(a) Councillor Hammond to move:
Council notes that in 2017, our city became one of the first local authorities in the UK to pass a motion recognising that the world faced an environmental crisis and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Since then, over 200 councils have followed those trailblazing Councils and passed motions declaring climate emergencies. Council welcomes this movement, reiterates our established view that there is a climate emergency and celebrates action already taken by organisations across Southampton.
Earlier this year, the city council launched its bold and ambitious Green City Charter that goes above and beyond the UK government’s targets and commits this council to be carbon neutral by 2030. To reinforce this council’s commitment, £60M has already been allocated towards projects that support the ambitions of the Green City Charter. These projects are split across the council including; £36M improving our housing stock to become energy efficient, £9M on reducing road congestion, £8M in improving cycle ways, £3M investment in public transport and £4M on including improving our green spaces and investing in electric vehicles.
Council resolves that there is more to do, but is encouraged by the progress made to date including; reducing its carbon footprint by more than 50%, by the end of the year.
(b) Councillor Guthrie to move:
This Council notes that the 75th anniversary of VE Day on 8th May 2020 is a time when many other local authorities, not just in Britain but around the world, will be holding their own events to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Southampton played a unique role in the effort to defend the United Kingdom's freedom. As such, this Council commits itself to the organisation of a special event for the VE Day commemoration and will work with local armed forces veterans and charities to remember the sacrifices that finally brought peace to Europe in 1945.
This Council recognises that many of Southampton's residents are proud of their city's struggle to defend their future and will ensure that information on the event is widely distributed and that members are kept updated on its planning in a timely manner.
(c) Councillor Keogh to move:
This Council recognises the extreme difficulties and challenges faced by our three Further Education colleges in this City as a result of the significant cuts to their budgets since 2010 and in particular the impact this has had on our two sixth form colleges. Per student funding for sixth form students has been frozen at £4 000 since 2013 and the rate for those over 18 was cut by a third in 2014 from £4 000 to £3 300.
This Council does recognise and welcomes the recent announcement by the chancellor of £400m of additional funding for further education in England, but this does go far enough to restore the cuts since 2010 and the detail has yet to be published.
This Council is aware of the recent Area Reviews that have sought to place our Further Education colleges on a more sustainable foundation. This most recent review is recommending a close collaboration between our three Colleges with the potential for a merger.
This Council asks the Leader of the Council to write a joint letter signed by the leader of the opposition and the leader of the Solent LEP to the Secretary of State for Education urging that this closer collaboration and potential merger between the City’s three Colleges is given its highest support and any barriers to such a proposal are removed to ensure the young people of Southampton can have access to the very best of institutions and faculties at the Further Education level to allow them to achieve their full potential.
(d) Councillor S Galton
This Council recognises the negative impact failing to leave the EU had in March and April; both to local business decision making and to the confidence of our residents in the democratic process and as such Council expressly believes the UK should now leave the EU on or before the 31st October, deal or no deal, to finally recognise one of our largest ever democratic votes that saw 17,410,742 vote to leave the EU.
Minutes:
(a) Councillor Hammond moved Councillor Leggett seconded.
Council notes that in 2017, our city became one of the first local authorities in the UK to pass a motion recognising that the world faced an environmental crisis and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Since then, over 200 councils have followed those trailblazing Councils and passed motions declaring climate emergencies. Council welcomes this movement, reiterates our established view that there is a climate emergency and celebrates action already taken by organisations across Southampton.
Earlier this year, the city council launched its bold and ambitious Green City Charter that goes above and beyond the UK government’s targets and commits this council to be carbon neutral by 2030. To reinforce this council’s commitment, £60M has already been allocated towards projects that support the ambitions of the Green City Charter. These projects are split across the council including; £36M improving our housing stock to become energy efficient, £9M on reducing road congestion, £8M in improving cycle ways, £3M investment in public transport and £4M on including improving our green spaces and investing in electric vehicles.
Council resolves that there is more to do, but is encouraged by the progress made to date including; reducing its carbon footprint by more than 50%, by the end of the year.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.
(b) Councillor Guthrie moved Councillor Kaur seconded.
This Council notes that the 75th anniversary of VE Day on 8th May 2020 is a time when many other local authorities, not just in Britain but around the world, will be holding their own events to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Southampton played a unique role in the effort to defend the United Kingdom's freedom. As such, this Council commits itself to the organisation of a special event for the VE Day commemoration and will work with local armed forces veterans and charities to remember the sacrifices that finally brought peace to Europe in 1945.
This Council recognises that many of Southampton's residents are proud of their city's struggle to defend their future and will ensure that information on the event is widely distributed and that members are kept updated on its planning in a timely manner.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.
(c) Amendment moved by Councillor Keogh and Councillor Savage seconded.
First paragraph, line 5 delete “a third” and replace with “17.5%
Second paragraph, line 3, after “does” insert “not”.
Final paragraph, line 6 delete “faculties” and replace “facilities”
Amended Motion to read:
“This Council recognises the extreme difficulties and challenges faced by our three Further Education colleges in this City as a result of the significant cuts to their budgets since 2010 and in particular the impact this has had on our two sixth form colleges. Per student funding for sixth form students has been frozen at £4 000 since 2013 and the rate for those over 18 was cut by 17.5% in 2014 from £4 000 to £3 300.
This Council does recognise and welcomes the recent announcement by the chancellor of £400m of additional funding for further education in England, but this does not go far enough to restore the cuts since 2010 and the detail has yet to be published.
This Council is aware of the recent Area Reviews that have sought to place our Further Education colleges on a more sustainable foundation. This most recent review is recommending a close collaboration between our three Colleges with the potential for a merger.
This Council asks the Leader of the Council to write a joint letter signed by the leader of the opposition and the leader of the Solent LEP to the Secretary of State for Education urging that this closer collaboration and potential merger between the City’s three Colleges is given its highest support and any barriers to such a proposal are removed to ensure the young people of Southampton can have access to the very best of institutions and facilities at the Further Education level to allow them to achieve their full potential.”
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE AMENDED MOTION IN THE NAME OF COUNCILLOR KEOGH WAS UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED CARRIED.
RESOLVED: that the motion be approved.
NOTE: Councillors Keogh and Kaur declared a personal interest and remained in the meeting.
(d) Councillor S Galton moved Councillor Hannides seconded.
This Council recognises the negative impact failing to leave the EU had in March and April; both to local business decision making and to the confidence of our residents in the democratic process and as such Council expressly believes the UK should now leave the EU on or before the 31st October, deal or no deal, to finally recognise one of our largest ever democratic votes that saw 17,410,742 vote to leave the EU.
UPON BEING PUT TO THE VOTE THE MOTION WAS DECLARED LOST.
RESOLVED: that the motion be rejected.
NOTE - AGAINST THE MOTION: Councillors Hammond, Barnes-Andrews, Bogle, Bunday, Chaloner, Coombs, Cooper, Fielker, Kataria, Kaur, Keogh, Leggett, Margetts, McEwing, Mintoff, Mitchell, Murphy, Noon, Paffey, Payne, Rayment, Savage, Shields, Spicer, Taggart, Whitbread and Windle.
NOTE - ABSTAINED FROM THE MOTION: Councillor Thomas.
NOTE – FOR THE MOTION: Councillors Fitzhenry, J Baillie, P Baillie, Bell, Fuller, G Galton, S Galton, Guthrie, Hannides, B Harris, L Harris, Harwood, Houghton, Laurent, Prior, Streets, Vaughan and White.