Agenda item

A – Decarbonising Transport

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor F Rice and seconded by Councillor G Farquhar:-

‘In order to meet our climate emergency declaration, we will work to decarbonise the transport network in the BCP area in order to meet the government’s Net Zero Strategy.  In order to do this we will aim to meet the government’s vision of 50% of journeys within the BCP area to be done by walking, scooting or cycling by 2030, as per the government’s ‘Decarbonising Transport.  A Better, Greener Britain 2021 report’.

B - Clean Up Governance on Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor M Earl and seconded by Councillor V Slade:-

The Council notes:

Following a series of critical press appearances featuring BCP Council, we, as councillors, have a responsibility to clean up governance and start earning back residents’ trust.

The residents we represent and the staff who serve this council should be proud of BCP Council. The proposals in this motion seek to ‘clean up’ governance in our council by responding positively and collectively to key concerns.

1.   Council resolves to:

a.     Instruct officers to bring a report to Audit & Governance that reviews Part 5 on Financial Regulations - Appendix 1 EX10 ‘Appointment of Consultants’ of the Constitution with a view to reducing the threshold at which relevant Service Directors and Corporate Directors approve spend without a business case in place;

b.     Amend the constitution so it states that cabinet members cannot hold directorships of council related businesses;

c.     Invite the LGA or appropriate body to consider the constitution and make recommendations, particularly relating to governance, in conjunction with officers and members;

d.     Instruct officers to bring a report to council by March 2023 on options for alternative governance structures in BCP Council rather than a Leader, Cabinet & Cabinet Plus system.

2.   Council asks:

a.     That the Leader considers the appropriateness of holding both the position of Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder responsible for the finance of this council.

C – White Ribbon Accreditation

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor L-J Evans and seconded by Councillor V Slade:-

White Ribbon UK was founded in 2005 and is part of a global movement to end male violence against women. It is a charity that works with men and boys to challenge attitudes that lead to harassment, abuse and violence. The need to change behaviour in order to avoid and prevent violence against women has never been clearer.

I would therefore like to propose that:

‘BCP Council explores options to become a White Ribbon Accredited organisation (www.whiteribbon.org.uk/organisations)  by forming a working group, completing the necessary training, developing an Action Plan and paying the appropriate Accreditation Fee to White Ribbon UK.’

The following Motion was submitted in accordance with the requirements and deadlines of the Constitution but omitted in error from the agenda. As a consequence this has been published as an additional agenda item.

D – Local Authority Funding for Respite Care

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor M Brooke and seconded by Councillor V Slade:-

Recent research, including separate studies by Bournemouth University, York University and the Centre for Social Justice shows mothers of a child with palliative care needs are:

•     Twice as likely to develop a serious mental health condition or cardiovascular disease

•     Nearly 60% more likely to die prematurely compared to mothers of healthy children.

In addition

•     There is a far greater risk of family breakdown, the financial cost of which to UK society has reached £46billion p.a.

•     There is insufficient focus on preventative policies.

This is what some families have said:

“[Our child’s] condition is like having an unexploded bomb in the house.”

“[Respite] has saved our marriage and kept our family together.”

“If it weren’t for [respite breaks] you’d be speaking to me from a bedsit somewhere and [my wife] would be here with the kids.”

Clearly, it is in no one’s interest to wait for more such families to split up or have breakdowns. There is an urgent need to provide positive solutions, such as additional Short Breaks as well as appropriate levels of funding.

The Motion:

‘That BCP Council writes to His Majesty’s Government to seek enhanced funding for Local Authorities for the provision of additional Short Breaks for parents of children with disabilities, due to the proven preventative benefits on parental mental and physical health and on parental couple relationships, citing research by York University into the health of mothers of children with serious illness, Pro Bono Economics on the impact of respite on parental mental health, and Bournemouth University and Julia’s House on the impact of respite on parental relationships.’

