Agenda item

To debate the following motions which have been submitted with advance notice, in accordance with the Constitution (to be debated in the order submitted).

 

Topic	Proposer	Seconder
Mental health Initiative	Councillor Lynne Parsons	TBC
Spare Seats Scheme	Councillor Eddie Reeves	TBC
Consultation on Congestion Charge	Councillor Eddie Reeves	TBC
Member Briefings	Councillor Eddie Reeves	TBC

 

 

Please note that the deadline to submit motions has passed. The deadline for Members to submit amendments to motions is noon on Thursday 11 July. No amendments will be permitted after this deadline.

 

Any amendments submitted will be published as a supplement to the agenda on the afternoon of Friday 12 July. Amendments for motions will be dealt with in the order submitted. 

 

 

Resolved

 

(1)          That the following motion be adopted:

 

Mental Health Initiative

“The Labour Group would liketo increase the impact of the existing mentalhealth programme whichwas startedby theYouth Activatorsin conjunctionwith themental healthcharity MIND. It is proposed thatthis is achieved by making the programme longerand available through all schools, which we can achieve by partnering with the North Oxfordshire School Sports Partnershipto identify schools where there werehigher levelsof needreported initially.

 

Providing a 12-week programme in 11 schools per term will results in all schools in the district benefittingwithin twoyears. Theproposal wouldalso targetacademic years5 and6 inprimary and year 7, 10 and 11 in secondary as transition years.

 

The costof theproposal is£0.035m peryear andis proposedon anongoing basis.Funding can beprovided fromthe generalcontingency budgetwithin PolicyContingency.

 

This council resolves to ask the Executive to increase spending on the mental health initiatives currentlyin placewithin theChief Executive’sdirectorate tobe fundedby anallocation fromthe Policy Contingency budget.”

 

(2)          That the following motion be adopted:

 

Spare Seats Scheme

“Oxfordshire County Council has not run its Spare Seats scheme for school bus places well in recent years. Parents and carers have too often been left in an unenviable position following changes, with consultation of Cherwell District Council too often lacking about changes affecting its wards and schools.

 

On 26 June, the Oxford Mail reported that:

 

“Oxfordshire County Council is withdrawing its Spare Seats scheme for pupils travelling from Middle Barton and The Bartons villages to Chipping Norton School.

 

“It follows a furore last year when the council scrapped the scheme on nine routes, affecting more than 200 children including at Wheatley Park School, The Warriner in Bloxham and Wood Green in Witney.

 

Parental choice remains an important principle of the current education settlement and will remain so unless changed by a new government. Whilst such a principle remains, it is important that local government works with maintained schools and academies to facilitate transport to

families’ preferred schools at reasonable cost.

 

Given that County Hall’s most recent cancellations would appear to imperil this important principle, the Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council setting out in clear terms that, in future, Cherwell District Council would expect to be more fully consulted upon all such changes affecting families across North Oxfordshire.

 

(3)          That the following motion, as amended, be adopted:

 

Consultation on Congestion Commission

“On14 February,Oxfordshire CountyCouncil consideredsetting upa CongestionCommission as part of its last budget debate. Although this measure was not taken up at the time, this Council now considers that it is time for such commission to ensure that commuters intoOxford have a meaningful voice about how any policy changes planned in County Hall affect their working lives.

 

This Council further notes that the administration at Oxfordshire County Council has refused to rule out extending measures currently planned for Oxford to Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, despite concerns from local businesses about the health of our high streets.

 

Suchmeasures includeOxfordshire CountyCouncil’s ambitioussuite oftraffic filters, workplace parking tax and Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods, none of which have been ruled out for Cherwell in future.

 

Wereall suchmeasures togo ahead,Oxfordshire motoristsand workingpeople couldbe hitby £57millionin finesand chargesover afive-year periodas follows:

 

ZeroEmissionsZone:£25m;

 

WorkplaceParking Levy:£21m;

 

Traffic Filters:£11m.

 

This Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council requesting that Cherwell District Council be fully consulted before any plans are put in train or capital expenditure committed to introduce similar measures across North Oxfordshire.”

 

For information, on being put to the vote, the motion on “Member Briefings” was lost.

The Chairman advised that four motions had been submitted. An amendment to the “Consultation on Congestion Commission” had been submitted. In line with the Constitution, no further amendments were now permitted.

