Agenda item

To debate two motions which have been submitted with advance notice, in accordance with the Constitution.

Please note that the deadline to submit motions has passed. The deadline for Members to submit amendments to motions is noon on Thursday 20 February 2020.

Resolved

(1)          That the following motion be adopted:

“CDC acknowledged a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council carbon-neutral by 2030.

First steps include assessing the Council’s own emissions, down 32% since 2008, and Officer teams have been tasked with exploring opportunities to further reduce the Council’s own and also District-wide emissions. 

One strategy to support the achievement of the 2030 target, promoted by all major political parties, is tree-planting.  Tree cover in the District, County and Nationally falls short; Cherwell District’s is estimated at 5.2% of land mass and with County’s at approx. 9% both are below the UK figure of 13%, itself about 1/3^rd of the EU average of 35%

There are many competing interests for the available land mass, including housing and development for economic re-generation, but these need not be mutually exclusive.  They can co-exist, and tree cover should be encouraged to shield building developments from view, masking light and noise pollution, and absorbing many of the emissions generated by those economically necessary developments  - and, as importantly, providing habitat for wildlife, aiding with flood management and enhancing the beauty of the environment

Council therefore:

·         commits, as far as possible, to double tree cover within the District by 2045

·         requests that Officers identify, and secure, funding opportunities from Central Government and other sources in furtherance of the commitment

·         requires developers to demonstrate how they will be improving biodiversity, specifically through the planting of more trees”

(for information: On being put to the vote the proposed amendment to the Tree planting motion was lost and subsequently fell; Having been proposed and seconded, in line with the procedure in the Constitution regarding motions with budgetary consequences, the motion on Peat Free Compost was immediately adjourned to the next ordinary Council meeting)

The Chairman advised that two motions had been submitted and would be debated in the order submitted.

a)    Tree Planting

The Chairman invited Jamie Hartzell, on behalf of Oxtrees Campaign, who had registered to speak on the motion, to address Council.

It was proposed by Councillor Brown and seconded by Councillor Woodcock that the following motion be adopted:

“CDC acknowledged a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council carbon-neutral by 2030.

First steps include assessing the Council’s own emissions, down 32% since 2008, and Officer teams have been tasked with exploring opportunities to further reduce the Council’s own and also District-wide emissions. 

One strategy to support the achievement of the 2030 target, promoted by all major political parties, is tree-planting.  Tree cover in the District, County and Nationally falls short; Cherwell District’s is estimated at 5.2% of land mass and with County’s at approx. 9% both are below the UK figure of 13%, itself about 1/3^rd of the EU average of 35%

There are many competing interests for the available land mass, including housing and development for economic re-generation, but these need not be mutually exclusive.  They can co-exist, and tree cover should be encouraged to shield building developments from view, masking light and noise pollution, and absorbing many of the emissions generated by those economically necessary developments  - and, as importantly, providing habitat for wildlife, aiding with flood management and enhancing the beauty of the environment

Council therefore:

·       commits, as far as possible, to double tree cover within the District by 2045

·       requests that Officers identify, and secure, funding opportunities from Central Government and other sources in furtherance of the commitment

·       requires developers to demonstrate how they will be improving biodiversity, specifically through the planting of more trees”

Councillor Middleton proposed the following amendments to the motion, which were duly seconded by Councillor Copeland.

“CDC acknowledged a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council

carbon-neutral by 2030.

First steps  include assessing theCouncil’s ownemissions, down 32% since 2008, and Officer teams have been tasked with exploring opportunities to further reduce the Council’s own and also District-wide emissions.

One strategy to support the achievement of the 2030 target, promoted by all major political parties, is tree-planting. Tree cover in the District, County and Nationally falls short; Cherwell District’s is estimated at 5.2% of land mass and with County’s at approx. 9% both are below the UK figure of 13%, itself about 1/3rd of the EU average of 35%38%

There are many competing interests for the available land mass, including housing and development for economic re-generation, but these need not be mutually exclusive. They can co-exist, and tree cover should be encouraged to shield building developments from view, masking light and noise pollution, and absorbing many of the emissions generated by those economically necessary developments - and, as importantly, providing habitat for wildlife, aiding with flood management and enhancing the beauty of the environment

Council therefore:

·     commits, as far as possible, to at least double tree cover within the District by20452030

·     requests that Officers identify, and secure, funding opportunities from Central Government and other sources in furtherance of thecommitment

 requires developers to demonstrate how they will be improving enhance biodiversity as an integral part of all new developments , including specificallythrough the planting of more trees

  will update local plans to include increased tree cover in planning and decision processes”

The amendment was debated and on being put to the vote was lost and therefore fell.

Council debated the motion as submitted, which on being put to the vote was carried and therefore approved.

b)    Peat Free Compost

It was proposed by Councillor Banfield and seconded by Councillor Sames that the following motion be adopted:

“This council agrees to use only peat-free compost for our horticultural procedures. In making this commitment we will conserve this diminishing natural resource, as our UK peatlands and the peatlands located within The Republic Of Ireland, play a vital role in absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide and thus help to mitigate climate change.”

At the discretion of the Chairman, the Director Law and Governance addressed Council to advise that in line with the Constitution, any motion on notice which would require a significant increase in the current budget of the Council, or would involve capital expenditure, should, when formally proposed and seconded, be immediately adjourned. The Director Law and Governance explained that the motion would be considered at the next ordinary meeting of the Council in order that the Executive and/or statutory officers may report on the potential impact and consequences.

The Chairman confirmed that there would be no debate on the motion as it was adjourned to the July meeting of Council as motions were not taken at the Annual Council meeting, which was the next scheduled Council meeting.

Resolved

(1)           That the following motion be adopted:

“CDC acknowledged a Climate Emergency and pledged to make the Council carbon-neutral by 2030.

First steps include assessing the Council’s own emissions, down 32% since 2008, and Officer teams have been tasked with exploring opportunities to further reduce the Council’s own and also District-wide emissions. 

One strategy to support the achievement of the 2030 target, promoted by all major political parties, is tree-planting.  Tree cover in the District, County and Nationally falls short; Cherwell District’s is estimated at 5.2% of land mass and with County’s at approx. 9% both are below the UK figure of 13%, itself about 1/3^rd of the EU average of 35%

There are many competing interests for the available land mass, including housing and development for economic re-generation, but these need not be mutually exclusive.  They can co-exist, and tree cover should be encouraged to shield building developments from view, masking light and noise pollution, and absorbing many of the emissions generated by those economically necessary developments  - and, as importantly, providing habitat for wildlife, aiding with flood management and enhancing the beauty of the environment

Council therefore:

·       commits, as far as possible, to double tree cover within the District by 2045

·       requests that Officers identify, and secure, funding opportunities from Central Government and other sources in furtherance of the commitment

·       requires developers to demonstrate how they will be improving biodiversity, specifically through the planting of more trees”