Agenda item

To consider any Motions for debate in accordance with Council Procedure Rule A9.

1)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Sky Lanterns

 

The following motion was submitted and moved by Councillor Jeff Scales and seconded by Councillor Kate Walsh under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“That following correspondence sent to the Council Leader from the "End Sky Litter Campaign" this Council requests that the Cabinet considers a report on the issue of sky lanterns and balloons with a view to the possibility of a ban within the borough of Hyndburn on the release of both sky lanterns and balloons on all Council owned land and property as well as the general discouragement of this practice through any measures that the Council are able to employ.  

 

At present, only 64 (of 354) councils within England have put a ban in place. A ban would help prevent the individual and mass release of sky lanterns and balloons on council land to prevent the unnecessary suffering to animals and the devastating impact they can have on the environment. It's estimated that 200,000 sky lanterns are sold in the UK each year, along with many thousands of balloons also being sold with a number of them intended for release. While these releases can look mesmerising, many people are unaware of the deadly consequences fallen lanterns and deflated balloons can have for animals and the environment. 

 

Wildlife can easily become entangled in lantern frames and balloon strings- not to mention the fatal effect these parts can have on an animal if they ingest any component of these items. Deflated and fragments of balloons are commonly mistaken for food by marine life, and the strings used to tether balloons have been known to cause animals to become entangled or choke and suffer from internal blockages which ultimately leads to their death. 

 

In March, a report was released stating that balloons are the highest-risk debris item to seabirds, they're 32 times more likely to result in death than ingesting hard plastic.

 

Both balloons and sky lanterns have the potential to travel miles from their original release site before returning back to land. 

 

The RSPCA and many other organisations including the Marine Conservation Society, the British Veterinary Association and the National Farmers Union all support the ban of balloon and sky lantern releases.”

 

After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Resolved                                         That this Council requested that the Cabinet consider a report on the issue of sky lanterns and balloons with a view to the possibility of a ban within the Borough of Hyndburn on the release of both sky lanterns and balloons on all Council owned land and property as well as the general discouragement of this practice through any measures that the Council are able to employ.  

 

2)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Climate Emergency

 

The following motion was submitted and moved by Councillor Glen Harrison and seconded by Councillor Dave Parkins under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“This Council notes that the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world. 

 

That the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C’, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October 2018, (a) describes the enormous harm that a 2°C average rise in global temperatures is likely to cause compared with a 1.5°C rise, and (b) confirms that limiting Global Warming to 1.5°C may still be possible with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society and the private sector.

 

That all governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to act, and local governments that recognise this should not wait for their national governments to change their policies. 

That strong policies to cut emissions also have associated health, wellbeing and economic benefits; and that, recognising this, a growing number of UK local authorities have already passed 'Climate Emergency' motions.

 

That Council therefore commits to:

 

Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ that requires urgent action.

Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2030.

Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2030.

Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2030.

 

Support and work with all other relevant agencies towards making the entire area zero carbon within the same timescale.

 

Ensure that political and chief officer leadership teams embed this work in all areas and take responsibility for reducing, as rapidly as possible, the carbon emissions resulting from the Council’s activities, ensuring that any recommendations are fully costed and that the Executive and Scrutiny functions review council activities taking account of production and consumption emissions and produce an action plan within 12 months, together with budget actions and a measured baseline;

 

Request that Council Scrutiny Panels consider the impact of climate change and the environment when reviewing Council policies and strategies.

 

Work with, influence and inspire partners across the district, county and region to help deliver this goal through all relevant strategies, plans and shared resources by developing a series of meetings, events and partner workshops.

 

Request that the Council and partners take steps to proactively include young people in the process, ensuring that they have a voice in shaping the future.

 

Request that the Executive Portfolio holder with responsibility for Climate Change convenes a Citizens’ Assembly in 2019 in order to involve the wider population in this process. This group would help develop their own role, identify how the Council’s activities might be made net-zero carbon by 2030, consider the latest climate science and expert advice on solutions and to consider systematically the climate change impact of each area of the Council’s activities.

 

Set up a Climate Change Partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, young citizens, climate science and solutions experts, businesses, Citizens Assembly representatives and other relevant parties. Over the following 12 months, the Group will consider strategies and actions being developed by the Council and other partner organisations and develop a strategy in line with a target of net zero emissions by 2030. It will also recommend ways to maximise local benefits of these actions in other sectors such as employment, health, agriculture, transport and the economy.

 

Report on the level of investment in the fossil fuel industry that our pensions plan and other investments have, and review the Council’s investment strategy to give due consideration to climate change impacts in the investment portfolio.

 

Ensure that all reports in preparation for the 2020/21 budget cycle and investment strategy will take into account the actions the council will take to address this emergency.

 

Call on the UK Government to provide the powers, resources and help with funding to make this possible, and ask local MPs to do likewise.

