Agenda item

The following Notices of Motion submitted to the County Council by the following Councillors have been referred to the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 8(2) for consideration, to refer it to another Committee or make a recommendation back to the Council:

 

(a) Voting Systems (Councillor Shaw)

 

(b) Elections – Campaigning (Councillor Shaw)

 

(c) Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (Councillor Hodgson)

 

(d) Beach Breaks, Mental Health and Support of Initiatives (Councillor Biederman)

 

(e) Sustainable future funding for Local Welfare Assistance (Councillor Atkinson)

 

(f) Use of Neonicotinoids (Councillor Wright)

(a) Voting Systems (Councillor Shaw)

 

RESOLVED that Council

 

(a) notes the various voting mechanisms in place and the lack of consistency across various organisations and throughout the UK;

 

(b) welcomes the current campaign that has been designed to encourage candidates to stand in the Election and also the investment made to promote the Elections and increase public participation through voting safely in person, by post or by proxy;

 

(c) welcomes any future legislative changes that increases participation in democratic processes; and

 

(d) in light of the public being given the opportunity to vote to change the current voting system in 2011 and the referendum being lost, the Council take no further action on the Notice of Motion.

 

(b) Elections – Campaigning (Councillor Shaw)

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that Council support the work of the Cabinet Office in developing online postal voting and furthermore supports any mechanism which gives choice to the electorate in terms of voting, but also notes that any changes would not be possible for the forthcoming Elections on the 6^th May 2021, given the legislative changes required; and

(b)  that in light of the new guidance issued by the Cabinet Office, which states  that from the 8th March people campaigning in support of the electoral success of candidates or political parties will be allowed to deliver leaflets and canvass electors in relation to the elections, Council be recommended to take no further action on the Notice of Motion.

 

(c) Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (Councillor Hodgson)

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to endorse the Notice of Motion and encourage local MPs to support the Bill. In doing so, Council will ask local MPs to work with Government colleagues to provide a national framework of necessary legislative changes and additional resources to facilitate the unprecedented levels of behaviour change, skills development, technology deployment and investment that will be necessary to meet Paris Agreement commitments.

 

(d) Beach Breaks, Mental Health and Support of Initiatives (Councillor Biederman)

 

RESOLVED that Council;

 

(a) ask Public Health Devon explore with the Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) and/or other partners to conduct a pilot study examining possible options to increase engagement with green and blue spaces in children, young people, and families on low income;

 

(b) further ask Public Health Devon work with the Devon LNP and Active Devon to review and if necessary develop resources to promote local opportunities for walks or activities in green/blue space for to a wide variety of users e.g. family friendly, pram friendly, wheelchair accessible etc; and

 

(c) increase communications using a social marketing approach that are targeted and relatable to improve confidence and allay anxieties about accessing the natural environment and facilitate behaviour change.

 

(e) Sustainable future funding for Local Welfare Assistance (Councillor Atkinson)

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to;

 

(a) maintain the Team Devon Financial Hardship scheme to support, as far as the resources permit, residents facing financial crisis for 2021/22;

 

(b) campaign for a new funding allocation for councils from central government to provide schemes to address financial hardship and economic vulnerability be made available at the next comprehensive spending review and protected in real terms over the following years;

 

(c) write to the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to request that they make such a funding allocation available to local authorities, and;

 

(d) continue to work and engage partners as necessary to create the appropriate climate for job creation in the County to improve its prosperity.

 

(f) Use of Neonicotinoids (Councillor Wright)

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to

 

(a) endorse the spirit of this Notice of Motion given the significant environmental concerns relating to the use of neonicotinoids and calls on Government to carefully review its consideration of emergency use applications to ensure consistency with the objectives of the National Pollinator Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan; and

 

(b) note that with the new guidance recently received the motion has been superseded by Government action.

(a) Voting Systems (Councillor Shaw)

 

Councillors Biederman, Hannaford and Hodgson attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

This County Council regrets that under the current first-past-the-post system for electing councillors:

 

1. A large proportion and usually the majority of the votes cast do not help to elect a councillor, meaning that many voters see their votes wasted over many successive elections.

