Agenda item

Notices of motion under Council Procedure Rule 4.5(l)

Notice of Motion’s shall be referred to the appropriate Committee meeting. The mover of the motion can outline the proposal and then it will stand adjoined. The motion may be debated to assist debate later if agreed by two-thirds of Council Members.

 

Councillor Jenks supported by Councillors H Cox, Hayes, G Hook, J Hook, Keeling, MacGregor, Morgan, Nutley and Wrigley.

 

That Teignbridge District Council

(i)        Acknowledges the efforts that this council is making to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy;

(ii)       Recognises that councils can play a central role in creating sustainable communities, particularly through the provision of locally generated renewable electricity;

(iii)      Further recognises,

That very large financial setup and running costs involved in selling          locally generated renewable electricity to local customers result in it being impossible for local renewable electricity generators to do so,

That making these financial costs proportionate to the scale of a renewable electricity suppliers operation would create significant opportunities for councils to be providers of locally generated renewable electricity directly to local people, businesses and organisations, and 

That the revenues received by councils that become local renewable electricity providers could be used to help fund local greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures and to help improve local services and facilities;

(iv).      Accordingly resolves to support the Local Electricity Bill, currently supported by a cross-party group of MPs (including our local MP), and which, if made law, would make the setup and running costs of selling renewable electricity to local customers proportionate by establishing a Right to Local Supply; and 

(v).       Further resolves to 

Inform the local media of this decision,

Write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill, and

Write to the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, Power for People,(at 8 Delancey Passage, Camden, London NW1 7NN or info@powerforpeople.org.uk) expressing its support.


Councillor Patch supported by Councillors Bradford, Daws, Jenks and Mullone.

 

See attached - Notice of Motion regarding Facilitating Open & Accountable Decision Making - submitted by Councillor Patch and supported by four Councillors as above.

 

This Council resolves that:-

 

(a): this Council is committed to the principles of open and accountable decision making;

 

(b): from this day forward, in meetings of the Full Council or any Committee of the Council, if just one Member present at the meeting (and not necessarily a Member of that Committee for Committee Meetings) requests a Recorded Vote for a particular vote the names for and against the motion or amendment or abstaining from voting will be taken down in writing and entered into the minutes. A demand for a recorded vote will override a demand for a

ballot; and

 

(c): until such time as the Articles of the Constitution for Full Council and Committees of the Council are updated to come in line with the above clause (b), clause (b) of this Motion shall take precedence over the requirements for a Recorded Vote as set out in those Articles of the Constitution.

 

Councillor Daws supported by Councillors Bradford, D Cox, Mullone and Patch.

 

Motion of Notice - Langford Bridge Planning Decision 

 

To reassure elected members and the general public, we request that the full council back the setting up of a task and finish group, Chaired by the Deputy Chair of O&S, to investigate and clarify that all correct due processes were undertaken in relation to the tabling of, discussion of, and voting on (granting of) application 19/00238/MAJ Langford Bridge Farm, Kingskerswell Road, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 5LA at the planning committee meeting of the 21st January.

 

Minutes:

Notice of Motion for Local Electricity Bill

 

Councillors Dewhirst, G Hook and J Hook declared an interest as members of Teign Energy Company.

 

Members considered a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Jenks and supported by Councillors H Cox, Hayes, G Hook, J Hook, Keeling, MacGregor, Morgan, Nutley and Wrigley.

 

Councillor Jenks in presenting his Notice of Motion stated that the bills purpose was to enable local electricity generators to become local electricity suppliers. This bill would make a huge difference to the increase in renewable energy and support councils and communities to become renewable generators.

 

This was seconded by the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change, Coastal Protection, and Flooding and carried unanimously. 

 

RESOLVED that Teignbridge District Council:-

 

(i)         Acknowledges the efforts that this council is making to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy;

 

(ii)        Recognises that councils can play a central role in creating sustainable communities, particularly through the provision of locally generated renewable electricity;

 

(iii)       Further recognises,

·         That very large financial setup and running costs involved in selling locally generated renewable electricity to local customers result in it being impossible for local renewable electricity generators to do so,

·         That making these financial costs proportionate to the scale of a renewable electricity suppliers operation would create significant opportunities for councils to be providers of locally generated renewable electricity directly to local people, business and organisations, and

·         That the revenues received by councils that become local renewable electricity providers could be used to help fund local greenhouse gas emissions reductions measures and to help improve local services and facilities;

 

(iv)       Accordingly resolves to support the Local Electricity Bill, currently supported by a cross-party group of MPs (including our local MP), and which, if made by law, would make the setup and running costs of selling renewable electricity to local customers proportionate by establishing a Right to Local Supply; and

 

(v)        Further resolves to inform the local media of this decision,

Write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill, and

Write to the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, Power for People, (at 8 Delancey Passage, Camden, London, NW1 7NN or info@powerforpeople.org.uk) expressing its support.           

