(a) Councillor Furnell to move:
This Council notes the Housing and Planning Bill along with the Welfare Reform and Work Bill will have a significantly damaging impact in Southampton.
It will include:
1. Southampton City Council will have £33m less to spend on housing (£10m due to inflation, £23m directly linked to Government) over the next four years.
2. Under ‘Pay to Stay’, Southampton families earning more than £30,000 per year will forfeit their social rent and be forced to pay full market rent, in some cases, seeing their rent double. Council further notes that a couple earning the living wage could be impacted by Pay to Stay and the only financial beneficiary will be the Tory-led Government.
3. No housing provider, including Southampton, will be able to offer new council tenancies for life. Tenancies will only be temporary (2-5 years) with no lifetime security.
4. The stricter benefit cap (£20,000 per family instead of £26,000) will see the number of tenants affected by the benefit cap in Southampton increase by 20 times (800 up from 39). In conjunction with the introduction of Universal Credit, this Council recognises tenants’ rental debts will almost inevitably increase, harming the Council’s cash flow.
5. To bankroll extending the Right to Buy to housing associations, local authorities will be forced to sell council housing to compensate housing associations for their lost properties. In effect, the loss of one social property will lead to another being lost in consequence.
This Council is gravely worried about these impactson Southampton. As a result, it calls on all group leaders to sign a joint letter to the city’s three MPs urging them to publicly denounce both bills.
(b) Councillor Shields to move:
This Council is concerned at the worrying lack of progress by Government on addressing the nation’s environmental challenges and on tackling man-made climate change, in particular. We are especially disappointed at the reversal of Government policy on green energy and the failure to support adequately local authorities sufficient powers to address poor health resulting from air pollution and to prevent unwanted fracking.
Council recognises the valuable contribution made by the current administration in promoting a cleaner environment in Southampton through initiatives such as the:
1. Introduction of glass recycling.
2. My Journey Campaign promoting modal shift.
3. Working with British Cycling to promote the Southampton Sky Rides.
4. Air quality scrutiny inquiry report.
5. “Keep Britain Tidy” declares Southampton parks to be some of the best in the country in 2014.
6. Investment in play areas across the City.
Council resolves to continue to work with our City MPs in addressing Southampton’s environmental challenges and pressing central Government for adequate levels of resources for meeting these.
(c) Councillor Moulton to move:
Ensuring the safety of children in Southampton should be an absolute priority for the City Council.
Council recognises and values the important role that the City’s dozens of lollipop men and ladies do in keeping local school children safe. Council further notes that with many of our local primary schools expanding, ensuring that children can get to school safely is an ever more pressing issue.
Council therefore regrets the decision by the Labour Administration in February to vote to remove all Council funding for this important service, putting 42 staff at risk of redundancy and discouraging children from walking, cycling and scooting to school.
Minutes:
(a) Housing and Planning Bill and the Welfare Reform and Work Bill
Councillor Furnell moved and Councillor Payne seconded:
“This Council notes the Housing and Planning Bill along with the Welfare Reform and Work Bill will have a significantly damaging impact in Southampton.
It will include:
1. Southampton City Council will have £33m less to spend on housing (£10m due to inflation, £23m directly linked to Government) over the next four years.
2. Under ‘Pay to Stay’, Southampton families earning more than £30,000 per year will forfeit their social rent and be forced to pay full market rent, in some cases, seeing their rent double. Council further notes that a couple earning the living wage could be impacted by Pay to Stay and the only financial beneficiary will be the Tory-led Government.
3. No housing provider, including Southampton, will be able to offer new council tenancies for life. Tenancies will only be temporary (2-5 years) with no lifetime security.
4. The stricter benefit cap (£20,000 per family instead of £26,000) will see the number of tenants affected by the benefit cap in Southampton increase by 20 times (800 up from 39). In conjunction with the introduction of Universal Credit, this Council recognises tenants’ rental debts will almost inevitably increase, harming the Council’s cash flow.
5. To bankroll extending the Right to Buy to housing associations, local authorities will be forced to sell council housing to compensate housing associations for their lost properties. In effect, the loss of one social property will lead to another being lost in consequence.
This Council is gravely worried about these impactson Southampton. As a result, it calls on all group leaders to sign a joint letter to the city’s three MPs urging them to publicly denounce both bills”.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED
RESOLVED that the motion be approved.