 

2. This situation discourages participation in the electoral process since many people see no point in voting.

 

3. A party is able to gain an overwhelming majority on the Council despite receiving only a minority of the votes across the county, reducing voters’ faith in the fairness of elections.

 

In this light, this Council welcomes the new legislation agreed by the Welsh Assembly to allow councils to choose to change their voting system to the proportional Single Transferable Vote system, which is already used for local elections in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This Council calls on the Government to introduce similar legislation for England so that we can make a choice of the best system for the people of Devon.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to the number of different voting systems in use, for example First-Past-The-Post, Alternative Vote (AV), Supplementary Vote (SV), Single Transferable Vote (STV) and Additional Member System (AMS) and where these systems where used. It also referred to the outcome of the referendum that was held on 5 May 2011 on whether the electoral system for UK general elections should be changed from the first past the post system to the AV system. It also highlighted the key points of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and any other relevant factors.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

 

(a) note the various voting mechanisms in place and the lack of consistency across various organisations and throughout the UK;

 

(b) welcome the current Council campaign that has been designed to encourage candidates to stand in the Election and also the investment made to promote the Elections and increase public participation through voting safely in person, by post or by proxy;

 

(c) welcome any future legislative changes that increases participation in democratic processes; and

 

(d) in light of the public being given the opportunity to vote to change the current voting system in 2011 and the referendum being lost, the Council take no further action on the Notice of Motion.

 

(b) Elections – Campaigning (Councillor Shaw)

 

Councillors Hannaford and Hodgson also attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

This County Council regrets the Government's decision to continue with elections in May as planned, despite the difficulties of organising this safely for voters or polling staff, while banning leafleting and canvassing and failing to make postal voting easier.

 

In order to ensure the safe and equitable running of the elections, this Council calls on the Government to facilitate (1) online registration for postal voting, and (2) a free postal delivery of leaflets for each Council Election Candidate.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to the current process for applying for a postal vote, the use of personal identifiers as required by the Electoral Administration Act 2006 and the intention of the Cabinet Office to introduce legislation to

develop online postal voting (expected to be part of the Electoral Integrity Bill).

 

The briefing also updated on the most recent guidance, from the Cabinet Office, regarding campaigning and leafleting and that from the 8 March activists would be permitted to canvas and leaflet (subject to Covid secure caveats) with a further relaxation of the rules from the 29 March.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and any other relevant factors.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

 

(a) support the work of the Cabinet Office in developing online postal voting and furthermore supports any mechanism which gives choice to the electorate in terms of voting, but also notes that any changes would not be possible for the forthcoming Elections on the 6^th May 2021, given the legislative changes required; and

(b)  that in light of the new guidance issued by the Cabinet Office, which states that from the 8th March people campaigning in support of the electoral success of candidates or political parties will be allowed to deliver leaflets and canvass electors in relation to the elections, Council be recommended to take no further action on the Notice of Motion.

 

(c) Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (Councillor Hodgson)

 

Councillor Hodgson attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 8 and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

In line with our formal declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency, and our commitment to actions to change behaviour to address the causes of this situation and mitigate the impacts, this Council supports the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill proposed by a coalition of scientists, academics and lawyers with the aim of bringing the UK’s climate policy into one with evolving scientific evidence.  This proposed Bill is also supported by 96 cross-party members of parliament.  Nationally we need a strong legislative framework that embeds the Government’s targets in law, enabling us as supportive players, to plan and develop our future trajectories, to fit in with those targets.  

 

Council therefore resolves to:

 

i.              Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill

ii.            Inform the local media of this decision;

iii.           Write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill; and

iv.           Write to the CEE Bill Alliance, the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, expressing its support (campaign@ceebill.uk)’.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to the declaration of a climate emergency in February 2019 and the convening of the Devon Climate Emergency partnership and the aim of creating a resilient, net-zero carbon Devon. It also reported on the origins of the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill and its objectives in tackling the climate and ecological emergency, many of which were closely aligned to the Devon Climate Declaration and the work of the Devon Local Nature Partnership.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and those already undertaken.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to endorse the Notice of Motion and encourage local MPs to support the Bill. In doing so, Council will ask local MPs to work with Government colleagues to provide a national framework of necessary legislative changes and additional resources to facilitate the unprecedented levels of behaviour change, skills development, technology deployment and investment that will be necessary to meet Paris Agreement commitments.