 

The meeting recessed from 11.50am until 12.50pm.

 

Councillors Hayes, Hocking, Orme and Parker left the meeting at this point.

 

Notice of Motion regarding Facilitating Open and Accountable Decision Making

 

Members Considered a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Patch and supported by Councillors Bradford, Daws, Jenks and Mullone.

 

Councillor Patch in presenting his Notice of Motion, stated that the reasons for the proposals were to increase accountability and transparency in decision making and voting in particular at Planning Committee.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Mullone.

 

The Portfolio for Planning whilst being supportive of the need for the council to be transparent and open in its decision making process proposed an amendment to read as follows:-

 

(a) this Council is committed to the principles of open and accountable decision making;

(b) The council's electronic voting system is used for all votes on planning applications taken during meetings of the Planning Committee and the record of how each councillor voted is recorded with the minutes of the meeting.

(c) The right of every councillor to ask for their own personal vote to be recorded in the minutes after a vote has been taken and before the meeting moves to the next business, as has been the case for many years, is enshrined within the Teignbridge constitution.

(d) Arrangements for voting/recorded voting at all other council and committee meetings are referred for urgent review to the Constitutional Review Group and to report back to the next meeting of Council on 21 April. 

 

This was seconded by the Portfolio Holder for Sport, Recreation & Culture.

 

During debate the Members raised the following points:-

·         Number of members required for a recorded vote

·         Use of the electronic voting system

·         The Constitution Review Working Group to look at recorded voting and report back to full Council.

 

The amendment was put to the vote and carried unanimously.

 

The amendment being the substantive motion, this was put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED that:-

 

(a) this Council is committed to the principles of open and accountable decision making;

(b) The council's electronic voting system is used for all votes on planning applications taken during meetings of the Planning Committee and the record of how each councillor voted is recorded with the minutes of the meeting.

(c) The right of every councillor to ask for their own personal vote to be recorded in the minutes after a vote has been taken and before the meeting moves to the next business, as has been the case for many years, is enshrined within the Teignbridge constitution.

(d) Arrangements for voting/recorded voting at all other council and committee meetings are referred for urgent review to the Constitutional Review Group and to report back to the next meeting of Council on 21 April. 

 

Notice of Motion regarding Langford Bridge Planning Decision

 

Councillor Parker-Khan left the meeting before consideration of this item.

 

Councillor Bullivant declared a personal interest in light of the proposals of this notice of motion and he left the room during consideration of the item. 

 

Members considered a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Daws and supported by Councillors Bradford, D Cox, Mullone and Patch.

 

Councillor Daws in presenting his Notice of Motion stated that this motion was put forward to ensure that all the correct due processes were undertaken with the planning application for Langford Bridge Farm. The processes should be scrutinised to ensure that there was no conflict of interest and that the application had been dealt with in the proper manner.

 

This was seconded by Councillor Mullone.

 

Councillor D Cox whilst supportive of the tenor of the motion proposed an amendment to the motion for an external outside body that would be totally independent of the council to review the matter.

 

The Portfolio for Corporate Services in seconding the amendment stated that to have the Local Government Association undertake a review with independent an officer and councillor would ensure there was impartiality.

 

Councillor Haines clarified that he was a past board member of the Independent Planning Advisory Service and had undertaken work for them.

 

The amendment was put the vote and carried.

 

RESOLVED

To reassure elected members and the general public, the independent Planning Advisory Service is invited by Teignbridge Council to review all relevant matters and processes relating to the granting of application 19/00238/MAJ Langford Bridge Farm, Kingskerswell Road, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 5LA at the Planning Committee meeting of the 21st January and to report its conclusions to the Council.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.5 (q) (vi) Councillor Haines asked that his abstention from voting be recorded.

 

Supporting documents: