Agenda item

The deadline to submit motions has passed.

 

The following motions have been submitted with advance notice, in accordance with the Constitution (to be considered in the order submitted).

 

	Topic	Proposer	Seconder
1	Free Parking on Remembrance Sunday	Cllr Donna Ford	Cllr Ian Harwood
2	Supporting our High Streets	Cllr Eddie Reeves	TBC
3	Fire Services in Cherwell	Cllr Andrew Crichton	Cllr Rebecca Biegel

 

In accordance with Procedure Rule 4.18, as the detail of motions 1 and 2 falls within the remit of Executive, there will be no Council debate on these motions. 

The proposer of the motion will propose the motion, the seconder will confirm, the Leader of the Council response and the motions will stand referred to Executive for consideration.

 

Motion 3 is for debate by Council. The deadline for amendments to this motion is noon on Thursday 11 December. 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 December. Amendments for motions will be dealt with in the order submitted. 

 

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That the following motion be adopted:

 

“Council notes

1.     That Oxfordshire County Council is currently considering proposals that merge Rewley Fire Station with Kidlington Fire Station into a single Fire Station.

2.     The proposals also include the loss of four full time Firefighters at Banbury Fire Station,  and the implementation of 12 hour day shifts for firefighters at Bicester Fire Station.

3.     Cherwell is a growing district which places greater demand on local emergency response capacity.

4.     The proposals could affect response times and lead to diminished fire cover for incidents across Cherwell and Oxfordshire. The FBU has said the implementation of 12 hour shifts is unsafe.

 

Council believes

1.     Closing and merging stations could increase average response times, when Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's response times are already significantly longer than the national average.

2.     The loss of four full time Firefighter positions in Banbury and implementation of 12 hour shifts at Bicester could have a detrimental impact on public safety in Cherwell.

3.     That decisions on fire service changes must prioritise public safety above financial or administrative considerations. 

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.     Support residents and Firefighters in Oxfordshire by making clear our opposition to the reduction in Firefighter numbers, implementation of 12 hour shifts, and the merger of Kidlington and Rewley Fire Stations.”

 

(For information, an amendment to the motion was proposed, seconded and debated. On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost and the motion was subsequently adopted as submitted).  

 

 

For information, having been proposed, seconded and responded to by the Leader, the motions “Free Parking on Remembrance Sunday” and “Supporting our High Streets” were referred to Executive. 

 

 

 

 

The Chair advised that three motions had been submitted. In accordance with Procedure Rule 4.18, motions were debated at Full Council on any issue over which the meeting has power or affects the District.

 

The detail of two motions, Free Parking on Remembrance Sunday, and Supporting our High Streets, fell within the remit of Executive, and there would therefore be no Council debate on the motions. The proposer of the motion would propose the motion and address Council, the seconder would confirm their seconding, and the Leader, Councillor Hingley, would respond to the motion. The motions would then be referred to Executive for consideration.

 

The detail of the third motion, Fire Services in Cherwell, was for debate by Council.

 

Motion One: Free Parking on Remembrance Sunday

Councillor Ford proposed and presented the following motion, which was duly seconded by Councillor Harwood. Councillor Hingley, Leader of the Council, responded to the motion.

 

“This Council notes that Remembrance Sunday is a solemn national occasion when communities come together to honour the memory of all who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms and way of life.

 

Many residents depend on Council-operated car parks to attend such commemorations. At present, standard parking charges apply, meaning serving personnel, veterans, bereaved families, and other attendees may face unnecessary financial barriers when paying their respects.

 

This Council recognises the profound sacrifice made by our Armed Forces and considers that providing free parking on this day is a practical and meaningful gesture of support for the Armed Forces community.

 

The financial impact of suspending charges for one day is minimal, while the benefit to residents and veterans is significant.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

1.    Suspend parking charges in all Cherwell District Council-operated car parks on Remembrance Sunday each year, beginning from the next Remembrance Sunday following this motion.

2.    Publicise this measure in advance through the Council’s communications channels to ensure residents are aware of the free-parking provision.

3.    Work with local Royal British Legion branches, Armed Forces organisations, and town and parish councils to support attendance and ensure the policy benefits those it is intended to help.”

 

Motion Two: Supporting our High Streets

Councillor Dr Okeke proposed and presented the following motion, which was duly seconded by Councillor Reeves. Councillor Hingley, Leader of the Council, responded to the motion.

 

“Local hospitality businesses across North Oxfordshire — from family-run restaurants, pubs and cafés to small independent venues — face substantial and growing financial pressures due to rising operating costs, higher taxes and a stagnating economy.

 

There is now a growing political consensus about the need to provide meaningful help to small independent retailers and hospitality businesses on our high streets.

 

This Council notes that District councils also have certain discretionary powers to support vulnerable local businesses where urgent relief is justified.

 

This Council resolves to:

 

1.    Request that the Executive reviews any policies that are already in effect surrounding discretionary business rates relief, involving local independent business groups, together with the Overview & Scrutiny and/or Budget Planning committees (as appropriate) about any changes.

2.    Ensure that any such changes focus on local independent businesses facing genuine financial hardship, rather than national chains and/or large retailers.

3.    Further ensure that its discretionary policies surrounding business rates relief are better advertised to ensure that local businesses can benefit from Council support, where it is financially viable.

4.    Ask the Leader to urgently write to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, copied to North Oxfordshire MPs, urging him to review the national business rates system as regards its impacts on local hospitality and high street businesses as a matter of urgency.

