Agenda item - The following Notices of Motion have been submitted by Members for consideration:

(1)       EU Citizens and Local Elections.  Proposed by Councillor Littman on behalf of the Green Group.

 

(2)       Ending Victim Blaming Together.  Proposed by Councillor Daniel on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group.

 

(3)       Government Resources and Waste Strategy.  Proposed by Councillor Mitchell on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group.

 

(4)       Hospital for Hove and Portslade.  Proposed by Councillor Janio on behalf of the Conservative Group.

 

(5)       Valley Gardens Phase 3.  Proposed by Councillor Wares on behalf of the Conservative Group.

 

(6)       Mental Health in Schools.  Proposed by Councillor Knight on behalf of the Green Group.

 

(1)  EU CITIZENS AND LOCAL ELECTIONS

 

68.1         The Notice of Motion as listed in the agenda was proposed by Councillor Littman on behalf of the Green Group.  He stated that Brighton and Hove had a number of residents from other EU countries who were unable to vote in a General Election but could do so in the local elections in May.  There were many groups who had been unrepresented historically and there was a need to change that perception and encourage people to take part.  He acknowledged that it was not just the council responsibility as political parties could also look to address the matter, but he felt that there was a need for a targeted campaign.  

 

68.2         Councillor Phillips formally seconded the motion and reserved her right to speak in the debate.

 

68.3         Councillor Miller moved an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group and stated that it sought to include other groups that the original motion had missed.  It was essential to enable as many people who could vote to be able to do so.  Therefore any campaign to inform residents of their ability to take part in the election process should cover all groups and not only non-UK citizens.

 

68.4         Councillor Wealls formally seconded the motion and reserved his right to take part in the debate.

 

68.5         Councillor Daniel welcomed the motion and stated that it was important to carry out out-reach work with various community groups and to encourage representatives from all communities to consider standing for election.  The Council should reflect the make-up of its city and she hoped that the forthcoming elections would see a change in the overall make-up of the council.

 

68.6         Councillor Yates stated that it was important to recognise EU nationals and to ensure they were aware of their ability to participate in the local elections.  The current situation surrounding Brexit was confusing for many people and with a high number of non-UK residents in the city it was understandable that they would not necessarily be aware of their position.  As such he supported the motion and felt that the amendment moved away from the intention and could therefore not support it.

 

68.7         Councillor Page stated that the motion focussed on non-UK residents and it was important to ensure that they were aware of their rights and ability to take part in the local elections.  He applauded the Elections team for their work in encouraging people to register to vote but felt that further information needed to be provided for non-UK residents.

 

68.8         Councillor Bewick stated that he welcomed the motion and supported the amendment as it was important that the council sent a signal to all international migrants that their contribution to the city and its economy was valued.  They should be made aware of their ability to vote and stand in the local elections.

 

68.9         Councillor Wealls stated that the degree to which so many minority groups were disenfranchised base on wealth, education, ethnicity, disability etc. which was identified by the amendment and needed to be taken into account.

 

68.10      Councillor Phillips stated that she understood the reasons for the amendment but felt that it did not account for all groups referred to and that the motion itself was much clearer in this regard.  She noted that there were 63,000 NHS staff in England who were EU nationals who could not vote in a General Election but could vote in local elections.  They needed to be aware of that ability and she hoped that the motion would be supported.

 

68.11      Councillor Littman stated that he could not accept the amendment, although he noted that a number of valid points had been raised in the debate.  However, he felt that the motion was clear and that there was a need for a targeted campaign on this occasion.

 

68.12      The Mayor noted that the amendment had not been accepted and put it to the vote which was carried by 24 votes to 21 with no abstentions.

 

68.13      The Mayor then put the following motion as amended to the vote:

 

“This Council notes the excellent work done by the Electoral Services Department to inform all the city’s households of the right of residents to vote.