 

 

(d) Beach Breaks, Mental Health and Support of Initiatives (Councillor Biederman)

 

Councillor Biederman attended in accordance with Standing Order 8 and Councillors Dewhirst, Hannaford and Hodgson also attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

‘This Council recognises that many children in Devon have never been to the beach or because of financial limitations on families can often find it beyond their means.

 

Visiting a beach can have fantastic health benefits for young people and their family, particularly their mental health, as well as connecting them with our beautiful environment, if communities are better connected to our natural environment, they will be more inclined to preserve it for future generations.

 

Pensioners can access the beaches with their free bus pass, we believe this should also be available to our young people.

 

So, this Council commits to work with our travel partners to provide vouchers to families on low incomes for free travel to the beach at weekends and/or during school holiday periods.

 

Cabinet are asked to provide a budget to support this, from the public health budget.

 

We also lobby Government for more Public Health Funding to help support these type of initiatives’.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to the body of evidence which suggested regularly accessing both green and blue spaces had benefits to physical and mental health. Much of Devon’s landscape had been defined as rural greenspace, although the type of green and blue space that was beneficial to health also applied to ‘any area of public or private vegetated land (urban or rural), or any natural or built environment that prominently featured water’, for example parks, playing fields, woodland, allotments, streams, ponds, canals, rivers, and the sea. Barriers to access included perceived cost, distance, low levels of confidence in where to visit, and lack of time. There were several ongoing workstreams to support increasing access to green and blue spaces which were outlined in the briefing paper.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and already undertaken.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor Croad, and

 

RESOLVED that Council:

 

(a) ask that Public Health Devon explore with the Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) and/or other partners to conduct a pilot study examining possible options to increase engagement with green and blue spaces in children, young people, and families on low income;

 

(b) further ask Public Health Devon work with the Devon LNP and Active Devon to review and if necessary develop resources to promote local opportunities for walks or activities in green/blue space for to a wide variety of users e.g. family friendly, pram friendly, wheelchair accessible etc; and

 

(c) increase communications using a social marketing approach that are targeted and relatable to improve confidence and allay anxieties about accessing the natural environment and facilitate behaviour change.

 

 

(e) Sustainable future funding for Local Welfare Assistance (Councillor Atkinson)

 

Councillor Atkinson attended in accordance with Standing Order 8 and Councillor Hodgson also attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

This Council notes that:

 

1.    Until 2013, emergency financial assistance was principally provided by central Government through the Discretionary Social Fund.

2.    From 2013, the Government implemented wholesale reform of the Discretionary Social Fund. Some parts were kept, however, the government abolished Crisis Loans (other than Alignment Payments) and Community Care Grants.

3.    Responsibility for emergency financial assistance was devolved to the local level and funding transferred to local authorities in England on a non-ring-fenced basis, with the intention that they establish their own Local Welfare Assistance (LWA) Schemes to support local people facing a crisis.

4.    The Government then decided that from 2015/16 onwards there would be no separate LWA funding stream. Instead, it would become part of the general Revenue Support Grant that central government provides to councils to support their spending on any local services.

5.    In the intervening years, with reduced overall funding for councils, a lack of guidance from central government, and the absence of a statutory requirement for local authorities to deliver emergency financial assistance, local authorities faced difficult decisions about funding and maintaining LWA schemes. In many areas local welfare provision was either significantly reduced or closed completely.

6.    In 2020/21, in response to significant levels of need during the COVID-19 pandemic, Government provided additional funding to local authorities to deliver emergency financial assistance. £63million was provided through the Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant for food and essential items, whilst a further £170million was provided through the COVID Winter Support Scheme.