5.    Report back to members on progress surrounding the above steps without delay.”

 

Motion Three: Fire Services in Cherwell

The Chair advised that one amendment to the motion had been received and published as a supplement to the agenda. In line with the Constitution, no further amendments were now permitted.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Crichton and seconded by Councillor Biegel that the following motion be adopted:

 

“Council notes

1.    That Oxfordshire County Council is currently considering proposals that merge Rewley Fire Station with Kidlington Fire Station into a single Fire Station.

2.    The proposals also include the loss of four full time Firefighters at Banbury Fire Station,  and the implementation of 12 hour day shifts for firefighters at Bicester Fire Station.

3.    Cherwell is a growing district which places greater demand on local emergency response capacity.

4.    The proposals could affect response times and lead to diminished fire cover for incidents across Cherwell and Oxfordshire. The FBU has said the implementation of 12 hour shifts is unsafe.

 

Council believes

1.    Closing and merging stations could increase average response times, when Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's response times are already significantly longer than the national average.

2.    The loss of four full time Firefighter positions in Banbury and implementation of 12 hour shifts at Bicester could have a detrimental impact on public safety in Cherwell.

3.    That decisions on fire service changes must prioritise public safety above financial or administrative considerations. 

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.    Support residents and Firefighters in Oxfordshire by making clear our opposition to the reduction in Firefighter numbers, implementation of 12 hour shifts, and the merger of Kidlington and Rewley Fire Stations.”

 

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

 

“Council notes

1.    That Oxfordshire County Council is currently considering proposals that merge Rewley Fire Station with Kidlington Fire Station into a single Fire Station.

2.    The proposals also include the loss of four full time Firefighters at Banbury Fire Station,  and the implementation of 12 hour day shifts for firefighters at Bicester Fire Station.

3.    Cherwell is a growing district which places greater demand on local emergency response capacity.

4.    The proposals could affect response times and lead to diminished fire cover for incidents across Cherwell and Oxfordshire. The FBU has said the implementation of 12 hour shifts is unsafe.

 

Council believes

1.    Closing and merging stations could increase average response times, when Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's response times are already significantly longer than the national average.

2.    The loss of four full time Firefighter positions in Banbury and implementation of 12 hour shifts at Bicester could have a detrimental impact on public safety in Cherwell.

3.    That decisions on fire service changes must prioritise public safety above financial or administrative considerations. 

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.    Support residents and Firefighters in Oxfordshire by making clear our opposition to concerns with the reduction in Firefighter numbers, implementation of 12 hour shifts, and the merger of Kidlington and Rewley Fire Stations.”

 

The amendment was debated. On being put to the vote, the amendment was lost and subsequently fell.

 

The motion as submitted as debated. During his summing up, Councillor Crichton was proposed that a recorded vote be taken. This was duly seconded by Councillor Dr Thornhill. Having been proposed and seconded, a recorded vote was taken. Members voted as follows:

 

Councillor Fiaz Ahmed                   For

Councillor Tom Beckett                   For

Councillor Rebecca Biegel             For

Councillor Gordon Blakeway         Abstain

Councillor Chris Brant                     Abstain

Councillor Besmira Brasha            For

Councillor John Broad                    For

Councillor Phil Chapman               For

Councillor Mark Cherry                   For

Councillor Becky Clarke MBE        For

Councillor Jean Conway                Abstain

Councillor Grace Conway-Murray For

Councillor Gemma Coton               Abstain

Councillor Dr Isabel Creed             For

Councillor Andrew Crichton           For

Councillor Dr Henry Elugwu          For

Councillor Donna Ford                    Abstain

Councillor Ian Harwood                  For

Councillor David Hingley                Abstain

Councillor Frank Ideh                      Abstain

Councillor Simon Lytton                 Abstain

Councillor Kieron Mallon                For

Councillor Nicholas Mawer            For

Councillor Fiona Mawson              For

Councillor Lesley McLean              Abstain

Councillor Zoe McLernon               For

Councillor Ian Middleton                 For

Councillor Julian Nedelcu              Abstain

Councillor Dr Chukwudi Okeke     For

Councillor Robert Parkinson          Abstain

Councillor Rob Pattenden              Abstain

Councillor Chris Pruden                 Abstain

Councillor Edward F Reeves         For

Councillor David Rogers                 For

Councillor Les Sibley                      For

Councillor Nigel Simpson               For

Councillor Dr Kerrie Thornhill        For

Councillor Dom Vaitkus                  For

Councillor Dorothy Walker             Abstain

Councillor Linda Ward                    For

Councillor Amanda Watkins          For

Councillor Douglas Webb               For

Councillor John Willett                    For

Councillor Barry Wood                    For

 

Resolved

 

(1)          That the following motion be adopted:

 

“Council notes

1.    That Oxfordshire County Council is currently considering proposals that merge Rewley Fire Station with Kidlington Fire Station into a single Fire Station.

2.    The proposals also include the loss of four full time Firefighters at Banbury Fire Station,  and the implementation of 12 hour day shifts for firefighters at Bicester Fire Station.

3.    Cherwell is a growing district which places greater demand on local emergency response capacity.

4.    The proposals could affect response times and lead to diminished fire cover for incidents across Cherwell and Oxfordshire. The FBU has said the implementation of 12 hour shifts is unsafe.

 

Council believes

1.    Closing and merging stations could increase average response times, when Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service's response times are already significantly longer than the national average.

2.    The loss of four full time Firefighter positions in Banbury and implementation of 12 hour shifts at Bicester could have a detrimental impact on public safety in Cherwell.

3.    That decisions on fire service changes must prioritise public safety above financial or administrative considerations. 

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.    Support residents and Firefighters in Oxfordshire by making clear our opposition to the reduction in Firefighter numbers, implementation of 12 hour shifts, and the merger of Kidlington and Rewley Fire Stations.”