Agenda item

i)              Councillor Stone to propose and Councillor Beardsworth to second:

“This Council notes our current Environmental Services contract expires in 2018.

This Council believes our re-provisioned service in 2018 should be based on three fundamental principles-

1) Effectiveness and flexibility: the ability of an excellent service to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.

2) A Highly Responsive Service:  deal constructively with complaints and suggestions from the general public such as promptly responding to fly tipping and graffiti. 

3) Partnership: Resident Associations, Park Groups, the University, Colleges and Parish Councils to be involved in the design of the service and to be encouraged to help manage the service according to their needs.

This Council looks forward to the work being undertaken by the respective Scrutiny Group and asks them and the Cabinet to consider this motion.”

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

This Council notes that in the Northamptonshire County Council draft budget they have put in achieving unitary status for 2019/20 to save themselves £10 million per annum.

This Council further notes that Daventry District Council has described Northamptonshire County Council’s financial position as ‘grave’ and it is at ‘substantial risk’ of becoming insolvent.

The County Council hope to solve some of their financial problems by abolishing the boroughs / district councils and taking their cash.

This Council is opposed to a County Council unitary authority.

This Council believes the best solution for the town is a Northampton unitary authority with a limited expansion of the borough boundary to incorporate all SUEs and fringe developments.

This Council will ask our MPs to support us in this ambition.

This Council resolves to pursue this ambition with as much determination as the County Council is showing for their plans”.

iii)            Councillor B Markham to propose and Councillor Meredith to second:

Council regrets that the 100 new council houses to be built at Dallington Grange , announced with great fanfare in March 2014, will not now be built by the original planned date.

Councillors, from all parties remain committed to see these houses built as soon as practical.

Council notes that the £8.4 Million of Government grants achieved on the back of, the original proposal will be lost at the end of the 2017/18 Financial Year unless the council starts work on or can bring forward alternative proposals.

Therefore, as a matter of future policy, this council commits itself to bring forward and if at all possible start work on new council homes in the coming 12 months ensuring that this money will be used to provide homes for local families”.

iv)           Councillor Beardsworth to propose and Councillor B Markham to second:

“This Council remains committed to replacing the current two tier arrangements operating in Northamptonshire with Unitary Councils.

Council however rejects Northamptonshire County Council's plan for a single county-wide local authority believing that it is essential that local government remains local. Making local government more remote would only decrease accountability and public engagement”.

v)            Councillor King to propose and Councillor J Hill to second that:

“Northampton Borough Council and its Community forums are delighted to work in partnership with many local diverse communities. We will continue to celebrate Diwali, Carnival, Chinese New Year and also remember Holocaust Memorial, Srebrenica Memorial, Black History Month, World Aids Day, International Women’s Day, International Men’s Day and challenge gender-phobia (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia)2.

vi)           Councillor Larratt to propose and Councillor King to second:

“This Council welcomes the recent establishment of a Parish Council Forum within the Borough.  The Council recognises and supports the work of Parish Councils’ and what they do to support the community within their respective areas of the Borough.  This Council, therefore, resolves to work closely with the Parish Councils within the Borough, supporting them in their work for the benefit of their communities”.

Mr Huffadine-Smith addressed Council on Motion i) and congratulated Councillor Stone and Beardsworth for their cross-party work. He spoke in support of the proposal, specifically the involvement of partnerships groups such as Residents Associations and Parish Councils.

i)              Councillor Stone proposed and Councillor Beardsworth seconded:

“This Council notes our current Environmental Services contract expires in 2018.

This Council believes our re-provisioned service in 2018 should be based on three fundamental principles-

1) Effectiveness and flexibility: the ability of an excellent service to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.

2) A Highly Responsive Service:  deal constructively with complaints and suggestions from the general public such as promptly responding to fly tipping and graffiti. 

3) Partnership: Resident Associations, Park Groups, the University, Colleges and Parish Councils to be involved in the design of the service and to be encouraged to help manage the service according to their needs.

This Council looks forward to the work being undertaken by the respective Scrutiny Group and asks them and the Cabinet to consider this motion.”

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion was carried.

The Mayor commented that in accordance with the Constitution (Rule 9.7) he had received notification that there was an alteration to motion ii). The altered motion was tabled before Councillors.

RESOLVED:

That Council agreed to the alteration and pursuant to rule 25, standing orders be suspended to allow for 3 proposers to speak on the motion for no more than 5 minutes each for the duration of the debate of the motion.

The altered motion was tabled as below:

ii)            Councillors McCutcheon, Nunn and Beardsworth proposed the motion:

“Northampton Borough Council remains committed to replacing the current two tier arrangements operating in Northamptonshire with Unitary Councils.

This Council, however, rejects Northamptonshire County Council’s plan for a single county-wide local authority, believing that it is essential that local government remains local.  Making local government more remote would decrease accountability and public engagement.

Additionally, it was noted that the Northamptonshire County Council’s draft budget states a plan to achieve unitary status for 2019/2020 to save £10 million per annum. This Council would like to make it clear that it is opposed to a County Council unitary authority.

We strongly believe that the best solution for the town is a Northampton unitary authority with a limited expansion of the borough boundary to incorporate the Northampton Growth Area as defined in the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy.

This Council will also ask our MPs to support us in this ambition.”

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion was carried

iii)            Councillor B Markham proposed and Councillor Meredith seconded that:

Council regrets that the 100 new council houses to be built at Dallington Grange , announced with great fanfare in March 2014, will not now be built by the original planned date.

Councillors, from all parties remain committed to see these houses built as soon as practical.

Council notes that the £8.4 Million of Government grants achieved on the back of, the original proposal will be lost at the end of the 2017/18 Financial Year unless the council starts work on or can bring forward alternative proposals.

Therefore, as a matter of future policy, this council commits itself to bring forward and if at all possible start work on new council homes in the coming 12 months ensuring that this money will be used to provide homes for local families”.

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion was lost.

In accordance with Part 4 of the Constitution, motion v) was withdrawn by the proposer of the motion.

iv)           Councillor Beardsworth to propose and Councillor B Markham to second:

“This Council remains committed to replacing the current two tier arrangements operating in Northamptonshire with Unitary Councils.

Council however rejects Northamptonshire County Council's plan for a single county-wide local authority believing that it is essential that local government remains local. Making local government more remote would only decrease accountability and public engagement”.

v)            Councillor King propose and Councillor J Hill second:

“Northampton Borough Council and its Community forums are delighted to work in partnership with many local diverse communities. We will continue to celebrate Diwali, Carnival, Chinese New Year and also remember Holocaust Memorial, Srebrenica Memorial, Black History Month, World Aids Day, International Women’s Day, International Men’s Day and challenge gender-phobia (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia)”.

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion was carried

vi)           Councillor Larratt proposed and Councillor King seconded:

“This Council welcomes the recent establishment of a Parish Council Forum within the Borough.  The Council recognises and supports the work of Parish Councils’ and what they do to support the community within their respective areas of the Borough.  This Council, therefore, resolves to work closely with the Parish Councils within the Borough, supporting them in their work for the benefit of their communities”.

Council debated the motion.

Upon a vote, the motion was carried