Agenda item

To receive and consider the recommendations of the Cabinet relating to Councillor Hook’s Notice of Motion. 

The text of the original Notice of Motion, the Cabinet’s recommendation and any reasons therefor may be seen in full in Minute 53 of the Cabinet held on 13 July 2016 (Page 4, Green Pages).

(Councillors Dempster, Dewhirst, Morse, Sellis and Wright each declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of being Members of the Devon Wildlife Trust).

Pursuant to County Council Minute 160(d) of 10 December 2015 relating to the Notice of Motion set out below as previously submitted and formally moved by Councillor Hook, and duly seconded, that:

‘Bees play an essential role in food production. The Bee population has been in alarming decline in recent years, due to various external influences. One such harmful influence is the use of neonicotinoids, an aggressive pesticide. Devon is heavily reliant on agriculture and this council will therefore prohibit the use of this pesticide on all land that it owns or manages in a proactive effort to reverse the destruction of the Bee community here in Devon. The Council will also explore other ways which, in addition to banning this particular pesticide, will help the survival of the Bee population. A report on other potential actions will be brought to Place Scrutiny’.

and having had regard to the advice of the Cabinet set out in Minute 53 of 13 July 2016 and to further representations received direct by Members and acknowledging the view of the Cabinet Member for Community and Environmental Services that the proposed Plan reflected the general principle that the Council would endeavour to stop using bee harmful pesticides on its land and would encourage others to do likewise:

Councillor Hart MOVED and Councillor Croad seconded that the Cabinet’s recommended advice (submitted as a formal amendment) set out at Minute 53 be accepted which substantially gives effect to the Notice of Motion and the Devon County Council Pollinators’ Action Plan appended to Report PTE/16/36 be approved.

Councillor Hart then indicated his willingness, with the consent of the Council, to accept a further amendment of which advance notice had been given by Councillor Wright and the revised, composite, amendment as set out below was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED.

‘(a) that the advice of the Cabinet set out at Minute 53 be accepted which substantially gives effect to the Notice of Motion through proposed actions;

(b) that the Devon County Council Pollinators’ Action Plan appended to Report PTE/16/36 be approved;

(c) that the County Council acknowledges the essential role of pollinators and proactively engages with communities, Devon Wildlife Trust and Town and Parish Councils to promote a significant boost in the number of roadside wildflower verges’

Councillor Wright then MOVED and Councillor Biederman SECONDED that Minute 53(b) be amended by the addition of the words:

‘provided that this Council acknowledges the limitations of the contract with the Farms Estates, recognises the role of neonicotinoids in the significant decline of bees and therefore opposes the use of such pesticides on it’s land’.

The amendment was put to the vote and declared LOST.

The composite amendment in the name of Councillor Hart above was then put to the vote as the substantive Motion and declared CARRIED.