Agenda item

Notices of motion deferred from the meeting held on Thursday 1 March 2012.

1)         From Councillor Charmaine Morgan

It is proposed that South Kesteven District Council creates a Voluntary Sector Fund specifically for the use of voluntary sector organisations, across the District, which are providing vital facilities to vulnerable residents.

The combination of high unemployment, cuts in welfare benefits and rising household costs is leading to an increase in the level of people in need of assistance from the Voluntary Sector to access the most basic life essentials

2)         From Councillor Charmaine Morgan

South Kesteven District Council's Core Strategy recognises that our natural and built heritage play a valuable role in promoting the past. 

Our heritage also a generator of economic growth, where heritage assets are protected and used appropriately,

This motion calls for a cross party workshop to examine what specific action should be taken to develop economic growth across South Kesteven District, based on tourism, recognising the value of both our natural and built heritage

3)         From Councillor Phil Dilks

Council notes that a Public Open Forum of up to 30-minutes is set aside at the start of each Council meeting for any resident of the District to question the administration, subject to written notification no later than 72-hours prior to the meeting.

The resident may reasonably expect to receive an answer at the meeting as well as a reply to a supplementary question. 

Questions from Councillors are also required to be submitted within a similar time-frame, but are then treated very differently to questions from residents.

In referring all questions from councillors to ‘the relevant Policy Development Group’ irrespective of who they are directed to, the councillor usually has to wait for an answer even longer than the legal maximum response time to questions lodged under the Freedom of Information Act.

In the spirit of improving openness, accountability, and efficiency, this Council resolves to task its Constitutional Committee to consider appropriate amendments to the Rules of Procedure to be voted on at the next Annual Meeting of the Council, thus ensuring that in seeking information, councillors are not more disadvantaged than the residents they are elected to represent.

4)         From Councillor Phil Dilks

This Council resolves that each SKDC Committee and Policy Development Group is invited to provide a short report on its work over the previous year to be presented to the Annual Meeting of the Council.

5)         From Councillor Rob Shorrock

            This motion calls on the council to do the following:

1. The council will, through its neighbourhood groups, consult widely with existing and would-be tenants and others on government proposals for secure tenancies, rents and housing benefit

2. Seek the views and experience of private sector tenants, and provide support and advice in the face of high rents and housing benefit cuts.

3. Provide a briefing for landlords on the impact of housing benefit changes and work with them to develop affordable pricing strategies

4. Not replace existing or future secure tenancies with fixed term tenancies for existing and future tenants

5. Ensure that proposed business plans for borrowing and investment in housing include a full equality and economic impact assessment on the impact of future rent policy and that full consultation is undertaken with tenants, neighbourhood groups and councillors.

6. Ensure that the Housing Business Plan is discussed and approved by a full meeting of council.

Decision:

That the Council rejects the motion:

It is proposed that South Kesteven District Council creates a Voluntary Sector Fund specifically for the use of voluntary sector organisations, across the District, which are providing vital facilities to vulnerable residents.

The combination of high unemployment, cuts in welfare benefits and rising household costs is leading to an increase in the level of people in need of assistance from the Voluntary Sector to access the most basic life essentials.

Councillor Morgan proposed the motion:

“It is proposed that South Kesteven District Council creates a Voluntary Sector Fund specifically for the use of voluntary sector organisations, across the District, which are providing vital facilities to vulnerable residents.

The combination of high unemployment, cuts in welfare benefits and rising household costs is leading to an increase in the level of people in need of assistance from the Voluntary Sector to access the most basic life essentials”

The motion was seconded.

In proposing the motion, Councillor Morgan stated that voluntary organisations in the district that provided services for the most vulnerable residents were facing increased demand and finding it difficult to access funding. Attracting funding for existing projects was difficult and there was a lot of competition. A lot of initiatives were church-led or reliant on voluntary contributions from individuals. Similar concerns were echoed by other Councillors who spoke in favour of the amendment.

Referring to the draft Financial Outturn, she proposed that a fund be created from within the reserve which was set aside for unforeseen events.

During debate on the motion, Councillors highlighted national economic conditions, levels of unemployment, the number of part-time workers and the number of families living in poverty.