 

Consider other actions that could be implemented, including (but not restricted to): renewable energy generation and storage, providing electric vehicle infrastructure and encouraging alternatives to private car use, increasing the efficiency of buildings, in particular to address fuel poverty; proactively using local planning powers to accelerate the delivery of net carbon new developments and communities, coordinating a series of information and training events to raise awareness and share good practice.”

 

Members were also in agreement within the Chamber that disposable plastic cups should not be used at future meetings and be replaced with glasses to help reduce the Council’s carbon footprint.

 

After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Resolved                               (1)     That this Council noted that the impacts of climate breakdown were already causing serious damage around the world, and:-

 

(2)     That this Council therefore commits to undertake the actions as per the full motion listed in the report attached to the Council agenda.

 

3)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Jammu and Kashmir

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Munsif Dad JP BEM and seconded by Councillor Abdul Khan under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“Hyndburn Borough Council from the UK stand in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir after the decision made by the Indian Government to unilaterally revoke article 370 and 35a from their constitution, which gave the state power to define permanent residents and their privileges.

 

This Council puts on record that this is devastating and a death to democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

We are a multi cultural organisation here in Hyndburn Council and are proud to serve a range of diverse communities. The actions taken by the Indian Government directly affects many of our residents who have family and loved ones in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

The internet and phones are down, we have media blackout and indefinite curfews to silence the people of Jammu and Kashmir which is a violation of human rights.

 

This Council strongly condemns the Indian Government’s actions and asks that the Leader of Council along with our MPs write to Rt Hon Dominic Rabb MP - the Secretary of State of Foreign affairs, to raise this with the Indian Government and immediately seek for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and lift all reporting and communications restrictions applied on or after the 6th August 2019.

 

We the Hyndburn Council ask that the Leader of the Council writes to the MEPs to raise this with the United Nations and European Parliament to seek a resolution for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to adopt United Nations resolution 47,that allows this.

 

We ask that they hold the Indian Government to account for the violation of human rights according to international law.”

 

After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Resolved                               (1)     That this Council asks the Leader of the Council along with our MP to write to Rt Hon Dominic Rabb MP - the Secretary of State of Foreign affairs, to raise this issue with the Indian Government and immediately seek for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and lift all reporting and communications restrictions applied on or after the 6th August 2019, and:-

 

(2)     That this Council asks that the Leader of the Council writes to the MEPs to raise this issue with the United Nations and European Parliament to seek a resolution for the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and to adopt United Nations resolution 47, which allows this.

 

4)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Brexit Preparedness

 

The following motion submiited by Councillor Tim O’Kane was moved by Councillor Noordad Aziz and seconded by Councillor Stephen Button under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“That this Council is concerned about a lack of possible medical resources in the event of a No Deal Brexit and urges the Government and the NHS locally to take all possible steps to mitigate the risks to the residents of Hyndburn, such as a lack of medication or shortage of staffing.”

 

After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Resolved                                         That this Council noted with concern the lack of possible medical resources in the event of a No Deal Brexit and urged the Government and NHS locally to take all possible steps to mitigate the risks to the residents of Hyndburn, such as a lack of medication or shortage of staffing.

 

5)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Transport

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Noordad Aziz and seconded by Councillor Melissa Fisher under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“That this Council recognises the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Transport across the North. The Council resolves to write to the group to highlight the opportunities and challenges facing infrastructure in Hyndburn and East Lancashire and to emphasise the work that Members have done to highlight and to support infrastructure investment programmes for the following for the benefit of Hyndburn residents and businesses.”

 

1.      Re-establishment of the Skipton to Colne Rail link for commuter and freight including looking at a freight terminal in East Lancashire.

 

2.      The M65 to link into Yorkshire and the A1(M).

 

3.      The Direct rail link from East Lancashire to Manchester Airport after the completion of the Ordsall curve.

 

4.      The increasing of capacity and upgrade on the A56 and M66 unlocking economic and social mobility of the whole of East Lancashire with better access to Manchester.

 

5.      Offer a solution to Accrington, being the most congested place outside of a city, to alleviate congestion and pollution pinch points around the borough especially the Whalley Road Junction at Clayton Le Moors.

 

6.      Look at the expansion of the Manchester Metrolink to the Rossendale valley and then into Hyndburn.

 

After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

 

Resolved                               (1)     That this Council recognises the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Transport across the North, and:-

 

(2)     That this Council writes to the group to highlight the opportunities and challenges facing infrastructure in Hyndburn and East Lancashire and to emphasise the work that Members have done to highlight and support infrastructure investment programmes (listed in the motion) for the benefit of Hyndburn residents and businesses.

 

 

6)         Notice Submitted on Motion – Wildflower Habitats

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Sara Britcliffe and seconded by Councillor Josh Allen under Council Procedure Rule A9:-

 

“That Hyndburn Council look at ways in which wildflower habitats can be planted on roadside verges, roundabouts and disused land throughout the borough, that fall under their jurisdiction.”

 

Resolved                                    -    That this Council looked at ways in which wildflower habitats could be planted on roadside verges, roundabouts and disused land throughout the borough, that fall under the Council’s jurisdiction.