Agenda item

Notices of Motion

i)             Councillor Birch to propose and Councillor Marriott to second:

 

“This Council recognises the ongoing problem of HIMOs in many parts of the town.  

 

It is further recognised that in recent times this Council has taken action (with cross party support) in tackling this ongoing problem. 

 

This Council asks the relevant Cabinet members and the appropriate senior officers to investigate the possibility of having no more than 10 per cent of HIMOS in 50 metres in the Article 4 area and 10% of 100 metres for the rest of the borough”.

 

ii)            Councillor Stone to propose and Councillor Ashraf to second:

 

 

“This council notes:

 

That the Housing and Planning Bill is currently being debated in Parliament, and if passed would threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and buy through:

 

-   forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market

 

-   extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants

 

-   undermining section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes.

 

That there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced like-for-like in the local area.

 

That whilst measures to help first-time buyers are welcome, the 'starter homes' proposals in the Bill will be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; will not preserve the taxpayer investment; and will be built at the expense of genuinely-affordable homes to rent and buy.

 

That the Bill undermines localism by taking 32 new wide and open-ended powers for the secretary over councils and local communities, including the ability to override local plans, to mandate rents for social tenants, and to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.

 

That the Bill, whilst introducing some welcome measures to get to grips with rogue landlords, does not help with the high rents, poor conditions and insecurity affecting many of England's 11m private renters – including one in four families with children - and does nothing to help arrest the recent rise in homelessness.

 

This council resolves:

 

To analyse and report on the likely impact of the forced sale of council homes, the extension of right-to-buy and the 'starter homes' requirement on the local availability of affordable homes. Such a report should be presented to a Cabinet meeting.

 

To analyse and report on any further likely impacts of the Bill on the local area.

 

To use this information to:

 

1. Support the Leader of the Council in writing to the Secretary of State with our concerns about the Bill.

 

2. Set up an urgent meeting between the Leader of the Council, Leaders of the Labour and Lib Dem Groups  and the Chief Executive with the local members of Parliament to raise our concerns.

 

3. Make public our concerns, including by publishing the above information on the council's website and promoting through the local press”.

 

iii)           Councillor Davenport to propose and Councillor G Eales to second:

 

“This Council believes that all houses with gardens should have wheelie bins. Providing there is suitable access for both the wheelie bin to be brought to the front of the property and a refuse lorry.

 

This Council further believes it is more economical to have wheelie bins than pay for a truck following the contractor to collect the 'unofficial bags' and we now have a big problem with rats.

 

This Council also believes that Section 46 notices are important tool in tackling the problem of putting out too many sacks. However, the effectiveness is limited as usually people do not leave evidence and there are not the resources to police it.

 

This Council asks the Cabinet to cost how much it would be to ensure all houses with gardens (providing there is suitable access) have wheelie bins. Once this is done the Cabinet will seek to ensure this will happen once the present contract comes to an end and/or is renewed at the latest”.

 

iv)           Councillor Beardsworth to propose and Councillor Meredith to second:

 

“The Conservative party reportedly received £36,000 in donations on the run up to the 2015 General Election from individuals connected to the Cobblers loan.

Given that this loan money has currently gone missing, it is essential we retrieve as much as possible of the £10.25m, and that we avoid any perception of impropriety beyond what cannot be avoided.

Therefore, this Council resolves to formally request the return of all and any donations linked to anyone that could have financially benefitted from this loan to this Council from the Conservative Party, to be accounted against the NTFC loan”.

 

v)            Councillor Beardsworth to propose and Councillor Meredith to second:

 

“Project Angel, the County Council’s new offices are expected to be complete by this time next year, Despite bringing thousands of extra workers into the town centre the project officers little new parking provision

 

At this moment in time, it is understood that NCC is in discussions with NBC regarding staff parking,

 

However, over the last  several years we have seen a substantial reduction in parking capacity in the town centre, particularly in the South. At the same time, developments on these former parking sites increase pressure on the service

 

This Council therefore resolves to undertake a full audit of car parking capacity within the town centre, to ensure that future provision is adequate, to be presented to Council within 3 months”.

 

 

Minutes:

i)             Councillor Birch proposed and Councillor Marriott seconded:

 

“This Council recognises the ongoing problem of HIMOs in many parts of the town.  

 

It is further recognised that in recent times this Council has taken action (with cross party support) in tackling this ongoing problem. 

 

This Council asks the relevant Cabinet members and the appropriate senior officers to investigate the possibility of having no more than 10 per cent of HIMOS in 50 metres in the Article 4 area and 10% of 100 metres for the rest of the borough”.

 

Councillor Hibbert proposed and Councillor J Hill seconded an amendment;

 

Amendment to read:

 

“This Council recognises the ongoing problems that are being caused by a minority of landlords of HIMOs in the town.

 

It is further recognised that this Council is taking robust action to tackle the problem by identifying substandard and unlicensed HIMOs and adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to criminal, rogue and irresponsible landlords.  The Administration has received, and welcomes, cross party support for this approach.

 

This Council notes that a review of local policy is planned in relation to HIMOs and this will complement the work on Northampton’s new overarching housing strategy. To this end, the relevant Cabinet members and the appropriate Senior Officers will explore all legal options”.