 

This Council requests that the Electoral Registration Officer, in addition to the current practice of general household notification, works with the Council’s Communication Team to run a campaign informing all residents of the city; including potentially underrepresented communities, e.g. non-UK EU, young and black, Asian and minority ethnic residents of their right to both vote and stand in the local election to be held on 2nd May this year.”

 

68.14      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been carried unanimously.

 

(2)  ENDING VICTIM BLAMING TOGETHER

 

68.15      The Notice of Motion as listed on the agenda was proposed by Councillor Daniel on behalf of the Labour & Co-operative Group.  She stated that she had become aware of the VictimFocus Charter Pledge and had brought the motion to full council on behalf of a leading Charity and hoped that it would be supported by all Members.  She gave details of a case where a young girl became a victim and the injustice she suffered as a result and hoped that by bringing the matter to the council’s attention and the signing of the pledge action could be taken to help address the situation.

 

68.16      Councillor Cattell formally seconded the motion and reserved her right to speak in the debate.

 

68.17      Councillor Nemeth moved an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group and stated that the Group was against victim blaming.  However, he felt that there was a paradox for the Administration in dealing with a perceived problem in-house and how that was addressed; whilst seeking to support the Charter.  Any responsible organisation had a duty to follow basic principles in relation to their staff and if the amendment was to fall he would have concerns for the council’s staff.

 

68.18      Councillor Ann Norman formally seconded the amendment and thanked Councillor Daniel for bringing the motion to the council meeting.  There were a number of sensible reasons as to why the council as an organisation should challenge victim blaming and ensure staff did not engage in any shape or form.  She hoped that the council could ensure any such culture was not supported and that it would share knowledge and best practice with partner organisations.

 

68.19      Councillor Littman stated that supported the motion and noted that there was a significant bias toward victim blaming for women and girls and hoped that the Administration would reconsider proposals to cut the Domestic & Sexual Abuse Service.

 

68.20      Councillor Cattell stated that as a volunteer on a domestic abuse helpline she was contacted by numerous women who suffer from abuse and inevitably experience trauma, which requires specialist training to help.  She fully supported the motion and hoped it would be supported unanimously.

 

68.21      Councillor Daniel noted the comments and sated that she could not accept the amendment and hoped that the motion as proposed could be supported.

 

68.22      The Mayor noted that the amendment had not been accepted and put it to the vote which was lost by 19 votes to 27.

 

68.23      The Mayor then put the following motion as amended to the vote:

 

“This council resolves to:

1.     Show its support  to the VictimFocus Charter Pledge by signing up to it, and

2.     Request officers to bring a report to the Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities Committee to detail how that pledge can then be fulfilledto challenge and reduce victim blaming of people who have experienced trauma, abuse or crime in our organisation.”

68.24      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been agreed unanimously.

 

68.25      Councillor Yates noted that the weather had deteriorated and moved a motion to suspend Standing Orders to enable a closure motion to be moved.

 

68.26      Councillor Daniel formally seconded the motion.

 

68.27      The Mayor noted that a motion to suspend Standing Orders had been moved and put it to the vote which was carried.

 

68.28      Councillor Yates then moved a closure motion.

 

68.29      Councillor Daniel formally seconded the motion.

 

68.30      The Mayor noted that a closure motion had been moved and put it to the vote which was carried.

 

68.31      The Mayor stated that in view of the closure motion being carried she would take the remaining items and with the agreement of the proposer put each one to the vote.

 

(3)  GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND WASTE STRATEGY

 

68.25      The Mayor noted that an amendment had been submitted by the Green Group to the notice of motion and put it to the vote which was carried unanimously.

 

68.26      The Mayor then put the following motion as amended to the vote:

 

“This council resolves:

 

(1)   To ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, requesting that:

 

·      The target in the strategy for meeting 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, compostable or recyclable from 2025 is brought forward, as the well-known issues around non-recyclable plastic need urgent action, alongside concerted action to reduce reliance on plastics.