 

Motion One: Mental Health Initiative

 

It was proposed by Councillor Parsons and seconded by Councillor Dr Thornhill that the following motion be adopted:

 

“The LabourGroup would like to increase the impactof the existing mental healthprogramme which wasstarted bythe YouthActivators inconjunction withthe mentalhealth charityMIND. It is proposed that this is achieved by making the programme longerand available through all schools, which we can achieve by partnering with the North Oxfordshire School Sports Partnershipto identify schools where there werehigher levelsof needreported initially.

 

Providing a 12-week programme in 11 schools per term will results in all schools in the district benefittingwithin twoyears. Theproposal wouldalso targetacademic years5 and6 inprimary and year 7, 10 and 11 in secondary as transition years.

 

The costof theproposal is£0.035m peryear andis proposedon anongoing basis.Funding can beprovided fromthe generalcontingency budgetwithin PolicyContingency.

 

This council resolvesto ask the Executive to increase spending on the mental health initiatives currentlyin placewithin theChief Executive’sdirectorate tobe fundedby anallocation fromthe Policy Contingency budget.”

 

No amendments to the motion having been proposed, the motion was debated as submitted. On being put to the vote the motion was carried unanimously.

 

Motion Two: Spare Seats Scheme

 

It was proposed by Councillor Reeves and seconded by Councillor Mallon that the following motion be adopted:

 

“Oxfordshire County Council has not run its Spare Seats scheme for school bus places well in recent years. Parents and carers have too often been left in an unenviable position following changes, with consultation of Cherwell District Council too often lacking about changes affecting its wards and schools.

 

On 26 June, the Oxford Mail reported that:

 

“Oxfordshire County Council is withdrawing its Spare Seats scheme for pupils travelling from Middle Barton and The Bartons villages to Chipping Norton School.

 

“It follows a furore last year when the council scrapped the scheme on nine routes, affecting more than 200 children including at Wheatley Park School, The Warriner in Bloxham and Wood Green in Witney.

 

Parental choice remains an important principle of the current education settlement and will remain so unless changed by a new government. Whilst such a principle remains, it is important that local government works with maintained schools and academies to facilitate transport to

families’ preferred schools at reasonable cost.

 

Given that County Hall’s most recent cancellations would appear to imperil this important principle, the Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council setting out in clear terms that, in future, Cherwell District Council would expect to be more fully consulted upon all such changes affecting families across North Oxfordshire.”

 

No amendments to the motion having been proposed, the motion was debated as submitted. On being put to the vote the motion was carried unanimously.

 

Motion Three: Consultation on Congestion Commission

 

It was proposed by Councillor Reeves and seconded by Councillor Mallon that the following motion be adopted:

 

“On 14 February, Oxfordshire County Council considered setting up a Congestion Commission as part of its last budget debate. Although this measure was not taken up at the time, this Council now considers that it is time for such commission to ensure that commuters into Oxford have a meaningful voice about how any policy changes planned in County Hall affect their working lives.

 

This Council further notes that the administration at Oxfordshire County Council has refused to rule out extending measures currently planned for Oxford to Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, despite concerns from local businesses about the health of our high streets.

 

Such measures include Oxfordshire County Council’s ambitious suite of traffic filters, workplace parking tax and Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods, none of which have been ruled out for Cherwell in future.

 

Were all such measures to go ahead, Oxfordshire motorists and working people could be hit by £57million in fines and charges over a five-year period as follows:

 

Zero Emissions Zone: £25m;

Workplace Parking Levy: £21m;

Traffic Filters: £11m.

 

This Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council requesting that Cherwell District Council be fully consulted before any plans are put in train or capital expenditure committed to introduce similarly restrictive measures across North Oxfordshire, mindful of this Council’s need to protect our high streets and local economy.”

 

Councillor Biegel proposed the following amendment (amendments struck through and revised text in italics), which was duly seconded by Councillor Crichton.

 

“On 14 February,Oxfordshire CountyCouncil consideredsetting upa CongestionCommission as part of its last budget debate. Although this measure was not taken up at the time, this Council now considers that it is time for such commission to ensure that commuters intoOxford have a meaningful voice about how any policy changes planned in County Hall affect their working lives.

 

This Council further notes that the administration at Oxfordshire County Council has refused to rule out extending measures currently planned for Oxford to Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, despite concerns from local businesses about the health of our high streets.

 

Such measures includeOxfordshire CountyCouncil’s ambitioussuite oftraffic filters, workplace parking tax and Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods, none of which have been ruled out for Cherwell in future.

 

Were all suchmeasures togo ahead,Oxfordshire motoristsand workingpeople couldbe hitby £57millionin finesand chargesover afive-year periodas follows:

 

ZeroEmissionsZone:£25m;

WorkplaceParking Levy:£21m;

Traffic Filters:£11m.

