, consequently, poor air quality.
  • Low levels of physical inactivity contribute to poor health outcomes for many residents in this District.
  • All three of the above challenges can be addressed, in part, by encouraging more residents to use active travel more often.
  • During the recent COVID-19 lock-down, levels of active travel increased significantly with some bicycle retailers seeing nearly 200% increase in sales (1) and air pollution fell by 60% in some places. Many residents remarked how pleasant it was.
  • As we come out of lock-down, however, the situation may revert to status quo unless bold an ambitious action is taken towards a new normal.
  • There is a groundswell of public enthusiasm for creating a new and different normal and an available resource in volunteer groups willing become involved.
  • New developments, such as Didcot Garden Town, present ideal opportunities to incorporate and showcase a new normal for active travel networks.   
  • While people usually adopt active travel for recreational purposes, the primary goal is to reduce car usage in day-to-day activities. Active travel networks need, therefore, to be coherent, direct, safe, comfortable and attractive connectors between:
    • Oxford and surrounding towns and villages as proposed in the Oxfordshire Greenways Project,
    • Towns and villages themselves,
    • Towns and villages and the Science Parks as in the Science Vale Cycling Network, and
    • Residential areas and places of employment and retail within towns as proposed in Local Cycling an Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs)

While not strictly a form of active travel, this Council recognises the benefits of e-scooters and includes them under a broader definition of active travel that also includes e-bikes.

 

This Council therefore:

  1. calls upon the Cabinet to:

                      i.        Include policies to enhance active travel outcomes across the district as part of the new Vale Local Plan and more urgently as part of the Design Guide.

                     ii.        Include active travel as part of the proposed new Active Communities Strategy.

                   iii.        Actively engage with the County’s consultations on their emerging Local Transport and Connectivity Plan to ensure the County are better aware of this Council priorities.

  1. calls upon the Leader of the Vale to write a letter to Leader of County Council, Cabinet Member for the Environment and the Walking and Cycling Champion asking them to:
  1. Prioritise quality control of all active travel infrastructure in accordance with the Oxfordshire Cycling Design Standards, ensuring all proposals are audited for safety and encouragement of active travel.
  2. Review their Parking Standards considering the risks poor car parking poses to people on cycles and pedestrians.
  3. Establish systems for the County to work with Town and Parish Councils to identify CIL funding that could be used to enhance cycle ways and footpaths that link with new routes within new housing development
  4. Continue to resource the work on the Science Vale cycle network and expand this work planning cycle networks within the designated Science Vale area across the Vale of White Horse District.
  5. Continue to resource the Oxfordshire Greenways project.
  6. Expedite the development of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) for all towns and parishes in the Vale District, engaging with local cycling and walking group volunteers to undertake the preliminary groundwork.
  7. Work with our towns and parishes to identify local needs in addition to sources of funding to implement their LCWIPs.
  8. Fast-track bold and ambitious measures in our towns and parishes to make social distancing possible at pinch-points and consider these measures permanent rather than temporary.

 

Motion 6: Councillor Emily Smith moved, and Councillor Simon Howell seconded the motion as set out in the agenda

 

After debate and on being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

 

RESOLVED:

That Council notes that since early March the Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on our district and the country. At least 120 have lost their lives. Many have been seriously ill and are still fighting the virus.

 

Local businesses have and will continue to suffer the economic impact of this pandemic and young people have had disruption to their education and employment prospects damaged by the resulting lockdown.

 

Council recognises the huge effort of our officers during the period. Adjusting to working remotely, volunteering to go beyond the day to job to help support shielded people and those isolating and working long hours to keep vital council services running.  Council also recognises the quick establishment of new ways of working with community groups and responding incredibly quickly to the demands made of us as part of the Thame Valley Local Resilience Forum operation to protect the NHS.

 

Council thanks and recognises the huge response from every town, village and hamlet to put in place an infrastructure to help.  It is the feet on the street and the community effort that has truly helped look after all elements of the community across the Vale.

 

Council thanks every officer for the heroic part they have played, and will continue to play, helping residents in need of support through this dangerous and uncertain time. 

 

 

 

Contact us - Democratic services

Phone icon

01235 422520
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)

Address icon

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon
OX14 3JE