·      Weekly food waste collections for households in all local authority areas is also brought forward from the current timescale of 2023, and with sustainable sources of funding identified, as this would raise recycling rates by 5% nationally,

·      Further information is provided on how the Government intends to incentivise weekly recycling collections while reducing general waste, in order to increase recycling rates;

(2)     That, in the absence of support from the Government this Council requests the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee to commission a report that:

-      Explores the options for re-negotiating the current PFI deal on waste and that as part of the report, the Council Administration reaffirms its commitment to collecting food waste;

-      Explores the options for budgetary resources for a food waste pilot in 2019/20.”

 

68.27      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been agreed unanimously.

 

NOte: A closure motion had been passed prior to the item being reached and therefore the amendment and motion were put straight to the vote by the Mayor without debate.

 

(4)  HOSPITAL FOR HOVE AND PORTSLADE

 

68.28      The Mayor noted that an amendment had been submitted by the Green Group to the notice of motion and put it to the vote which was carried by 27 votes to 19.

 

68.29      The Mayor then put the following motion as amended to the vote:

 

“This council requests that the Health, Overview & Scrutiny Committee seek an update from the CCG on primary and urgent care services in Hove and Portslade.”

 

68.30      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been agreed unanimously.

 

NOte: A closure motion had been passed prior to the item being reached and therefore the amendment and motion were put straight to the vote by the Mayor without debate.

 

(5)  VALLEY GARDENS PHASE 3

 

68.31      The Mayor put the following notice of motion to the vote:

 

“This Council:

 

1.      Notes that the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee will consider the Valley Gardens Phase 3 project at its Special meeting on 7^th February 2019; and

 

2.      Requests that the Committee;

(i)    Urgently revisits the Valley Gardens Phase 3 proposal with a view to providing a revised scheme that retains the aquarium roundabout, maintains entry and exit from Madeira Drive onto the roundabout and separates general traffic on the East side of The Old Steine and public transport on the West side.

(ii)   Explores the use of surplus Capital funds made available by 2(i) above to create improved cycling and pedestrian connectivity between the wider Valley Gardens area and the seafront without the need to channel all modes of movement through the aquarium roundabout junction.

(iii) Pauses work on preferred option 1 and bring the proposals in 2(i) and 2(ii) to a special meeting of Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee at the earliest opportunity but in any event, no later than the end of March 2019.”

 

68.32      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been lost by 19 votes to 25 with no abstentions.

 

NOte: A closure motion had been passed prior to the item being reached and therefore the amendment and motion were put straight to the vote by the Mayor without debate.

 

              Councillors Druitt and Philips having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the item withdrew from the Chamber and took no part in the voting thereon.

 

(6)  MENTAL HEALTH IN SCHOOLS

 

68.33      The Mayor put the following Notice of Motion to the vote;

 

“This Council resolves to:

 

1.     Ask the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Education, to request that the Government:

 

·           brings forward ten-year plans to expand school and college based mental health services for children and young people, so that 100% of children and young people requiring specialist care are empowered to access it prior to 2030;

·           puts in place adequate funding support for schools and teachers to implement this mental health work in schools.

 

2.     Continue to support the improvement of mental health for our city’s children and young people, and to request officers to bring a report to the Children, Young People & Skills Committee detailing how the council can work with our family of schools to:

 

-        support and promote the development of greater preventative activities designed to assist with anxiety and depression, such as lunchtime yoga, meditation, healthy eating and greater physical activity;

-        develop and share best practice on restricting access to mobile phones in the classroom, in conjunction with the existing work done in our schools to support young people managing social media and cyber bullying;

-        ensure teachers and staff can access adequate training and support,  in conjunction with existing work done in P.S.H.E and through the Schools Wellbeing Service, to feel able to respond appropriately to students who are directly affected by poor mental health and low self-esteem.”

 

68.34      The Mayor confirmed that the motion had been agreed unanimously.

 

NOte: A closure motion had been passed prior to the item being reached and therefore the motion was put straight to the vote by the Mayor without debate.