 

This Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council requesting that Cherwell District Council be fully consulted before any plans are put in train or capital expenditure committed to introduce similarly restrictive similar measures across North Oxfordshire, mindful of this Council’s need to protect our high streets and local economy.”

 

The amendment was debated. On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion was debated. On being put to the vote the substantive motion was carried.

 

Motion Four: Member Briefings

 

It was proposed by Councillor Reeves and seconded by Councillor Mallon that the following motion be adopted:

 

“This Council notes that, by the time of its next elections in 2026, it will have been in No Overall Control for three years. Mindful that a new approach to local politics is required, this Council resolves to:

 

      i.        Ask the Chief Executive to consider and ensure that ‘all member’ briefings on forthcoming policy matters of concern are offered as standard practice; and allow designated frontbench spokespeople from political groups to attend relevant Director briefings, for example, in connection with non-confidential items; and

    ii.        Ask that the Constitution Review Group consider whether the formal designation of opposition spokespeople should now be enshrined in the Council’s constitution.”

 

No amendments to the motion having been proposed, the motion was debated as submitted. On being put to the vote the motion was lost.

 

Resolved

 

(1)          That the following motion be adopted:

 

Mental Health Initiative

“The LabourGroup would like to increase the impactof the existing mental healthprogramme which wasstarted bythe YouthActivators inconjunction withthe mentalhealth charityMIND. It is proposed that this is achieved by making the programme longerand available through all schools, which we can achieve by partnering with the North Oxfordshire School Sports Partnershipto identify schools where there werehigher levelsof needreported initially.

 

Providing a 12-week programme in 11 schools per term will results in all schools in the district benefittingwithin twoyears. Theproposal wouldalso targetacademic years5 and6 inprimary and year 7, 10 and 11 in secondary as transition years.

 

Thecost ofthe proposalis £0.035mper yearand isproposed onan ongoingbasis. Fundingcan be providedfrom thegeneral contingencybudget withinPolicy Contingency.

 

This council resolvesto ask the Executive to increase spending on the mental health initiatives currentlyin placewithin theChief Executive’sdirectorate tobe fundedby anallocation fromthe Policy Contingency budget.”

 

(2)          That the following motion be adopted:

 

Spare Seats Scheme

“Oxfordshire County Council has not run its Spare Seats scheme for school bus places well in recent years. Parents and carers have too often been left in an unenviable position following changes, with consultation of Cherwell District Council too often lacking about changes affecting its wards and schools.

 

On 26 June, the Oxford Mail reported that:

 

“Oxfordshire County Council is withdrawing its Spare Seats scheme for pupils travelling from Middle Barton and The Bartons villages to Chipping Norton School.

 

“It follows a furore last year when the council scrapped the scheme on nine routes, affecting more than 200 children including at Wheatley Park School, The Warriner in Bloxham and Wood Green in Witney.

 

Parental choice remains an important principle of the current education settlement and will remain so unless changed by a new government. Whilst such a principle remains, it is important that local government works with maintained schools and academies to facilitate transport to

families’ preferred schools at reasonable cost.

 

Given that County Hall’s most recent cancellations would appear to imperil this important principle, the Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council setting out in clear terms that, in future, Cherwell District Council would expect to be more fully consulted upon all such changes affecting families across North Oxfordshire.

 

(3)          That the following motion, as amended, be adopted:

 

Consultation on Congestion Commission

“On14 February,Oxfordshire CountyCouncil consideredsetting upa CongestionCommission as part of its last budget debate. Although this measure was not taken up at the time, this Council now considers that it is time for such commission to ensure that commuters intoOxford have a meaningful voice about how any policy changes planned in County Hall affect their working lives.

 

This Council further notes that the administration at Oxfordshire County Council has refused to rule out extending measures currently planned for Oxford to Banbury, Bicester and Kidlington, despite concerns from local businesses about the health of our high streets.

 

Suchmeasures includeOxfordshire CountyCouncil’s ambitioussuite oftraffic filters, workplace parking tax and Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods, none of which have been ruled out for Cherwell in future.

 

Wereall suchmeasures togo ahead,Oxfordshire motoristsand workingpeople couldbe hitby £57millionin finesand chargesover afive-year periodas follows:

 

ZeroEmissionsZone:£25m;

WorkplaceParking Levy:£21m;

Traffic Filters:£11m.

 

This Council requests that its Leader write to the Leader of Oxfordshire County Council requesting that Cherwell District Council be fully consulted before any plans are put in train or capital expenditure committed to introduce similar measures across North Oxfordshire.”