 

Members discussed both the substantive motion and the amended motion. 

 

Following a debate, both the substantive motion and amended motions were withdrawn by the proposers.

 

Mr Norman Adams spoke in favour of Motion ii) and stated that he had concerns that the Government were forcing high value council homes to be sold on the open market whilst there was a decrease in the number of social houses being built and suggested that it was a sabotage of social housing.

 

 

ii)            Councillor Stone proposed and Councillor Ashraf seconded:

 

 

“This council notes:

 

That the Housing and Planning Bill is currently being debated in Parliament, and if passed would threaten the provision of affordable homes for rent and buy through:

 

-   forcing 'high-value' council homes to be sold on the open market

 

-   extending the right-to-buy to housing association tenants

 

-   undermining section 106 requirements on private developers to provide affordable homes.

 

That there is no commitment in the Bill that affordable homes will be replaced like-for-like in the local area.

 

That whilst measures to help first-time buyers are welcome, the 'starter homes' proposals in the Bill will be unaffordable to families and young people on ordinary incomes in most parts of the country; will not preserve the taxpayer investment; and will be built at the expense of genuinely-affordable homes to rent and buy.

 

That the Bill undermines localism by taking 32 new wide and open-ended powers for the secretary over councils and local communities, including the ability to override local plans, to mandate rents for social tenants, and to impose a levy on stock-holding councils, violating the terms of the housing revenue account self-financing deal.

 

That the Bill, whilst introducing some welcome measures to get to grips with rogue landlords, does not help with the high rents, poor conditions and insecurity affecting many of England's 11m private renters – including one in four families with children - and does nothing to help arrest the recent rise in homelessness.

 

This council resolves:

 

To analyse and report on the likely impact of the forced sale of council homes, the extension of right-to-buy and the 'starter homes' requirement on the local availability of affordable homes. Such a report should be presented to a Cabinet meeting.

 

To analyse and report on any further likely impacts of the Bill on the local area.

 

To use this information to:

 

1. Support the Leader of the Council in writing to the Secretary of State with our concerns about the Bill.

 

2. Set up an urgent meeting between the Leader of the Council, Leaders of the Labour and Lib Dem Groups  and the Chief Executive with the local members of Parliament to raise our concerns.

 

3. Make public our concerns, including by publishing the above information on the council's website and promoting through the local press”.

 

 

Council debated the motion.

 

Upon a vote, the motion was lost.

 

iii)           Councillor Davenport proposed and Councillor G Eales seconded:

 

“This Council believes that all houses with gardens should have wheelie bins. Providing there is suitable access for both the wheelie bin to be brought to the front of the property and a refuse lorry.

 

This Council further believes it is more economical to have wheelie bins than pay for a truck following the contractor to collect the 'unofficial bags' and we now have a big problem with rats.

 

This Council also believes that Section 46 notices are important tool in tackling the problem of putting out too many sacks. However, the effectiveness is limited as usually people do not leave evidence and there are not the resources to police it.

 

This Council asks the Cabinet to cost how much it would be to ensure all houses with gardens (providing there is suitable access) have wheelie bins. Once this is done the Cabinet will seek to ensure this will happen once the present contract comes to an end and/or is renewed at the latest”.

 

Council debated the motion.

 

Upon a vote, the motion was lost.

 

iv)           Councillor Beardsworth proposed and Councillor Meredith seconded:

 

“The Conservative party reportedly received £36,000 in donations on the run up to the 2015 General Election from individuals connected to the Cobblers loan.

Given that this loan money has currently gone missing, it is essential we retrieve as much as possible of the £10.25m, and that we avoid any perception of impropriety beyond what cannot be avoided.

Therefore, this Council resolves to formally request the return of all and any donations linked to anyone that could have financially benefitted from this loan to this Council from the Conservative Party, to be accounted against the NTFC loan”.

 

Council debated the motion.

 

Upon a requisition for a recorded vote;

 

There voted for the Motion: Councillors Ashraf, Beardsworth, Birch, Cali, Chunga, Davenport, G Eales, T Eales, Gowen, Haque, Marriot, McCutcheon, Meredith, Russell, Smith and Stone.

 

There voted against the Motion: Councillors Ansell, Aziz, Bottwood, Eldred, Golby, Hadland, Hallam, Hibbert, J Hill, M Hill, Kilbride, King, Lane, Larratt, Malpas, Markham, Nunn, Parekh, Patel, Sargeant, Shaw an Walker

 

There abstained the Mayor.

 

The Motion was lost.

 

 

v)            Councillor Beardsworth proposed and Councillor Meredith seconded:

 

“Project Angel, the County Council’s new offices are expected to be complete by this time next year, Despite bringing thousands of extra workers into the town centre the project officers little new parking provision

 

At this moment in time, it is understood that NCC is in discussions with NBC regarding staff parking,

 

However, over the last several years we have seen a substantial reduction in parking capacity in the town centre, particularly in the South. At the same time, developments on these former parking sites increase pressure on the service

 

This Council therefore resolves to undertake a full audit of car parking capacity within the town centre, to ensure that future provision is adequate, to be presented to Council within 3 months”.

 

Council debated the motion.

 

Upon a vote, the motion was lost.