(b) Environmental Challenges and Climate Change
Councillor Shields moved and Councillor Keogh seconded:
“This Council is concerned at the worrying lack of progress by Government on addressing the nation’s environmental challenges and on tackling man-made climate change, in particular. We are especially disappointed at the reversal of Government policy on green energy and the failure to support adequately local authorities sufficient powers to address poor health resulting from air pollution and to prevent unwanted fracking.
Council recognises the valuable contribution made by the current administration in promoting a cleaner environment in Southampton through initiatives such as the:
1. Introduction of glass recycling.
2. My Journey Campaign promoting modal shift.
3. Working with British Cycling to promote the Southampton Sky Rides.
4. Air quality scrutiny inquiry report.
5. “Keep Britain Tidy” declares Southampton parks to be some of the best in the country in 2014.
6. Investment in play areas across the City.
Council resolves to continue to work with our City MPs in addressing Southampton’s environmental challenges and pressing central Government for adequate levels of resources for meeting these”.
Amendment moved by Councillor Galton and seconded by Councillor Parnell
“Paragraph one delete all after “This Council is concerned” in line one and replacewith “With tackling Southampton’s environmental challenges, especially with regard to addressing poor health resulting from air pollution.”
In paragraph two after “Council recognises the” delete the word “valuable” in line one
In paragraph two line one after “made” delete “by the current administration”
In paragraph two delete points 5 and 6
In paragraph three delete all after “our City MP’s” andreplace with “and all other public or private parties who could help address Southampton's environmental challenges, and will continue to lobby for and welcome Government resources, whilst also ensuring issues such as air quality are a core consideration in all we do as a Council.”
Amended motion to read:
“This Council is concerned with tackling Southampton’s environmental challenges, especially with regard to addressing poor health resulting from air pollution.
Council recognises the contribution made in promoting a cleaner environment in Southampton through initiatives such as the:
1. Introduction of glass recycling.
2. My Journey Campaign promoting modal shift.
3. Working with British Cycling to promote the Southampton Sky Rides.
4. Air quality scrutiny inquiry report.
Council resolves to work with our City MPs and all other public or private parties who could help address Southampton's environmental challenges, and will continue to lobby for and welcome Government resources, whilst also ensuring issues such as air quality are a core consideration in all we do as a Council”.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED LOST
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED
RESOLVED that the motion as submitted be approved.
(c) Lollipop men and ladies
Councillor Moulton moved and Councillor Inglis seconded:
“Ensuring the safety of children in Southampton should be an absolute priority for the City Council.
Council recognises and values the important role that the City’s dozens of lollipop men and ladies do in keeping local school children safe. Council further notes that with many of our local primary schools expanding, ensuring that children can get to school safely is an ever more pressing issue.
Council therefore regrets the decision by the Labour Administration in February to vote to remove all Council funding for this important service, putting 42 staff at risk of redundancy and discouraging children from walking, cycling and scooting to school”.
Amendment moved by Councillor Jeffery and seconded by Councillor Letts
Delete last paragraph “Council therefore regrets the decision by the Labour Administration in February to vote to remove all Council funding for this important service, putting 42 staff at risk of redundancy and discouraging children from walking, cycling and scooting to school.”
Replace with
“Council notes the Administration’s excellent negotiating strategy in relation to Transformation Project reviews, these have resulted in significant additional financial benefits to the Council.
Council calls on the Executive to use some of these additional savings to maintain a Council funded school crossing patrol servicefor all schools that have or commit to developing a school travel plan.
Council calls on the Executive to continue to work with school governing bodies to secure additional resources to enhance road safety around our schools.”
Amended motion to read:
“Ensuring the safety of children in Southampton should be an absolute priority for the City Council.
Council recognises and values the important role that the city’s dozens of lollipop men and ladies do in keeping local school children safe. Council further notes that with many of our local primary schools expanding, ensuring that children can get to school safely is an ever more pressing issue.
Council notes the Administration’s excellent negotiating strategy in relation to Transformation Project reviews, these have resulted in significant additional financial benefits to the Council.
Council calls on the Executive to use some of these additional savings to maintain a Council funded school crossing patrol servicefor all schools that have or commit to developing a school travel plan.
Council calls on the Executive to continue to work with school governing bodies to secure additional resources to enhance road safety around our schools”.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDMENT WAS DECLARED CARRIED
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION AS AMENDED WAS DECLARED CARRIED
RESOLVED that the motion as amended be approved.