Agenda item

(A) Councillor Hadland to move and Councillor Palethorpe to second:-

“In the interest of local democracy, this Council will amend its Constitution to allow councillors more time to question portfolio holders in full Council, following the preparation of their reports. Therefore, the allotted time for this is extended from thirty minutes to 1 hour and the guillotine moved from 9.30pm to 10pm.with immediate effect.

(B)Councillor Hill to move and Councillor C.Lill to second

“The Labour Government announced in December 2006 a consultation on its plans for the Post Office network. It called for major cuts in the number of Post Offices. On 17^th May 2007 Labour Ministers announced the result of their consultation and confirmed that they would move ahead with cuts resulting in the closure of 2500 Post Offices. The overwhelming majority of the remaining Post Offices are sub post offices run by private businessmen and women.

This Council believes that Post Offices provide a unique and essential service to many communities within the borough and support their efforts to remain open. This council also objects to any future measures imposed by the Labour Government that will cause further damage to the Post Office network.

(A)  Mr C Grethe addressed the Council stating that he would have preferred to speak on the amendment to the motion rather than the motion as set out in the agenda but understood that he could not as this was not in accordance with the Constitution.  He stated that the current Constitution restricted members of the public from speaking on items on the agenda and that this was not in the spirit of open government.

Councillor Hadland then moved and Councillor Palethorpe seconded the motion as printed under 8(A) on the agenda:-

“In the interest of local democracy this Council will amend its Constitution to allow Councillors more time to question Portfolio Holders in full Council following the preparation of their reports.  Therefore the allotted time for this is extended from 30 minutes to one hour and the guillotine moved from 9.30pm to 10pm with immediate effect”.

Councillor Paul Varnsverry then moved and Councillor Perkins seconded an amendment to the motion as follows:-

“To retain the words In the interests of local democracy this Council…..Then to delete all the text thereafter and replace with

“ request Cabinet to reconvene the Constitutional Working Party with party representation in the proportion of 2:2:1 to review the Council’s Constitution giving particular consideration to:-

1.            Permitting the public to speak at Full Council on any item listed on the agenda.

2.            Allowing Councillors more time to question Portfolio Holders in Full Council.

3.            Extending the guillotine to provide adequate time for business.

4.            Reducing the deadline for submission of written questions from 5 clear working days.

5.            Reducing the deadline for submission of motions from 12 clear working days.

6.         Other possible constitutional amendments that the Monitoring Officer, Overview and Scrutiny or the Constitutional Working Party consider worthy of consideration.

This Council requests that the Constitutional Working Party reports its recommendations back to Full Council on or before 17 March 2008”.

The amendment was then duly debated, voted upon and carried to become substantive motion.

The full text of the motion as amended is set out below

“In the interest of local democracy this Council requests Cabinet to reconvene the Constitutional Working Party with party representation in the proportions 2-2-1 to review the Council’s Constitution,giving particular consideration to:

1.Permitting the public to speak at full Council on any item listed on the agenda

2.Allowing Councillors more time to question portfolio holders in full Council

3.Extending the quillotine to provide adequate time for business

4.Reducing the deadline for submission of written questions from five clear working days

5.Reducing the deadline for submission of motions from twelve clear working days

6.Other possible constitutional amendments that the Monitoring Officer,Overview and Scrutiny or the Constitutional Working Party consider worthy of consideration

This Council requests that the Constitutional Working Party reports its recommendations back to full Council on or before 17^th March 2008.”

The substantive motion was then duly debated, voted upon and carried.

(B)     At this juncture Councillor Hill as mover of the motion under item 8(B) on the agenda withdrew the motion.

Councillor Davies duly withdrew his amendment to the motion

Councillor Church then proposed the motion as set out under 8(B) and  in so doing accepted Councillor Simpson’s amendment to the motion.Councillor Clarke seconded the motion.

The amendment was as follows:-

To insert at the start of the text “This Council condemns the closure of 3,500 post offices under the last Conservative government and 4,000 so far under the current Labour government.

This Council notes that 13 post offices have closed in Northampton since 1999 and that the Labour government announced in December 2006 the consultation on its plans for the remaining post office network.

The sentence starting “This Council also…..to network” to be deleted and replaced with “This Council is dismayed that neither the Conservatives nor Labour Party have come forward with any proposals to safeguard the post office network from further closure.

This Council resolves to:-

1.            Support National Liberal Democrat proposals to halt post office closures by:-

(a)            investing £2 billion in the post office network.

(b)            opening new branches where needed.

(c)        ensuring government services are continuing to be available at the post office.

(d)       freeing the post office from Royal Mail restrictions to let it develop new business.

(e)       providing a new legal requirement for the government to maintain the local post office network.

2.            Objects to any future measures imposed by the government that will cause further damage to the post office network.

3.            Support the campaign to keep open the post offices in Northampton that have been threatened with closure under Post Office Limited’s latest plan.

4.         Write to the town’s MPs asking them to support this motion.

5.         Write to Post Office Limited and the relevant Government Minister responsible for the post office closure programme expressing this Council’s support for Northampton’s sub-post office network and objecting to those earmarked for closure.

The amendment was duly debated, voted upon and carried to become the substantive motion.

The full text of the amendment is as follows:

“This Council condemns the closure of 3,500 Post Offices under the last Conservative Government and 4,000 so far under the current Labour Government.

This Council notes that 13 Post Offices have closed on Northampton since 1999 and that the Labour Government announced in December 2006 a consultation on its plans for the remaining Post Office network.It called for majoe cuts in the number of Post Offices. On 17^th May 2007 Labour Ministers announced the result of their consultation and confirmed that they would move ahead with cuts resulting in the closure of 2,500 Post Offices. The overwhelming majority of the remaining Post Offices are sub post offices run by private businessmen and women.

This Council believes that Post Offices provide a unique and essential service to many communities within the Borough and support their efforts to remain open.

This Council is dismayed that neither the Conservatives nor Labour Party have come forward with any proposals to safeguard the Post Office network from further closure.

This Council resolves to:

1.Support national Liberal Democrat proposals to halt post office closures by:

a.Investing £2billion in the post office network

b.Opening new branches where needed

c.Ensuring Government services are continuing to be available at the Post Office

d.Freeing the Post Office from Royal Mail restrictions to let it develop new business

e.Providing a new legal requirement for the Government to maintain the local Post Office network.

2.Objects to any future measures imposed by the Government that will cause further damage to the Post Office network.

3.Support the campaign to keep open the Post Offices in Northampton that have been threatened with closure under Post Office Ltd’s latest plan.

4.Write to the town’s MP’s asking them to support this motion.

5.Write to Post Office Ltd.and the relevant Government Minister responsible for the Post Office Closure Programme expressing this Council’s support for Northampton sub Post Office network and objecting to those earmarked for closure.

The substantive motion was duly debated, voted upon and carried.