In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 10 to consider Motions on notice from Members. Motions must be received in writing or by email to the Monitoring Officer by 12 noon seven clear working days before the meeting.
(a) Motion proposed by Cllr Ross Shipman
“Council notes:
VE Day is a memorable day in our history marking the end of the Second World War. Friday, 8 May 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and local communities may wish to celebrate by organising events such as street parties across North East Derbyshire.
Some community events of national importance may require temporary road closures under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, which North East Derbyshire charge £200 to administer.
Council agrees:
To waive the fee for road closures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of VE Day weekend.
For officers to be given powers to waive such fees on other dates which have national significance where road closures may be needed.”
(b) Motion proposed by Cllr David Hancock
“Council notes:
The Department of Health and Social Care definition of food poverty as “the inability to access or afford food to make up a healthy diet”.
The food poverty is a complex issue with many causes, that it can affect anyone, including many people who work and many families, even in apparently well off areas.
There is a growing problem of food insecurity in the UK, affecting as many as 8.4 million people, of which increasing reliance on food banks is one symptom.
The food banks in North East Derbyshire supply thousands of food parcels each year to local people.
The importance of local food systems and education in ensuring access to affordable sustainable and healthy food options.
Addressing food poverty may contribute to improving the health, wellbeing, education and independence of local residents; supporting the local food economy; and reducing environmental impacts.
Council therefore:
Commends the invaluable work done by local charities, churches and food banks in North East Derbyshire to support people facing food poverty and crisis.
Requests the Communities Scrutiny Panel to work with local organisations and develop recommendations for a Food Poverty Action Plan for North East Derbyshire.
Request that Cabinet initiate a Local Food Strategy for North East Derbyshire.”
(c) Motion proposed by Cllr Alex Dale
“This Council notes:
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.
This Council believes:
As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s area of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
All Councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This Council resolves:
To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
To commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the Council.
To identify a member of staff within the Council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
This Council will also:
Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and work places.
Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health of our community.
Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health”.
Minutes:
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule No 10 to consider motions on notice from members. Motions must be received in writing or by email to the Monitoring Officer by 12 noon seven clear working days before the meeting.
(a) Motion proposed by Councillor Ross Shipman
“Council notes:
VE Day is a memorable day in our history marking the end of the Second World War. Friday, 8 May 2020 marks the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and local communities may wish to celebrate by organising events such as street parties across North East Derbyshire.
Some community events of national importance may require temporary road closures under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, which North East Derbyshire charge £200 to administer.
Council agrees:
To waive the fee for road closures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of VE Day weekend.
For officers to be given powers to waive such fees on other dates which have national significance where road closures may be needed”.
In presenting his motion to Council, Councillor R Shipman explained that a local community group had asked for road closure charges to be waived, so that they could celebrate the commemoration. He emphasised the importance of the VE Day commemorations to the wider community and how the proposed change would make it easier for local people to celebrate. He also suggested that, moving forward, officers should be authorised to determine whether or not to waive road closure fees on named days of special significance.
The Leader of the Council objected to the Motion. He felt that it did not provide sufficient detail about the practicalities, such as whether only properly constituted bodies, such as parish councils should be allowed to apply for road closures, the potential health and safety implications and the potential resource implications for the Council, especially in terms of officer time. He also made it clear that the Council already has a policy for waiving fees for temporary road closures and that there were no reasons for moving away from this.
The Leader of the Council made clear that the Council recognised fully the importance of the 75th anniversary celebrations. In this context, it had developed specific recommendations for the anniversary, which were set out in Item 10 on today’s agenda.
Councillor N Barker, the Leader of the Labour group made it clear that his group would not support the motion. Rather, they would support the suggested approach as set out in the report at Item 10 on the agenda – NEDDC contribution to the VE Day 75th Anniversary Celebrations.
At the conclusion of the discussion a vote was taken and the motion was rejected.
In response to a query from Councillor R Shipman and Councillor D Hancock, the Chair confirmed that under the Constitution, Council could consider and determine on the recommendations in Item 10 on the agenda at this meeting.
(b) Motion proposed by Councillor David Hancock and seconded by Councillor Ross Shipman
“Council notes:
The Department of Health and Social Care definition of food poverty as “the inability to access or afford food to make up a healthy diet”.
That food poverty is a complex issue with many causes, that it can affect anyone, including many people who work and many families, even in apparently well off areas.
There is a growing problem of food insecurity in the UK, affecting as many as 8.4 million people, of which increasing reliance on food banks is one symptom.
That food banks in North East Derbyshire supply thousands of food parcels each year to local people.
The importance of local food systems and education in ensuring access to affordable sustainable and healthy food options.
Addressing food poverty may contribute to improving the health, wellbeing, education and independence of local residents; supporting the local food economy; and reducing environmental impacts.
Council therefore:
Commends the invaluable work done by local charities, churches and food banks in North East Derbyshire to support people facing food poverty and crisis.
Requests the Communities Scrutiny Panel to work with local organisations and develop recommendations for a Food Poverty Action Plan for North East Derbyshire.
Request that Cabinet initiate a Local Food Strategy for North East Derbyshire.”
