Agenda item

To deal with anymotions received in accordance with Standing Order 5.0.  Any motions received before the deadline has passed for the receipt of motions will be published and a copy of the list will be tabled at the meeting.

Councillor I Johnson

The following motion was moved by Councillor Johnson and seconded by Councillor Barker and referred to the Executive on 12 September 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 5.7.

“That this Council:

(1)     Notes the UK Government’s invitation in May 2019 for market-led proposals for a new rail link connecting Heathrow Airport from the south and Waterloo and Surrey/Hampshire and this Council’s long-term aspiration for a direct rail link to Heathrow Airport,

(2)     supports action to benefit the environment by minimising traffic and pollution by transferring journeys from road to rail,

(3)     welcomes the initiative of Heathrow Southern Railway to propose a project involving a direct rail link from Woking to Heathrow Airport including significant sections via tunnels to minimise environmental impact and

(4)     asks the Council to write to the Member of Parliament for Woking to press the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite the process of approving a project and selecting a preferred developer, and to advise members when this has been done.”

Councillor G Cundy

The following motion was moved by Councillor Cundy and seconded by Councillor Ashall and referred to the Executive on 12 September 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 5.7.

“This Council should introduce a policy at the earliest opportunity whereby any new planning application for development over 15 storeys should have at least 20% of its total surface area as living wall , garden terrace or roof garden . Where the Council has ownership , control or interest this policy should be adopted prior to formal policy introduction as a matter of internal policy.”

Councillor A-M Barker

The following motion was moved by Councillor Barker and seconded by Councillor Forster and referred to the Executive on 12 September 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 5.7.

“This council supports the work of the Fiery Bird Venue/Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC and calls for a permanent space to be found for this project in Woking Town Centre.”

Councillor M Ali

The following motion was moved by Councillor Ali and seconded by Councillor Aziz.  The Mayor noted that, in the Motion, Councillor Ali had requested that the matter be debated at Council, rather than referred to Council, and invited Councillor Ali to move that Motion be determined on the evening.  Councillor Ali indicated a preference for the matter to be referred to the next meeting of the Executive and accordingly it was agreed that the Motion would be referred to the Executive on 12 September 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 5.7.

“The democratic system works best with checks and balances and distributed decision making as opposed to centralized and single source authority. As such it’s important that the chairs of the over sight panels including but not limited to Victoria Square and Sheerwater are elected by the councillors who are the members of the respective panel and shall as a recommendation not be the relevant portfolio holders. This serves democratic practices best.

Following the approval of this motion immediate election for the chairs of the oversight panels shall be held for the current year (irrespective of any past decisions) and there after every year follow the same pattern as the rest of the committees of the council for election of the chair.

This shall apply to existing and future panels.

In view of the recent meeting of Victoria square, I request that this motion be determined by the full council now and not referred to the executive.”

Councillor W Forster

The following motion was moved by Councillor Forster and seconded by Councillor Leach. 

“This Council recognises that:

-        The consequences of global temperatures rising above 1.5 degree celsius are so severe that preventing this from happening must be humanity’s number one priority.

-        That the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that limiting global warming to 1.5°C may still be possible, but only with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, and local communities;

-        All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of an increasingly erratic climate and biodiversity loss.  Local authorities that recognise this should not wait for the national government to change its policies;

-        Woking Borough Council has a good history on environmental issues and has already begun to assess a realistic timescale to make the Council carbon neutral.

Council therefore resolves to:

-        Declare a Climate Emergency;

-        Pledge to make Woking Borough Council, its wholly-owned companies and contractors carbon neutral by 2030;

-        Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;

-        Ask the Climate Change Working Group to oversee a plan to deliver the 2030 target and report to Full Council in 6 months on immediate and longer term actions to be taken.”

Councillor Forster further moved that the Motion should be dealt with on the evening.  Councillor Leach seconded the proposal.  In accordance with Standing Order 10.8, the Council held a vote on the motion to determine the matter on the evening.  The names of Members voting for and against the proposal were recorded as follows.

In favour:                                Councillors M Ali, T Aziz, A-M Barker, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman, G Chrystie, W Forster, D Hughes, R Leach, L Lyons, L Morales, M Raja, C Rana and J Sanderson.

Total in favour:                       15

Against:                                  Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, D Bittleston, G Cundy, K Davis, G Elson, D Harlow, S Hussain, C Kemp, N Martin, R Mohammed, C Rana and M Whitehand

Total against:                         13

Present not voting:                 None.

