Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 4 April 2019 and the minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Council held on 16 May 2019.

Agreed:

1.    That the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Council held on 4 April 2019 be confirmed by those present at the meeting as a correct record (by 21 votes to 4).

2.    That the minutes of the Annual meeting of the Council held on 16 May 2019 be confirmed as a correct record (by 31 votes to 9, with 1 abstention).

To receive any declarations of interest from any Member on any item on this agenda.

None.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor, Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council, Members of the Cabinet, a Chairman of a Committee or the Chief Executive.

The Mayor announced that her Civic Dinner would take place at The North Euston Hotel on Friday 28 February 2020.

To receive any questions or statements from members of the public under Procedure Rule 9.1.

Any questions or statements received by the specified deadline of noon on Friday 5 July 2019 will be published and circulated separately.

None received.

To receive any questions or statements from Councillors submitted under Procedure Rule 12.1

Any questions under Council Procedure Rule 12.1 received by the specified deadline of noon on Friday 5 July will be published and circulated separately.

None received.

To receive reports from Cabinet Members. (In accordance with Procedure Rule 11.3 Councillors will be able to ask questions or make comments).

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) submitted a report.

Cllr Henderson replied to questions from Cllrs Fail and Beavers.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) submitted a report.

Cllr Vincent responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Fail and Lady Atkins.

Agreed that the report be noted.

 The Street Scene, Parks and Open Spaces Portfolio Holder (Cllr Bridge) submitted a report.

Cllr Bridge responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Sir R Atkins, Raynor, L Walmsley, Longton, Armstrong and Fail.

Agreed that the report noted.

The Planning and Economic Development Portfolio Holder (Cllr Michael Vincent) submitted a report.

No questions and comments were directed to Cllr Michael Vincent.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Neighbourhood Services and Community Safety Portfolio Holder (Cllr Berry) submitted a report.

Cllr Berry responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Armstrong, George, Kay and Sir R Atkins.

Agreed that the report be noted.

The Leisure, Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder (Cllr Bowen) submitted a report.

Cllr Bowen responded to questions and comments from Cllrs Fail, Lady Atkins, Stirzaker and Webster.

Agreed that the report be noted.

Cllr Berry responded to a question referred to him by Cllr Henderson and also responded to a question from Cllr Bridge.

Cllr Bridge responded to a question from Cllr Michael Vincent.

Report of the Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive.

The Leader of the Council (Cllr Henderson) and the Chief Executive submitted a report on a review of the Councillors Code of Conduct undertaken by the Standards Committee.

Agreed (unanimously):

1.    That the amendments to the Code of Conduct recommended by the Standards Committee, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved.

2.    That the revised Code of Conduct be adopted with effect from 11 July 2019 and included in Part 5.01 of the Constitution, in place of the current version.

Report of the Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance (section 151 Officer).

The Resources Portfolio Holder (Cllr A Vincent) and the Head of Finance (Section 151 Officer) submitted a report on the overall position and activities with regard to treasury management for the financial year 2018/19.

Agreed (unanimously), that the annual report on Treasury Management activity for the 2018/19 financial year be approved.

The following Notice of Motion, on the declaration of a ‘climate emergency’, has been submitted under Procedure Rule 15 by Councillors Fail, Beavers, Raynor and Stirzaker:

“The Council notes:

·           That the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world.

·           That the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C’, 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 1.5C 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.

The 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 Wyre area zero carbon within the same timescale;

·           Ensure the Council 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;

·           Where necessary officer reports to Cabinet and Full Council contain impact assessments on Climate Change, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce carbon emissions where possible

·           Request that the Council’s Scrutiny Committee considers the impact of climate change and the environment when reviewing Council policies and strategies;

·           Work with, influence and inspire partners across Wyre, Lancashire and the North West 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;

·           Set up a Climate Change Partnership group, involving Councillors, residents, young citizens, climate science and solutions experts, businesses, and other relevant parties.  Over the following four years, 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;

·           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  ...  view the full agenda text for item 20.

Councillors Fail, Beavers, Raynor and Stirzaker submitted a Notice of Motion under Procedure Rule 15 on the declaration of a “climate emergency”, as set out under agenda item 10. The motion was proposed by Cllr Fail and seconded by Cllr Raynor.

An amendment, to add and delete words to the motion (shown as track-changes below) was proposed by Cllr Henderson and seconded by Cllr Michael Vincent, as follows:

“The Council notes:

• That the impacts of climate breakdown are already causing serious damage around the world.

• That the ‘Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C, 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 1.5C 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 we congratulate Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) on being the first country to take a lead on this issue;

• 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 and this Council tonight declares a climate emergency.

The Council therefore commits to:

• Make the Council’s activities net-zero carbon by 2050;

• Achieve 100% clean energy across the Council’s full range of functions by 2050;

• Ensure that all strategic decisions, budgets and approaches to planning decisions are in line with a shift to zero carbon by 2050 as far as Planning Laws allow it;

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

• Ensure the Council 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;

• Where necessary officer reports to Cabinet and Full Council contain impact assessments on Climate Change, including presenting alternative approaches which reduce carbon emissions where possible

·         This Council will continue its already agreed policy to report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee its progress towards a zero carbon emissions target;

• Work with, influence and inspire partners across Wyre, Lancashire and the North West 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;

·         This Council will continue its policy of having officers and departmental groups work on a climate change action plan which will report back to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.