Issue - items at meetings - Notice of Motion referred from Council

No Notices of Motion had been received by date of publication

79(i)   Notice of Motion – Green Spaces and Health Inequality

79.1       The Cabinet Member considered the following Notice of Motion proposed by Councillor Duncan and referred from the Council Meeting on 4 December 2008 under procedural rule 8.2:

“This Council notes:

a.     The 2008 report of The Director of Public Health for Brighton and Hove, which reported that health inequality persists in the city, and that this manifests itself in wide variations in life expectancy, with an average resident of Moulsecoomb, Bevendean or Queen’s Park being likely to live a significantly shorter life than an average resident of Rottingdean, Withdean or Patcham.

b.     The recently-published findings of researchers at Glasgow University and the University of St Andrews that green spaces near homes can reduce such variations in life expectancy, and the November 2008 comments in The Lancet journal of Dr Terry Hartig of The Institute for Housing  and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden that: ‘Green space does more than ‘pretty up’ the neighbourhood – it appears to have real effects on health inequality, or a kind that politicians and health authorities should take seriously’.

And therefore resolves

To take into account this impact on life expectancy and health generally whenever it considers removing, developing, or granting landlord’s consent for development on any green spaces under its control in the city, however small.”

79.2       The Cabinet Member invited Councillor Duncan to speak to the motion.

79.3       Councillor Kennedy addressed the Cabinet Member Meeting on the substantive points of the motion on behalf of Councillor Duncan who was unable to attend the meeting.

79.4       The Cabinet Member stated that the Administration acknowledged the health benefits of green open space and the importance of facilitating active lifestyles. He asked the Assistant Director for City Planning to clarify the procedures already inherent in the planning system for assessing the development of green spaces.

79.5       The Assistant Director for City Planning clarified that the most appropriate planning ‘tool’ was the use of Health Impact Assessments (HIAs).  He confirmed that following the pilot work undertaken as part of the Healthy Living programme, it was the intention to undertake more HIA’s on major proposals.  Including all minor schemes would however, be impractical. He maintained that there could be an opportunity within the Core Strategy for ensuring that the benefits of open spaces would be fully recognised.

79.6       The Opposition Spokesperson spoke in support of the Notice of Motion and commented on the importance of preserving all green spaces.

79.7       The Cabinet Member affirmed that while the Administration was committed to preserving green spaces, he could not support the Notice of Motion for the reasons given by the Assistant Director for City Planning.

79.8       RESOLVED – That the motion be dismissed.