Total present not voting:        0

It was therefore carried by 15 votes in favour to 13 votes against that the Notice of Motion would be determined on the evening.

Councillor Forster spoke in support of his Motion which proposed that the Council should declare a Climate Emergency and pledge to make the authority, its wholly-owned companies and contractors carbon neutral by 2030.  Following discussion on the points raised by the Motion, the Council agreed the proposals.

RESOLVED

That (i)    the motion be supported;

          (ii)   this Council recognises that:

-      The consequences of global temperatures rising above 1.5 degree Celsius are so severe that preventing this from happening must be humanity’s number one priority.

-      That the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that limiting global warming to 1.5°C may still be possible, but only with ambitious action from national and sub-national authorities, civil society, the private sector, and local communities;

-      All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of an increasingly erratic climate and biodiversity loss.  Local authorities that recognise this should not wait for the national government to change its policies;

-      Woking Borough Council has a good history on environmental issues and has already begun to assess a realistic timescale to make the Council carbon neutral.

          (iii)  Council therefore resolves to:

-      Declare a Climate Emergency;

-      Pledge to make Woking Borough Council, its wholly-owned companies and contractors carbon neutral by 2030;

-      Call on the Government to provide the powers and resources to make the 2030 target possible;

-      Ask the Climate Change Working Group to oversee a plan to deliver the 2030 target and report to Full Council in 6 months on immediate and longer term actions to be taken.

Councillor J Bond

The following motion was moved by Councillor Bond and seconded by Councillor Ali.

“Following the suggestion by Cllr Bittleston at a recent Council meeting, I would like to formally move a motion of no confidence in his position as Leader of Woking Council.

As this motion has major implications and has already been offered by Cllr Bittleston, I would also request that it is determined immediately without recourse to the Executive Committee.”

In view of the wording of the Motion, calling on the Council to determine the matter on the evening, the Mayor invited the Council to agree to move straight to the debate.  The proposal was agreed and Councillor Bond introduced the Motion, expressing the hope that the Leader would resign to allow a new Leader to be elected.  The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bittleston, advised that, whilst the position of Leader of the Council was determined by Council, the Leader of the Conservative Group was chosen by the Group.  Councillor Bittleston further advised that he would not resign as Leader of the Conservative Group and that accordingly, should he be removed from the position of Leader of the Council, the new Leader of Council would not be a Conservative Councillor.

At the request of Councillor Forster, the Chief Executive, Ray Morgan, outlined the possible next steps in light of the Motion.  Mr Morgan advised that the removal of Councillor Bittleston as Leader of the Council would have the effect of disbanding the existing Executive and the Council’s Administration.  The Council would operate emergency arrangements with Officers until such time that the Council had appointed a new Leader.  In view of the earlier statement by the Leader of the Council, it would fall to the remaining three political groups to form the new Administration.

Following further debate, the Council moved to a vote on the Notice of Motion.  The names of Members voting for and against the proposal were recorded as follows.

In favour:                                Councillors M Ali, T Aziz, J Bond, A Boote, M Bridgeman and M Raja,

Total in favour:                       6

Against:                                  None.

Total against:                         0

Present not voting:                 Councillors S Ashall, A Azad, A-M Barker, D Bittleston, G Chrystie, G Cundy, K Davis, G Elson, W Forster, D Harlow, D Hughes, S Hussain, I Johnson, C Kemp, R Leach, L Lyons, N Martin, R Mohammed, L Morales, C Rana, J Sanderson and M Whitehand.

Total present not voting:        21

The Motion was therefore carried by 6 votes in favour to no votes against.

RESOLVED

That the Motion be supported.

Following the decision of Council, the Leader of the Council advised that he would make a decision on his position by midday on Monday, 29 July and advised that, in the event that the Leaders of the three other Political Groups had drawn up proposals for the formation of a coalition Administration, he would instruct the Chief Executive to make arrangements for a Special Meeting of the Council to elect the new Leader of the Council.

Councillor A-M Barker

(NOTE:  In accordance with his earlier Declaration of Interest in Woking Football Club, Councillor Johnson left the Chamber before consideration of the following item and did not return to the Meeting.)

The following motion was moved by Councillor Barker and seconded by Councillor Hughes and referred to the Executive on 12 September 2019 in accordance with Standing Order 5.7.

“Council notes that a capacity of 5000 is sufficient for a football team to compete in League Two.

Council calls on officers to assess the effect on current proposals for development at Kingfield of stadium capacities at various levels between 6000 and 8000.”