 

This Council believes that:

 

1.    As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts, we can expect there to be significant ongoing need for emergency financial assistance, with many families in this country at some time facing a ‘financial crisis’ point – a financial problem which puts the immediate health and wellbeing of family members at risk.

2.    If properly resourced, local authorities are uniquely placed to support residents facing financial crisis, with LWA schemes central to that support. Local schemes can be underpinned by the existing knowledge that councils have of need in their communities, alongside the relationships they hold with local voluntary and community sector partners.

3.    Whilst local authorities have other mechanisms such as Discretionary Housing Payments and Local Council Tax Support Schemes to support low income households, Covid-19 has demonstrated how important it is for Councils to have the capacity to deliver timely and discretionary emergency support to households reaching crisis point.

4.    Central Government should therefore provide sustainable, long-term funding for local welfare assistance- to give councils the confidence and certainty that they need to develop an effective local welfare offer.

 

This Council, therefore, resolves:

 

1.    To [establish/maintain] a Local Welfare Assistance Scheme to support residents facing financial crisis.

2.    To campaign for a new funding allocation for councils from central government to provide Local Welfare Assistance schemes to be made available at the next comprehensive spending review and protected in real terms over the following years.

3.    To write to the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to request that they make such a funding allocation available to local authorities.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to the 2013 abolition of the Discretionary Social Fund and the subsequent grant of approximately £1.2m made to the Council. A partnership agreement with Districts had worked well until Government funding was withdrawn in 2015/16, however, a small local welfare scheme had been maintained in South West Devon. However, at the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, the Council devolved £1m through Team Devon to District Councils under a similar funding agreement for various types of support. The funding had since been topped up. The fund had been recognised as a good example of Team Devon working across local government and case studies were being gathered. It was recognised that there were wide gaps appearing in terms of social and economic deprivation and as such, the Council would continue to lobby the Government for a strategy for dealing with hardship in the medium term.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and already undertaken.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor Croad, and

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

 

(a) maintain the Team Devon Financial Hardship scheme to support, as far as the resources permit, residents facing financial crisis for 2021/22;

 

(b) campaign for a new funding allocation for councils from central government to provide schemes to address financial hardship and economic vulnerability be made available at the next comprehensive spending review and protected in real terms over the following years;

 

(c) write to the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to request that they make such a funding allocation available to local authorities, and;

 

(d) continue to work and engage partners as necessary to create the appropriate climate for job creation in the County to improve its prosperity.

 

 

(f) Use of Neonicotinoids (Councillor Wright)

 

Councillors Biederman and Hodgson also attended remotely in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 and spoke to this item). The wording of the Motion outlined below.

 

This Council regrets the Government’s u-turn on using Neonicotinoids, banned under EU law, and which have proved to be damaging to our vital bee population, other insects and birds and water courses.

 

This Council calls on the Government to urgently reverse its decision.

 

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (CSO/21/7) which referred to Neonicotinoids, also known as ‘neonics’, being the most widely used insecticides in the world, due to efficacy against sap-feeding insects, such as aphids, and the diseases they transmit. Inadvertently they had a highly detrimental effect on bees and other insects and cascading effects up the food chain affecting birds and fish.

 

In December 2013 the European Commission (EC) introduced a precautionary ban on the three most common neonics. Since 2018, 10 EU countries had been granted emergency use authorisations for neonicotinoid seed treatments. The latest emergency use authorisation was approved by Defra in January this year to counter the threat to sugar beet crops from beet yellow virus. The use of neonics appeared to be inconsistent with the UK government’s policy support for pollinators and the wider environmental objectives set out in its 25 Year Environment Plan.

 

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and already undertaken.

 

It was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor Croad, and

 

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to:

 

(a) endorse the spirit of this Notice of Motion given the significant environmental concerns relating to the use of neonicotinoids and calls on Government to carefully review its consideration of emergency use applications to ensure consistency with the objectives of the National Pollinator Strategy and the 25 Year Environment Plan; and

 

(b)  and note that with the new guidance recently received the motion has been superseded by Government action.