A – Decarbonising Transport

The following motion was submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules and was moved by Councillor A Hadley and seconded by Councillor G Farquhar:

In order to meet our climate emergency declaration, we will work to decarbonise the transport network in the BCP area in order to meet the government’s NetZero Strategy. In order to do this we will aim to meet the government’s vision of 50% of journeys within the BCP area to be done by walking, scooting or cycling by 2030, as per the government’s ‘Decarbonising Transport. A Better, Greener Britain 2021 report’.

A request was made to make reference to public transport within the motion and following discussion and the support of the proposer and seconder the motion was amended to read as follows:

‘In order to meet our climate emergency declaration, we will work to decarbonise the transport network in the BCP area. In order to do this we will aim to get to 50% of journeys within the BCP area to be done by walking, scooting, cycling or public transport by 2030, in the spirit of the government’s ‘Decarbonising Transport. A Better, Greener Britain 2021 report’.

At the request of the required number of members Council then took a recorded vote which was carried as follows:

For - 55

Against – 1

Abstentions – 4

B – Clean Up Governance on Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council

The following motion was submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules and was moved by Councillor M Earl and seconded by Councillor V Slade:

1. Council resolves to:

a.      Instruct officers to bring a report to Audit & Governance that reviews Part 5 on Financial Regulations - Appendix 1 EX10 ‘Appointment of Consultants’ of the Constitution with a view to reducing the threshold at which relevant Service Directors and Corporate Directors approve spend without a business case in place;

b.      Amend the constitution so it states that cabinet members cannot hold directorships of council related businesses; c.

c.      Invite the LGA or appropriate body to consider the constitution and make recommendations, particularly relating to governance, in conjunction with officers and members;

d.      Instruct officers to bring a report to council by March 2023 on options for alternative governance structures in BCP Council rather than a Leader, Cabinet & Cabinet Plus system.

2. Council asks:

a.      That the Leader considers the appropriateness of holding both the position of Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder responsible for the finance of this council.

An amendment was proposed by Councillor M Iyengar in relation to recommendation 1(a), this was seconded by Councillor J Butt, a copy of the amendment was circulated to all Councillors and is set out below:

a.   Instruct officers to bring a report to Audit & Governance that reviews Part 5 on Financial Regulations - Appendix 1 EX10 ‘Appointment of Consultants’ of the Constitution with a view to reducing the threshold at which relevant Service Directors and Corporate Directors approve spend without a business case in place; introducing a regular monitoring of consultancy spend across the council, including the right to challenge before contract commitments are made.

Following lengthy discussion the motion including the amended wording was put to the vote with each recommendation being voted on separately the amended recommendation at 1(a) was carried and all other recommendations fell with voting as follows:

Voting: 1(a) Nem.Con (1 abstention)

            1(b) 24:37 (2 abstentions)

            1(c) 23:31 (7 abstentions)

            1(d) 24:33 (3 abstentions)

            2 (a) 28:30 (3 abstentions)

The meeting was adjourned at 10.45pm and reconvened at 10.55pm

Councillors H Allen, J Beesley, E Coope, B Dunlop, D Flagg, K Rampton, C Rigby, R Rocca and A Stribley left the meeting at 10.45 pm.

C – White Ribbon Accreditation

The following motion was submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules and was moved by Councillor L-J Evans and seconded by Councillor V Slade: -

‘BCP Council explores options to become a White Ribbon Accredited organisation (www.whiteribbon.org.uk/organisations) by forming a working group, completing the necessary training, developing an Action Plan and paying the appropriate Accreditation Fee to White Ribbon UK.’

RESOLVED that Council supports the motion.

Voting: Unanimous

D – Local Authority Funding for Respite Care

The following motion was submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 9 of the Meeting Procedure Rules and was moved by Councillor M Brooke and seconded by Councillor V Slade: -

‘That BCP Council writes to His Majesty’s Government to seek enhanced funding for Local Authorities for the provision of additional Short Breaks for parents of children with disabilities, due to the proven preventative benefits on parental mental and physical health and on parental couple relationships, citing research by York University into the health of mothers of children with serious illness, Pro Bono Economics on the impact of respite on parental mental health, and Bournemouth University and Julia’s House on the impact of respite on parental relationships.’

RESOLVED that Council supports the motion.

Vote: Unanimous