Members also considered future funding arrangements for the authority; further reductions in funding were expected over the next four-years.

The Council’s Budget included funding for the Lincolnshire Community Voluntary Service, which supported voluntary sector organisations and the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, from which individuals could seek support.

Some Councillors expressed concern that the proposed level of funding and its duration were not included in the motion. Several Councillors suggested that the support provided by voluntary sector organisations should be provided by the government, and funding for the services should not be the responsibility of a district council.

The Section 151 Officer stated that the 2012/13 budget had been agreed and would require reports to Cabinet and Council by which point the budget cycle for 2013/14 would be underway. He suggested that if the motion was successful, provision for such a fund could be built into this.

There was a request for a recorded vote. However, failing to receive the support of ten Members as per Council Procedure rule 16.4, the request was refused. The proposal was put to the vote and lost.

Councillors Selby, Morgan, Shorrock, Davidson, Powell, Ashberry and Wells requested that their votes for the motion be recorded. Councillor Peter Stephens requested that his vote against the motion be recorded.

Councillor Morgan withdrew her second notice of motion. The notices of motion submitted by Councillor Dilks were dismissed because he was not present at the meeting.

Decision:

That the Council rejects the motion:

1. “The council will, through its neighbourhood groups, consult widely with existing and would-be tenants and others on government proposals for secure tenancies, rents and housing benefit

2. Seek the views and experience of private sector tenants, and provide support and advice in the face of high rents and housing benefit cuts.

3. Provide a briefing for landlords on the impact of housing benefit changes and work with them to develop affordable pricing strategies

4. Not replace existing or future secure tenancies with fixed term tenancies for existing and future tenants

5. Ensure that proposed business plans for borrowing and investment in housing include a full equality and economic impact assessment on the impact of future rent policy and that full consultation is undertaken with tenants, neighbourhood groups and councillors.

6. Ensure that the Housing Business Plan is discussed and approved by a full meeting of council.”

Councillor Shorrock proposed the motion:

1. The council will, through its neighbourhood groups, consult widely with existing and would-be tenants and others on government proposals for secure tenancies, rents and housing benefit

2. Seek the views and experience of private sector tenants, and provide support and advice in the face of high rents and housing benefit cuts.

3. Provide a briefing for landlords on the impact of housing benefit changes and work with them to develop affordable pricing strategies

4. Not replace existing or future secure tenancies with fixed term tenancies for existing and future tenants

5. Ensure that proposed business plans for borrowing and investment in housing include a full equality and economic impact assessment on the impact of future rent policy and that full consultation is undertaken with tenants, neighbourhood groups and councillors.

6. Ensure that the Housing Business Plan is discussed and approved by a full meeting of council.

The motion was seconded.

In proposing the motion, Councillor Shorrock referred to £18bn in benefit cuts that had been proposed by the government, which would particularly affect young people under the age of 25 and families with children with disabilities. He suggested that reducing benefits for young people could increase the number of homelessness applications made to the Council. He also highlighted a potential national impact, which could see people migrating to the district from more areas where the cost of living was greater. Consequently, the motion called for a full impact assessment that would constitute part of the Housing business plan.

Councillor Shorrock also highlighted legislation that would give the Council the power to change the tenure of its tenancies. He asked the Council to protect secure tenancies. The motion also indicated the importance of consultation with tenants and landlords about changes to benefits and the potential impact of those changes. The Councillor seconding the motion highlighted a potential risk: that private sector rents would increase because of demand created by high house prices.

The Portfolio Holder for Good Housing highlighted work that the Council was doing, which he considered addressed the points raised in the motion. Work included reviewing strategies around housing including the management, maintenance and investment in the Council’s housing stock as a result of the re-financing of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). This would include consultation with key stakeholders including tenants. The Council was also preparing for the impact of welfare reform on council and private sector tenants and subsequent consultation. Councillors would have the opportunity to get involved with this policy development through the Council’s policy development groups.

It was proposed and seconded that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13(x), that the question be now put. This proposal was put to the vote and carried.

The proposed notice of motion was put to the vote and lost.