In presenting his motion to Council, Councillor D Hancock highlighted the problem of ‘food poverty’ in the District. He argued that important as food banks are at providing help and assistance the Council needed to take a more strategic approach was required. He felt that the Community Scrutiny Committee should be asked to work with local churches and other groups that provide food banks, in order to draw up a Food Poverty Action Plan which could form the basis of a Local Food Strategy for the District.
The Leader of the Council responded to the motion. He made it clear that despite it not being a statutory responsibility, the Council had and would continue to support foodbanks in the District. He gave examples of the way in which the Council and Rykneld Homes, as its Arm’s Length Management Organisation, have done this.
The Leader of the Council emphasised that one of the key objectives for the Council was to support people and to help them out of poverty. He gave examples of specific projects which had contributed to this. These included helping to create jobs, improving skills so that people were more employable and working with others to prevent homelessness. Specific mention was made of the new ‘Call Before You Serve’ project which was introduced under the current administration. This was intended to help prevent people from being evicted because of their rent arrears.
Cllr J Lilley made it clear that he supported the motion, but felt that it would be inappropriate to mandate the Communities Scrutiny Committee to carry on developing a Food Poverty Action Plan. This would, he argued, go against the long held principle that the Council’s scrutiny committees should determine their own work programmes.
Cllr J Lilley moved an amendment to the motion to remove this provision, which Cllr D Hancock accepted.
Upon the vote the amendment to the motion, removing references to the Communities Scrutiny Panel being requested to work with local organisations and develop recommendations for a Food Poverty Action Plan for North East Derbyshire, was rejected.
Council then voted on the motion. Upon the vote, the motion was rejected.
(c) Motion proposed by Councillor Alex Dale and seconded by Councillor Martin Thacker
“This Council notes:
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health conditions worldwide by 2020.
Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.
This Council believes:
As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s area of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
All Councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This Council resolves:
To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
To commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the Council.
To identify a member of staff within the Council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
The Council will also:
Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and work places.
Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health of our community.
Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health”.
In presenting his motion to Council, Councillor A Dale, emphasised how mental ill health can occur across all age and social groups. He also emphasised that the Council should seek to work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs. He hoped that all Members would support the motion and agree that the Council sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
Council discussed the motion. There was strong support for its aims. Members recognised the importance of ensuring mental health and the valuable role which the Council could play in helping to support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and work places.
During the discussion, Councillor S Pickering argued that many people suffered from mental ill health issues, because they faced stress caused by economic factors, such as low pay and poverty. He suggested that these stresses had been exacerbated by the policies of the national Government and the reductions in public spending, which had affected the most vulnerable in society. An extensive debate took place around these points and especially the action which had been taken to help those in poverty and the Council’s commitment to promoting the wellbeing of the community and of its own staff.
Councillor S Pickering proposed that the motion be amended to reflect the economic factors that can lead to mental health problems. He proposed that the following additional text be included after point three in the motion:
That the Council write to the Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to;
(a) Highlight the funding pressures facing local government and to call on them to recognise the damage to society and increase mental health issues as a result of cuts to public services.
(b) Reinvest in our crucial public services to address the different issues which lead to mental health problems.
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.4 a recorded vote was requested by Councillors N Barker, T Reader and L Stone on the amended motion
For the Motion - 19
(Councillors N Barker, J Birkin, A Cooper, S Cornwell, J Funnel, D Hancock, L Hartshorne, E A Hill, P Holmes, M Jones, P R Kerry, J Lilley, G Morley, S Pickering, T Reader, K Rouse, R Shipman, L Stone, B Wright.
Against the amended motion - 27
(Councillors P Antlciff, K Bone, P Bone, S Clough, C Cupit, A Dale, L Deighton, P Elliott, M Emmens, A Foster, M Foster, O Gomez Reaney, R Hall, C D Huckerby, J Kenyon, B Lewis, H Liggett, P Parkin, M Potts, A Powell, C Renwick, M Roe, D Ruff, M E Thacker MBE, R Welton, N Whitehead and P Wright.
The amended motion was defeated.
Councillor D Hancock then moved a further amendment to the motion, seconded by Councillor R Shipman that:
The Council should adhere to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards and to ensure that a minimum standards in provision of Health & Wellbeing is maintained across the Council.
The amendment was debated. Following on from this, Council voted on the amended motion. Upon the vote the amended motion was defeated.
Council then voted on the motion. In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.4 a recorded vote was requested by Councillors A Dale, M E Thacker MBE and B Lewis.
For the Motion – 46
(Councillors W Armitage, N Barker, J Birkin, K Bone, P Bone, S Clough, A Cooper, S Cornwell, C Cupit, A Dale, L Deighton, P Elliott, M Emmens, A Foster, M Foster, J Funnell, O Gomez Reaney, R Hall, D Hancock, L Hartshorne, E A Hill, A Holmes, C D Huckerby, M Jones, J Kenyon, P R Kerry, B Lewis, H Liggett, J Lilley, G Morley, P Parkin, S Pickering, M Potts, A Powell, T Reader, C Renwick, M Roe, K Rouse, D Ruff, R Shipman, L Stone, M E Thacker MBE, R Welton, N Whitehead, B Wright and P Wright).
The Council was UNANIMOUS in accepting the motion.